Alphen aan den Rijn November 29 2009 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
The race to fly 1000 km. tasks is continueing in Namibia. I counted 32 till last wednesday morning and I could add another 11 on Thursday morning !!!! And a lot of them over 1.100 km. , one even 1.300 km from Walter Binder in “his” EB 28. Not bad. Alexander seems to be still not tired and added another great flight to his already impressive series; 1.272 km with a speed of 138.42 km./h. In his comment he writes that tomorrow [so Friday] defenitely will be a rest day, let’s see!
Another 7 pilots flew over 900 km. not yet reaching that magic 1000, but so close to it. The 995 and 996 km. made me , even feel a bit sick in the stomach! Most of the flights are nice big triangles as well, so a huge area of really fantastic weather.
Good to see that Andy Smith flew a great 857 km. task on November 25 during the Narromine Cup in Australia, breaking the hegemony of Africa a bit. The last couple of days both parts of the world had great weather with 957 km for Corowa, 619 for Tocumwal , 763 for Narromine and 512 for Benalla, while Bitterwasser had another 1026 km. and Pokweni a 1016 in an Antares!
Good to see Ralph [KYO] and Stephan back flying in Tocumwal!And…Anders, Stener, Max and Carla in Corowa.
Talking about Australia, Jo has written a little summary of the Lake Keepit Club and sports class Nationals and here is her story; Thanks Jo!!!
The November 2009 Australian Club & Sports Class Nationals at Lake Keepit, NSW were a definite test for a champion in each class. The days were hot – many in excess of 40 degrees – and there was no time off from practice to the final competition day – 12 straight days of flying.
Conditions varied from low and difficult on the flat country to high and fast under towering cu, with climbs of 12 knots and good streeting and occasionally c/b and lightning.
The safety committee decided to fly on, with no rest day declared unless there were mass outlandings. Towards the end of the competition, several pilots opted to stay on the ground for a day or two, not feeling up to continuing. There were many trips to Tamworth to replenish oxygen cylinders.
Club Class winner, Peter Trotter said that “the competition showcased Lake Keepit, which has some of the most varied and interesting terrain including Mt Kaputar, the lake itself, the Pilliga scrub and the flatlands in the valley between.
“This year the weather excelled with day after day above ten thousand feet and tasks every day of the competition, which kept the competitors and the organizers occupied for the whole two weeks. “The full roll-up of nearly sixty competitors guaranteed strong competition in both club and sports class right through till the last day. Competition gliding in Australia is alive and healthy with pilots coming from five states and strong representation from juniors and women.”
The competition was well run by the Lake Keepit team:
Contest director – Jenny Ganderton, club midweek manager, instructor, tuggie. Competition organiser – Dave Shorter
Tugmaster – Ron Cameron.
Safety – Vic Hatfield.
Task setter – Bruce Taylor.
Weather – Harry Medlicott.
Chief marshal – Jim Staniforth.
Registration – Peter Sheils.
Scorer – Chris Carr assisted by the Club’s Finish tuggie, Juho.
Catering – Wendy Medlicott.
Bar – Robin Walker.
Results: Club
1 9909 IIC Trotter Peter – Kingaroy – ASW 20A
2 9651 GAK Mander Paul – Narromine – Libelle
3 9629 GMF Barnes Allan – Darling Downs – LS 1 f
4 9542 FQM Codling Mike – Darling Downs – Hornet
5 9232 EAT Collings Craig – Lake Keepit – ASW 19
6 9131 XKD Kauffmann Kris – Kingaroy – Discus CS
7 9021 VWV Crowhurst Jim – Kingaroy – ASW 19
8 8891 GWR Woolley Adam – Kingaroy – LS 1 f
9 8039 GWL Davis Jo – Darling Downs – ASW 19
10 7878 GZZ Peitsch David – Canberra – ASW 20
Sports
1 10446 IDJ Jansen David – Kingaroy – ASG 29E
2 10106 ZKT Taylor Bruce – Lake Keepit – Ventus 2cxt
3 9818 XTK Claffey Tom – AAFC Warwick – ASG 29
4 9279 XGK Kolb Greg – Kingaroy – Ventus 2cxt
5 9196 YHK Kauffmann Hank – Kingaroy – ASG 29
6 8681 PNL Trotter Lisa – Kingaroy – LS 8
7 8589 ULZ Zehnder Lars – Darling Downs – Ventus 2cx
8 8407 ZDW Wilson Dave – Victorian Motorless Flight Group – ASG 29
9 8355 VTT Tabart Tony – Corangamite – Ventus 2CM
10 8296 VIT Teese Ivan – Kingaroy – ASG 29 E
Did I tell you that our former tuggie Cameron, son from Glenda and Ross , is a captain now on an Airbus A 300-600F [=freight] flying for Air Hong Kong. He received his 4 bars from Captain Maddox, AHK director flight operations and…..a dvd from the Hitchkock film THE BIRDS . This award seemed appropriate as it recognises Camerons ability to have achieved the most expensive bird strike in the history of AHK, during his upgrade training.
What happened? Cam had a bird strike at 50 feet out of Bangkok on his second last day of training and was in the air for only 20 minutes! 5 Fanblades bent from what they think was a duck.
Cam joined AHK in 2008 and is the 27th first officer to be promoted to the rank of captain, since AHK began his JV operations in 2003.
[Source…..thanks to Ross ;]
http://www.airhongkong.com.hk/ahk/en/F300/system_folder/ViewNews.jsp?news_id=404558608&pagelang=en&folder_pk=10
Received a comment on the story from the bio-fuel. Here it is and thank you to Mr Bones to tell me. SEE you next week. I am off to Munich and Salzburg now WITHOUT laptop.Back next sunday evening, so CU on Monday!!!!
Just a short note to mention that Virgin Atlantic had already done a bio fuel flight demo with their 747 early in 08’…. http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/allaboutus/environment/biofuel.jsp
The difference appears that Virgin used 20(bio) 80(Kero) whereas KLM used 50-50. Also KLM appear to be the “pioneer” to carry a select group of pax on such a flight.
A good effort by both parties though.