President's Trophy Air Race 2013 By Cheryl Smit This year the PTAR was hosted by Oudtshoorn Flying Club. Oudtshoorn is a town in the Western Cape province and is the largest town in the Little Karoo region. The town is home to the world's largest ostric population, with a number of specialized ostrich breeding farms and is surrounded by the beautiful majestic Swartberg Mountains. I flew down from Pietermaritzburg with Barry de Groot three times winner of the PTAR in his Cessna 172 and we arrived on Thursday afternoon with registration in full swing. Sharon Malcolm was at the helm handing out the competitor's gift packs and assisting with the registration. I was immediately impressed by the organisation of the event. The Race briefing was held at 16h30 by the Race Director Robbie Myburgh. Thereafter the navigators collected their maps and most then left the airfield to go and do their plotting for Day 1 race. On Race Day 1 the briefing was held at 08h30. The start of the race was at 10h30. I positioned myself towards the middle of runway 22 to photograph each of the aircraft as they took off for the route of 284.174 nautical miles. Leg one took the competitors from Oudtshoorn with a right turn to School 1 on a distance of 52.738nm. Leg 2 routed them right from School 1 across the Klein Swartberg enroute to Laingsburg on a distance of 28.213nm. Leg 3 routed them from Laingsburg with an awesome run through the Karoo to Prince Albert airstrip on a distance of 59.079nm. Leg 4 routed them from Prince Albert airstrip to Willomore airstrip on a distance of 74.098nm. Leg 5 routed them from Willomore airstrip with a right turn to School 2 on a distance of 14.063nm. Leg 6 routed them from School 2 heading for home down the valley and back to Oudtshoorn on a distance of 55.983nm. The top 5 results for the first day of the 64 competing aircraft were: Position Race Registration Aircraft Pilot 1st 77 ZS-JEF Piper PA-28-235 Willie Linde 2nd 7 ZU-MBD Bedecorp LLC BD-4C Jakkie de Vries 3rd 12 ZS-KJB Cessna 21 ON Willie Griesel 4th 52 ZS-LLH Cessna 182B Phil Wakeley 5th 62 ZS-IJL Beech K35 Bennie du Plessis On Race Day 2 the briefing was again held at 08h30 and the race started at 10h30. The Navigators collected their loggers after the briefing and I could sense the excitement of the pilots and navigators as I walked up and down the runway while they waited for positioning of their aircraft. Robbie Myburgh took his position in front of the starting line and with much enthusiasm and a little dancing around, brought on by adrenaline, which reminded me a little of Robin Spencer-Scarr the previous race director, he set off the first plane, race 91 ZU-NRC a Sling 2 flown by Andrew Lane from the starting blocks. I positioned myself on the starting line on runway 22 to photograph each of the aircraft as they accelerated for take-off on the route of 288.161nautical miles. Leg one took the competitors from Oudtshoorn with a right turn to Ladismith on a distance of 47.786nm. Leg 2 routed them sharp left left to Phillips on a distance of 34.386. Leg 3 routed them up and around the Rooiberge from Phillips left down the Lang Kloof to Avontuur on a distance of 66.108nm. Leg 4 routed them from Avontuur to Joubertina airstrip on a distance of 33.664nm. Leg 5 routed them from Joubertina in a left turn across the Kougaberge back to Willomore airstrip on a distance of 38.048nm. Leg 6 routed them from Willomore left back home to Oudtshoon across the Groot Swartberge on a final distance of 68.169nm. The first 5 aircraft to land on Race day 2 for the final day of the 64 competing aircraft were: Position Race Registration Aircraft Pilot 1st 7 ZU-MBD Bedecorp LLC BD-4C Jakkie de Vries 2nd 62 ZS-IJL Beech K35 Bennie du Plessis 3rd 53 ZS-MUU Cessna T21 ON Francois Swart 4th 57 ZS-FCE Van's RV-8 Dawie van Staden 5th 15 ZU-XML SA Ravin 500 Calle Hedberg The formal function awards dinner was held at Surval Olive Estate. Robbie Myburgh took the stand and welcomed all the guests. After the lovely dinner it was straight on to the awards ceremony. The top 10 final overall results were as follows: 1st 7 ZU-MBD Bedecorp LLC BD-4C Jakkie de Vries 2nd 62 ZS-IJL Beech K35 Bennie du Plessis 3rd 12 ZS-KJB Cessna 21 ON Willie Griesel 4th 57 ZS-FCE Van's RV-8 Dawie van Staden 5th 52 ZS-LLH Cessna 182B Phil Wakeley 6th 76 ZU-JHA Van's RV-6 Alewyn Burger 7th 9 ZU-NIK Van's RV-7 Shawn Uren 8th 74 ZS-MJR Navion H Rudi Marx 9th 77 ZS-JEF Piper PA-28-235 Willie Linde 10th 24 ZU-LHD Van's RV-8 Alan Fergus The Wakefield Trophy for first placed woman pilot went to Race 92 ZS-IDX with crew Tina van Wyk and Juanine Carstens in their Cessna 182 The Natal Mercury Trophy to the first placed Kwa Zulu Natal Crew went to Race 98 ZS-PBX with crew Neil Grobbelaar and Barry de Groot in their Mooney M20F The President's Trophy to the aircraft and crew gaining the most time on handicap went to Race 7 ZU-MBD with crew Jakkie de Vries and Marcel Viljoen My appreciation goes to the full organising committee who went out of their way to make this the best organised PTAR that I have attended in the last six years. Well done to all concerned. Special congratulations must go to Robbie Myburgh for pulling off his first Race as Race Director in style. For full results go to: http://www.sapfa.org.za/race/results/2013-ptar-full-results

Events 2013 SAPFA

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