Feature Air rally pits pilots against navigational and operational challenges by Glenn Werkman The Review Forced landings, touch-and-go exercises and flour bombing mis- sions made up the ultimate chal- lenge for 31 pilots and their navi- gators during the Victona Flying Club’s seventh Air Rally last weekend. Some pilots became lost. Others missed targets and at least one pilot unsuccessfully tried a touch- and-go landing from 300 feet. But they all had fun. At the end of the day it was 25-year-old university student Mark Vogel who walked away with a huge trophy and a $1,000 line of credit on his flying club account. Vogel, who is studying for his masters in applied science, electri- cal engineering, was one of two pilots to fly solo. His friend says this 1s because Vogel likes his cockpit messy. But the four-year club member and commercial pilot tainee had a logical explana- tion. He rationalized that a rookie navigator wouldn’t be much help, and a veteran navigator would cause the flying club’s judges to handicap him. The result was a finish with 750 of a possible 1,000 points, surpass- ing the next best finisher substan- tially. Vogel only had 250 points deducted while second prize win- ners (of a $500 account credit) Adrian Barry and Shaun Larkin lost 315 points — 300 on naviga- tion, 15 off flight plan. Vogel took the competition seri- ously (although he didn’t expect to win and had to be summoned from a Brentwood barbecue to receive his prize). He mapped his route carefully, was precise in his time estimates to each destination and. even made flour bomb trajectory FLYING CLUB Cessna taxis into line for fuel. The Victoria Flying calculations — plus a flour bomb trial run — before entering the Sunday competition. There was one hitch. Vogel’s calculations were based on a two- ounce flour bomb. He was given a half-pound flour bomb. “T was left sitting there with all these useless numbers,’ Vogel said. He ended up “winging it” and managed to get within 50 feet of the 16-foot target, dropping from an altitude of 200 feet. It was close, but it cost him 50 points. MARK VOGEL Flying Club manager Jack Kais- er has organized the air rally for seven years and said it was a test of flight planning, timing, navigation, target identification, bombing and landings. “Tt’s a back-to-basics exercise,” he said. “But it’s a fun exercise. It’s not a competition.” This year was better than any other year even before the first plane took off at 0800 hours. The weather was clear and calm with no real chance of rain. It’s the first time the air rally avoided some sort of foul weather. Because of the high density of traffic at Victoria airport, the rally Started at Duncan. P But before leaving, pilots and’ navigators were required to prepare a flight log and flight plan. After’ at Club used 12 aeroplanes during the air rally, requiring ground crews to scramble to get them ready for the next wave of competitors. ~CAPITAL HEALTH COUNCIL Community Representative for the Saanich Peninsula Applications are invited for the voluntary position of communi- ty representative for the Saanich Peninsula on the interim board of the newly-formed Capital Health Council. With a strong community base, the CHC will advise the Ministry of Health on the allocation of funds and resources for new and existing health services throughout the Capital Region. Applicants should have a wide interest in, and a broad | understanding of, health issues and priorities but should have no direct connection with a funded agency or a particular health organization. Names of applicants will be submitted by CHG to the Minister of Health, who will select one to serve on the interim board until the end of 1993, at which time a permanent board will be established. Applications should be sent to: Mayor Maurice Chazottes District of North Saanich Box 2639 Sidney, B.C. V8L 4C1 Mayor Ted Jones District of Central Saanich 4093 Mt. Newton Cross Road Saanichton, B.C. VoS 1Mo Mayor Marie C. Rosko Town of Sidney. 2440 Sidney Avenue Sidney, B.C. V8L 1Y7 All applications to be received by May 29th, 1992 filing the flight plan, the flying club’s chief flying instructor, John Milligan, punched the estimated speed into a computer, which auto- matically calculated the estimated travel time between each destina- tion. Teams were deducted points for errors. The first check point was Dun- can, where spotters ensured the aeroplane crossed the center of the field at 1,000 feet. From there, it was off to the Gibsons/Sechelt airport, where another spotter checked the accu- racy of a spot landing. Them, competitors turned west for the trip across Georgia Strait to Qualicum airport, where they were required to cut the throttle at 2.000 feet and simulate a forced landing. During the competition, pilots and navigators were required to identify five targets, three between Duncan and Gibsons and two between Qualicum and the bomb- ing mission. A X marked on the map was used to ensure the target was located. After Qualicum, air rally entrants faced one of the toughest parts of the competition. First they had to find Colin Ridley’s airstrip, about 1.5 miles southeast of Dun- can. Then, they were to drop to about 200 feet and drop a flour TheReview bomb from a side window into a 16-foot target. Only two pilots actually hit the target and some didn’t even get it out the window. One lady pilot went around four times on her bombing run. And when she finally got the window open to throw out the bomb, she lost the map, the log and the flight plan, Kaiser said. During the entire event, flight safety was stressed. Although points were deducted for pilots who used power during the forced landing, organizers stressed they would rather see a pilot use power than crash. Line umpire Herb Noble Al _VISA * R COND SERVICE SPECIAL ARE YOU READY FOR THE HEAT? Service Special, Limited Time Offer. See Us Today GURTON’S GARAGE LTD. TIRE LAND SIDNEY SHELL * Corner of McTavish & E. Saanich Rd. Wednesday, May 20,1992 — A2Cgp §, & ensured that electronic navigation- al aids were not used. Paper stic- kers were placed over the instru- ments and checks were made when planes landed to ensure there was no tampering. This year’s event saw close scores between competitors, with an eight-per-cent margin separat- ing the top four, although the winner clearly stood out. Vogel flew a Cessna 152 Victor- ia Flying Club plane. It was the first time he flew into Gibsons and Qualicum airports. At an awards banquet Sunday, the flying club also recognized Allen Whalley as the club’s boos- -s5iygagr ter for 1990. ITIONING — 5A ge MASTERCARD 656-3939 SAANICHTON’S NEWEST & MOST MODERN’ BEER & WINE STORE Serving Your Favourite Adult Beverages. Cold & Chilled Just As You Like It! LOCATED ON MOUNT NEWTON X ROAD (at the Intersection of Mount Newton X Rd. & E. Saanich Rd.) OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE WE PRATRIE INE. NEIGHBOURHOOD PUB Mon. - Sat. 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Mount Newton X Rd. & East Saanich Rd.