Post 1.453 on Wednesday November 1 2023.

–—–Last week I ” talked ” with you about club class ,this time about standard!
Who is going to represent his/her country in Narromine??
Quite a few I know , or I have met at comps.
Of course, our Dutch entree Sjaak Selen [yes brother from Baer] in his Discus 2A.
Sjaak was already WGC champion in 2018 in Poland / Ostrow ,where Rasmus was champion in Club class and Sebastian Kawa in 15 m. All 3 fly now in Narromine again.
from Japan, but spending a lot of time down under, Mac [Makoto] Ichikawa, who flew years with us in Tocumwal ,where we helped him with gliders and accommodation, when he organized the RECARO CUP for Japanese pilots with us.
Bruce [Taylor] of course and I hope he has time to keep his blog as well.
My young Belgium mate Dennis [Huybreckx] who flies the LS 8 .
Sarah Arnold from the USA ,who I got to know better at several comps specially in Uvalde 2012, where she was a tuggie. Of course Sarah won the 2020 Lake Keepit WWGC in standard class.
The current worlds champion who defends his title, is Simon Schroeder from Germany and I expect a lot from the Polish ,French ,Czech and UK pilots.
Next time the 15m. representatives.

—-On November 4 the German Gliding Day is 80 years “old/young“. The day will be celebrated in Freudenstadt im Schwarzwald and the WEGLIDE team is there as well.
They announced already ;”A total of 33 exhibitors will be on site and exciting presentations are expected.” 
AND,….“Another highlight will be the Ventus E, the prototype of which will be exhibited in the foyer. We are excited to see what the concept will look like.”
https://www.schempp-hirth.com/ or Schempp-Hirth
What’s all happening you find here?
Glider Day program

News about he new generation of Diana gliders ; the DIANA 4.

—--Not long ago the Austrian Glider day was in Oblarm. Successful day with a book presentation from Simon Lemmerer, about gliding in the Alps, about thermals there and foehn and more;
THE ART OF GLIDING.
A great Christmas present!!!!
Simon was very pleased with the day on which at least 5 Baron Hilton Cup pilots attended.
https://www.viento.aero/the-art-of-gliding

——-The LS4 JET!!!! Who does n’t know the LS 4??? The single seat glider manufactured by Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau GmbH between 1980 and 2003. At least 3 [at this stage] will fly in club class in Narromine .
Both my grandchildren fly or flew it.
NOW they have an LS4 with a jet engine! Have a look!
https://www.ftnonline.co.uk/2023/10/22/first-time-flying-a-jet-powered-ls4-glider-at-200kph/

–—-The first flights from Bitterwasser were on October 25 and 26 by Reinhard Schramme in the ARCUS M; 973 km. and 898 km. So a great start of the season, certainly now it is still very early. Many will follow!!!
“Quote Reinhard Schramme: “I still have goose bumps“.
He had never seen such great weather at the beginning of the season.
“After initial blue thermals, clouds appeared after 1 hour in the north until shortly before Rehoboth. Promising thermals!
With an average of 200 km/h at times, the two managed a grandiose 973 km in the end.”

——-Worcester with it’s magic ,had a great first flight as well on October 23 when Swiss pilot Rudi Hiltbrunner flew 913 km in an 18m. DG 800B. Lot’s of guests like Worcester, so also there will be many more good flights in the upcoming months.

——FABULOUS flight from Yves Gerster who will participate for Switzerland in Narromine in 15 m class.
On October 27 he started in Aosta in Italy and flew to Corsica, yes the ISLE of Corsica; 1.030 km. in an 18m DG 800
“Dreams do come true…With a bit more daylight and some liters of fuel, a return to Aosta would have been possible, although I never thought that this would be an option.”
https://www.weglide.org/flight/344669 for all the details and picture!!!
or on https://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-3.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=9694902#map=

—- I often think of Tocumwal , the great life style the very hard work and specially our many, many guests/friends. Petri and his parents Martti and Liisa from Finland were a few I still have contact with. Not often kids accompanied their parents. But,….As a little boy Petri arrived , found a young UK mate to “play” with [ indeed we had 2 very young ones that season] and now I got the message, he has his technical Master of science from Lappeenranta university. I am getting old!!!!
Congratulations Petri.
Petri is a top glider pilot too, flying world comps and is a tuggy as well.

We had the WETTEST EVER October; 205 mm. Indeed it was and is VERY WET!!!!

I will be NOT in Narromine ; Travelling that far after I have done it for more than 30 times, is a bit too much for me at the moment, but I try to keep in touch with all there to inform you my way.
No worries!!!!

Cheers Ritz