Well, I'll probably do another article, but just for PPRuNers, here goes...
But firstly I want to say, ESPECIALLY WELL DONE to FFF and Aerbabe for coming third, on their FIRST ATTEMPT! it takes most of us at least one go to work out exactly what's required. I don't think either of them realise how well they've done.
Anyway...
The Dawn to Dusk is an annual international flying competition, and the stated aim is" the most interesting employment within the limits of competent airmanship demonstrating the capablities of pilot and aircraft between the hours of dawn and dusk". You need to do at least eight hours flying in the day, and there's a complicated scoring system based on originality of theme, airmanship, write-up, etc etc etc. It's all explained in the entry form and details, which you can get from David Hamilton, as explained above.
Tricia, my partner-in-crime...er, I mean co-pilot..and I first entered it in 2000, without much idea of what was required. We came fifth and won the Bonney Trophy for the best all ladies entry. The following year we entered again, and won! We also got the Bonney Trophy again, and the Pooley Sword for the best presented log/report. There are loads of prizes; most entries that are completed win something, as completing it is the hardest thing to do. Our theme that year was "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven" as it relates to the life, history, and folklore of Wales and the borders. There's an article on it in Pilot; August 2002.
In 2002 we got a message from David Hamilton: "The Duke (of Edinburgh) expects last year's winners to defend their position!" So we started thinking in earnest about a theme. Eventually we decided that, it being the Queen's Golden Jubilee year, we'd find 50 "Turning Points" of the last 50 years, and fly between the, However, that was too easy!!! We decided to find one for each year, and fly the shape of a 50! As far as we knew, flying a shape had never been done before.
It took ages to research, as some years nothing seemed to have happened, or if it had, it wouldn't fit into our "50". Anyway, we planned the route, on the day were up at 4am to check wx, NOTAMs, and Royal Flights, and took off about 7am. I flew us on a convoluted first leg from Gloucester to Wellesbourne, via most of the South of England, while Tricia navigated did the radio, and took photos. We swopped roles for the next leg - via the Pennines to Nottingham. A quick lunch, then on to Elstree, then the final leg was through East Anglia to complete the "zero", then back to Gloucester by latish evening.
A tiring day - but that's the easy bit! Writing it up, if you want to win, takes for ever!! To be honest, Tricia did most of it, but I'd done most of the research, so it balanced out. Vowing never to do it again - but we'd said that the previous year - we sent it in.
Then....
Owing to the bad weather, only three entries were completed!!!! The judges decided to combine 2002 with 2003. We weren't best pleased I can tell you. We'd moved heaven and earth to fly despite the bad weather, and my back still ached from flying a C172, in which I need three cushions, because we borrowed it at the last moment on one of the few good wx days. On top of that, I only had four hours in that type ever, hadn't flown it for ages, and was dodging clouds at low level at about 7am. Anyway, it was all put on hold till 2003, for us anyway.
Aerbabe and FFF will have to tell you about 2003. Tricia and I forgot about it all until we got our invitations to the Awards Ceremony - well, I did spend the year getting an instructors rating and a flying job and one can't do everything!
We were delighted to come second. We also got the Pooley Sword back, and the Bonney Trophy for the third year. As well as coming joint third, Aerbabe and FFF also got the long distance medal, for flying their little socks off in a fast aircraft - nearly 1000 miles, if I remember correctly!!!
The chap who won is a regular entrant, does it every year, has come second and third several times, but never won. His theme was the wooden hotels of Norway (he's Norwegian), and he flew the whole thing SOLO. Believe me, it's difficult and knackering with two of you, never mind doing it alone. It was beautifully presented, and he well deserved to win.
We're not planning on doing it again, though you never know. I already have a draft of a planned article, maybe for Flyer this time. There's also a Half Competition, and I may do that in a helicopter next year, as I already have a theme. I'd like to do it solo, but in an R22, for the sake of safety, I should probably take someone along to take the photos for me at least. Well, we'll see...
Anyway, I think three winners from this forum is pretty good.
Let's get a few more next year.