Alphen aan den Rijn Sunday January 3 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
Smoothly 2009 changed here into 2010 and I hope that happened with you as well. The end of the year is good for statistics in all different ways. We had the “TOP 2000 ” of all times here on the radio with Bohemian Rhapsody from Queen on number 1.
Time for some gliding statistics as well as my OZ friend has send me some again. THANKS!
As you know and that is no secret ,I have been always interested in 1000 km. flights and I still am.
Did you know that the first 1000 km. flight ever , was flown in the USA in 1964 on July 31 in a Sizu 1A? [1.041 km] and that it took nearly 12 years to have 15 pilots flying 1000 km flights.
Now after 45 years Alexander Mueller flies all by himself within ONE month 15 x 1000 km. flights in Namibia. It shows the remarkable improvement in performance over the years. In Kiripotib one in 3 flights is a 1000 km .
Here are the pilots 2 till 15 who flew in 12 years 1000 km. and specially the year 1972 seems to have been an awesome soaring year with 1000 km flights in Germany, the USA [3] and New Zealand.
2. H.W Grosse on April 6 1970 in an ASW 12 in Germany[1.032 km]
3. Ben Greene on July 26 1970 in an ASW 12 in the USA [1.153 km]
4. Wally Scott on July 26 1970 in an ASW 12 in the USA [1.153 km]
5. Klaus Tech on April 265 1972 in an LS 1 in Germany [1.051 km]
6. Wally Scott 1 on August 18 1972 in an ASW 12 in the USA [1.021 km]
7. Sholto Georgeson on September 7 1972 in A Kestrel 19 in New Zealand 1.002 km]
8. Jim Smiley on October 3 1972 in a Libelle in the USA [1.056 km]
9. Karl Striedeck on October 7 1972 in an ASW 15 in the USA [1.025 km]
10.William Holbrook on May 5 1973 in a Libelle in the USA [1.260 km]
11.Sigi Baumgartl on April 16 1974 in an ASW 17 in Germany [1.020]
12.Klaas Goudriaan on January 20 1975 in an ASW 17 in South Africa [1.008 km]
13.Malcolm Jinks on February 12 in 1976 in a Nimbus 2 in Australia [1.015 km]
14.Roy Mc Master on March 17 1976 in a Cirrus in the USA [1.298 km]
15.Volker Kreussler on April 28 1976 in a Kestrel 19 in the USA [1.051 km]
Talking about 1000 km. flights, my friend Gerrit flew from Temora, a great and nice soaring centre NE from Tocumwal and Corowa ,[in my opinion a bit under-estimated, ] to Waikirie up West and adding a few km. around Waikirie, he had his “so -maniest” 1000 km in his pocket . In Waikirie Ingo Renner is at the moment helping out with a training course for cross country pilots. It seems to work as on December 30 Tobias Geiger made a great flight in the LS 4; 969 km !!!!
After this week the Australian Nationals will be flown in Waikirie as well, so more pilots will fly in or drive in.
2009 is “gone” ,2010 is here and looking at the statistics from soaring around this period in mainly Africa /Namibie and Australia you get the next results, made on December 31. Thanks Again!
31-12-2009 2007 2008 2009 2010 %
Bitterwasser 402,589 584,385 481,335 396,987 82%
Gariep Dam 365,387 392,946 424,674 146,665 35%
Pokweni 219,286 276,608 235,927 219,666 93%
Kiripotib 0 0 61,005 113,215 186%
Corowa 324,295 479,208 496,302 237,527 48%
Tocumwal 19,013 44,218 48,486 31,015 64%
Question? Is Bitterwasser on its way to the best ever season? And Gariep Dam the worst since 2005? Pokweni the best ever? And is Kiripotib growing not double but triple? And is Corowa after a moderate beginning of the season busy with a race to recover lost ground , with 4 x1000 km. flights by Lubor in an ASG 29 18E in ONE week? Has Tocumwal more guests this year ? It looks like they have!
A few more weeks and we will excatly know how the season was!
More statistics! About 1000 km. flights on the OLC till December 31 2009!
Bitterwasser 546 105 19% 727 [Av km.]
Gariep Dam 280 5 2% 524
Pokweni 292 61 21% 752
Kiripotib 134 44 33% 845
Corowa 424 17 4% 560
Tocumwal 83 0 0% 374
———————————
1759 232 13% 652
Conclusion at this stage; Bitterwasser and Pokweni; 1 of 5 flights is a 1000
Gariep Dam 1 on 50——Kiripotib 1 on 3——Corowa 1 on 20.
Tocumwal is added for sentimental reasons! And….to be honest, some real nice flights have been made from Toc. this season. What about Terry’s flight? 903 km. in an ASH 26E !!!
The last 2 days of 2009 were practise days for the 3d GRAND PRIX FINAL in Chile ! 15 Toppilots from 8 different countries are ready to go for it till January 9 ! Tilo Holighaus, yes from Shempp Hirth, is one of them and flew on the first day of 2010 ,as he says, a very impressive flight on a New Years Day. He flew ” over a colourfull country without people , empty as empty can be ,so bizar” . The Vidals are flying as well and winning the last Nationals in Chile I guess they will do well, but…there are some real toppers . What about Wolfgang Janowitsch, Sebastian Kawa who flew the Nationals there as well, Graham Parker, Uli Schwenk and Mario Kiessling!!! Wow!
First day has been flown and Mario got the 10 points!
In South Africa the Nationals will be flown till January 8 in Welkom Freestate in 3 classes , club, 15 m and open/18 m. It is nice to see that the Bradley family is flying in 2 classes with dad Dick, daughter Jennifer and son Douglas. In open /18m class 5 JS 1’s are flying and Attie himself flies as well and of course the brothers Goudriaan, Oscar and older brother Laurens. Today there will be a briefing again after 2 cancelled days and 4 days of flying.
Bad weather in the SE part of Australia in NSW where flooding is heavy after steady rainfall. While in the West , N. of Perth big fires are scaring the people!!
Here in Holland we have in some parts 5 to 10 cm . snow again , while nothing has fallen here [lucky we!] but, it is cold with -12 tonight and under 0 during the day.
Never forgotten! Dennis died on Sunday January 3 1988 !
Cu on Wednesday
Cheers Ritz