Post 979…with active soaring seniors,….old timers as HP-10…..Duo Discus favorite club 2- seater….

Active Soaring Seniors!!

   

With Gary in the middle , Karl [striedeck] to the R. and Ken to the left. …Dinner line on day off ..ready to go.
All pictures courtesy Jim Price.

Quite a few of the seniors , participating in the 27 th Senior comps in Florida from the airfield of Semininole, flew WGC’s in the past. Practice started on the 10th and the comps go from March 11 till 17 and 62 participants entered and with that ,…it was FULL.
I am sure there will be a lot of catching up . Good old John Good is the director! John Price the contest manager.
Other “rules”  as in “normal”  comps, as according to the rules of “The Seniors”, a crew day is mandatory so team members can enjoy some of the other attractions that are present in the Orlando area.
And,…..It is tradition at “The Seniors”, that final scores are not revealed until the banquet awards ceremony after dinner.

Talking about WGC participants/winners.When you look at the history of winners since they started in 1991, George Moffat won in 1993, Karl Striedieck in ’96,’97 ,’98 ,2005 ,’ 09 and ’13 and ’14.
Doug Jacob’s in 2004,’06 and ‘ 12 and Dick Butler in 2008 . Got to know George in Angers and Doug, Karl and Dick at WGC’s.
In 2015 Marvin “Bif ” Huss had his first win. He and his wife had to drive 3 days to get to Seminole [ from Colorado] but could go back with the trophy in the back of the car for another 3 days of driving home.

Male topper Karl Striedeck with female topper Sarah Kelly Arnold,
Picture shared by Walt Connelly.

So Friday was the more or less official practice day, but the day’s before certainly on Thursday , they had already a very strong day , with powerful cu’s with 5-6 kts and flights up to 500km.
Friday was less good but after 3 good days , most pilots took it easy though, there were 14 out landings!!
One of the pilots commented:
“Flight went great till the very end. Good out landing 1 mile from the finish circle. Hitch hiked back to gliderport, got my car and trailer and was back in 50 minutes from landing.”

Saturday March 11; Task 1. 62 Launches in ONE hour!!!! Pretty good, CHAPEAU!!!!!! Have to check how many tuggies they have.
The weather man ,Fernando Silva, predicted about the ” same air-mass as the day before , but winds much lighter. . Severe blue, light cirrus/no factor and no wave. Hi temps probably 81, tops of thermals at or below 4000 ft. winds 8-12 knots from NE Day ends early, around 5. “
So not a real flash day, but,…. HE, the weather man,  did well. He won the day, so he knows everything about weather in theory and practice.
They had a TAT from 1.45 and he flew in his ASW 27 133 miles in 1.50.
The first 10 pilots in the 900/1000 points range; 3x ASW 27, 2x LS 8 and 2x ASG 29 and a duo Discus with Karl Striedeck an Antares 20E and Ventus 2cxa.
March 12; love the REALLY easy- going- style and I copy and paste the news on Sunday March 12;
Overcast skies, intermittent rain, scoring anomalies, handicap issues, etc.  Let’s call the whole thing off.”
March 13; rest-day, “based on a hopeless soaring forecast.”[contest manager Jim Price] But with interesting news for the USA juniors. As in many other countries the established pilots help the young ones ,certainly when they attend a JWGC funds are necessary. Leigh Zimmermann, who is very involved in USA soaring not only because her husband Sam, belongs already for years, to the good pilots but also because she knows “our ” world so well,  wrote;
To benefit the US Junior Soaring Team, 3 of whom hope to fly in the Worlds this summer in Lithuania, Dave Nadler (YO) [ Arcus] and Roger Buchanan (R9) [ASH 30 MI] are offering their second seats for a day at Seminole Lake Glider Port this week.  For a $300 donation to the team.  ”
March 14 yesterday no news YET.

Ray Smith Chief Tow Pilot for 2017 Seniors

Courtesy Jim Price.[http://www.ssa.org/PhotoGallery.asp?category=contest&id=2356]

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HP-10 !!!!!

Talking and writing fondly about the  “oldies”, made me think of old timers as well. It just happened that I got news from friends about an HP- 10?
HP- 10, I see already the faces of the young ones with a huge question mark! No worries I had the question- mark as well.
In 1961 this glider won several days of the US Nationals. It was designed by Dick Schreder has a V tail and an interesting construction for the wings, with many little bolts.
Wikipedia says; “The Schreder Airmate HP-10 is an American, high wing, single seat, FAI Standard Class glider that was designed by Richard Schreder. Airmate was the name of Schreder’s design company.”
Here you are….. the HP- 10.

As shared by George and Diana.

This aluminium glider , only 9 were built, was for more than 30 years “hidden”  in one of the old WW2 hangar’s in Tocumwal. Now they are planning on making it the one and only still flying HP- 10 in the world!!!
After that,…. the other unique glider the A -15 will be restored!! A very special Caproni.

As you can see these are the screws and bolts to keep the wings together and then some more [4] will keep the wings on the fuselage AND the old authentic instrument panel.

 

As shared by George and Diana.

Will keep you informed about these projects!!!

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Interesting OLC news.

On March 10 the N of Italy had a great [wave]-day and Ugo Pavesi [ASG 29] flew 1.047,65 km from Calcinate and Alessandro Busca 1.058,17 from Aosta.[Ventus 2cxa / 18m.]
I remember my great holidays to Aosta, the boy’s flying , the girls skiing [ from Pila] and for apres ski, we all met again in the evening. Good times.
March 11 had some good flights in Tocumwal, with a temperature of 30 dgr. C. [autumn!!!] a bit windy and according to Swiss Chris the  day with “ the highest cloudbase for me this season.” [3539 MSL/3440 AGL]
 Terry flew in his ASH 26E , 653 km. and Chris 547 in his ASW 27.

———-

Dutch gliding season started!

Courtesy Ilse Hiemstra from the Amsterdam  Aeroclub flying from the airfield of Soesterberg.

The season here in Europe is around the corner and most clubs here in Holland have started. We had a fantastic sunny weekend and only happy chappies at all airfields!!!
One of the Dutch clubs, the not even so big one from Veendam, starts this season with 2 Duo Discusses , a moment to look at with pride. Good luck with both gliders!! This one “comes”  from Deelen.

Courtesy Alexander Venema.

AND

The club at the airport from Deelen has a new “toy” too a Duo Discus XLT. It will be soooo beautiful in the sky.

As shared by Patrick Hoeve.

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 DG -LS 1 f-NEO -NEWS !

Last Friday, Holger Back took the chance to take the LS1-f neo out for a test flight. Wonderful sunny weather joined him on his one hour flight across the Rhine valley.”

 

    

As shared by DG Flugzeugbau GmbH

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 That’s all for now CU next week. Off to Amsterdam, but first ELECTIONS.
With future important elections in Europe , France , Turkey and Germany, and after the mess created by populists in the USA and UK, the world press looks over “our”  shoulder to see what’s happening. 13 million Dutch people vote today and it is all VERY Close.

With the mean rewriting of history and other attack’s  by Turkey all  based on lies ,the new choosen Dutch parlement will have their hands full.On my way to VOTE!!!!!
Cheers Ritz

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