Post 1.477 on January 3 2024

WELCOME IN THE YEAR 2024!!!! Already post number 1.477…

—–My family really had an INTERNATIONAL change to the New Year.
3 were in Windhoek in Africa [Namibia] ,1 on a yacht in the harbor of Sydney looking at the fireworks on the bridge in front of the Opera house ,1 in Tocumwal, 1 in Zhengzhou and I was in The Netherlands!!!
2024 is a leap year , so one more day in February.
Let’s get started……

–—We finished 2023 with a lot of rain and the start of 2024 was about the same…a lot of rain.
65.000 people here in the Netherlands were BRAVE and ran into the ice cold Nord Sea or a lake in their neighborhood, an annual tradition!
The first gliding flight world wide in the new year 2024 was for French pilot Hugo, who just flew the WGC in Narromine and then left for NZ to give instructions.

——WeGlide is doing more than “sharing flights/tasks ” from pilots on their net. Their magazine with all kind of stories is more than interesting.
They are really the next-generation gliding platform.
Here is their info about Schempp-Hirth:
“Insights about the new Ventus E, FES retrofits for DuoDiscus and Discus, and a possible increase in the Wingspan of the Ventus. Have fun reading!”
https://magazine.weglide.org/schempp-hirth-ventus-e…/

Through the years “we” bought Schempp-Hirth gliders and we got to know all of them pretty well.
On top of that Klaus and Ralf stayed with us at Tocumwal before they left for the Nationals in Leeton a long time ago…… early nineties. We really had good times. Ralf was even so kind to drive me to Tullamarine before travelling to Leeton….an extra 650 km!!!!

AND

The new generation Ventus 3

—–On December 30 a very special flight from NZ. As you know, New Zealand is an island , long and not wide, with sea influence to the r and l. A Nord part and a South part with the mountains.
Norbert Scarlat and “good old” Justin Wills gathered their strengths and flew an out and return from 1.962 km.in a DUO DISCUS X.
“There is always something fascinating about gliding. You look at the forecast for days before the flight, you plan everything and you never know how good the day will be until you try. Probably one of the most difficult wave days I have ever had in New Zealand, wave was weak, almost no clouds and manage to collect all the downdraft. Thank Annie for the tow and everyone for helping on the ground. Thanks ATC and Justin for the flight, very close to complete the task.” by Norbert.
What a way to close the year 2023 for them!!!!
More about this excellent flight on https://www.weglide.org/flight/356080?

——On January 1 a 1000 km FAI TRIANGLE from my friends Roy and Patrick in Bitterwasser. I am thrilled to see that. Not that it their first 1000 ,but because they are such nice guy’s. In the past they were regular guests at our SSC in Tocumwal together with David and Hugh [R.I.P.] They tried hard but never flew their 1000 in Australia, the weather was better before or after their stay….Murphy????
This time Roy flew the 1000 km FAI triangle and yesterday Patrick.Good on them!!!

January started great in Namibia with SO MANY 1000 km flights that I stopped counting. SO,……a lot….
They have a great season.
Young German pilot Nils [Fecker] flew his 5th flight over 1.100 km all in the magic ARCUS M;
December 20…..1.302,99 km
December 22…..1.375,11 km
December 27…..1.180,69 km
January 1 …………1.203,75 km
January 2……………1.233, 06 and an FAI triangle from 1.098 km.
You have to be young for that, though I know a few more “aged” [of course with respect] pilots who can do this too.I am sure he will never ever forget this time in Africa.
The same counts for Simon [Briel] in Bitterwasser since December 18. All his flights in the mighty EB 28 are between 1.119 and 1.413 km and 6 with FAI km.
A total till now from 106 hours in this EB 28 and 12 LONG flights.
AMAZING!!!!!
At 15.51 during his flight yesterday from 1.1251 km, he was at 956 km with a speed of 148 km./h and at 17.26 at 1.203 km speed 213 km./h.

The Palmallee in Bitterwasser continues to grow! The last tree in 2023 was planted by Bjoern
Shortly before the year 2023 came to an end, the Palmallee grew by another palm tree.
Björn Gintzel from the Dahlemer Binz airfield flew a registered triangle of 1.003 kilometers on the 25 th of December.
A successful end to the year for Björn and, of course, for Bitterwasser!

—–The Perlan Project looked back on the highlights from 2023 and one of them definitely was the world’s first automated aerotowing connections from Magpie Aviation.
Last spring this was another “first” for the Perlan Project team. This is how it works;
“Perlan Pilot Tim Gardner towed Chief Perlan Project pilot Jim Payne up in a glider. On the end of the tow rope was a Magpie receptacle Active Hook, the device responsible for autonomously connecting the two aircraft in the sky. On the nose of the glider was a probe. Jim released from tow separating from the receptacle. Then Jim chased the end of the tow rope to slide the glider nose probe into the sensor receptacle. It was the first ever in-flight hook up with a glider. They were 8 of 8 for positive re-connections after which Tim could tow Jim higher to do it again.”

–—–As I shared with you earlier, the current WWGC champion [2023 in Garray] Barbora [Czechia] stayed after her volunteer job in Narromine at this years WGC, in Narromine. She flies Adam’s glider the Ventus 3 T G1 and had last week several good flights in it, over 700 km..
Even a declared 777 km out and return with a speed of 111km./h. on December 27 https://weglide.org/flight/354812
On 26 a 775 km with 116 km./h. Good on her!!!
Tomas [Suchanek[ also still in Narromine after flying the WGC, flew on December 27 in the ASW 20 a distance of 897 km. also an out and return , which means that with an outlanding at the furthest point, he would have been out 379 km!!!!
Only a few km up NE wild storms passed by killing 9 people. Hailstones were as big as tennis balls. Unreal, but I know it is real as I had that once whilst visiting Brisbane. Wild weather in parts of Australia and the coldest Christmas time ever with 16 dgr. C. In high summer…..

——-“2023 Gliding Wrapped – probably my biggest and most exciting year of soaring. Happy New Year and here’s to a great 2024. I am taking a bit of time away from gliding but perhaps we’ll meet again later in the year!” by Matthew Scutter’s Gliding…you can read it all when you use the link. Very interesting and GOOD year for him.

—-The place were I live is surrounded by great nature with hundreds of walking and bike tracks . As we have never had so much rain, I believe this December was the wettest and nearly warmest ever, many of those tracks are flooded. Insane!!!!!
WORLDWIDE this was the HOTTEST year. Not good!

——The SKYRACE Grand Prix in Leeton starts today, with 14 pilots one of them WGC pilot from the USA Tony Condon, not his first time flying this GP, though I did not see him on the list of entries.
But he is there and had the first launch on the first practice day without a task.

Also a young pilot from The Netherlands Jasper, participates in a St Libelle. He stayed in Tocumwal for a few days with our family. He is the son from Edgar and Edgar was a friend from our Dennis.
Their last news;
“We have had a huge storm come through and we are a little shaken…. Tonight’s free welcome sausage sizzle will now be tomorrow night (Wednesday).”Skyrace GP
more in the next blog.

——January 3,….. even today, always emotionally.

The gorgeous red oleander was cut down 2 years ago, by what the Shire thinks, vandals.
I don’t think so, the cut is very clean!
No clue WHY!!!!!!!!
Eddie noticed whilst flying over, that the grave looked different, so he went to have a look and found this;

Today, Bas ,the friend from Dennis, who was with him in that 87/88 summer-season, visits after 36 years AGAIN.
And drinking a beer at the spot is “popular” ,he has to drink for many of the mates ,..
Such a heart warming thought!

R.I.P DEAR DENNIS!!!!!

Ritz