We hope no news from Dear Leader is good news. He appears to have taken himself off on a definitely well-earned rest break.

In the meantime, we have posted a new video in the video section about how great it is to fly a trike – which, of course you already know, but we can’t get enough of it. (We think the Dear Leader possibly has, though, for the time being….)

By the way, if you know of any great videos, please drop me a line at .

The other news is that our AirEscape Twitter account is up and running. So follow us to get the latest news we have in a timely and easily-read way. We’ll follow you back … you know, if you’re not a spammer or porn merchant or suchlike …

Hang in there. We’re sure Peter will be back on deck – or under wing – soon.

Peter Wilson, our intrepid Chief Pilot, logged in from Valencia to explain the delay in the first race and other worrying developments…

The [first] race was cancelled due to high swells.

I went to the breakwater whist awaiting the decision and the seas looked perfect, but if one looked at the horizon, you could see the bumps of significant swell out to sea. The parameters re conditions are such that the defender, more or less, can say if they are happy with the conditions, given that they won’t go out in anything more than a one meter swell, or if the wind is less than 5 knots or more than 15.

Of course the conditions are changing rapidly at this latitude at this time of year and because the 1st and 3rd races could take up to 3 hours or more it’s a tricky call for all concerned.

As the race fleet waited for conditions to improve there was only 2-3 knots of wind in glassy conditions. Russel Duncan from Airborne (wingman) and I had to stay aloft for over 5 hours [!!! - ed.] waiting for the decision. We couldn’t land (water) safely because of the “confused” nature of the surface which was caused by numerous boat wakes. Also, taking off in such conditions is very tricky because the float speed on the water is the same as takeoff speed over the wing. This means that because we have no headwind to take off into, we are effectively trying to take off along a runway which has bumps in it the size of boat wakes. Needless to say, you wouldn’t dream of using a hard surface runway if it had bumps of one or two feet in it. Plus we have no suspension on the float trikes!

The safe call is to stay in the air.

Eventually we had to go back to base which at the time 30 miles over water, due to fuel requirements.

I had just taken off after refuelling (just like Formula 1) when the message came over the radio that the race was called off for the day and consequently for 2 days. As per the rules.
The world’s media is here, and it’s breaking my heart that we have to “hide” the trikes, the reason being that the Weather Team boss is dead worried that we will be protested against by Oracle and also that the Spanish authorities will “withdraw the permission” that they haven’t given us!

Spain doesn’t recognise aircraft such as ours. [!!! - ed.] Nor do they recognise float planes! [What the!!!??? - ed.] So, we are in a position that they aren’t going to question us, prohibit us, nor give us permission. Alinghi’s home port is Valencia and the authorities are turning a blind eye.

Very frustrating that we aren’t able to ply our wares as it were!

We reckon Alinghi should protest against Oracle’s skipper’s high-tech glasses. But then he’s a Sydney-sider, James Spithill, so, you know, we have a conflict of loyalties. On the other hand, whoever wins, Australia wins!

And Alinghi has a penalty before they cross the line!

Watch Race 1 of the 33rd America’s Cup here.

UPDATE: ^Dong _Doing. Not good news from Valencia. Peter Wilson explains in Comments below how his earlier prediction that “if something can go wrong it will” came true as technical trouble dogged his electronics. Talk about tempting fate: “…after weeks of faultless calibration, checking and testing, the damn thing decided to take a day off.” On the other hand he almost(?) met Richard Branson. Read more in comments.

Thrillseeker extraordinaire, Airescape Chief Pilot Peter Wilson, logs in from Valencia, Spain with the latest on the America’s Cup tussle which begins today. Peter is flying one of two trikes [microlights, weight-shift aircraft] which are being used to provide telemetric details of wind speed and direction at mast height for the Defender, Alinghi 5. Here’s his report:

…first race tomorrow…

I have to say that the “team” are quite cocky. Deservedly, hopefully…..

There’s all sorts of rule quoting and applications to various “rights” and privileges which enable each team to do or allow etc. etc.

But the big thing is that the first one is tomorrow.

I’m up at 5 in the morning to be on the course at 845. Bearing in mind that the sun doesn’t broach the horizon until just after eight, that’s like getting up just after you’ve gone to bed!

The trikes are performing superbly. Russel Duncan from Airborne has arrived and has assumed the position of pilot of “Trike 1″.

Tensions are fairly moderate, but everyone (including me) is of the opinion that if something can go wrong, it will………

Flew for over 5 hours today doing some last minute callibrations between the weather boats, each other’s trikes and the other numerous electronic gagets which we’re carrying.

Big celebrations today which included fireworks that you would think came from Afghanistan.

Glassy seas with no more that about 3 to 4 knots all day until just prior to sunset. From all reports, we’re good to go. Don’t forget you can see the race via streaming vid. on alinghi’s website.

Pete.

You can also go to the America’s Cup site for streaming video. CupInfo also has information on how to view the race in various territories online or on TV.

Here’s the latest recorded video available so far.

If you’d like to have a go yourself, give us a nudge on the Contact button above.

And here’s one with music.

You know you want to do this, right? So contact us.

Flight height for trikes

Peter Wilson, AirEscape Chief Pilot, logs in from the America’s Cup preparations in Valencia, Spain and proves that microlight flying can require just as much skill and precision as any other form of aviation and can use just as much techno gadgetry. An exhausted Wilson reports:

I flew for five and a half hours today and am knackered, to put it mildly.

The weather team is ecstatic about the result which we have attained. The theory is proven and we now have the techno edge for the races.

We’ve confirmed a point-two of a knot accuracy by developing a modified way of flying.

I now carry an iPod which is linked via WiFi out of the onboard computer which is linked to the iridium on the top of the engine, which is linked to the maritime G.P.S. network around Spain. The iPod reads out a height value to within one meter at an update rate of every fifteen seconds.

I need this “extra” confirmation to cater for the rapid pressure changes which occur on these latitudes at this time of the year. So the analogue altimeter is giving me the “quick reference” and the iPod is giving me the confirmation, and also the variation of accuracy. (barometric changes)

The new “style” of flying means that I don’t change my pitch to adjust for minor height variations. Instead I just apply or reduce throttle. The trike is so “high performance” that it climbs almost as soon as you apply throttle. So keeping the angle of attack constant is maintaining a set speed, and fluctuating throttle is catering for altitude maintenance. At first by using the pitch, I was slowing down going up, and speeding up, coming down, thus not getting constant speed for the equipment. (I’m talking a height variation of plus or minus three or four feet) So now the height is sorted out and the speed is remaining constant.

Flying at 66 meters and measuring the wind direction and strength is showing vast differences to the information sent by the weather boats.

So now, even though the Oracle boat is reportedly faster than ours, we now have the technical advantage.

Our crew is, as you would expect, the cream of the crop, not to mention the skipper.

I’ve attached a few pics of Alinghi 5 in all her glory which were taken today. A couple of shots give you an idea of what heights we’re playing with.

I nearly got run over the other day by her when she tacked towards me. She has amazing speed and agility. I had visions of getting “cleaned up” by the mast of a Billion Dollar catamaran and falling 66 meters down onto the “deck” and blowing the whole Americas Cup deal out of the water in one fell swoop. Ooooh. Not good. Needless to say I’m a lot more vigilant now!

There are some basic differences between the two boats other than one being a cat, (ours) and the other being a tri.

Oracle is heavier and supposedly faster, however it is more flexible and fragile.

Alinghi carries more sail area and is more agile and, in my opinion has a more experienced crew.

We’re on home turf, and now of course , we have the technical advantage.

I heard today that there are no less than four protests being heard in the New York courts, ranging from place of sail manufacture to hull design originality. It is said that Oracle are so, ‘unready” that they are stalling by any means they can to gain time to confidently challenge. Word has it that their boat is too fragile as a result of the innovative “solid wing” sail that they are sporting. Scuttlebutt has it that the race could be put off until March!!

(oooh, more jetlag!)

Anyway, I’m going to get some sleep. Hope you enjoy the pics.

Pete.

Her Majesty, Alinghi 5 and attendants

 

Alinghi 5 at race pace

 

Alinghi 5 at rest after a hard day's sailing.
Those little white dots at the rear of the starboard hull are humans!

Intrepid, globe-trotting AirEscape Chief Pilot, Peter Wilson, has smuggled spy-camera pictures out of Valencia, Spain, of the building preparations for the America’s Cup yacht race (the “America’s Cup Match”) scheduled to begin there on February 8th.

We show two above.

Notice that the microlights being used are Australian Airborne trikes and they’re bristling with extra high-tech positioning, telemetry and communication equipment.

Here’s his latest despatch:

All’s going well here albeit a bit cold. 1st flight of the trikes yesterday and no significant hitches. (Well none actually.)

Timing for the test flights and calibration of the Iridium up/download equipment was perfect. Had a gloriously calm day in the midst of snow, wind and rain and sleet and wind………….

Pretty long days up to now, what with assembling the trikes, getting neccessary bits and pieces together … [detail of the CP's after hours escapades deleted for sensitive visitors]

The reality is that it only gets light enough to not have the headlights on at 8:00 in the morning and they’re back on at 4:30 in the afternoon.

I’ll have some pics of Alinghi 5 soon!!!! Now that is a boat and a half. Some 90 feet long and 120 feet or more wide, with a 60+ meter mast!
No expense is being spared here, and word has it that the opposition BMW Oracle is getting scared that they’re not going to have enough time to get ready for the upcoming races … Believe it or not, they are putting a SOLID wing on their trimaran which is bigger than a Boeing 747′s.

Like I said, no expense is being spared.

GFC? What GFC? We look forward to the new pictures!