Kiwi pilots' record glider flight thwarted

Two New Zealand glider pilots have been thwarted by Mother Nature this week in their attempt to set a world distance gliding record.

Pilots Johnny Kokshoorn and Terry Delore were attempting to set a Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) recognised record in the Class DO (Open Class Gliders) category for distance using up to three turn points. The current record, set in Argentina in December 2009 by Germany’s Klaus Ohlmann and France’s Sidonie Ohlmann, is 2643.2km.

Using a Schleicher ASH 25 glider that previously belonged to the late Steve Fossett, the pair planned to pip the Ohlmann’s record by flying 2647km, starting out from Omarama in the southern half of New Zealand’s South Island and flying to the west of Napier on the North Island (turn point one), then down to Waikawa at the very bottom of the South Island (turn point two), then back to the top of the South Island (turn point three), and then back to Omarama.

All things according to plan, the flight would’ve taken around 16 hours, however their attempt on Monday was cut short by poor weather conditions that had drifted across the Tasman from coast of NSW. Speaking to Australian Flying after the record attempt, Kokshoorn said the conditions were not conducive for such a flight.

“There’s a bit of moisture being pulled in off the Tasman unfortunately,” he said. “We spent about 11 hours in the cockpit but we just couldn’t get more than about 1500 kilometres. The upper level winds were good – at 27,000ft it was blowing at 135 knots – but down low unfortunately it was lighter and it just wasn’t kicking.

“And it was also dragging in too much moisture as well; there was a bit of a front that was slowly moving up the South Island.

“The thing here is the weather patterns change so quickly. Your basically down on the Southern Ocean and the Roaring Forties and things can just change dramatically in 12-18 hours.”

Due to the length of the flight, Kokshoorn and Delore won’t be able to make another attempt at the record until around the same time next year.

“We only get a week or two a year where we have the daylight hours,” Kokshoorn explained. “It’s a very short window; we get up at four in the morning and everything is prepared and we are rolling at first light, and we go until last light basically.

“It looks like the opportunity is lost for this year. But we’ll be back again next year to have another go.”

Kokshoorn, who also races jets and was awarded the rookie of the year accolade in the Jet Class event at the Reno Air Races held in Nevada earlier this year, and Delore, a former aviation acquaintence of Fossett, have been flying together since their hang gliding days as teenagers in the 70s. While Kokshoorn’s greater experience lies in powered flight, Delore has a long and respected history as a glider pilot and has previously flown on record attempts with Fossett.

In the coming years Kokshoorn has a number of other aviation adventure goals planned, including a circumnavigation in a DC3 to raise funds for charity organisation Opportunity International Australia, as well as further competitive jet racing.