After writing my last post I started to feel less well. I tried a “thousand” times before to call the” corona street”, all in vain.
BUT,….When I called last Thursday I had somebody on the line straight away and was more than surprised!!!!
I could come on Saturday and within 48 hours I knew.
NO CORONA……NEGATIVE!!!!
BUT,…I had a bad flu, so no words today but only pictures from Arjan Vrieze and Marloes Wolff, sharing that, during an autumn camp, on a cloudy, foggy day soaring can be still fun also for the youngsters.

Starting with a great picture from Marloes and a few from Arjan.

Thank you for sharing Marloes and Arjan.

I get the flu and pneumococci injection tomorrow, for what it is worth, as I had the flu injection last year too and now really got sick!!!
Let’s wait and see. In this corona time it seems smart to protect against all lung infections.
We might still go in a lockdown, but the measures taken 10 days ago seem to work.
HURRAY, for Melbourne, my mates over there heard this morning that their lockdown is lifted!!! Keep going!!!!

And to finish the all female crew from TRANSAVIA in September 1989 and now with the last flight yesterday after 32 years ,from captain Liz, co pilot then.
Liz is/was the longest flying pilot in Holland.
The captain then was Cocky who I then knew well too, as she was often at Terlet. She was the first female captain at Transavia .

AND…..Final rankings and statistics OnLine Contest (OLC) Netherlands 2020…as shared by ZWEEFPORTAAL.
Very interesting!!!!

Cheers Ritz

WHAT ABOUT…..

——-A nearly 1000 km. flight from Kingaroy in Australia on October 14??!!!
Flown by Adam [15 m. Ventus] and David [LS 8] , who were still there and declared a task on a strong day ,….only the last bit was “off”.
Mind you, it’s still early spring and the days are not yet long in Queensland.
Here is part of his story;
“Close, but not close enough! Achieved 956 km of the declared 1004 km 4 TP task, strangely enough still quite a satisfying feeling after such a long day in the saddle! David Jansen & I landed at Rosevale ALA around 6am, greeted by a lovely farm couple, an offer of bed & beer. Conditions just rule us out like a light switch, which is what happens in my part of the world, then the wind was up to 23 kts making it not feasible to get home. Still, great fun & I am now back in the family home, safe and sound. “
The rest of his story in Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures
Top job by both pilots, Adam’s 1000 will be soon flown, this was his 4th attempt…no doubt and no worries!!! I believe David has it already.
It could have happened already one day later…look at the skies.
ONLY 1 year waiting and Adam gets his Ventus 3!!!!

——South Africa “waking up“!
Whilst they now fly over 700k in an ASH 31/21m. in Australia’s spring, South Africa had some over 500 k flights in their spring as well. Oscar flew over 500 in the JS 3/18m. from Potchefstroom;
“At last -summer has arrived. “Hope for them it will be as good as last season or even better!!!.

One day later Oscar flew a triangle of 823 km from Potsch with a speed of 159 km./h….YES…now we talk…..
Same place different glider; 831 km in a JS 1;”First 750km declared FAI triangle @ 142kph” by Jason Adriaan.
From Orient great flights as well, as 772 km triangle by Hanno Du Toit in JS 3/18m. with a speed of 162 km./h. His comment; “What a day” And the season only just started….
First day that Africa topped the OLC for the 2020/21 season. A pity that all those glorious flights from Namibia cannot be flown, as gliders were not send, but maybe a few good flights will be on the OLC by pilots flying gliders which are already there.

——an update on the Aussie Nationals...
The Club Class Nationals (Tocumwal) and the MultiClass Nationals (Kingaroy) have both had to be cancelled due to Covid-19-related issues and limited participation.

The last ditch effort to hold a Nationals at the end of the Season is proposed for Goondiwindi 13-20 March being run by DDSC.  The weather will be awesome at that time. If Covid-19 prevents members from any state from participating, the Nationals will not go ahead.  However, at this stage early ar rangements have commenced.  In order to be viable we would need at least 25 entrants.

——Europe still active with soaring in autumn!
Eric [Napoleon] shared some nice pictures from a flight with one of the other soaring families , this time in France, The Clements.

And talking about the Clements,…I do not know them, at least I never met them but read and write about them . Philippe must have the same feelings for his sons as we do for our grand children.
Here they are on their way to St. Gaudens, where great wave- flights were flown yesterday:

Look at this: Philippe Clement with son Anton;1.166 km. in the ARCUS!!! Speed 163 km./h!
AND Pierre de Broqueville, …yes I do know him,….He flew in his EB 29D a distance of 1.281 km with a speed of 167 km./h!!!
And not to forget Robert Prat who flew in his ASG 29 a distance of 1.096 km. and who shares his know-how about soaring in wave from St Gauden. He did so many SUPER flights already!!
Very high wave as I noticed but the day could have been better according to Pierre when there would have been less humidity!!!

To finish a fabulous picture shared by Richard Gouble in the STAMPE!!!!An open 2 seat plane…just beautiful!!!

And one of a stearman, another open 2-seater, flown by a young Belgium mate Pieter.

Well….this was a hectic morning, with a too long post, so I had to copy and paste in word to create this blog.
I hope however you liked the family post.

Having a rest now
CU next week
Cheers Ritz

All who know me , know as well that when I am sad, happy or proud I have to write. And that already for more than 40 years.
In my posts,… that’s mainly about soaring,…… normally I do not write about my family, otherwise than when it fits in a story. So only FOR ONCE,…here is a bit of our history with permission of all mentioned.

First about last week….When our grandson…… Dexter who is 14 went SOLO during the autumn camp from the Gelderse [www.gezc.org] at Terlet last week, that triggered writing and sharing. After grand daughter Indya went solo last year, now the total family has flown solo!!!!
Grand pa George and his wife Diana, Grand ma [me, only 4 solo flights no big achievement due to lack of orientation feeling,, BUT, I got another soaring achievement, you might remember, THE PELAGIA MAJEWSKA MEDAL in 2015], mum Inge and dad Rodger, who went solo in Tocumwal after a course during his holiday and last season sister Indya. As said before,…a family affair!!!
It’s so great to see the 3d generation so much involved with what I love so much too.
“The circle of life” as one of my Aussie mates mentioned!!!

Granddad and Diana were so kind to give them last week, the key’s/use of their camper. With ZERO at the ground it was “chilly”,….. in their words “bloody cold”!!!!!

They started more interest in gliding during our holidays in Tocumwal, one way or another we ALL seem to love Toc.
You can’t do anything else when you see a big WW2 hangar full of gliders!!!Impressive!!!
Indya was there already when she was 2 years old, proudly walking with her doll- pram between the gliders in the WW2 hangar.
As said a very proud grandparents and parents!!!!

Our family-soaring-history!! Some nostalgic moments of our family-soaring- past.
In the past I wrote regularly about soaring families, now there is not a lot of international soaring news, so I look at my own family .

Our children;
Our kids , Dennis and Inge, have been involved in soaring from the moment they were born. Cold or hot outside ,in a pram or just walking, they were always at our site.
First at the club either the ZES or EAC, later they came along to comps.
In 1976 they went with us to Malden, where the Summer-competition was flown. I believe it was the first competition we attended as family.

Talking about the Wolff family,…Joost’ wife Marloes and their children Marit [now 19 and 18 on the picture below] and Thijmen [16] fly as well .
They are together at the field with my grand children now!!!
Another 3d generation, with granddad Dirk and grandma Franny, …we know them already for years…. , son Joost married Marloes…also from a soaring family…. and their children….the entire family has their license now.
Joost was a good mate from our Dennis as well.

Here is a nice anecdote shared by Marloes. Through all those years, Grand ma Franny has NEVER flown with her husband, or son, BUT,….last September she hopped in the glider behind her grand daughter and off they went!!! TOP!!!!

Already in 1978 our kids went “international” to France, to the 21 CUP d’ Europe!
Dennis won the jeu de boule competition and got a beautiful set as prize. We still have it!!!!

That year Inge kept notes at the briefing. Good practice as many years later she was the Dutch TC at a European competition.

Granddad was 3d and the kids VERY proud!!!

Dennis knew already at kinder garten, that he wanted to be pilot.
BUT…gliding first…He even started his competition flying the same way as his dad, with the Summer Competition at Malden. Later he flew the KEIHEUVEL CUP in Belgium , being first on the last day, with quite a few really good pilots, he lost some points on a 300 k.[to Terlet] on a day with bad visibility. He was 3d in the end!
And flew the brand new DISCUS from his dad!
Then he started his flight education in Tocumwal where he got his PPL with John Williams.
In Holland he finished the NLS and as a present from “opa” he was allowed to travel down under to fly in Tocumwal as a tuggie, to make “hours”.
The rest of the story you know, he never came back and is buried in Tocumwal.

Inge did a bit of soaring both in Holland and Australia. She did a lot of towing in Tocumwal and as her brother her PPL with John.
Whilst young she never wanted to be a pilot, but IS one now. For years already a proud Transavia captain, following up her dad.
She also has a bachelor degree in law and master of science degree in human factors in aviation.

The grand children;
For our grand kids it really all started in Tocumwal as well.
Though they liked playing at Terlet when we visited.
AND,…later at Bailleau, they were for the first time crew for Diana and they felt/tasted the friendship and camaraderie for the sport.
Like all children hanging around at a field with their parents, they sometimes were allowed to fly with somebody as well.
Indya and Dexter were introduced to flying on a holiday in Tocumwal a few years ago. George asked his friend Simon [Holding] if he would fly with them to see if there was any interest. A Christmas present!!!They liked it!!!
At that stage,….Not more not less, but the seed was planted. Good on you Simon!!!!

Last year when Indya was 15 and Dexie 13, Indya became a member of the Gelderse , the club were mum Inge and uncle Dennis [RIP] flew as well. Like in the past when Dennis flew , Inge came along, but had no interest in the beginning. Now Indya flew and once in a while Dexter came along.
She went solo that year and moved on to the LS 4.

Indya is very sportive , easily goes with Inge for a 50 km. long skeeler trip through the fields and plays competition-volley ball with the seniors [she turned 17 last September]and seems to be , already for a few years, a real good “teacher” for 5/6 year old, who want to learn volley ball.
She studies at the university of Amsterdam [ started by the way at 16] and in February 2021 she starts at the hogere hotel school, where she really looks forward to the compulsory dormitory -life.

This year with COVID-19 , life became a bit more pleasant for them by the summer camp/ holiday at Terlet. All of course in a “corona-bubble’ following the COVID-19 rules!!!!So no drinks after his solo, for Dexter and his mates…as they did with Indya’s solo.

Dexter got more interest and started his course, but he is a keen cyclist as well, so time was precious with study [high school] , a job in a supermarket and soaring.
Now both love their holidays at Terlet, get along with the same young enthusiast’s for soaring and….. most of their instructors, we know as grand parents or parents, too.
AND,….there are more interesting things to do as…driving a golf cart to pick up gliders.
Life is good,…even in fighting and beating “the bloody corona virus”!!!The young ones live in a difficult time too.

Our last soaring-family- holiday with 4, was in Benalla during the WGC in 1987.
George flew in 1981 his first WGC, but we stayed home,..Gretha [Musters] and I ,only visited for a weekend.
Down under, George and Dennis flew in the Nimbus 3D as the first ever father and son combination during a WGC.
On a no-soaring-day we went sight seeing. One day to Mount Buffalo to see the rosella’s and to climb to the top where hang-glider pilots jump down. Climbing took over half an hour over huge rocks and between very small caves!!!

Flying this WGC was very special. Meeting all those international pilots, crews and organizers in a country we started to love straight after our arrival I guess in 1985!!!!It was our first WGC as a family. George had flown as practice already Austraglide and a few times in Tocumwal.
In older posts I have remembered this WGC with pictures fro many of the participants!!!

After the prize giving Mike Young and Dennis shared some thoughts in their team clothes.

To finish this family affair,….a nice picture from Kees Musters [RIP]and Theo Hagenberg [RIP March 2020],who both with George were building in, the instruments for their new bought CIRRUS 75. As you see in our sitting room. A lot of Irish coffee helped them!!!

I had to make a new blog as I could not save the pictures anymore,…post was TOO long!
So cu later again….with the regular blog.

Back in the NOW….55.000 covid-19 cases here in Holland in one week!!!! Not good…I am fit again ,..but not yet tested, that system is not yet up to date here in my area.
Cheers Ritz

—-Kingaroy October Grand Prix.
Continued on Thursday October 8… all pilots fly in one ballasted class, running the F1GP tracking software. Distance is handicapped, so the bigger planes have to fly longer distances.
It was interesting to read what Adam had to say about this type of soaring;
“This was just a fun club comp, we used the handicapped distance style format. In AUS we are struggling for numbers, & people are seemingly generally enjoying the GP format more these days – especially at the entry level. I think the regionals will become GP’s always now & the nationals will stay traditional. At least I sure hope so!!”

On task 4 Butch got the 10 points for the best performance….113 km./h!!!
Task 5 was a prey for Ray [Stewart] …126 km./h.
After 5 days of soaring Ray has 42 points…Butch 38 and David 31.
With 2 days to go , Ray in his JS 3 was 6th and first. His 3d number 1 spot. Enough to make him the winner of this GP with 58 points! Well done!!!!
“The final day was a corker. Perfect JS3 weather in fact, whereas most of the week had been blue. It was a fun way to finish the week. Shame we didn’t get a nationals in to share with interstate and kiwi visitors. Hopefully next year.“
Runner up with 54 points and 2 daily wins was Butch [ also on task 6] in Adams glider.
Adam flew the Duo Discus and was 7th!!!
At spot 3 it was David [Jansen] with 40 points.
Adam finished his Kingaroy blog with :
“Congratulations to Ray Stewart for winning his first entered comp in the Jonker Sailplanes JS3 in 15m config! We held a fun GP comp out of Kingaroy Soaring Club in place of the Multi-Class Nationals this year – so it was hotly contested John Buchanan was all smiles finishing in 2nd place in #GliderONE, David Jansen in 3rd with his LS8 – great fun, thanks Greg & everyone for a top week “

—–We stay in Australia for news about Joeyglide,
The Australian Junior Gliding Club is proceeding in the hope of running a COVID-normal JoeyGlide this coming season. 
JoeyGlide is the annual Junior Nationals and Junior Coaching program. It’s the place to be for young glider pilots in Australia, and a great place to meet like-minded people, learn lots and have some laughs.
I am afraid it will not be possible for young Europeans or Kiwi’s to travel then to Aus. Nevertheless;
Site: Leeton, NSW
Dates: 7-15 January 2021
Website: https://www.joeyglide.juniorsoaring.org/ 

—-the October issue of GLIDING INTERNATIONAL has, as always interesting news… old and new. Love the history of soaring ,so I started reading straight away.
They start with the success story about Schemmp-Hirth, how Martin Schempp, founder and aircraft engineer who died in 1984 and Wolfram “Wolf” Hirth, gliding pioneer and sailplane designer [1900-1959] met through soaring and built up a big business still known as one of the best gliding manufacturers!!!
By relocating the business to Kircheim Teck, Klaus Holighaus was asked to help them into the” composite-sailplane -era.”
The wife from Klaus, Brigitte and his sons Tilo and Ralf with help from long time well respected employees, still run the business.
Don’t have to mention how many great gliders “rolled” out of their factory.
We had a few types ourselves.
Editor John Roake writes already for over 50 years and has a huge library full of interesting books and articles.
For this issue he found an article called; ” Herr Hirth gives a lecture” , that was in London in 1931. Loved it!
Also news about Klaus life and his sad death after a crash in the mountains in 2004.
I knew Klaus and know Brigitte and the boy’s don’t see them often, but consider them as my friends.
Back to the G.I.
—-Hanger fire- foam- systems.. news for clubs .
—-history of gliding height records …currently 22.657 as absolute altitude by Jim Payne in 2018.
—–Electrifly-In in Grenchen in Switzerland …becomes a permanent feature from 2020 onwards.
—-Paul Schweizer is the gliding personality this month.
—–5 G and it’s influence on comps…..Forbidden or new rules by IGC??????
—-lot’s of International Aviation news for glider pilots and MORE……

—–When Klaus Ohlmann flies you mostly expect great weather for a good task. That was correct !!!!!
He flew 1.150 km in a STYEMME S10 last Sunday. One day later he nearly flew a 1000 “Second day of northern wave. A bit tricky, nearly blue.. My friend Gil shows his experience of “local” knowledge. Flying high and knowing personally the wave location. great day to learn and explore“.
Gil [Souviron] indeed showed his local experience by starting in the Stemme S12; 1.402 km. on Sunday.
One day later it was 1. 032 km.
“Interesting days with wind coming from North with a wave not very strong and decreasing in the afternoon.
The day before the waves was stronger but very cloudy due to more west direction of the wind, and Klaus joined us coming from the Alps, finding unlikely waves over a near overcast ceiling.”
They flew all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Have a look at the OLC flight. There is a link too, ” of 11 October some photo and one video of the start over the waves of the Alberes always fantastic, first mountain at Mediterranean Sea.”
A good day “out”.

That’s it for now. Not a lot happening at the moment…..
Though,…I was in some kind of voluntary quarantine. I had a bad cold and then you have to stay inside. I did for more than 2 weeks.
The last week I tried to reach the health institute for a corona test. I could not get through,…too busy!!!! Not good!!!
Try next week again, but in between I am “fresh and new again”.
This virus is terrible.
In The Netherlands we had a pretty good run during the first wave in March. All country fellowmen /women obeyed the rules, so in a short time it was nearly under control, but after the summer holiday the obedience was gone, we had people reacting fiercely on the strict new rules and now Holland belongs to the worst places in Europe. Yesterday we had over 7000 new tested cases!!! NOT GOOD!!
At my age I am very careful, even downloaded the corona app.
Stay safe friends!!!!!!

To finish 2 great autumn pictures by Arjan Vrieze. He makes fabulous pictures and is also one of the instructors from my grand children at Terlet.

Cu next week
Cheers Ritz

—-I start with the picture of these 4 young men, according to Kingaroy “the future of soaring”.
And,…I believe them.

—–The Darling Downs Soaring Club, continued with the Queensland State Comps and last Wednesday the club class indeed did not fly.
Later I read the news from Lisa Turner, as you know they flew and I do understand why the clubbies stayed home
“Well we had it all today, 8/8 mid level cloud, rain, freezing cold and fire/smoke. Thank goodness for the fire! Just happy to be home today.”

So with 2 more days to go the hope was for better weather again.
It turned out to be one day in club!
It was a 214 km. task won by a “new “face.. David Nash in a Discus.
Jo was 3d and is the winner of the State comps in club class with 40 points, 2 more than Peter Brunton.
In the sports class 2 more day’s . Task 6 was won by David Jansen and Adam had some kind of off day and lost 4 points. He won the last task again …342 km…with a speed of 122 km./h.
In the end he was the winner with 28 points, 2 more than David.
He finished the comps with: “Had a ripper flight today, finishing off with a day win by around 20mins, to take the #1 spot for the comp! Congratulations to Jo Davis who won Club Class & Peter Brunton, a 15 year old who came in 2nd & obviously with the best placed junior trophy – simply awesome!!“
What a TALENT this number 2 Peter!!!!!! Talking about Future of soaring….!!!!!

——I missed a great flight last week flown in France in wave in the Pyrenees in a STEMME S12;1.1456,76 km!!!!!
“Sunday, September 27, Gil Souviron and Baptiste Innocent broke a French record from Perpignan airport ! They have realized the largest flight in France ever, with a take-off and landing at the same airport.”

——Egon Otto Rehn is still at Luis Magalhaes and had another top day; 1.018 km. in a Quintus M!!Also on September 27!!!
So the last days of September showed great weather in different parts of the world.
AND..talking about Brazil…..last Sunday Henrique Navarro flew from Bebedouro a new record;
“..and we did it. Brazilian gliding speed record on a 100km FAI triangle at 168kph.The current record was mine at a 160kph speed, but I reached it on a 500km FAI triangle some years ago. And I always though the 100km FAI triangle record deserved a special attemp, as it is so special, so small, so full of details, so fast! We are talking about a bit more than half an hour…Today the day was good for a short period of time, in a hotspot around 50km away from Bebedouro, and with the risk of a very low visibility – actually the start and mainly the finish line were crossed on IFR conditions due to strong smoke. So, perfect for a 100km tentative. And we did it, even though I am confident it is possible to do it above 180kph in Bebedouro. Maybe on next try?“

——We are in October now and the first day, looking at soaring, was average but then it was BOOMING!!!!
On October 2 …. Föhn….and the Alps had it! 3x Over 1000 km flights from Switzerland an Koenigsdorf.
Yves Gerster flew from Thun in Switzerland with a “student” who learned how to fly in wave, during a wave workshop. This was the last day and it was successful as they flew 1.155 km. in the ARCUS T.
Koenigsdorf ,a well know ski resort as well and the German spot to start long wave flights over the Alps, when you fly South first, showed a QUINTUS flight by Matthias Schunk from
5.830 m. MSL was the highest he reached rather in the beginning if the flight and then it was more ridge flying;1.122 km.
Nicolai Wolf went to the airport as well and prepared his Ventus 3 M ; 1.017 km!!
Both found it a “super, super interesting day!!!”
Unterwoessen, more to the East of Koenigsdorf had great October weather as well. When you can fly 530 km in a KA 6, that say’s enough of the weather and the pilot Jan Lyczywek.
When I was in Unterwoessen, I enjoyed seeing pilots on the slope of the mountain on a “hang wind” .
BUT.…..it was not over yet, the föhn a strong dry wind on the Nord side of the Alps, kept going and on October 3 a few more long flights. One again by Matthias in the Quintus M, this time 1.126 km. “The best föhn day I ever had!“
Young Benjamin Bachmaier , who likes blogging like I do, flew in the ARCUS T over 1.122 km.
Both did not land back at the field of departure but anyhow loved their interesting flight with different weather situations!!!

Weather which was NOT good for many little towns on the Alps in France and Italy. Some just disappeared by wild water and sand/mud slides and stones from the mountains. At least 10 people were killed and around 20 still missing.
The other side of the weather-medal!!!!!

–—-Porta Westfalica, loved also by Dutch pilots, was the place to be for them last Sunday on October 4. A great day with thermals, wave and ridge soaring over the slopes. Busy place to be as many were trying to start at the slope and race rather low over tree tops and slopes.
Great distances as well; 511 km in LS 4….508 in St Cirrus WL…507 in St Libelle WL…502 in LS 8.
This type of soaring on the slope is sometimes done here at the Nord Sea too over the dunes. Long ago I got some pictures and I found them again.

Porta Westfalica was good too. 48 Pilots from different countries lined up on October 4 on the 250 m. high slope. A real soaring traffic jam!!!!
“Good weather, but good timing was crucial in the ever-changing weather conditions.”
Robin Smit…runner up at the Naromine JWGC …wrote a nice picture story about the day. Have a look!!! Great pictures!!!!
“Great day once again at Porta!
Woke up to early today at 04:15 to drive the 3.5hours to Portages together with Marissa.
Arrived at the airfield and quick assembled the glider and put it in tow grid, good to be on time with the 35 glider who came to Porta.
Always a interesting tow with a rope what looks like a bungee… The ridge was very good straight away with also a bit of thermal influence.
The first time at the Suentel did not have the guts to go to the Ith without ant gliders there, so turned around and flew back quite far west.
Later the Ith was good doable and even some wave in the end to 6500ft, to bad there was 8/8 cloud cover….
Good day out again with some good company!”

——-On October 4 [till October 11] the KINGAROY OCTOBER GRAND PRIX started with 19 pilots. A lot of names we remember from the Queensland State Comps. They arrived at Kingaroy with good practice!!!!
The 293 km. task [1] was flown with a speed of 118 km./h by David Jansen [LS8/ 15 m.] who turned out to be the daily winner with John..Butch.. Buchanan [Ventus 2/15 m.] as runner up.
Adam was on spot 13…he flies the Duo Discus.
Task 2 was flown under “blue” skies. 281 km. was set and flown best by Ray Stewart in the JS3/15 m;121 km./h. David was runner up , Butch 3d and Lisa [Trotter] 4th in LS8 /15m.
Today was task 3 [289 km.] with many penalty seconds or warnings for starting to high or finishing too low.
The Trotter family did well. Peter won the day in his LS 8 and his wife Lisa , same 15 m. conversion glider, was runner up. Ray was 3d so 10, 8 and 7 points were given.

After 3 days they are halfway and Ray in the JS 3 leads with 24 points, followed by David with 21 and Butch with 20. Peter and Lisa are next with 16 and 14 points.

CU next week.
Cheers Ritz