Gary Osoba <<wosoba>>
writes:

WRE 2013 ~ What's Happening & What's Not

The 2013 WRE's happening. Big time. The weather is shaping up beautifully- in
fact at least one day this week looked very much like Dustin and Johnny's record
days last year, and superb flying weather every day. According to Charlie
Avaritt, Zapata County Airport Manager- and our gracious host for 14 years in a
row without whose help and support there would be no WRE- the clouds are now
lining up the way we love to see them.

There's still time to be included for record attempts or simply your own
best-ever distance. Pilots can fly locally in remarkably consistent conditions
that have produced numerous World Records for the fastest triangular courses.
Contact me for more details: <wosoba>.

The WRE this year was going to be an Invitational for the first time- with a
small group of carefully selected pilots of both genders flying both Flex and
Rigid Wings. A nice mix of current and past National Champs, along with current
and past World Record Holders. We had signed an agreement with the BBC to film
an exciting documentary. US AIR importer and World Record holder BJ Herring
would be featured in the central story, flying for tandem records along with a
British atmospheric scientist who was the first woman to cross the Antarctic
solo. Here's some info on the project from the cover letter to our agreement
with the BBC:

The BBC is producing a two part series with the working title 'Cloud Lab' (the "Programme").
The Programme will follow the journey of the BBC team over a four week period in
an airship flying across the North American continent - from Florida to
California (and Operator confirms it is possible to do this trip within a four
week period) - to carry out their research. Travelling west their route will
take them over some stunning and diverse landscapes in the USA.

The Programme will examine the fact that we think we inhabit the surface of
Earth - but this is an illusion. In reality we live submerged at the bottom of a
vast ocean of air that's dynamic, fragile, and teeming with life. But the
atmosphere that surrounds us is also one of the least understood parts of our
planet. In the Programme an international team of experts study the skies from
the airship. They will use a varietyof equipment to carry out a series of
experiments to explore our planet's atmosphere. The BBC will use the airship as
a base for filming and carrying out experiments, and in addition, to fly to
various locations at which the BBC will carry out further filming on the ground.
As part of this filming the BBC would like to include footage from your World
Record Encampment event (the "WRE").

Thank you for agreeing to reschedule this event in order to coincide with the
BBC's production schedule as per the terms and conditions as set out in the
contract attached to this letter. Your help in making the BBC's Programme is
very much appreciated.

Love that second paragraph! However, we now have learned that the US firm lined
up to lease the BBC their airship is facing certification delays that will make
it impossible to make this year's WRE. We had already rescheduled 3 times to
allow for their schedule, but it's now out of reach. As a result of the
rescheduling, we've also lost the talents of US National Women's Champ Lisa V. and
at least one other pilot. So we have room for a few more pilots in this
year's event. We will be setting up on July 19th, then flying over parts of 2
weeks until the 31st of July. Pilots can come for the first week, the second
week, a few days, or the whole thing. Some may choose to fly to the Big Spring
Nationals, run (no doubt characteristically superbly) by Davis this year, since
there's a nice 3 day cushion between events for getting there, resting up, and
practice flying if allowed.

So what's happening? The WRE and the weather that makes it consistently the
event which has proven to host the best flying in the world. This year, we are
especially appreciative of BJ Herring making the BBC project a possibility (even
passed), Jim Yocum, current US National Rigid Champ for making his tug available
for use, Bobby Baily & Moyes for help in the towing arrangements, and Zapata
County and the Airport Authority for the great facilities.

Even though Russell Brown has taken a well deserved vacation in preparation for
a towing marathon at Big Spring, we also appreciate his consistent support over
the years that have allowed us to hold the event consecutively for the 14 year
period.

What's not happening? The BBC due to circumstances beyond their control. Even
so, it has been great working with their producers, logistical liaisons, and
their legal and budgetary departments. Watch for possible future developments in
this area.

Here are a few snips from the familiar Blipmaps site showing the winds, thermal
strengths, and cloud bases from Tuesday's weather. In fact, I've been watching
every day preliminary to our arrival and the morning winds were better than
these; the evening winds in the region of record landing distances were also
about 5 knots stronger than predicted. Oh…. The east central region of the State
is where "Dancin' Davis" has been hanging with Belinda- extolling the virtues of
the Austin night life as opposed to Zapata's comparatively benign social
accoutrements. He's even ripped off a couple of 50 or 60 mile single surface
gruelers in an attempt to beat his own Zapata record. (Distance we usually like
to see before noon from the WRE).

What can I say? I'll have to side with the locals, who regard Zapata as the
"Garden Spot of the Country". (Check with P. Lehmann for details).

On July 9th: 20 knot tailwinds: smooth 600-700 foot lift, never a tumble or
deployment; cloudbases & streets to 12,500' later in the day. A word about last
year's records- Dustin and Jonny weren't ready to launch when the conditions
were on. Another hour to 1.5 was there for the taking.

What's not to like? Contact me and come fly the best conditions anywhere. We
have a couple of spots open now.

http://ozreport.com/docs/WRE2013OR.pdf