AND THEN,…..they call from Lausanne!!! Our Dutch delegate Frouwke!!! I was amazed and said “you are in Lausanne or not” ?
” Yes I am” she said ,” and I have good news”.
Here you are , have to share it with you as well: I ” won” , the prestigious Pelagia Majewska Medal , a medal specially for women who have done ” something” in/for our soaring world.
I was and still am STUNNED, even lost the plot for a few moments deciding to continue with my ironing!!!!!!!!!! BUT,…..What an honor.The first woman in Holland to receive this prestigious award. AND ,….totally unexpected!!!!
What a huge honor for Holland to even win the Otto Lilienthal Medal as well; Loek Boermans , SO deserved. More a bit further in this blog.
Thanks for the many reactions!!!!! Phone calls, SMS, MAILS and FB messages!!!! Unbelievable!I am still sitting on my pink cloud.
One of the delegates mentioned:
“ In the discussion before the vote, the Delegates realized that nearly all of us know you personally. You are an international person of distinction, and we are fortunate to have a way to recognize you for your many contributions to our sport.”
WOW!!!!again…..
I noticed that a lot of people did not know about the Polish top pilot behind the name of this award . She was a true champion.
” This Medal was created by the FAI in 1989, following a proposal by the Aero Club of Poland, in memory of Madame Pelagia Majewska, eminent Polish glider pilot awarded the Lilienthal Medal for 1960, and holder of 17 world gliding records, who lost her life in an air accident in 1988. The Medal is offered to the FAI by the Aero Club of Poland.
It may be awarded annually, on recommendation by the FAI Gliding Commission, to a female glider pilot to reward: a particularly remarkable performance in gliding during the past year, or eminent services to gliding over a long period of time.”
The last part of course fits me …they thought.Very proud to have brought her name on the map again!!!!
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The meteorological spring started on March 1 and straight away last Saturday the soaring-season started for a few clubs in Holland [ some start next week, all of course weather-permitting] and [most] private gliders AND club gliders are ready for this new upcoming season.A few are still on their way back home, from their overseas season .
Last weekend was rather nice with some local showers , a fresh tough wind,8 dgr. C. but also CLOUDS and STREETS !!!!!Not usable now, but it gives a great feeling that the season is about to begin.
On the last day of February Tom Gilbert from Temora topped the OLC with a 493 km. flight in his DG 400/17m.
That same day I heard that he and his wife Jane are visiting Holland in May and drop in to see me. Great!
On the other hand the speed skating season more or less finished with the World Champion-sprint titles in Astana last weekend and the All round World championships at Calgary next weekend
AND …the new European cycle season started in Belgium in Gent.
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Quite a difference , those club gliders from the past and now. I know Ingo loves as less instruments as possible, only the ones he needs, but in out fast-world instruments are part of top soaring.
Look at this: the ASK 23 ‘s from the Amsterdam Club for Soaring the ACVZ have or will have all an LX 9050. Before the start of the season the cross country pilots got a workshop to get to know and how to deal with this LX 9050. A real good way to fly safe and accurate as one of the pilots mentioned AND if necessary you can avoid mistakes as accidentally entering TMA’s now, by an early call .
Here is the message from the GLIDER PILOT SHOP from Dutch glider pilots Maurits Dortu and former European champion Rene de Dreu;
” The first of two LX 9050’s has been installed in an ASK23 of the Amsterdam Gliding Club. Flying season (finally) starts this saturday. With this ASK-23 the beginning (cross-country) pilots can start the new OLC-season well-equipped! But before that, on Friday, a workshop on flying with the LX9050 by Glider Pilot Shop. Good luck and have fun! ”
www.lxnav-shop.com
A very active business : “ Over the past weeks the Glider Pilot Shop team was present at several events. Last weekend we gave a presentation about Next Generation Soaring Computers and a hands-on workshop at TABOE (an initiative to train glider pilots further in XC flying after obtaining their license). Two weeks ago LXNAV joined us to give a small presentation at the Dutch gliding IT day and to exchange thoughts with IT minded people in the gliding community.”
These pictures are shared by Sikko ;
Very spiffy!!!
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Talking about instruments and Instrument panels, here is the latest from DG:
LX9000 Instrument Panel for DG-1000T/M available now
We have developed a new instrument panel which allows installation of large glide computers such as the LX9000 in our powered DG-1000 versions. A retrofit is possible. Please be aware, that the new front panel requires a new cover. The rear instrument panel cover does not require any modification.
You can order your new panel and cover via: spareparts@dg-flugzeugbau.de
Here are 2 pictures as shared by DG Flugzeugbau.
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Tocumwal is already fueled up and ready for the Australian Aerobatic Club Victorian Aerobatic Championships March 13 – 15. Just to let you know.
And the weather looks promising as you can see on the picture shared by the Tocumwal Residential Airpark.
And talking about Tocumwal, Ingo, just passed the 36.000 hours-gliding-mark!!!! THAT is something!!!! The Southern Riverina Gliding Club, thought it would be a nice surprise “ if we honored him with a presentation at a BBQ in the hangar after flying ” and that happened last Saturday. Ingo is at the moment the CFI and the president of the club, busy, busy!!!
And as Judy [Renner] mentioned;” We would also like to farewell some of our members who have been such a wonderful support to the club over the past months but now have to head back to their homelands overseas.”
People like Joergen ,[ who p.e. polished the club-ASTIR and Ingo did the check flight last Friday] , and Birgitte and Dieter ” Dundee” , [always helping out at the field] , as well as the Chinese guests and George.
Copyright Anton Wildberger and shared by the SRGC.
Dieter ” Dundee” Albrecht on his way home today, afte nearly 6 months.
Courtesy Southern Riverina Gliding Club.
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Last weekend the IGC meeting was in Lausanne, as you know by now. Some more news !!!
A special one ,…as after 37 years of being involved in the OSTIV and many years as president, Loek Boermans said ” thank you and goodbye” . I knew already in Leszno,as he told me then, but I was not allowed to tell you, so now I can. Here is a picture from Loek, as shared by our Dutch IGC delegate Frouwke.
Loek; winner of the Otto Lilienthal Medal!!!
Congratulations and THANK you for all those years!!!!
President of the IGC Herbie Moser, mentioned in his report to the 2015 IGC plenary-delegates, from January 2015;
” I am proud to work with the incredibly capable and devoted volunteers that makeup the International Gliding Commission. These generous people work on behalf of glider pilots worldwide that strive to set records or aspire to fly in International Competitions. I wish everyone safe and enjoyable soaring in 2015!”
Can only agree on that!
Here is the latest on the IGC meeting, that is,…. what I think is important for all of us to know. Got all the news as ALWAYS from Rick [Sheppe] THANKS RICK!!!!!
UNOFFICIAL Summary of Decisions of the 2015 IGC Plenary
2 March 2015
The IGC Plenary meeting took place in Lausanne (CH) on 27 – 28 February 2015. There were 33 countries represented. As usual, it was an opportunity to renew international friendships as well as to do the business of the Commission. The social highlight was an elegant dinner on Friday night, generously provided by a retiring member, whose identity was kept secret until the dinner itself.
News
IGC has begun its third formal study of the structure of World and Continental Gliding Championships. A group has been formed that will make recommendations for the number and frequency of Championships, and the number of Classes supported. Earliest change to the championships calendar would be in 2020, and the earliest that new class definitions would take effect would be 2021.
At the request of FAI, the sport of Gliding will be represented at the next World Air Games in Dubai (UAE), in December 2015. This will be particularly challenging for IGC because there are no soaring conditions expected, and the competition area is restricted to a 5 km box!
Loek Boermanns presented his final report as President of OSTIV, the only scientific organization within FAI. At a special meeting of OSTIV members, Prof. Dr. Ing. Rolf Radespiel was elected as new President of OSTIV.
Badge and Record Rules
The following changes were made to the main section of Sporting Code Section 3:
- Only the Start Line will be used (no more OZ starts).
- Barographs will no longer be used at all.
- The 10 km Turn Point separation rule has been deleted.
- A Silver Distance claim will require a fix at least 50 km from home.
- The World Class record category is replaced by the 13.5 Meter Class record category.
Competition Rules
These changes were made to Sporting Code Section 3, Annex A:
- The Finish must stay open until sunset.
- Club Class handicaps will be adjusted for very lightweight pilots.
- For scoring, the optimum (not necessarily last) Start will be used.
- The distinction between primary and backup Flight Recorder is deleted.
And these proposals will return for voting next year:
- Increased maximum takeoff mass in the 20 Meter Multiseat Class
- Devaluation of “distance” days
- Changes to Team Cup calculation
- Legibility of Contest ID on gliders
Future Competitions
The 2018 World Gliding Championships were awarded to Czech Republic [Pribram] in the Open, 18 Meter and 20 Meter Multiseat Classes; and to Poland [ Ostrow] in the 15 Meter, Standard, and Club Classes. There was no discussion of whether this re-grouping of classes will be temporary or permanent.
Awards
Lilienthal Gliding Medal: Loek Boermanns (NED)
Pirat Gehriger Diploma: Antonio Martinez-Moneo Rico (ESP)
Pelagia Majewska Medal: Ritz de Luy (NED)
Elections
President: Eric Mozer
First Vice-President: Brian Spreckley
Vice-Presidents: Terry Cubley, Christof Geissler, Rene Vidal, Marina Vigorito, Alexander Georgas
Secretary of Honour: Peter Eriksen
Congratulations of course as well to Antonio from Spain for his AWARD.
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Just to let you know as I just got the message ; the 41 st. International Gliding Competition in Bailleau is from August 4 till 14 2015. You can find the news on
http://2015.planeur-bailleau.org
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That’s it for now.
Cu next Wednesday
Cheers Ritz,…. still looking around from my pink cloud!!!!