By Nathan Johnson on Tuesday, July 01, 2008 3:20 PM

Today was cancelled about 10min before the start gate was due to open.  We were set an AST which basically went south of Rayskala towards the coast, then west for about 60km and back to the north for a turn 20km west of Rayskala.  Total distnce was 248km.  The task basically took us between two areas of controlled airspace.  There were showers and storms around Helsinki (east of track) with the risk of thunderstorms developing in task area.  The launch time got pushed later and later and eventually we launched at 1245.  Showers developed in the task area and the day was cancelled once we were all airborne.  Andrew and I stayed airbourne for about an hr playing under some heavy cu and almost outlanded about 25km away! 

By Nathan Johnson on Monday, June 30, 2008 9:22 PM

Well as you can probably tell today was a bad day, to say the least.  We were part of a big group that headed for the first turn to the west, which wasn't a bad run.  We decided to turn early in the first sector which had a 20km radius.  The high cloud associated with the front was already overhead, and as we headed off for the second turn, it started to die.  Andrew (koala 1) ended up landed at an airstrip at Forssa, whilst I scratched away for about 30min or so!  I went a long way south of track as new cu was starting to develop there again, which ended up in hindsight not being the best idea.  Conditions became pretty good again when I was within about 50km of the second turn, which was about 60km NE of Rayskala.  At this stage I'd almost been on task for nearly 2 hrs and the task was  2hr AAT.  I decided to go further into the second leg to see that if I could increase my avg speed as conditions were fairly good at t ... Read More »

By Nathan Johnson on Sunday, June 29, 2008 3:00 PM

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By Nathan Johnson on Saturday, June 28, 2008 7:19 PM

I've been forced by the team captain to write a blog.  Andrew came 4th and I came 1st.  There was only about 50 points between us and we were about 200 above the guys that come 5th onwards!  Top 4 were also the Sweedes, good work guys!

By Nathan Johnson on Saturday, June 28, 2008 5:17 PM

Well we made it back.  We had to dodge a few storms to get home.  Had  bit of a go at pair flying so that ws good fun.  We went well on the first 2 legs, but on the 3rd we had to dodge the storms.  Good learning day.  All I want to know why it always rains on me.

By Nathan Johnson on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:35 PM

Yes made it here on Friday arvo last week, watched the nice looking sky for 2 days on the weekend, had a check flight, and then spent the last few days watching the rain.  I have worked out basically the days TV shows on channell 4 for week days.  It is as follows:   8:00 Chris Rock, 8:30 Desperate Housewives, 9:05 Something in Finnish, 9:25 Info Commercials, 1300 More Info Commecials, 1440 Zorro (in French, well at least I think it's in French), 1535 The Nanny, 1605 Days of our lives, 1710 Dr Phil, 1800 Home Improvement, 1830 News, 2100 Cashmere Marfia, 2200 Me and my Penis (it was a pommy doco and it was turned off after it started to get a bit graphic, it would have been a pearler for you Gus!)  So thats whats happening, weather is good now but its blowing a gale and about 16 degrees. 

By Nathan Johnson on Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:57 AM

Hi, my name is Johno. I'm 20, a sagittarius, and I enjoy long walks on the beach at sunset. I enjoy fine cuisine, eating prawns with my arms interlocked with another person.