With the corona virus now nearly in EVERY part of the world, it feels like there is a stand-still in everything.
The Netherlands were organizing the Eurovision Song Festival, the EC soccer AND for the first time in years the F1 circus would be back at Zandvoort….it’s not going to happen!!!!
A pity? ….yes , a disaster…. NO.Of course not.
If China is the example for all of this, then we know that we are stuck with it for at least 3 months, depending how strong the reactions were from when it started in a country.
From no worries, as said by Trump in the USA and Bolsonaro in Brasil , Johnson in the UK an Kim in N Korea , TO ACTIONS AS A TOTAL LOCK-DOWN.
Our health is the MOST IMPORTANT, so let’s listen to those who know and advise!!!!!

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Seminole;

Soaring day 3; task  TAT (Turn Area Task) of 178 miles nominal distance with a minimum time of 2:45.
John [Good ], send them all up in the air after a nice St. Patricks day, though the Florida Governor closed the bars at 5 PM.
Corona still has a big influence as I read in their daily blog:
” With two days left in the contest, we are still being very careful with social distancing, no pilots meeting, lots of hand washing and dinners being served with volunteers in gloves.  It was a little awkward to do away with the pilots meeting but now everyone is getting used to it.  Information is delivered electronically but a paper task sheet is available with Rick Sheppe outfitted in blue dish gloves.  “
About the weather and the flying;
”  Cloud bases were around 4,500ft around the gliderport rising to almost 6,000ft later in the day.  Lift averaged 4.5kts on average with some topping out at 8kts.  Biggest blast of the flight was a cloud street that went almost 70 miles from Norton to Gore.  How you handled this leg was the difference between the leaders and the rest of the field.  As you approached the southern section of the task area, the clouds were disappearing in some of the area around Winter Haven.  However, there was a small line of clouds you could work towards the lake.  “
”  Karl Striedieck and Sarah Arnold took the day running away from the field in an Arcus.  Their 216 miles was covered at a blazing 77 miles an hour.  Phil Gaisford finished second with a raw speed of 68.32 mph in a Discus 2b with Rich Owen finishing third in a trusty LS-8 at 68.09 mph.  The score sheet is really tight right now with the top 10 pilots separated by about 200 points. “
So Karl and Sarah clearly are used to the for them new ARCUS and instruments, winning the day , which is good for Stendal.

Soaring-day 4; task…. 3 hour Turn Area Task .
About the weather….. cloud bases starting at 3,000 feet at launch to right at 4,400 feet when the gate opened.  Lift varied between 3 knots to right at 6.5 knots in the task area. 
About the flying…. “Most of the pilots were looking for the nice streets that were around the task area yesterday, but few were found. Rich Owen finished in first place with a 64.19 mph raw speed over a course of 194 miles.  Phil Gaisford finished in second by a narrow margin, flying 196 miles at 64.07.  Fernando Silva finished in third. “
Scorer is Rick [Sheppe].
Soaring day 5 and the very last one!!!!!
Even with further corona -restrictions in the USA, they squeezed a last day out; a 2.45 TAT, won by Phil, …AGAIN, and then it is no secret that he is the overall winner too in his Discus 2b. 4.963 points.
Rich in his LS 8/15 m. ,was 3d for the day but runner up overall; 4.849 p.
And the ARCUS team, Karl and Sarah, had a bit of an off-day after an early start, being 10th for the day, but still a 3d place overall for them;4.776.
This was edition 30 and I read that one pilot attended all 30 senior-comps and even won the first one; Don Wasness, good on him.

And then this awful news for all ….
” On a very sad note: Cathrine Eaglin, in her early 20s, who ran the launch line in a very professional way for a number of years, both here and at numerous contests, was killed in a car accident Thursday night. She will be greatly missed. “
VERY SAD!!!! She was there this last week helping out as well. My sympathy goes to all at the comps and specially her family!!!!!
I know their feelings.

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With a NE wind, bringing polar air, we had a couple of pretty cold day’s and lot’s of sunshine. We even had -6 , 2 nights ago, the coldest and lowest temperature this entire winter.
The season could have started, with cold but great soaring conditions with great clouds,…but no worries next year there will be the next spring and is it all over…I hope!!!
The last flights in Holland were on March 14, after ….the clubs have been closed.
Only a few flights with this great weather last Saturday; One from Denmark, Switzerland,Germany and Sweden.
From Australia still a few flights…” We are still flying… for how long nobody knows. “
From NZ ;” Best way to ‘self isolate’, not many people on the Mt Cook summit!  “
In Tocumwal the club from Ingo , the SRGC , has decided to not fly for the next 6 months. It is the beginning of the winter season anyhow, so a good idea.
Only 23 OLC flights on Monday. The best was in Poland ;401 km. in a Pegase.
13 Yesterday with one from Europe.
Heard that the EUROGLIDE has been cancelled too. Next year then,…
Everything …next year!!!!!Olympic Games as well.

Everything is different. And it will change every week. It’s a weird world we live in now.
Soaring-news is not very important at the moment.
Let’s hope all the rules have worked and we will have less death.
Obey,…stay safe and healthy!!!!

CU next week
cheers Ritz

Blog 1.200!!!!!
As every year the Senior Nationals are hold at Seminole Lake Gliderport at Clermont [Florida] in the USA.
” This is the 30th edition of the Senior Soaring Championship. What started as a friendly competition between friends have turned into a highly competitive event ” .
March 13 official practice-day and contest between March 14 and 20.

They started with 3 practice day’s to get in the rhythm on March 11 for the 67 pilots!!! From them I met 12 .
THEN it was March 14 with,
Day 1 ;with 50 starting pilots , corona around the corner [ Disney World and Universal closed their doors.…We decided to cancel all meetings and provide the information via electronic means using email and WhatsApp. ] but also reasonable weather for some good flying.
A TAT [Turn Area Task ] was set from 2.45 hours.
Clouds popped up “Good Cu, nice long runs under well formed clouds, and some markers on course.  “
Phil Gaisford in the Discus 2 b, was the best….distance 198 miles in 2.49! Good old Karl Striedeck ,once a topper always a topper, is practicing already for the WGC in Stendal in the ARCUS M . A pretty new glider and instruments for him, but with Sarah in the back they were runners up. Good to see them together in Stendal.
Day 2; No briefing,…no get-togethers…because of corona, but flying…yes.
“Today, the pilots started launching a little early due to the good weather.  Climbs were 3-4 knots to about 4,300 ft at the start.  The 2:45hr TAT took us for a tour of southern Florida. “
Phil won the day again , collected 2000 points in total and no doubt,..leads the pact:another 2.45 TAT…183 miles in time 2.48.
Karl and Sarah were on the 19th place and share spot 4 overall with 2 other pilots.
Day 3; Part of their news for the day;
” After a successful launch, the day did not look like the previous 5 days. Cu were forming but a mid deck of clouds was moving in from the East.  Climbs were 3 knots to 3,200ft but as the task opening time approached, the mid deck covered much of the task area. Since the next few days of weather are forecasted to be good, the CD decided that it would not be a fair day and cancelled the task.  “
Day 4; today….is St Patrick day and they all wanted a day off so they got it. No flying!!!But the announced already…”tomorrow will be a race day!!!!”

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Still good soaring in autumn in Tocumwal as you can see….busy and great clouds.

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Back to sailing for a minute; About glider pilot Bill Hatfield’s fabulous sailing trip.

The WORLD SAILING SPEED RECORD COUNCIL has ratified Bill’s record here in the news:
“The WSSR Council announces the establishment of a new World Record Reference Time:
Time: Around the World Westabout. Singlehanded 40ft
Yacht: “L’Eau Commotion”. Northshore 38. Monohull
Name:  Bill Hatfield. AUS
Dates:.8^th June 2019 to the 22^nd February 2020
Start time: 02; 04; 10 UTC on 08/06/19. 
Finish time: 00; 28; 19 UTC on 22/02/20
Elapsed time: 258 days 22 hours 24 minutes and 9 seconds
Distance: 21600 NM
Average speed: 3. 48 kts
Comments:.No previous record – hence this will be listed as an “Initial Benchmark Time”tter No 317

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CORONA.

The Netherlands are pretty much locked down now schools, bars and restaurants are closed as well ,till April 6. People worked already at home ,planes are at the ground and trains [85 % less passengers on Monday morning,…[unheard… never happened before in history!] and buses have a special schedule. In fact Europe is partly locked down!France totally for 2 weeks. Also Italy and Spain and since today also Belgium have a “lockdown”.It seems the out side borders of Europe are closed as well.
This is a great disaster for the health of our world and of the global economy.
Where it ends?? I don’t know. As you could read briefings in Seminole are via internet, also the openings briefing from the NIJAC in Malden here in Holland, was last Saturday via social media.
Will they fly??? Guess not!! It would be my grand son’s first soaring day in Holland at the Club from the Gelderse, this upcoming Saturday.
Let’s wait and see.
As long as EVERYBODY STAYS SAFE!!!!
Proud on the Netherlands as everybody is obeying VERY well what has been ordered.
Our prime minister Rutte, was just GREAT when he spoke to all of us. Last time a prime minister spoke on TV and radio to the country, was in 1973 with the oil crises.

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GLIDING INTERNATIONAL.

The March /April digital version arrived in my mail box and it had lot’s of —-news about the WWGC.
Statements , from pilots, crews, Aussie TC, CD ,the president of the GFA and other interested soaring-people and ….a sharp note to start with.
“The results of the 2020 WWGC at Lake Keepit In Australia in January, is proving to be a major embarrassment for the Australian Gliding Movement and their executive team.Few will have ever experienced its like.
Gliding International does not propose to be judgmental on the situation the Australian Gliding Federation now faces ,but list known facts.“
Of course after the IGC meeting some news has changed, as the TC Terry Cubley had to step down from all his FAI and ICG functions.
A nice picture from the champions in 18 m. on page 1. And then lot’s of pages with the opinion of John Good, the GFA report, the jury report and the protest from the TC’s and some questions for Germany’ s Katrin Senne …19 pages from everything you need to know.
——Fires in the Aussie summer were terrible, also for soaring.
—–And ….fire in a Experimental Jet Powered Glider…highlighting the need for better fire protection.
—–it seems that the climate change makes the summer down under twice as long as winters.
——an alternative contest format from Italy.
—–lot’s of international aviation news for glider pilots [6 pages] and of course “things with wings”.

Great spring weather here at the moment , so I rush out side to make my garden even more beautiful.
Stay safe!!!!!
Cheers Ritz.

With the IGC meeting last Friday and Saturday ,I was hooked to my laptop to follow mainly the tweets in live time.
I felt for the first time ,what it means when people follow a live blog , as I did at several comps.Interesting!!!
Day 1 ;
—- The period of international competitions has been changed from 16 days to 15 days .
—- A long discussion about the use of mobile devices while flying . I know that you need a mobile for uploading SkySight in flight in the LX computers. And now????
—- We have voted to clarify the definition of unsporting behavior in competitions.
IMPORTANT after the WWGC!!!!BUT,…unsporting is unsporting,…my opinion.BUT ,…it is in WORDS now and to those words organizers can handle.
—IGC Treasurer Dick Bradley is giving his report. He has been our Treasurer since 1996 and is retiring this year. Thank you, Dick!!!!
Well done Dick, such a nice guy!!!!
—- A long discussion about the use of the Pilot Event Marker to mark the start.
AND,….. We have approved the use of PEV to mark the start. This procedure is a “Start Option” available to the Organizers.
—- A new method of handicapping is approved: the “Distance Handicapped Task uses variable turn-point radii in the Racing Task .
—- The IGC Champion Pilot of the Year 2019 is presented to Melanie Gadoulet of France.
Congratulations Melanie!!!

Day 2; a few important notes/tweets from the 37 delegates and board.
—- The 2023 World Gliding Championships in the Open, 18m, and 20m Multiseat Classes is awarded to USA.
—- The 2023 Junior World Gliding Championships is awarded to Poland.
—- The 2021 World Gliding Championship in the 13.5m Class is awarded to Lithuania, in combination with the previously-approved European Gliding Championships . I guess this must be E glide!
—– The 2023 Pan American Gliding Championships is awarded to USA.
—– The 2022 Junior European Gliding Championships is awarded to Lithuania.
—- The 2022 European Gliding Championship is awarded to Poland.

—- Proposed wording: “Data communication between competitors, or between them and the ground, is prohibited except as required for safety purposes, for anti-collision warning, or as specifically allowed by the Organizers.”
Later this is approved!
—- No change to turn point geometry .
—- Limitation of finish penalty points (a finish penalty cutoff altitude) is approved .
—- A proposal to allow free gridding in competitions is defeated .
—- A proposal to mandate a 30 minute delay between last launch and gate opening is defeated .
—- A Year 1 proposal to mandate limits of start altitude and ground speed is approved.
—- We have voted to continue funding the IGC Tracker project.
—– We have voted to change (modernize) the way competition results age, at the recommendation of the Ranking List Committee.
—- We have voted to increase the weight of SGP results in the Ranking List calculations.
—- We have awarded the 2020 Lilienthal Gliding Medal to Gisela Weinreich (GER)
Congratulations Gisela.
—- We are reviewing and approving the list of FAI/IGC Officials for the 2020 and 2021 World and Continental Championships .

After this IGC meeting we HAVE TO LOOK back at the WWGC:
I still think it was “unwise” from Terry to not resign. BUT,….Terry thinks he has dome nothing wrong as I heard, so……
There is however a bureau decision, after the “debacle” at the WWGC.
“The Bureau decided that Mr. Terry Cubley will be removed immediately from all his duties and roles in the IGC.
These include the stewards working group, the IGC Safety Committee,the Sailplane Grand Prix team and the annex A committee.
Mr Cubley will not be considered as eligible to hold any position within IGC until march 4 2025.”

The championship management committee had advises too.
the management decided to produce guidance in addition to existing jury handbook which should provide jury presidents with guidance related to communication vis-a-vis other jury members and igc.
and
they confirmed the role of the Championship Management Committee in management and nomination of jury members for IGC Championships.
This is good and “triggered” by the WWGC.

The jury decision from the WWGC seems to stand!Could not find more news about that.

Next meeting will be in Copenhagen in Denmark in March 2021.

A spin-off of this meeting is the next news from Kiki; [Jacky Clairbaux]
” My dear Gliding Friends .
I have the great pleasure to inform you that IGC meeting in Budapest has decided to give the organisation of the next WGC women in 2022 to Airpull on the airfield of Soria .
The team of Airpull is honored with this trust . We will be happy to help the Spanish Gliding Federation , in total collaboration , to make of this event a big success … For the promotion of the women in gliding and the aerological conditions in Soria.”

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[BAD] News from Omarama, for now pretty sad, but I am sure they will be back as strong as ever!!!
There are too many angry people after the announcement.
Here is Justin’s first news and at that stage I still had good hope:
“Please note that all Glide Omarama services will be suspended from 15 April 2020.

After 20 years of flying from the Omarama Airfield without a Trial Flight incident the Civil Aviation Authority of NZ requires GlideOmarama to re-certify its operations from being a Recreational Aviation Organisation under the CA Rules Part 149, to an Organisation Conducting Adventure Aviation Part 115, and to re-license its pilot/instructors accordingly.

This certification process, consisting of negotiations, applications and approvals, is expected to take several months to complete.

Glide Omarama therefore has decided to suspend its operations from 15 April 2020, until the procedure is complete.

However, in anticipation of successful outcomes, the company is happy to receive bookings for the Soaring School and Trial Flights scheduled from 1 September 2020 onward.

Bookings scheduled for dates up to and including April 14 2020 will be honoured. Bookings scheduled between April 15 and August 31 will be refunded or rescheduled as directed by the client.

Glide Omarama regrets any inconvenience this suspension may cause to Club members, glider pilots and visitors. Throughout the period of self-suspension our office, phones, web site and email will remain live.

Thank you all for understanding and for your support to the Glide Omarama team at this difficult time.

Gavin Wills
Glide Omarama
7 March 2020

Sometimes life is just UNFAIR!!!!!And as we have to wait for a while , a great picture from this season, published on January 24 .

Later on there was more news and even more devastating for Omarama;
” Glide Omarama is to cease operations from today (Monday, March 9, 2020.) with the loss of 21 jobs.  “
That was to be on April 14 . However,…… this morning [Monday] it announced the company would cease operation altogether from today .
From the Omarama Gazette;
” Unfortunately, we at Glide Omarama have experienced unexpected re-licensing issues with the Civil Aviation Authority and have decided to cease all operations from 09 March 2020 for the foreseeable future.  It is unlikely we will be reopening.”  In an interview Mr Wills said staff were told this morning ahead of the announcement.  “It’s heart-breaking.  It’s been a wonderful experience, the last 22 years.  I’m very proud of what we have built up. We are all devastated.”  Support for the family-run business was coming in from around the world, he said. “
And more news from Justin in this paper;
” “The reason we have to close down is the CAA claim we are breaking the law, as it is, by undertaking these trial flights. We argue we are not, but we’re not prepared to go to court to prove it.  We asked to be allowed to continue until the end of the season, another five weeks, to be in a better financial position [to deal with it] but they are unwilling to allow that to happen.  There is no safety case to suggest we should be shut.”

BUREAUCRATS!!!!!!!!We had to fight them in the past as well, so I know the feeling!!
TERRIBLE!!!!!!!
AND to be fair ,.. there are always 2 sites on a story,..here is what the CAA had to say on the subject in the Gazette;
“Glide Omarama was informed by the Civil Aviation Authority last year that it would need to become certified as an adventure aviation operation in order to continue offering its passenger glider flights.
Glide Omarama had been offering paid glider flights which were described as ‘trial flights’, but it is the Authority’s view that many of the flights on offer were adventure aviation flights, rather than the type of trial flights which would be available at gliding clubs elsewhere in the country.

Under Part 115 of the Civil Aviation Rules, adventure aviation operations are required to be certificated before they can offer recreational flights to paying passengers, including flights in gliders.  This rule was first introduced in November 2011 to regulate the adventure aviation industry, and require operators to be certificated in much the same way as air transport operators.

In order to gain certification, operators need to satisfy the Director of Civil Aviation that they have appropriate management systems, structures and operating procedures in place to ensure compliance with the relevant safety standards.  They also need to demonstrate that their employees are appropriately qualified and trained, and that their equipment is appropriate for the task and properly maintained.  These rules are in place to keep the New Zealand public and tourists safe, both in the air and on the ground, when they pay for adventure aviation flights.

The Civil Aviation Authority will continue to work constructively with Glide Omarama, and would welcome an application for Part 115 certification.”

Mr Wills said discussions with CAA had been “ongoing since 2002”.  The problem was the level of compliance it required was “burdensome in cost and in ongoing applications.  We’re financially unable to do it.  There’s no other country in the world that certificates gliding in this manner, no one.”
Omarama Gazette.

Is there maybe some hope;
“Mr Wills said the council-controlled Omarama Airfield Company were aware of the situation. 
“The airfield company is in a sound financial position and will now be working with interested parties to ensure that services to the gliding community are available in the year to come” .

Sorry this a lot of news on one subject but …I REALLY FEEL FOR THEM!!!!
And… from another source [Star News] :”Wills said the company already followed most of the requirements, and the only new thing it would have to do was random drug testing.But at the end of the day, it could not afford to apply for a re-certification and he said the 22-year business would be no more.”
Justin also said “the end of Glide Omarama would be a huge loss to the international gliding community. “
I totally agree!!!!!!It should NOT happen.

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More sad/bad news now for my soaring mates in Australia.
Got a message about 2 gliding centers well known and existing already for 50 years; Southern Cross and Sydney Gliding, based at Camden Airport.
What happens????
On short time notice, they got a proposal for an increase of 225 and 500 % on their rent price from Sydney Metro Airports!!!!!
NOT GOOD!!!!!

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First flights of the season in The Netherlands and Belgium on March 7!!!

By the way,…the Aussie mates still fly over 500 km. Even in a Kestrel 17m.
And the BITTERWASSER gliders are back in Europe in time as well for the new season.

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And to finish a WOW factor picture;

Sometimes you loose friends, who are special. That happened yesterday when Theo Hagenberg passed away after a short battle he could not win, age 76.
I got to know him on March 29 in 1967.He was a member of the ZES [Soaring Club of the students from Eindhoven] and for many years an instructor.
He visited us at home as a real house-friend, together with Kees[Musters] and Peter[ van Nieuwland] They all passed away now.
RIP dear friend.

Cu next week, with news from the Gliding International issue March/April.
Nearly forgot….International WOMEN’ S DAY..on March 8.
OK ……an extra honor for the always smiling , successful and exceptional French girls from the glorious Lake Keepit WWGC!!!!

—–2020 Lake Keepit Regatta.
As you know “The Keepit Regatta is a fun, friendly and informal regatta, with entries restricted to 30 gliders. The idea is for early cross country pilots to be able to fly with experienced pilots to gain experience and confidence without the pressure of a competition. We found out that many experienced pilots come along just for a great no stress flying week.
Coaching, team flying and mentoring are all encouraged at this event. There will be possibility for flying in pair either in lead-follow with two gliders or in a dual seater.”
Restriction; All the pilots need to be current, have at least a Silver C and  be a current member of the GFA .
They continued on February 26 with another 2 hour AAT , knowing there was a huge thunderstorm at the first turn point.
A day with a 15 km finish circle due to forecast of storms .
Another win for Brad ;214 km. in time 202.He really shows others how to do it.Of course…he has the glider to show it!!!
On February 27, flying-day 4 ,with task 5 ,CD and also scorer Casey set another AAT , a bit bigger;2.30.
Brad won the day again even with his handicap.[1151]
He flew 279 km in time 2.33. Dave was runner up with 261 in 2.29 and Jacques 3d with 270 km. in 2.35. Both fly JS 1.[1170]
Later it changed as due to a glider change by Ranjit Phelan, to the DIANA 2, there was a scoring correction and he had as many points as Brad .
This is by the way the 2 day Brad competes.The other day’s he did n’t fly. He is clearly there as coach/mentor.
I had to laugh about Allan’s comment.He is really flying for fun there and even was n’t upset when he found out he flew the wrong task:” What wasn’t perfect was that I had picked up the wrong task from the printer – yesterday’s instead of today’s. Still, no complaints – I had a great day. “
And;” Got into some nice shear wave, and since I was just flying for fun I took it up to see how high it went. About 6000ft was the answer,  “
February 28 ;2 hour AAT and it really pleased me to see Jacques was the winner. I know it is not a real competition , but at least for some it is.
He started and finished together with CD Casey, who flew his first Nationals in Tocumwal in December and even won a day; both 200 km in time 2.06. Both got 612 points.
Brad got 553 for being 5th. Dave was 3d.
February 29 …last day. 3 hour AAT.
Casey showed you can be scorer and CD and win 2 day’s. He won the last one ;354 km. in time 3.01.
Paul Dickson in a Slingsby. T-51 Dart-17R [ handicap 1106] was runner up with 337 km. in time 3.08.
Dave and Allan were 3d and 4th. Brad did not fly.
For what it is worth….3 JS 1 gliders in the top with Dave, Casey and Jacques.The only 3 over 3000 points and very close.
Dave had 3.123 points, Casey 3.115 and Jacques 3.115, so 2 runner up’s.
Always nice to follow this Regatta and as you know I have been once in Keepit maybe 20 years ago and I liked it,…now after being there again for the WWGC , I even like it more.

—–Helli Lasch Challenge;

Last Sunday I got a mail from Lilian, partner from Sjaak Selen. They arrived in AFRICA at Tswalu…if I was interested in news and pictures.
Of course I was, so I share her news with you.
By now I do not have to explain anymore I guess what the Helli Lasch is .
They all arrived on Saturday and as the weather was beautiful, a few short starts were made straight away.
Which was good as on Sunday it was cloudy…no soaring weather but a good day for game drives and lectures.
The European participants …all WGC champions …are Wolfgang [Janowitsch] Felipe [Levin] and Katrin [Senne both from Germany] and Lukasz [Grabowski] from Poland.
Members of the S A. team and juniors and promising pilots are there as well.
The organisation is in good hands by Carol [Clifford] and Martin [Leslle]
John [Coutts] facilitates it all.

——Bitterwasser looks back at their season;
“One is missing
A bit of statistics on the Bitterwasser season 2019/2020: just one flight is missing to make the 100 flights over 1000 kilometers full. Mind you the number of flights that ran over 1000 kilometers and still remained under 1100 kilometers! So the Bitterwasser season 2019/2020 was not bad, in comparison it was quite good. A total of 172 flights exceeded the 1000 km mark, one led over 1400 kilometers. That was not possible in the previous season.
Dirk Skura – with a little vacation break in the flight office all season – has meticulously kept track of everything. He registered that the season even outperformed the previous one regarding the OLC points. A few more pilots and flights took the top spot. But you can still dream of the super season 2017/2018. Then the pilots in Bitterwasser managed to top the 1000 Kilometer mark 382 times. ” Bitterwasser Lodge & Flying Centre

——Great weather again in OMARAMA;
On February 27 Omarama was the place to be for some great flights. No wonder they topped the OLC list that day with 5 good flights.
” Good wave. Winds 40-60 knots aloft. We saw 20 knots up indicated a couple times. The wave was marked by rotor clouds, then a few lennies, and toward the end of the flight moisture from an approaching front resulted in lots of clouds almost everywhere and rain not far the west of the airport .”
Comment from Nicolas Bennet and ScarlatNorbert-Alin  in the Duo Discus flying that “old” 2-seater around with a speed of 158 km./h.over 758 km. Good on them !!!

N.Z. yesterday after the rain cleared……. somebody made this stunning picture!!!

—-IGC meeting …2020 plenary….in Budapest;
starts this upcoming weekend in Budapest in Hungary. Guess CORONA will not be a spoilsport.More in my next blog.
Rick [Sheppe ] from the USA normally shares his notes with me. Will follow the tweets as well.

—-New Competition;
As shared by Jacky “Kiki” Clairbaux.

—–“Longest thermal flight”;1.582 km goal flight with a speed of 144 km./h.
David Jansen from Australia was wondering if his flight from January 2 in 2015 STILL is the longest flight EVER .
Last Monday he published this note:” 1,582km. Is this the largest glider flight ever done in the world using just thermals? Any bigger one you know of? No wave or ridge or cloud flying allowed .”
He flew from Kingaroy in 10 hours and 57 minutes to Benalla.
The first over 1.500 km. flight in Australia and I guess,…. it still stands!!!!!
A year earlier, Adam’s dad Chris flew in one line from Kingaroy to Tocumwal; 1.250 km.

—Corona virus;
We were lucky for a while here in the Netherlands, but after it came closer and closer via Germany and Italy, we could only wait before it hit us too.
A business man visiting Milano came back …BENG,…corona was in Holland too.
Also in Amsterdam a lady who visited the N of Italy is in quarantine now. Her husband and 1 of the children are sick too.
A total of 23 infected people at this stage. Most coming back from winter sport in N. Italy.

—–You might have heard about the tornado’s in Nashville in Tennessee.
I found a picture shared by Paul Arnold,one of our a gliding mates in the USA and involved in flying and seeing this picture , you feel the pain.
Even worse …..this destructive tornado killed at least 25 people and this number might rise.
The total damage is huge!!!! Stupid weather!!!!

That’s it for now. Nearly at blog/post 2000!!!!!
CU next week.
Cheers Ritz