ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN   NOVEMBER 4 2012
“It’s light again in the City that never sleeps!”

ritzdeluy@hotmail.com     www.glidinginternational.com     www.soaringcafe.com

November has started with wind and rain here and it is going to really blowing tonight  specially at the NW coast ;code yellow!
Not too bad however in other European countries as Thomas Suchanek flew from Krnov  in Czech Rep. an 886 km.in the Ventus 2CT, as the mountains [Karkonosze] in Poland “did their job”, to give him a good day.
Happy shouts from pilots flying from Rinteln in Germany [ 658 km. in Discus 2/218m. and from Portawestfalica in Germany [555km. in cirrus], where they fly up and down on and over the mountains using HANGWIND.

Nice weather in Australia on the last day of October as on Wednesday 466 km./368 FAI triangle in a St. Libelle and the first start of the season for Tom Gilbert from that more up N. from Tocumwal situated airfield ,Temora. The more N. the better when you look for good/hot weather, specially in the morning!
ON NOVEMBER 1 ; 678 km.[ 500FAI triangle]  in a CIRRUS is top and flown by Adam Woolley who is convinced that a 750  is possible in the CIRRUS! His last flight for the time being , as he starts his Fokker 100 training in PNG after having not flown for 8 1/2 months, due to the collapse of the Airline he worked for.
He caught up on track , with Allan Barnes and as I heard flying together gets the best out of both of  them. Allan by the way flew 645 km. [500FAI triangle] in his LS1f.

And yes we can now see the start of the season in Namibia too. Axel Nuss flew 400 km. in the DG 800/18m. the first flight from the season at POKWENI. The 2 containers have  arrived , all gliders , amongst them a brand new ARCUS, were in good shape so the season started as planned on November 1.
So it did… as Axel flew 800 km. [600 FAI] in the Nimbus 3D with 135 km. /h. on November 2 and straight away topped the OLC list that day! Yesterday he flew 872 km. [750 Fai triangle] in the Nimbus 3DM.
Also good flights from Bitterwasser [713 km. in Nimbus 4DM] and Kiripotib.[595 km. in EB 28] I am ready to follow it all. Some Dutch pilots settled already in both Kiripotib and Pokweni. More will follow also in Bitterwasser and SA.
On the site from Bitterwasser [ http://www.bitterwasser.com/  ] you can see that their airspace has changed and even is bigger now!

6 Days flown  in Taupo [NZ]  .A few blue days  and on day 5 a small very challenging AAT from 2 hour with 10 out-landings. Yesterday they had rain.
Today was the last day. And it was the best day from the week, the first from 6 with 1000 points over a 2.30 AAT; 272 km. in 2.37!
Here are some lovely pictures by Australian pilot Robert Smits, who was one of the competitors and finished on spot 6 flying the duo-discus in open class.Winner ;Steve Wallace in the Mosquito.

Lake Taupo [1] and the lake with in the back Mt Ruapehu and uofront Mt Tahara[2]
and the beautiful little town of Taupo.
Courtesy Robert Smits.

The Qualifying Sailplane Grand Prix in Potchefstroom started yesterday with the practise day and it promises to be a great race , with so many fantastic pilots. That practise day by the way, was for former WGC Champion Andy Davis [in Borlange when I remember well] Will keep you updated!

One of our Dutch pilots Jeroen has not enough time [ he flies as a captain since a few weeks for a German Airline] to fly the Grand Prix , but flew a few days before in the JS1 and loved it!!!He is lovely outgoing fellow and shared his thoughts and pictures. His 3d day of soaring in SA was fantastic. He flew from Potchefstroom to Mafikeng,  where he flew the WGC 12 years ago and now he saw it back from above again, flying with big speed at 13.000 ft.

Courtesy Jeroen via FB.

An interesting  story on the OLC Magazine from October 31. All about Jim Payne and his LONG distance flights. Have a look when you have not read it yet on www.onlinecontest.org and on the right site under Latest News you find “JP,..every flight a hit”.[You have to scroll down to October 31]

At Tocumwal Airfield.

The new ASK 21 has arrived at  Mount Beauty as I read in the Alpine Flyer I just received yesterday.
President of the club Andrew Evans and CFI Mark Bland picked up the glider in the brand new trailer  from Melbourne on October 25 and it was in the hangar on November 2. In the same container also a brandnew ASH 31 for a club member.
Ready for a good and exciting new season!

The latest issue from SEGELFLIEGEN das MAGAZIN is out. 76 Pages with all kind of news as;
Uvalde the WGC
The Duck Hawk
Share your experience; the accident with the OLC duo discus.
Maroc; soaring over the Sahara and the ATLAS
More at www.segelfliegen-magazin.com including a photo- contest with prizes to win ; 2 loggers!

Received the STORY ABOUT THE MORNING GLORY  from Jo [crew] and Tony Tabart [pilot] and I have send it to Bill and Rand to publish in SoaringCafe, with pictures!!Enjoy!
Here is a tiny little bit to “taste”, this once-of-a-life-time-thrill.

—“Then at the convergence point between the primary and secondary there appeared to be total cloud cover, with great lumps of cloud being ripped upwards and illuminated by the red morning sun.  As I reached the convergence area, I felt the first violent bumps of this turmoil, as if explosions were going off underneath me.  This was very different from any turbulence I’d ever felt in gliding.—“

and with one of the pictures: “clouds roaring over the airfield.”

CU next Wednesday! Cheers Ritz