We are getting into a good routine here now and the days are starting to blur together. In the cool of the morning around 7am the crews water and Stage the gliders. Staging is a process where the gliders are positioned next to the runway, in grid order, whilst the airport is still open. We then have a briefing at 10.15 lasting around 15 or 20 minutes, then back to Aussie base for a Team briefing. Launching is typically around 12.30 to 1pm. Half an hour before first launch the gliders are pushed onto the strip. By now it is getting pretty hot so if the launch is delayed most people get back into their cars and turn on the air conditioning. Launching usually takes an hour or so with the tugs all having cute nick names. They overfly low next to the grid and drop their ropes from around 30′-50′ up. So you hear calls like “Baby blue east approach”. They all have Flarms so it doesn’t get too exciting.
The airfield is quite small so the 15m and 18m gliders launch off the main runway and the Open Class launch from the parallel taxi way. After launch we retire to the air conditioning in Aussie base and communicate gate openings and start times. Whilst they are out on task Alex and Terry relay weather information such as storm cells and sea breeze position. With pilots in three different classes flying 3 different tasks that is a lot of work for them, but there is no doubt it is helpful. Around 6 to 6.30pm we usually get our first finishers and by 7pm most are home. The challenge then is to get everything sorted and get the pilots fed and watered in time to get plenty of sleep ready for the next day.