We are in September now and the meteorological SUMMER is over here!!! Winter of course down under/southern atmosphere.
Normally I write about containers travelling to Australia and even more to South Africa and Namibia, but as it looks now, such things will NOT happen.
Most travelling is on hold, lot’s of airline pilots are waiting to start again,..that is when they have not lost their job…and borders not only from countries, but also from states are CLOSED.
Comps have been rescheduled and some just disappeared from the agenda.
We NEVER anticipated a year ago, how bad this covid-19 was and is for our way of living.
And it ain’t over yet!!!
We just have to make the best out of it.
Let’s focus for the moment, on local soaring, our good health and remain careful.

On Wednesday August 26, Adam [Woolley] showed the season down under is on the verge of beginning; 487 [300 FAI triangle] from Kingaroy in his Ventus 2ax /15m.
Not long he will fly his new toy, a Ventus 3.
“ What an awesome Winters day in Queensland & a terrific way to open the bank up since my last glide (Mid-Feb).; 305km at 132kph!! Then OLC flying to end the day under huge clouds, fires and smooth air – great fun! “

David Jansen flew ,…also from Kingaroy…the next day 726 km [541 FAI triangle] in an LS 8, with a very easy-going comment;” Gotta love Queensland in winter.. “
Adam and his dad had a great flight that day too.
Adam;” Wicked winters day, 500 declared FAI triangle at 135kph – Dad beat me off the stick at 140kph! I missed a climb that I rejected and Dad took at the end of the day, that was all the difference way. Old bull, young bull hey!?”
AND;” Sensational winters day, 513km FAI at 136kph! 5.1kt average, 17% thermalling, 37km glides at 73:1 at 180kph cruise speed!First glide out of the start: 100km at 85:1 at 180kph, into 6.6kts for 3500′! Beautiful CU for most of the task, heights, climbs, speeds, all predicted perfectly by SkySight, many happy smiles at the bar tonight .”
Indeed very “happy chappies” over there in the East of Australia where the new season normally starts.
Here clearly days are getting shorter. BUT,…..still over 700 k-flights in Europe [Germany, France],as well in the beginning of autumn.

NEWSY NEWS:

—Slowly we can look back at the 2020 season on the OLC. Not a bad season, when we look at the damage done by COVID in other sectors.
I guess not a lot will change,till the end of this OLC season, so I slowly start with the stats from the best flights.
Both were flown in a STEMME.
Both in December [-13] from Zapala Neuquen in Argentina, with huge speed ; 196 km./h.
One by Klaus Ohlman …2.816,95 km….and one by Thomas Horz…2.805,58 km.
Wave up to 8045 MSL.
At spot 3 Jean Marc Perrin in a 15m. DG 808 on December 12…..2.228,12 km. with a speed of 163 km./h also from Argentina, but this time from the airfield of Jose De San Mart  .
So to see, the first long flight not flown in wave ,was from Pokweni by Alexander Mueller in his EB 29 with 1.400 km…speed 151 km./h. on November 27.

—- News from Jonker Sailplanes;
JS2 Revenant – STEP by STEP – Our chief design engineer did not want to give any performance away with the JS2 fuselage. In fact, he designed the fuselage with even less drag than the JS1C fuselage. Obviously, this raised some concerns to our marketing team if we would be able to fit our better built customers. As soon as the seat pan, seat back and instrument console were installed we lined up our test models… The awesome models were sadly not selected by looks but for size. Being fit and in shape was not one of the criteria. In fact, we tried all sizes. Our favorite model Oscar Goudriaan fitted easily, and it seems if a 140 kg “real man” also manages to find his position. “I am confident that a 115 kg pilot exceeding 2m will enjoy a comfortable ride!” Attie says.

—-Outlanding with the tug!!! as shared by Arne Martin Guettler:
“ Glider pilots can outland anything. Here the tow plane had to make an outlanding, after an engine failure at 400ft during a glider tow. The field was about 250m long, but recently harvested. The glider made it back to the airfield.”
In the end it was a cracked cylinder.

—More outlandings.,..3 out of 5 flying days for Benjamin [and Claire] who wrote a funny but very interesting blog about the Pre world ‘s in France…
https://claireandbenjamin.wixsite.com/aero/post/kawa-beats-me-again-and-story-about-oulanding

—-Yesterday the TOUR DE FRANCE left Sisteron, passed Serres and the cyclists spend the night in Gap.
All places we know from soaring too.
One of the Dutch glider pilots Willem, made a few pictures whilst looking at the TV. You can clearly see the several helicopters used to cover the tour caravan.
I saw it on TV in Holland/The Netherlands as well.

And to finish a great picture shared by  Mamz’ailes SoFi in her L’album de Mamz’ailes SoFi She just celebrated her birthday.

CU next week,
Cheers Ritz