July 25 2006 at; 16.00.PART 2.
After finishing the story about Sportavia in Australia, I found out, that with the many people helping us to run the business, I forgot to mention Ross and Glenda Bodey, who have been partners with us for a few years. Sorry about that, they deserve to be mentioned.
About the European weather and the great flights , I found out that 98 pilots yesterday, flew over 565 km. The list of pilots flying and filing the REAL FAI tasks is huge too.
What a blessing for the glider pilots, this extremely good weather, but unfortunately NOT for the farmers. They complain that it is too hot and too dry and the whole harvest in Europe will be less then any year before or even nearly nothing. So we will have expensive potatoes and vegies.I feel for the farmers , but the rain should start on Thursday again, so a few real showers but without damage , might help, though I doubt it, it might be too late for this season.
Thanks for your reactions on the sad closure of Sportavia.People who suffer most are, Eddie the CFI and Peter, the engineer for gliders.They did an extremely good job over many years and have to find something else now, after dedicating their lives “totally” to gliding. Hope the new club can be arranged soon, so they might be involved in gliding and repairing again, but I am sure they will miss the international caracter from the past. For them it was a “life style” too,not only a job, they did not mind “pretty low wages”, but loved the guests and helped them where they could. Also after working hours!
If you were interested …and you have read the Sportavia site, you have also read that all pilots who have a private glider IN the hangar or a caravan ON the camping area have been asked to remove them from the premisses before the end of October , but….IF a club starts they might perhaps stay again!!?? Do you understand it!?
There are 2 more nice hangars on the field, not as beautiful as the WW2 hangar , but for the time being it might help, for the new founded club. As said , I keep you informed!
You might “feel”that it really has done something to me, so sorry for carrying on!
Ritz