ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN SUNDAY NOVEMBER 25 2012
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.glidinginternational.com www.soaringcafe.com
While the West Coast [ specially the SW coast] from the UK suffered from severe wind and rain, causing huge problems for people living there even, sadly enough, killing one person stuck in high water in his car, we had easy going autumn weather till today. Yesterday France was pretty hard hit, last night parts of Belgium and now it is our turn with wind expected this afternoon to Bft. 10 on the NW Coast. Wind gusting to 110 km./h. So a real storm!
The place to be on Thursday was clearly South Africa.
The first Gariep Dam-1000 km. was flown , by Berlin based pilot Carsten Lindemann; 1.028 km. [521 FAI triangle] with 125 km./h. in the ASH 25. Also an 18 m. glider flew the 1000 km. [300 FAI triangle] ; a DG 808B.
Also Bloemfontein “fell in the prizes” with flights up to nearly 700 km.
BUT …what about Allan Barnes, I can nearly fill blogs with his achievements. He must have learned very quickly and MORE, from G Dale as he flew from Lake Keepit in the LS 8 a flight from NEARLY 1000 km.; 921!!!! He tried a 1000 km. out and return to Roma but changed that in a 750 to St George still far up North NW, after been “struck” by vario problems. Using convergence lines and a sea-breeze convergence with lift up to 13.000 ft. but also sink over the flat land. The BEST to- the- OLC- added-flight in Australia till now.
AND… Jenny Ganderton flying the Mosquito tried a 750 cat’s craddle from Lake Keepit , but had to turn short on 2 of the TP’s ,but still flew her longest flight ever; 761 km.[ 361 FAI triangle]
ONLY 39 flights that day on the OLC but halve of them over 500 km. Not bad for spring!!
The other kilo-meter-eater in Australia is Terry Bellair. He arrived in Narromine for the Cup Week [ starting on November 6 till November 30] in his 17 m. DG400 and at this moment he tops the Australian-OLC- list ahead of Allan.
the dam from Gariepm Dam ;picture courtesy Doris .
Noticed 3 young German sport soldiers are going to fly in Stonefield.
Guess the young pilots in Germany have been the best support in the world. I admire the German soaring world for that. They have strong junior comps and club members, who spend a lot of time and money in the youngsters . Some share their own gliders with them , they also get a Nimbus 4 from the German Aero Club [DAeC] . This upcoming year this open class glider will be shared by Patrick Puskeiler and Alexander Späth, both former sport soldiers and already at young age very well known because of their great results in soaring. Last but not least the army is a great plus for them.
The different squads meet several times a year to keep the friendship going.
The Sportsoldiers are offered trips to p.e. Australia to brush up their skills and what I like is that those young pilots really appreciate what they get, they don’t take it for granted., they are not some spoiled brat’s.
Was it last year Fabian Peitz and Benjaminn Bachmaier flying as sportsoldiers in Stonefield this year there are 3 young ones in the good hands of the owners Konrad and Edeltraud Maierhofen for 3 months.
But Max, Simon and Felix , flying a DG 1000 which was shipped in September and an 18m. LS 8, got a lot of support from the Army , who makes this all possible for them, from the Club [SFG Tannheim] and NAVITER for putting 2 NAVITER OUDIES to their disposal.
Now we can only hope that the 3 boy’s will have the same unforgettable experience as the 2 boys last year.
One of the other sportsoldiers is Marco Barth and he is at the moment already in Argentina where he will fly the WGC in Chaves. Now he flies at Arrecifes , great practise and flew over 500 km. this week in an ASW 20.
Whyen you are also interested in their experiences they keep blogs , mainly in German but sometimes also in English at ; www.sportsoldaten.de
Of course a lot of other countries are doing great jobs for young pilots as well. In Holland TABOE,” training for young and old beginning x-country-pilots ” , had to close their courses for more interested pilots, as they were already FULL. This is a great development and progress in soaring. Also the speakers on such days are as I heard as enthusiastic as the “pupils” . It is on 3 Saturdays and 4 different subjects as water ballast, making speed, efficient soaring and thermal flying, show the beginning x-country pilot how to get to a higher level.
I know the Aussies with Joey Glide and the USA with their program for the young ones are pretty good busy as well and from the other countries I do not exactly know what they are doing.
Anyhow enough young ones, which is necessary as we, the baby boomers are all over 65 now and a lot choose to stop while a few others try to continue till 80 but fly less [competitions] then!!
The Narromine Cup is on and some pilots,” early birds ” really flew nice distances already. Some of them have just flown at Lake Keepit and had good practise.
Was the weather last year “crepe” this year started top and when the weather is good , you should use it to the fullest!!!
Allan Barnes declared a 1000 for him and his LS 8, but got stuck in cirrus and decided to abandon his declared task ,to be ready for a new declared 1000 for today , weather permitting, but he expected it to be better. Yesterday was still good for a 716 km. triangle [ 680 FAI] A photo impression from Narromine from my file.
Today flights as 700 k were flown from Narromine in a Discus , making one of the pilots day; ” a classic Narromine -day” and I guess still a few flights to be added for today.
Narromine is also the place for the next JWGC and allows 80 young and enthusiastic pilots to “feel” the Aussie weather, hospitality and ‘wideness ‘ of nature in all senses on the ground and in the AIR.
A fantastic experience certainly for the European pilots who have never been in my 2d home land. The JWGC is in 2015 from December 1 till 12 and the PRE JWGC in December 2014. Just to let you know already as it takes a bit of preparation, certainly for the pilots from FAR AWAY and willing to take their own gliders.
But I am sure the organisers will help you in every way they can, as I know a few of them.
Enough flights also this weekend from Waikirie [WA] where the Waikirie Orange Week is on and attracted several pilots. Day 1 was yesterday so a full week to go.
It seems REALLY great weather over there in Australia, as today a real “pilot of leisure” , good old Anders, flew in his ASW 22 nearly 600 km. meaning the weather is maybe good enough for 1000 km. flights from Corowa and Narromine for the die-hard-pilots. In Narromine it is 38 dgr. and BOOMING weather!
AND YES there is also the first Australian 1000 km. flight by Brian du Rieu .I was waiting for that; flown from Narromine in an LS 8/18m. Good on him!
AND BY ALLAN BARNES; —“First 1000km! Woohoo! “—a 1000 FAI TRIANGLE in his LS 8!!!
Great flights from
Narromine; Terry Bellair with 869 km.[800 FAI triangle],
Tocumwal; Ingo Renner in discus A;670 km.[346 FAI triangle]
Corowa; Hans Jürgen Lange 801 [787 FAI triangle]
Temora; Tom Gilbert with 594 km.[580 Fai triangle] in st. LIBELLE. AND…former JWGC pilot Nathan Johnson in st. Cirrus with 670 km[ 643 FAI triangle]
First 500 km. flights, as well as 750 km flights and even first 1000 km. flights for several pilots! It’s ALL happening!!!!
More news , as I expect more great flights , in the the soaringcafe blog a bit later!
The people behind the Uppsala Masters are working hard and attracted pilots already as Göran Ax [with his brand new ASH 31] and Patrick Stouffs for their happening in May 2013.
Busy times with several birthdays, plus Sinterklaas and Santa Claus ahead, but I try to keep going. Cu Next Wednesday.
Cheers Ritz