SUNDAY 18 APRIL 2010 - AN AFTU DAY TO REMEMBER

For us AFTU members, it was a day that heralded a new Australian Record which was 9 hours and 16 minutes achieved by Abdul Hai from Sydney.

Two of our members took the opportunity to participate in an official AFTU fly on the same day as the ITF. Rupert Braganza from Melbourne, and Abdul Hai from Sydney. Unfortunately, Rupert’s birds were attacked by the falcon 14 minutes after release. One of his birds was chased down on to an overhead electric wire near his home. Rupert immediately took a DQ. A few minutes later however, the same bird took to the air and joined the blue bar; an hour later these two birds were joined by the third, a saddle, and went on to fly 8 hours and 36 minutes. Bad luck Rupert, at least your kit lives to fly another day. Good luck with them in the next AFTU Official Fly.

The icing on the cake for the AFTU was the achieving of a new Australian record by Abdul Hai. Hai flew a kit of 5 blue bars, and his fly was timed by Mick Hoskins, a member of the AFTU. His Kit went on to fly 9 hours and 16 minutes. Hai is a wonderful human being and a very dedicated tippler man. Well done Hai - a great achievement mate. The AFTU is ever so proud of you and what you have achieved. Here is Hai’s Fly described my Mick Hoskins who was his timer on the day:

AFTU Official Fly Report 18/4/2010
Timer : Mick Hoskins
Arrived at loft @ 05:15
05:30 - Set up timers desk and laptop computer
05:40 - Synchronised Timers watch with ITF Time and Date website link
05:50 - Coffee and final discussion on rules of Fly
06:00 - Checked loft - checked Kit for readiness
06:10 - Checked Kit ring numbers of Kit to be flown - Entered ring numbers on ITF and AFTU official Fly sheets
06:15 - Final check on Kit birds condition
06:19 - Released Kit - Temperature - 14.3 degrees - Humidity @ 99%
06:23 - Kit flying in very tight circles above roof top until daylight increases
06:40 - Kit now moving between low / medium height and in increasing circles
07:19 - I hour mark reached - kit very, very wary until full daylight
08:19 - 2 Hour mark - After a very careful start to the fly Kit is flying at varying heights, Temperature - 16.8 degrees - Clear Blue sky
08:44 - Kit split by one of 2 very large Racing Bird flocks operating in nearby vicinity
08:57 - Kit has regrouped and are flying at a lower height
09:24 - Kit moving to higher altitude and kitting well
09:41 - Light aircraft overhead but birds still kitting well
09:53 - Synchronised Camera with Timers watch as was operating on daylight saving time
10:19 - 4 Hour mark - Temperature - 22.3 degrees - wind SSE @ 6 knots - clear blue sky
11:00 - Kit flying lower - Temperature - 23.4 degrees - wind - ESE @ 6 knots
11:30 - Temperature - 26.4 degrees - wind - N @ 4 Knots
11:40 - Kit flying low and raking close to loft
12:25 - 6 Hour 7 minutes mark reached - Kit flying low - Temperature @ 22.6 degrees - Humidity - 59% - wind NNE @ 9 knots
12:55 - Falcon hovering at height but moving away - Kit raking away - Temperature - 24.8 degrees - wind @ 9 knots
13:13 - Kit returning at safe height - travelling fast and low
13:30 - Temperature - 26.2 degrees - wind - ENE @ 6 knots
14:00 - Temperature 25.5 degrees -wind N @ 11 knots - Humidity @ 56 %
14:25 - 8 hour and 6 minutes mark reached - Kit flying low overhead and in very good formation
15:24 - Falcon attack - Kit split
15:29 - Kit has regrouped and flying around loft - One bird showing for landing
15:35 - Time called - 9 hours 16 minutes recorded
15:36 - Droppers released
15:37 - First bird down
15:38 - Second and third bird down
15:39 - Fourth and Fifth bird down

Timers Report:
Kit sensed when danger was imminent - never panicked when under attack - resumed when danger of Falcon passed. All in all it was a very smart fly by a very impressive Kit. Regards, Mick Hoskins.


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