Latest news by Ritz on November 29 2006

Alphen aan den Rijn , The Netherlands.

It feels like spring here in Holland. Everything is “the hottest ever in history” . With temperatures between 12 and 18 dgr. it is not too bad to be in Holland now. I dislike the rain however and we have quite a lot of it.
In Europe it is more or less time for “looking after the gliders”, instead of gliding. After a great season they deserve to be pampered and to be prepared for hopefully another good season in 2007.

Lots of my friends have left with or without glider for sunny and good thermal-activity-places! For that you have to go to Australia, Africa but also New Zealand has sometimes good flying in their winter.

I have asked some of my friends who are flying in Australia and Africa , to give us their opinion about their soaring holiday and as soon as I have the stories I will place them for you to share.

In between the Tocumwal pilots are back on track. Their first inaugural weekend on the 25th and 26th was a success. Very symbolic; the first flight was made at 11 AM by Ingo Renner in the beautiful coloured Blanik and his passenger was : Bill Riley!!!!
Bill , in his eighties, managed to “hop” in the glider and fly around on a pretty hot day!The former owner and founder of the Sportavia Soaring Centre, which as you all know by now, DOES NOT exist anymore (sad enough!), started with this flight , a new beginning for the MBFC.( Murray Border Flying Club).As Bill and Ingo both were succesfull in their lives, I hope this succes will be felt in the new club. Good luck!!!

The day started at 10, when the Scout VH UTK landed at 36. It felt like it came back home. Benalla has bought this Scout on the auction on October 28 , but was happy enough to bring it back , to help the club to start flying. Thanks to the Benalla friends.

Several check flights have been done over the weekend. Also passengerflights and revalidation of instructor ratings. Busy enough for Ingo.Lunches and BBQ were provided for all guests and Judy Renner helped out there .
Hopefully the Maule will be ready next week and then, there is soaring in Tocumwal again. Hurray! A lot still has to be done but next season , I presume it will be great to fly there again certainly when you have or bring your own glider . As soon as Eddie starts his web site I will inform you and you can read what’s happening.

Sorry that I carry away a bit while writing about gliding in Tocumwal, but it has been my life for more then 10 years.Apologies, but I do not want to offend any other gliding club in the world.

In Italy they are going strong with the preparations for the Junior World comps. In Holland they are very busy with the preparations for the Nationals , which will be held in Germany. Every second year the Dutch pilots qualify for the toprankings in another country then their own. Mostly because of the weather. Till now they flew in France, this year it will be in Germany , close to Berlin;Stendal. Good place as preparation for the World Comps in Lusse in 2008 for 15 m ,18 m and open class.The competition is from May 17 till May 27 2007.

That’s it for now, keep reading, though I cannot promise to write every day as I am VERY busy!!! Cheers Ritz

Latest news by Ritz on November 22 2006

Alphen aan den Rijn in Holland;
Yes I am back in Holland again.No snow, a nice temperature of 10 dgr. ( I heard in Toc they expect 43!!!) but also rain, wind, thunder and hail were welcoming me back home!The flight was long with over 30 hours and one scary point in which we flew just over a thunderstorm , were slightly hit and fell down a few meters, which gave some loud yells from a few ladies. I was really happy the captain had the sign still on to have the safety belts on. We saw nothing, as we had the blinds down, but he surely did!

This will be one of the few news items I will write, as now the key and the new house are waiting for me on December 7. It takes a lot of work and organisation to have water and gas and electricity in time. TV and telephone etc. In between I will visit 2 seminars on promoting topsport ,in our case top gliding ,in Utrecht on November 25 and December 9 and I hope to learn there a lot.

Tocumwal, Australia.
Before I left I saw the new Maule in David’s hangar. A goodlooking blue and white tug. The towhook should arrive today from the Maule factory in the USA. This coming weekend they have an inaugural flying weekend with Ingo as the CFI. A tug has been organized for the weekend and if the Maule is ready it will fly too, but that might be too optimistic.
In between they fly long distances in Corowa up to 800 km. Not bad!!!Keep an eye on the flights there, as I expect a few really good ones!!!!
Also Narromine is very busy with the Narromine Cup and good friend Gerrit Kurstjens nearly flew 900 km in his Nimbus 4 T and other good friend Pepe over 800 km.Great weather! More to come, I can assure you!

Good and long flights also in Africa with up to 970 km. Bitterwasser, Gariep Dam and Pokweni have lots of long distance flying pilots too as well as Bloemfontein.

Argentinia tops the long flights with a 1243 km flight , flown in a DG 800 18 m.

Still “working on ” the intervieuw with open class world champion Michael Sommer.Stay tuned, but …as said I am busy! Ritz

Latest news by Ritz on November 18 2006

Tocumwal Australia.

After a beautiful party with the best meat I ever had , bought by Brutus (his portions!!)and by Jari , who also paid for it, it was jet time at 10 this morning. Like a princess I was welcomed by the engineer Mike and by Ingo my pilot. If you sit in it you feel like a queen. A very comfertable chair, nearly a bed is what you “lay” on. My granddaughter did not want to let me go, but after I said I was coming back she let go.
There we went, and 10 people were looking to my first flight after 10 years.
Ingo was great . He explained all time what was happening. We went straight from 36. Yes it was a northerly and when I drove to the field I saw already3 willy-willies” in one paddock.So good gliding weather.
You do not hear the jet engines with the headphones on your head. It climb with 3 m. per second 600 ft per meter and before I knew we were at 3000 ft and Ingo told me he was putting the engine on idle for 1 minute to put it off. You do not hear a lot of difference with or without engine. You only know you are in a “jet”, because you smell some fuel.

At 3000 ft. we went gliding. Wheels were up already straight after the start. The visibility was great. We could see Mount Buffalo, 150 km. far according to Ingo.
Ingo took me over Cobram and Tocumwal . I saw the cemetary on request as Dennis lays there and could even see the flowering plant behind the stobne. I saw the motel where Inge stays with her family and the market , where it was busy, as there was a market. We thermalled basck to 3000 ft in weak thermals and after a smooth landing , we were back on the ground. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE that was!!!!I heard that the owner of the Jet- Engines Chris Corrigan caught up with Mr Bakker from Holland, who flew with us in the past and they had a meeting in Itaky with the Caporoni “bosses”. According to Mike , the Caproni owners were very imopressed with this by Mike enginered jet-engine. It really works well so smooth and without hick-ups. As Ingo said already , “it has not failed in 5 years , touch wood”. I really hope this engine will conquer the 9gliding ) world .Safe, quick and not noisy at all!

At the market I caught up with several friends which was good as it is only 1 more day here for me!

I even met in the antique shop Andrea and 2 friends from Corowa. It was good to see them and to talk a bit of Dutch with Katinka.

The party yesterday was great. We were with 40 in the end as Michael and Tony and Gillian flew up from Melbourne. Daan made it in his “new ute” and he was very proud on this car he borrowed from the owner of the motel on his first day there.Jari left this morning with the terailer and LS 6 behind him. Ready for 1250 in 18 m. version and 1000km in 15 m . version . A REAL PILOT!!!!!Wishing you lots of fun and safe flying Jari and Daan!Rob and Brutus left for Mildura and later the Barossa Valeey and Adelaide to finish with gliding in Corowa. They will be busy. Wishing you all safe flights and till we meet again.
Last news from Ritz in Tocumwal. The Tourist information Centre will close in 1 minute , so I have to leave. Next news from Holland. No corrections as I have no time.
See you Ritz

Latest news by Ritz on November 17 2006

Tocumwal Australia.
Most probably the last news from Australia before I move back to Europe on Monday.I am still going to fly the jet-engined Caproni and would like to share my feelings about that, with you, but unfortunately I did not feel too well yesterday and today.But tomorrow at 10 will be the TIME!

Rob and Brutus have arrived yesterday so did Jari.Jari, was ” totally confused”. He left Finland specially because of the snow and cold, to find out that normally hot Australia was as cold and had snow too.
For a moment it felt like the good old times, hugging and kissing and laughing with all arriving friends.

Daan ,who arrived this morning,also mentioned snow and said ” now I am here and that means we are going to have nice weather.” Hope you are right Daan!The locals say anyhow that you are all in here for a hot summer and they are mostly correct. I will suffer in the cold in Holland!But…I bought a nice warm woollen hat!

We had a bit of a big night in Kelly’s pub.Tonight we have a party with 35. More or less a farewell from me for my “workmates” and for Jari to say thank you for the great years in Tocumwal. Hopefully he can fly here next season again with the club. They slowly make progress with the club ideas and for sure we will keep you informed.

This morning at 7.30 Dundees house was moved to the garden of Ingo Renner. Yes Ingo and Dieter are neighbours now and they can continue talking German with a VB in their hands after 4 or …was it 5.

David has his caravan ready to move. Tim and Laurel will move during the weekend and Hana’s house will move today later. A huge truck is here to move the houses without wheels,transport them and cut the pipes and wires.Leaves Swiss Chriss who wants to move his house on its own wheels!
After another cold night , the wine growers complain about the frost which “killed” their grapes . With the very expensive banana’s (13 dollar a kilo!) due to the storm from last year , we might be in for expensive wines now.
Cheers Ritz

Latest news by Ritz on November 15 2006

Tocumwal, Australia.

With 7 cm of snow on the top of Mount Beauty and sleet at Essendon Airport, Geelong and Ballarat, we are in for a few very fresh days. After the too hot days in early spring it is too cold now for the time of the year. Even in this area it is cold, with the expectation of hail ,wind up to 40 knots gusting to even 50 and rain. At this moment it is still dry but ” bloody cold”.

Nice day to visit the wineries in Rutherglenn with the family. Lunch at All Saints and a visit to the airport of Corowa to hopefully see the new born baby Frank from Grietje and Francesco. Will keep in touch Ritz.

Latest news by Ritz on November 14 2006.

Tocumwal Australia.
Yesterday I missed out on seeing Yoghi and Junzo, longtime guests here from Japan and now friends. They spoke to several people here before driving back to Corowa.I will hopefully meet them tomorrow IN Corowa.

Just 5 minutes ago a whole groupe of bankers arrived to see the Historic museum in the briefingroom. They play golf here in Toc and really enjoyed their dinners and joy-flights with us here over the last couple of years.They were very sorry to see the changes and also sad to hear that I was going back to Holland.They even asked in town:”Where is Ritz?”

On a “higher ” note this is the news I received from the club.
———MBFC Inaugural Gliding days

Saturday 25th/Sunday 26th November.

this will also be a chance for glider pilots to complete their annual check flights.
Start time mid morning both days.

Preliminary notice
MBFC family christmas party Sunday 3rd December.

Donald Ashton. Secretary ——–

Ingo organized, during his Mount Beauty weekend, a towpilot and a tow plane specially for this weekend.The new Maule from Tim and Bracy is in a hangar for its 100 hourly and will be flown to Toc for the new took hook as David Riley is going to do this job.Busy, busy Ritz

It is a nice afternoon, today on November 12 2006. After 31 dgr. yesterday and 3mm of rain last night, the temperature has dropped a bit and when I talk with the ONE AND ONLY FOUR TIMES WORLD CHAMPION Ingo Renner ,we sit outside on the balcony of Dieter´s Schloss overlooking the garden full of trees from Sportavia, the gliding school where Ingo was an instructor from the beginning onwards: 1970 till June this year, 2006.

As we all know Ingo retired last year in Germany, age 65, after 51 years of gliding. He was still working for 6 months in Oerlinghausen as an instructor and with them , he started the season in Italy in Sondrio, flew in Oerlinghausen and finished with them again in La Motte in France.
On my question what he found of his first winter again in Australia he said: ” It was not cold at all. It was NO winter.It was pleasant and mild and I did not have to wear an overcoat. Not even when I went with my family to the mountains. At 2000 m height it was still 7 dgr. and sunny that day with no wind”.

Ingo was busy enough during this winter, as there was still a lot to do on his renovated, now brandnew and beautiful house.” The final touch still has to come and will keep me busy for some more time, but that is fine.” He flew also in winter. A friend Ron, worked 10 years on rebuilding a Bocian and this year it was finally ready and he flew it with Ron.He also flew the jet-engined Caproni and there was also time for the yearly inspection on the Kookaburra his own vintage glider and the discus. He shares and flies both gliders with his wife Judy.The Kookaburra had last year its 40 yearly inspection, a huge one, the next years will be easier again till the 50thiest.He does this job together with Mike Burns the engineer who also works on the jet-engines.

” Gliding has always been my passion. At 5 years I wanted to built my own models but was too young, so I started at age 8.After 7 years of model flying I was 15 years old and ready to do some real gliding.I was lucky to grow up in Germany during the post war time, when aviation was growing rapidly also gliding. Yes Germany is a country with a long and full history of gliding.I became youth leader of a group of young pilots and instructor.”

Ingo was 27 when he migrated to Australia. Why!??
” Just curiousity!! I wanted to see more from the world then only Germany.I travelled with a 707 from Frankfurt to Sydney and with a DC 9 to Brisbane were I had a job lined up as shipbuilder.”

During his work in Brisbane he continued gliding and was in his free time, instructor at the Darling Downs Club in Queensland , now Jondaryan.He stayed 3 years and went back to Germany. But…..When back he felt he did not fit in Germany anymore.
” When Bill Riley started his Sportavia Soaring Centre in Tocumwal in 1970 and asked me to come as his instructor, I could not pack my suitcase quick enough to go back to Australia.”

So in 1970 he started as instructor with Bill. Ingo was never interested to be a competition pilot,it was the idea from Bill who stimulated him and helped him to achieve 4 major world titles.Ingo is very modest about his titles. He won all of them between age 35 and 45!
On my question which title he liked best he did not think long.According to him Hobbs, was the place with the very best weather EVER during a worldchampionship. He became world champion in open class, while Kees Musters won the 15 m. class and Stig Oye the standard class.Ingo´s other tites were flown in Finland ,Italy and Australia.

Ingo is known because he does n´t like to fly with lot´s of fancy instruments. He needs a mechanical variometer, an altimeter, airspeed indicator and kompass and off he goes. During competitions he needed ofcourse camera´s and barographs , later loggers.They were more or less” forced upon me”.

He has no answer on who was the best pilot with him during all the years of competition flying. He liked and admired pilots flying his style which is –flying by yourself–. Not as a team but as an individual.” Competing against a team is a bit of a disadvantage”, he said.

With 33.500 hours Ingo is one of the most experienced pilots in the world.He does not know what the future will bring for gliding. ” There is ALWAYS a future but what does it hold. Aviation does n´t grow as rapid as in the past. You need young people and I would love to see my grandson Lockie fly, but at this time he is more interested in horses and motor bike riding. They have so many choises!The biggest problem however is to get the young ones from behind the computer”.

What about the jet-engined Caproni which is based on the South side of the Tocumwal airport? According to Ingo, the jet-engine built in the Caproni is a masterpiece!” Mike Burns (the engineer) did a great job. Where others did not succeed , he did. This engine is so reliable. In 5 years it never failed!”

What about women in competition flying? Should they fly their own or compete with the men? “There is no reason and it is not necessary to let them fly only female comps. Off course they can, but they can win in every competition. The Australian Nationals have been won by a lady , it is just a matter of time and they will win a world or European title”.

What about mountain flying!? Ingo loves flying in the mountains. Last weekend he flew over Mount Beauty and had a great time. The club celebrated their 30thies anniversary and he was welcome to join in. He flew 18 hours in 3 days and enjoyed every minute of it.
He also flew in the mountains in New Zealand, Europe and in the USA.But….
” I dislike a competition in mountains. It forces some pilots to do more then they can handle.It remains dangerous to fly a world competition in mountains. The area is not always landable and more risks are involved then in flat-land-flying”.

So after 40 years of competition flying and 51 years in gliding it is time to fly for fun. Ingo looks great . He lost a lot of weight ,9 kilo, which suits him better and makes him feel better.He helps on their farm with the dogs and chooks, the pig and the horses and they have a lot of them but not too much with the horses as ” They kick ” he says with a smile.

For the time being, he is the CFI for the new club (Murray Border Flying Club) in Tocumwal. He regrets more then anybody else the finish of Sportavia. But he continues flying, not as a competition pilot anymore ,but for fun and as long as they need him he will sit in the back and instruct.Why not!? He has “only” 33.500 hours so he can add a few!

Thanks Ingo!!! You have been one of the best pilots in the world!!!!No…. in my opinion you are the VERY BEST.We enjoyed reading about you, following your achievements where-ever in the world, we have been a bit “part of your life “, at least your gliding life. Let´s hope more young ones will follow your passion.

Next time we will see what young Michael Sommer thinks about his first major world title flown in open class in Eskilstuna in Sweden. Ritz

Latest news by Ritz on November 12 2006.

Tocumwal.Australia

While working a bit, 2 more or less familiar faces arrived with a bit of a mysterious smile on their faces. Yes, recognized!!!!! Jules and Monique from Belgium!! Did not see them for 9 years!!!!
They are on their way to Corowa to catch up with cheff/cookie Jan and his wife and….to fly there, but wanted , after 9 years of not being here, see where they had such great flights and such a great time in OZ.It was fantastic to see them here, though they were very sad to see how it looks now.But our memories still stay: one was that Jules was the one who taught our chef in that year , how to make real Belgium mayonaise!They will stay till December 9 . Jules has his own ventus in one of the containers and I wish them a great time flying and socialising! They just “did” Australia in 3 weeks, visiting the Whitsundays and the East Coast.

David from Canberra arrived to replace his caravan , most probably for the time being , to a caravan site in Tocumwal and his glider the mosquito KV. It did not fly for a while as he more or less “blew up” one wing while putting in waterbalast, but it will be repaired now and he can fly again,with the club here.

Not that I would not love to see you all come to fly and visit in Australia, but news is news and today I received a mail with some different ideas and I share them with you.Sorry the news is in German this time, but …we are a European site.I DO NOT KNOW these people, but you can read it if you are interested.

From : marketing@rundfluege-online.de
Reply-To : mail@rundfluege-online.de
Sent : Sunday, 12 November 2006 1:40:28 AM
To : ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
Subject : Fliegen (lernen) in Afrika, Namibia

Hi,

Sicher habt Ihr Euch auch schon Gedanken gemacht, wie Ihr Eure Fliegerei
noch attraktiver vermarkten und den ein oder anderen ‘Kick’ einbauen
könnt. Dann haben wir was gemeinsam, denn auch wir sahen uns vor einiger
Zeit mit Fragen von Kunden konfrontiert, die etwas mehr wollten, als die
Fliegerei hier in Deutschland.

Dabei ging es nicht um ‘anstatt’, sondern die Frage ‘was kann ich noch
machen’, aber das kennt Ihr sicher.

Wir haben daraus gelernt und sind los gezogen in die Welt, um nach neuen
Perspektiven und Highlights zu forschen. Kimberly flog mit einer Wilga
und einem Segler im Schlepp einmal längs durch Afrika und reihte somit
diesen herrlichen Kontinent in ihren fliegerischen Erfahrungsschatz ein.

Seit dieser Zeit lässt uns das Abenteuer nicht mehr los. Im August
diesen Jahres flogen Kimberly, Jacque und Jürgen für unser Team wieder
los nach Namibia. Naua Naua, das ist die neue Basis und seit August hat
sich viel dort getan. Ein Pilotenquartier ist entstanden. Mehrere neue
Zimmer mit Dusche und WC in einem ehemaligen Farmhaus, Campingplätze mit
Gästezelten, Pool, Bar, ein Grill für gemütliche Abende, ein Wasserloch
mit den einheimischen Tieren direkt vor dem Farmhaus, eine neue Runway
(26/08) mit einer Querbahn (18/36) wurde zusätzlich zur bereits
bestehenden 1300 Meter Hauptbahn von Naua Naua gebaut. Neben der
Hauptbahn steht der Hangar, in dem seit Jahren der ‘Stolz der Flotte’,
die AN 2 D-FNVA beheimatet ist und unmittelbar daneben steht die Wilga

D-EWBS, mit der Kimberly den Aufsehens erregenden längsten F-Schlepp der
Welt geflogen hat. Einige Segelflugzeuge und UL´s parken entweder im
neuen Anbau des Hangar oder können direkt am Farmhaus sozusagen neben
dem Schlafzimmer abgestellt werden.

Fliegen über eine der Traumlandschaften dieser Welt, Elefanten,
Nashörner, Giraffen Oryx und alles, was Afrika sonst noch zu bieten hat,
ist das nicht ein Traum? Übrigens, Namibia ist das Land mit der
2.-stärksten Thermik der Welt. Steigraten von 15-20 m/s sind hier
durchaus normal.

Auf Naua Naua gibt es auch Hügel. Immerhin beinahe zweihundert Meter
ragen sie über das Gelände. Wir sind hoch gekraxelt, haben gestaunt und
uns spontan entschlossen, mehrere Landemöglichkeiten für
Gleitschirmflieger und Drachenflieger zu schaffen. Hilfe beim Aufstieg
mit schwerem Gerät gibt es natürlich ‘auf afrikanisch’, also wie bei der
guten alten Expedition – Träger sind vorhanden!

Ach, bevor ich es vergesse, natürlich gibt es bei uns auf Naua Naua auch
noch jede Menge Freizeitspaß, also es wird nie langweilig, auch wenn man
genug geflogen ist für den Tag.

Na, haben wir Euch so langsam den Mund wässrig gemacht? Apropos, gutes
Essen ist natürlich selbstverständlich bei uns auf Naua Naua.

Okay, also wir freuen uns über Kunden, Ihr freut Euch über Kunden,
sollten wir uns zusammen tun und gemeinsam die Synergie nutzen. Für Euch
bedeutet das, dass Ihr ohne eigene ‘Kohle’ mit einer Dienstleistung
werben könnt, die einzigartig ist. Für uns bedeutet das, dass wir
Flugzeiten verkaufen und Euch somit am gemeinsamen Erfolg teilhaben
lassen.

Wir können in Absprache ergänzende Schulung dort vornehmen. Einer Eurer
Fluglehrer kann zu günstigen Konditionen bei uns Eure eigenen
Flugschüler aus- und weiterbilden und das zu Zeiten, in denen bei uns
‘Winter befohlen’ ist und der Freizeitflieger mit feuchten Augen gen
Himmel und auf den Kalender sieht.

Tja, jetzt liegt es nur an Euch. Habt Ihr Lust und wollt Euch einem
solchen Konzept anschließen? Falls ja, schickt uns eine kurze mail und
teilt uns mit, warum Ihr Euch für unsere Aktivitäten interessiert. Wir
antworten kurzfristig.

Ach ja, noch was, ab Dezember 2006 kann’s losgehen in Richtung Afrika,
wir sind bereit.

Für die noch unentschlossenen unter Euch: Auf unserer Internetseite
www.rundfluege-online.de könnt Ihr Euch noch näher informieren und ein
paar Bilderchen anschauen.

Happy Landings

Eure ‘Schwarze Baronin’ Kimberly Marx

That´s it for now, Ingo later but you will read it tomorrow! Cheers Ritz

Latest News by Ritz on November 11 2006.

Tocumwal.Australia
Only 9 days to go and I go back to Europe. Reason to move our caravan.Yesterday we ” de-rigged ” the toolshed and today George, Diana and Dundee are moving the caravan and they will move Harry ´s straight after.

Our family- van was first from Bruce Brockhoff, who flew many different comps and world comps and he was one of the pilots we met in Rieti in Italy in ´84 with the pre worlds.
When cleaning the van , memories came back. David Riley was there to put the caravan on its great spot and today he helped to tow it from the airfield, where it has been for over 30 years.It did not drive since we bought it in ´89, but it drove straight away “like a brand new one” , behind Bill Riley´s vintage ute.

We cleaned the “green table” a very special one as all different guests from the world put their signature in it in December ´87, when the World comps where in January 88 in Benalla. Tocumwal had in that year lots of international pilots practising in the area. Signatures from Adriana and Leonardo Brigliadori are on it, from Ghiorzo Galetto, who is in OZ soon, but also from Stan Witek ,Tapio Savoilanen, Kees Muster´s and our son Dennis who sadly enough all died.

The toolshed opening´s party in ´87 was one of the best we all attended ,one to never forget!!! The sheep on the spit and all the beers , champagne and whisky!!! Was there one person sober!? I can´t remember!All history now, but it comes back during times like this.

The sunroom “moves “from the strong thermals. Another great day. Hot , a 6 knot wind from the SW and even hotter tomorrow , up to the low or mid thirties.
Next week it is time to move Dundees Schloss to a new spot! We keep you informed. First the intervieuw tomorrow with Ingo! see you then Ritz

Latest news by Ritz on November 10 2006.

While te sun is HOT and shining on our backs, we are preparing the caravan´s to move.

Not a great gliding day , but yesterday was pretty good!
Only 10 days to go and I will move back to cold Holland. Bought myself a very warm hat!!!Yes here in Oz.Will keep in touch! Busy, busy!!! Cheers Ritz