We started November with a new record. It has never been so warm on November 1 as last Saturday; 21.2 dgr.c in the S of Holland and at 12 the new record since 1848 was already a fact; 18.5. Cars drove around in cabriolet -conversion and staff on the terraces were busy. Beer was still preferred over red wine, nobody needed to be ” warmed up”! After a few cold and rainy days, as we normally have in the end of October, the weather had improved again.
Temperatures up in the low 20thies are certainly NOT normal for this time of the year here in Holland, but welcomed with a smile.
Unfortunately only one and a half day as Sunday late , it was over again and in the end of the week it will be 10 dgr. lower.
By the way the coldest ever November 1 showed 3.1 dgr. C. on the thermometer in 1993.
Not such great weather in Norway ; they had rain , too much rain and for that reason severe flooding, landslides and other damage.Code red was active in the ALPS and the N of Italy and parts of Switzerland had to deal last night with rain and expected wind of 12 Bft.
BUT,… before that bad weather arrived a few pilots used great but bumpy/turbulent conditions to fly over 1000 km. Yesterday 5 1000 flights were flown one even , when it is correct in an LS 1f. That would be something. A lot of wind and turbulence and a day of less than 10 flying hours, but as one pilot said the exact mix of great soaring weather.Pilots flew from Innsbruck, St Johann and Koenigsdorf.
One of them was blogger Benjamin Bachmeier [www.flugfieber.net] he flew the ARCUS T and was over the moon, exhausted , still enthusiastic and happy with this flight!![1.036,13 km.]
Picture shared by Benjamin.
One day earlier on Monday Rainer Cronjaeger flew 1.083, 78 from the Swiss field Hausen Am Albis.
Tocumwal had some hot spring weather with an early total fire ban and longtime guests who are flying already at Eddie’s Sportaviation. Stephan and this time the youngest son Niklas and Ralph, enjoy the early good spring conditions.
The temperature last Friday went up to 34 dgr. C., top height was 5800 ft. and ” Stephan and Niklas tried to contact the wave that formed over the top as the airmass changed” .
Last Sunday they both flew 300 km. with an interesting comment:” First 300Km, 1 day before 14th Birthday.”
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Niklas.
” Lenticular clouds formed by thermal activity. Upper wind Westerly and lower convection Northerly.
The base estimated at 13,000 ft today . A classic case of pre frontal instability as the front is expected to pass Tocumwal”
as shared by Eddie
Dundee is already in Tocumwal for a month and I heard Joergen has arrived on October 8 in Sydney. After picking up his car who “stayed” with Harry and Wendy Medlicott both owners of an ARCUS as well, he is working on the Form 2 of his ARCUS at the moment at Bacchus March where he organised work-shop-space , together with Roger Druce [another ARCUS owner] to then live and fly this season from Tocumwal . His wife Birgitte joined him in Tocumwal on November 1.
Niklas [14] son from Stephan [ both from Germany] Eddie and Ralph, [born Swiss but already living as long as I know him and that’s a long time in Australia] who makes those beautiful paintings. Pictures shared by Sportaviation.
Stephan and Niklas AND some great looking skies. As shared by Sportaviation.
Joergen with his ARCUS in Bacchus March. As shared by Joergen.
And more Tocumwal as the SRGC had their wings night last Saturday . And before Ingo retires as interim president of the club , presented the pilots with their wings.The new elections will be in the annual meeting on November 22.
Ingo here with Bruce the tuggy and [ interim ] treasurer of the club. Bruce got his wings last Saturday as he never got them in the past when he went solo.
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Last Saturday was their first day; CHAMPIONS flying together, sharing a glider and their knowledge with pilots/trainees who want to improve their soaring by looking , listening and flying together.
It was not the same glorious weather as last year but they flew, even after arriving late for some of the guests due to a 14 hour delay of Air Namibia.
Here is a short note from their day 1 with pictures and text from their site.On the OLC you can see their distances and speed.
” Then, after a while when all gliders where flown away, a huge storm arrived us from the north, big lightnings and thunders everywhere. After one and a half hour, the nightmare was over again, a few drops of rain were dropped, the sun came out again and the first machines also came back”
Day 2 had a good morning but an overcast afternoon. They all started but ” one after the other also had to use their engines. Here in Kiripotib it was complete overcast very strong wind on the ground, we didn’t realize where the gliders would be able to climb. But then CS’s voice on the radio “We are flying in a wave above Kiripotib” In the evening they reported climbs up to 13200 ft. With these impressions, they had a sundowner out of the wave in Namibia, they returned from a very interesting flying day short after sunset.”
Day 3 , the opposite of day 2 , a morning with overcast and then nice African weather, but ,…a tough wind :” Only the wind was getting stronger and stronger, we reached about 25 kt at 11:00 o’clock increasing with the altitude. At about 12:00 the first starts and pilots reported good clims. Due to the forecast all gliders fly to the east toward the border to Botswana, on topmeteo it looks there very good.”
Holger [Karow] and Stefan [Krauss] even flew 710 km. and a proud Stefan mentioned ;” Holger is not for nothing double World Champion“.
Day 4; ” Today a completely different weather to the days before, no wind and blue sky. If you think these would be good conditions, you are wrong. Only medium blue thermal with a maximum to 3100 meters, here in Africa not very comfortable. But we are here for gliding and that for we set a grand prix task, starting it at about 14:45.”
That’s as far as they are now. The full stories you can read under news at ;
http://www.rent-a-glider.com/view/p-1408/Flying-with-the-Champions-2014
And the tracking at
https://www.skylines.aero/tracking/
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Potchefstroom had some good weather and AP flew in the St. Cirrus a nice 624 km task [ 383 FAI triangle].
Talking about South Africa, the Qualifying Grand Prix will be flown between January 4 and 11 2015, with January 4 as an official practice day. This all, according to their event schedule.Between January 1 and 3, pilots can practice as well. Place to be; Worcester, mountain flying at it’s best! At this stage 6 pilots are sure entrees ,over the next weeks the rest ,20 in total, will be sure and published as well. You can find all the news on ; http://www.sgp.aero/southafrica2015.aspx?contestID=6098 AND,…. before that the South African Nationals will be flown at Welkom and I noticed a few Dutch pilots as well on the list. Between December 13 and 22 , this is all happening. Enough to look forward too.
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Just to let you know: Women in Gliding Week at Lake Keepit has started on November 1 and continues till November 9. It sounds fabulous as around 30 people are attending.
Jenny Ganderton flew already a 500 k triangle and a 536 km task.
Soon the Qualifying Grand Prix will be flown from Lake Keepit as well.
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There was sad news as well, when the authorities mentioned that one person died and another seriously was injured after a Space Ship Two test from Virgin Galactic had failed.Richard Branson however does n’t give up on his ideas, as he said on CNN ; ” We’ve always known that the road to space is extremely difficult — and that every new transportation system has to deal with bad days early in their history.”
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And last but not least I share the FIA SAILPLANE GRAND PRIX NEWS as received from Roland;
FAI Sailplane Grand Prix news release .
The Sailplane Grand Prix management team are pleased to announce the dates for the 7th Sailplane Grand Prix series. The 7th series FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Qualifying events will take place between 31st October 2015 and 31st October 2016 The 7th SGP Final will take place between January 1st 2017 and June 1st 2017 Bids are invited from any interested National Aero Club, Gliding Club or other interested organisation. Bids must be submitted before the 31st of January 2015. Prospective bidders are advised to read “notes for bidders”. The official bid application form and notes for bidders are available at:- http://www.sgp.aero/about-sgp-racing/bid-for-future-events For further information or advice regarding organising an SGP event or the bidding process please contact Director@sgp.aero
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