Sheila Taylor NAV Rally 2013 Another Huge Success
The annual Sheila Taylor NAV rally hosted by the Krugersdorp Flying Club under the leadership of Frank and Cally Echard was once again a huge success. Support and participation during the event was again excellent and the tradition of this event to honour Sheila and Jack Taylor (the founder of the airfield) continue to live on.
It was clear right from the start that the strong south-westerly was going to make the event challenging and I could feel the excitement in the air during the comprehensive safety briefing presented by the club's safety officer Chris Kyle. His briefing included a printed hand-out to ensure that every crew knew about the procedures and conditions at the field, frequencies and nearby airports. The only aspect Chris neglected to mention was that you may land at Waterkloof if you were lost as long as you claim to attend a wedding.
One unusual part of the event was the amount of family teams who entered and flew together. Another reflection of the spirit of the event.
The route planned by Cally Echard had a total length of 88 miles south west from the field and the strong wind prevented crews at times from reaching their nominated speeds and in other cases from slowing down to their nominated speeds. Final penalty scores were therefore much higher than previous years but what matters most is that the event was safe and enjoyed by all.
The rally was won by Pilot Charlie Gradidge and Navigator Chris Kyle with a total score of 410 points.
Second position went to Peter Roodt & Nico Smit with Jaco Joubert and Chris Van Hoof in third place.
|
|