Alphen aan den Rijn Sunday February 19 CARNAVAL
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.glidinginternational.com www.soaringcafe.com
A bit of a shock for Holland and all “royalists”, as the 2d son from Queen Beatrix, is in hospital in Innsbruck fighting for his life. Though there was a strong warning [4 from 5 on the list] to not go off-piste, due to the heavy snowfall of the last week, he seems to have not been able to resist this brand new soft snow and went for a “ride” with a friend , NOT outside the piste as they say now, but , on a not closed unprepared track. Result; he most probably triggered an avalanche by himself and was for 20 minutes covered under 40 cm. of snow. The friend survived with a package -on-his-back, like an airbag to remain above the snow and alarmed all involved and luckily Prince Johan Friso had a beacon with him , so he was found in 4 minutes ,after arrival of the helicopter, re-animated and brought by this helicopter to a hospital in Innsbruck, where he is still at IC, stable as they say but still with a risk for his life.
Both are very experienced skiers. The friend lives there and is a member of the family from the hotel the Queen stays already for over 50 years.
Johan Friso is known as the intellectual within the family, certainly NOT a daredevil and is not in line to be king as he stepped out of that line by marrying Mabel , a very smart goodlooking young lady, but once a friend of a top criminal in Holland.
Not a nice beginning of a family holiday; a tradition to go to Lech since 1959, first with Juliana and Bernard now with grandma Beatrix her sons and their wives and 8 grandchildren.
Yesterday several skiers went over the same unprepared fresh snow again. Locals say it is THEIR responsability.
Unfortunately another avalanche again in Lech.
Last Friday morning we heard that Air Australia, [ before called Strategic Airlines] the budget airline, based at Brisbane got broke, leaving passengers , about 4000, at their own at different places in Australia, Hawaii [Honolulu], Bali and Thailand.
Message was; “Try to find your own way to go home , sorry we can’t do anything anymore”. When the pilots tried to refuel, they were told that bills had to be paid first. No fuel..no flight!
You should have paid for a nice holiday and get stuck, without knowing how to get home again. Terrible.
An even bigger disaster for the staff working there on the ground and in the air, all lost their job!!!
2 From the pilots flying at Tocumwal during the Multi Class Nationals were hit by this shutting down as well , I just heard; Captain Brian Durieu and Adam Woolley, a first officer.
Very sad for them, as well as for all others, as new jobs are not “ready to hand”. Wish everybody well!
On the other hand Schiphol Airport Amsterdam is doing well and claimed a good year 2011, with a record amount of nearly 50 million passengers going through. With that they are the 4th biggest European Airport behind London [Heathrow] Paris [Charles de Gaulle] and Frankfurt.
Frankfurt in Germany , talking about the 3d biggest hub in Europe struggles with strikes by air traffic controllers and quite a lot of flights had to be cancelled. No travelling is not always a pleasure anymore nowadays.
And…in Spain pilots from Iberia are on strike. Cancellations as well!
Mac who was 3d at the multi class Nationals added some days in Tocumwal and flew a new Japanese speed record over 500 km.
I missed Beryll Hartley, the mother of soaring in Narromine, in stories and on pictures, during the Nationals, but I heard she was there as well. A great organizer and with her around, a competition always runs smooth.
It is not easy to look ahead on YOUR 50thiest Nationals and you have to move to another place in 2 days. Luckily the weather was good in Tocumwal and they seem to not have had problems with the by the Tocumwal club and commercial center given facilities. This is what gliding is all about, help each other when necessary. Together we are strong!
This is what I found on the Narromine site;
–“The 50th MultiClass National Championships are over. The competition held at Tocumwal was blessed with some outstanding flying days and ended up as a great competition.
Well deserved congratulations to the dedicated crew from the Narromine competition committee who all worked extremely hard and gave their time and effort to produce an outstanding Nationals. Chris Stephens proved to us all that he is indeed an excellent Competition Director.—”
So they did….and he did!!!
Slowly Europe wakes up from its winter-sleep and the first attempts of x -country soaring are a fact . From Ocana in Spain , Belluno in Italy and Fayence in France pilots sniffed up some fresh, new, good air to fly in.
Let’s hope the new season will be a good and safe one!!
The calender for the 2012/2013 FAI Sailplane Grand Prix has been set and the qualifying series will be flown from Romania, [29th of April] South Africa, Australia, Chile, Slovakia and France.
The first European comps are in Italy; the 40thiest Trophy of the town of Torino [April 7] and also from April 7 till 14 , the Pribina Cup from Nitra in Slovakia! The deadline for entries for this competition is February 29!!!! I know how many pilots love to fly for this cup, so don’t be too late, as there will be 50 gliders allowed MAX in ONE class and a total of 150!!! At this stage I counted 121 pilots in total.
And of course this years Euroglide, a 2400 km. race through Europe will be in June. The concept route will be from Eindhoven in Holland crossing the Rhine to nearly Bruchsal in Germany, then to the E. passing Wien on the way to Nitra in Slovakia, then along the Polish border to the Czech Rep , back to Germany , passing Berlin to the N. and back home to Eindhoven in the S. of Holland. Nobody can enter anymore as only 60 pilots are allowed and there are over 70 already now. Under them pilots from different nationalities!
Gliders can be flown by several pilots forming a team together.
Will keep you informed!
Off to Carnaval now , with my daughter and grand children. Very pleased to see those kids love carnaval as well.
Cu Ritz