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topic: Bogong Cup (5 articles)

Bogong Cup »

December 16, 2009, 9:27:16 PST

Bogong Cup

An update

Phil Schroder

Phil Schroder <philschroder> writes:

Fifty four pilots entered in the competition.

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Bogong Cup »

Thu, Nov 18 2004, 11:00:00 am EST

Join the Russians and get wireless access.

calendar|Carol Binder|weather

Check the Oz Report calendar

Stay at the Alpenhorn

Heather «hmull» writes:

Carol has been sent a message from the eight pilots of the Russian team that they intend to compete here at Mt. Beauty. The owners of the bike/outdoor shop next to Settlers are going to get an internet cafe going, so I think this will be your best option in Mt. Beauty.

Tony Roberts writes:

The plan is that the Mt Beauty headquarters is to be at the Settlers Tavern and the Internet Café is at “Rocky Valley Outdoor and Bike Hire." Rocky Valley will have five or six PC's networked.

Carol Binder «binder_carol» writes from Bright:

The past two weeks have been very tropical here. Lots of rain and now lots of sunshine. The grass is very green and long. Good weather for snakes!

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Nico and Wire comments – 1x19?

Wed, Jan 30 2002, 6:00:04 am GMT

Aaron Swepston|accident|Bogong Cup|James Freeman|Laragne|Moyes|nicopress|photo|Wills Wing Talon

Numerous pilots wrote in to comment on the look of the nico. For example, Aaron Swepston wrote:

Looking at the photo of the nico with the broken cable strands, it appears that the nico is swaged (compressed) all the way to the very end. From what I recall, the recommendation has been that the nico press fitting is not to be swaged all the way to the end, leaving a sort of flanged opening for the cables to exit from. That prevents the cable from having to make a very sharp bend against a very sharp edge that would result from compressing the nico fitting all the way to the end.

James Freeman«jfreeman» meet director at the Bogong Cup wites:

Stainless steel side wires fatigue and wear out. This is why some trikes use galvanised normal stee,l which does not have the fatigue problems of stainless. Until the advent of thin 1x19 2mm wires this was rarely a problem but now we have seen two identical problems in a small sample of gliders using this wire.

Thinner wires have less reserve strength and will therefore wear out before thicker ones.

You can not adequately inspect the problem area without cutting back the heatshrink.

Side wires should be periodically replaced. They are relatively cheap at about $80AUS for a pair and take no more than 5 minutes to fit. I have just fitted some new ones.

(editor's note: The Wills Wing Talon manual states that side wires should be replaced one a year no matter what the circumstances, and that they should be replaced immediately if kinked, show any wear, damage or corrosion.)

«hangpoints» writes:

Just because the glider is a topless design with a strong cross tube spar doesn't mean there is any redundancy in the side wire. With a broken side wire you have no way of weight shifting to that side. All you will gain is time to think about throwing your chute as you enter an uncontrolled spiral!

The 1 x19 wire has been used on all, Moyes gliders with Mylar sails since the Xtralite or possibly before (I'm sure Moyes can come up with an approximate total number of gliders). There have not been a "significant" number of side wire failures. However there have been some. Notably on an SX (c1997) last year at the British meet in Laragne. After flying over 80 km in strong thermals at up to 8000ft the side wire broke as the pilot let the bar out crossing the goal line at less 300 ft or less causing a fatal accident. This wire broke at the cross tube end where I'm sure pilots are less likely to inspect them and certainly launch marshals cannot see the swage. We (UK Derbyshire) also had a several wires break at takeoff just as the pilot loads the wing. Our takeoffs are not like Buffallo!

It is often possible to get the side wires kinked at the plate where they attach to the frame. Similar things are possible at the cross tube joint. We must be careful when rigging the glider to avoid this. If we get the thimble twisted and load it like that so it twangs out when we fly, I reckon that wire needs a good looking at or replacing. The area between the end swage and the hard eye, where your photo shows the broken strands, is the most vulnerable and any bending there is likely to overstress the wire quickly. Remember to look at both ends of the wire!

If the manufacturer's handbook is followed and these wires are changed regularly then there is no problem. We should all change our side wires regularly. I have supplied new side wires when I have sold on my last few gliders and maybe we should all do this.

The stainless 1 x 19 is more subject to work hardening and only slightly stronger initially than Galvanised. Galvanised carbon steel wires are more flexible and has an added advantage of looking terrible after a year or two so the pilot wants to replace them. Stainless wires are nearly always used for too long and not replaced often enough. Most active pilots should replace the side wires every year.

Carrying a spare side wire with our spare downtube when we go on a long flying trip might be a really good idea too! It'd probably cost less than the downtube. Some people fly with straightened downtubes, but never knowingly with frayed wires, so maybe our priorities are wrong here!

After the accident at Laragne there was a brisk trade in side wires in the UK and some gliders were found to have stainless side wires with many years and over 500 hours flying. Those pilots are quite lucky.

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Bogong Cup – January 26th »

Sat, Jan 22 2000, 6:00:00 pm EST

 

It rains. It rains hard. There wasn't any rain until the first day of the Bogong Cup.

 

We go up to the Emu launch, it is blowing over the back, and the rain is beginning. As the rain increases we bail. We get down to have a Cup'a at the Mt Beauty Bakery, and then the rain really begins.

 

The drive up to the Emu launch is better than before. It still sucks. Rough, goes on forever. Launch is improved though. It has been cleared out quite a bit. Still, not enough to launch downwind into the rain.

 

Bogong Cup »

Sun, Sep 13 1998, 11:00:01 am EDT

Yup, this is more Australia action for those of you who can get time off to go to the real Oz. Belinda and I are working on More Windows 98 Secrets for IDG Books, so it is not likely we will have a chance to get there this year, but who knows. BTW, the new book, Windows 98 Secrets, is out and crammed full of cool secrets. The even newer, as yet to be published book, is going to be even more amazing with hundreds of very cool tricks.

Well, back to the Bogong Cup. Jeanette McLaren sent me the following information:

1999 Bogong Cup
January 7 - 16th inclusive
In the wonderful Ovens & Kiewa Valley's

Entry Fee: A$195, including map, all film (except backup), and site fees.
Minimum rating: IPPI Level 4 or higher.

Must have visiting pilot membership with Hang Gliding Association of Australia

Open, Racing, and Intermediate classes. (kingpostless, advanced & intermediate gliders)

Mt Buffalo, Tawonga Gap and Mt Emu launches

If 90 entries have not been received by Dec 4, comp will be reduced to 65 pilots with all others refunded, and the comp will be shortened to 8 days with no cut. So get your entry in now!

Accommodation Enquiries: Mt Beauty Information Centre Phone: +61 3 57544531

Bogong Cup Information: Jeanette McLaren: «jmclaren»

It is very easy to get visiting pilot status and you can even do it on-line. Be sure to check out the calendar of all the Australian hang gliding competitions to plan your schedule at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~skysail/ .