Gold & Diamond Badges
300 km Gold Distance & Diamond Goal Flight
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300 km task declaration |
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1st Turn — Wunkar, SA |
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2nd Turn — Lake Cullulleraine,
Vic |
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Goal — Waikerie, SA — Astir
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Friday, 5 December 1980, was the last day of my second
ever visit to Waikerie Gliding Club. Warwick McIntosh, my
course instructor, suggested I have a go at a 300 km Gold
Distance and Diamond Goal FAI badge task. After all, what did I have to loose.
I was somewhat apprehensive, not having had that much
cross-country experience. Hey, I had less than 30 hours
total flying time! Still, there were three other far more
experienced pilots about to have a go at the same task. So
maybe I could just tag along with them and get an easy
ride.
The task was to head South from Waikerie to Wunkar, then North East to
Lake Cullulleraine, and then West back to Waikerie.
First Leg to Wunkar
The first leg to Wunkar went well, though slowly. I
radioed in my position at the turn and I wasn't too far
behind the others.
Secong Leg to Lake Cullulleraine
The second leg to Lake Cullulleraine went way slower.
Worse still, I was only 800 feet high at the turn and thinking
about outlanding. However, I regained height and slowly began
to work my way back towards Waikerie.
Third Leg to Waikerie
I had many low points on the third and final leg back to
Waikerie and had landing fields picked out on more than one
occasion. But somehow I always managed to find some lift,
claw back some height, and keep going.
Maurie Bradney, Chief Flying Instructor at the Waikerie
Gliding Club, was getting worried. They hadn't heard from
me for hours, and I'd reported that I was very low at that point.
He got on the radio and asked for my position.
I was delighted to report that I was at 5,000 feet above
Waikerie airfield. Of course, he then wanted to know what I
was doing up so high at the end of the task!
Safe Landing
Shortly afterwards I landed safely and finished a seven
hour thirty-three minute flight. I'd completed my Gold
Distance and Diamond Goal FAI badge tasks in one flight,
at my first attempt!
Sure I'd taken an inordinately long time, having
spent too much of my flying time in either the upper 20% or
the lower 20% of the usable height band. I would learn how to
work the height band properly during the cross-country course
on my next visit to Waikerie. But that was for later.
Through pure persistence I'd made it around on a day
when most others didn't successfully complete their tasks.
I was more than happy to shout the bar that night!
Last modified: 6:59 am Thursday 25 September 2025
Local time: 2:42 pm Sunday 28 September 2025
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