When I looked for the results at soaringspot for the last days of the Matamata contest, I only noticed a wind map,….so to see,….not good,….. so no flying. The message with the pictures was;
“Might be an interesting tasking day tomorrow with 30-40 knot winds at 4000 feet… wave anybody?!”
That was for Thursday November 10. However , only 1 day earlier John McCaw flew a great flight from Springfield into the main divide ; 11.000ft cloud-base and wonderful views.
Courtesy John McCaw
They did not fly anymore in Matamata, but for what it is worth,…..a “few” points were given.
Brett had 248, Jevon 215 and Michael 48……
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The Aussie season just started and sadly enough the first accident was mentioned by Gliding Australia:
“Wed 9 November 2022, at about 2:50 pm QLD time, an Astir CS sailplane piloted by a Sunshine Coast Gliding Club pilot and an RAAus Kappa KP-2U Sova aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision, just South of Gympie aerodrome. The glider and aircraft crashed into a nearby paddock. Emergency Services attended the accident site.
Both the glider pilot [ 80] and the powered aircraft pilot [77] died in this tragic accident. The pilot was an experienced member, who loved soaring flight.”
“We are determined to understand the safety implications of this tragic accident, as our focus is on preventing recurrence.“
R.I.P.
Just to remind you BE CAREFUL!!!!!
Another mid-air was this weekend in Dallas at an Airshow from 2 historic military planes, 6 casualties….tragic!!!
The planes, a B17 Flying Fortress Bomber and a P-63 King Cobra fighter plane went up in fire after the collision.
My thoughts are with the family and friends from the pilots.
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November 10 was a real Namibia -day! Not yet the BIG one but big enough for those who are interested in 1000 km-flights. VERONICA had 4 and Bitterwasser 1 .
All speed around 138 km./h.
Veronica with good old Bruno [Gantenbrink] in a JS 2 SL 21m.topped the list.
https://www.onlinecontest.org/…/gliding/flightinfo.html…
https://www.weglide.org/flight/224514
Further on flights in an ETA, JS 3/18m and HPH 304 MS Shark 18m.
Stefan and Bernd Goretzki flew the Bitterwasser-ARCUS over 1.000 km.
10 over 800km flights as well.
On November 11 same story 4 from Veronica ….one in a JS 3 from 1.111 km with a speed of 141 km./h [800 FAI triangle] by Bernd…..and 1 from Bitterwasser. It was the first JS3 RES electric self launch in Veronica Namibia.
November 15 looked more like a TOP day with many 1000 km-flights and 2x a 1.200 ; 1.288 by Bernd Dolba in the JS 3 /18m from Veronica and 1.209 by team Guy Bechtold in the ARCUS from Bitterwasser.
South Africa is heating up as well; from Worcester Sven Olivier flew in his JS 1 B 980 km [ FAI 583 km] the longest distance for the new season till now and,…it just begins.
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I often share news from Adam Woolley, as he flies and I do not .He has a nice way of writing.
For that reason I was very pleased that after all the covid-19 problems and many airlines had to temperately stop some of their action , he is totally back into it. Meaning money and a possibility for new gliders in the future.
“Good news, today I passed my check to line on the B787 with Air Japan. A great feeling to have life finally back on track after a tough (yet still enjoyable) few years! Thanks to all my course mates & colleagues who I enjoyed the journey with, we’ve all overall had a great time.
Bring on the gliding comps, investing for my future & continuing to save for an EB29RX 
“
Congratulations Adam, well-done!!
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In my last blog I wrote about the ARCUS M flight from Gordon Boettger. I got a comment on the picture of the ARCUS M from my Danish mate Ole; “The Minden Arcus is really an Arcus J. It is the only jet-powered Arcus in the World.”
So I checked his next message, that I would be able to see it on a picture in Gordon’s comment on October 22.
AND,…yes indeed, I know Ole knows his facts, he was correct.
THANKS Ole!!!! Here is the picture.
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A WOW flight in wave, incredible soaring conditions, last Saturday in a LAK 17 A T/18m. from Postojna in Slovenia, South from Lesce Bled, all the way to Livno in Bosnia Herzegovina; 1.536 km with 163 km./h.!!!!High wave up to 6629 MSL, and very constant. Pilot; Bernard Dobre!157 km./h
A Czech pilot , Milos Pajr was there as well and flew in the HPH 304 MS Shark 18m, 1.407 km. [speed 157 km./h]
Boris Zors,a more well-known name and local hero, was there too and flew in his JS 3 a distance of 1.070 km.
Great day! 5 Pilots enjoyed it!!!!
Full flight of the LAK to be seen on
https://www.weglide.org/flight/224809
MORE WOW-flights!!!! This time from Argentina, another top day with 1.600 km. flight’s!!!!
On November 14, Juan Pablo Verdura flew in his Ventus 2CM/18m a magic flight from 1.600 km with a speed of 185 km./h!!!Up to 7834 MSL wave and again pretty consistent.
“DIA BOMBASTIC!!!” Those words say enough!!! A rotor and lenticular-party.
Courtesy Juan Pablo Verdura.
34 km. less in an ARCUS M is fabulous too. Both flights from Zapala Neuquen.
At the moment, the annual CNVVM wave camp (Centrol Nacional de Vuelo a Vela en Montana) is held in Zapala.
AND,….it was not over yet with the top-wave. Yesterday Jean Marc Perrin, one of the kilometer-eaters from Switzerland, flying often in Argentina, this time from Jose De San Mart, flew 1.608 km in a DG 808/15m!!!! Speed 167 km!!!
His first flight again since 28-01-2020 .
And WHAT-A- FLIGHT!!!!
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The SKY RACE in Corowa has been cancelled due to the weather circumstances.
“The Skyrace GP organising committee has made the difficult decision of cancelling this year’s event due to the risk of having a poorly attended and potentially unsafe competition due to the weather situation and it’s affect on our tasking area.“
They will be back next year BIGGER and BETTER!!!!!
This morning I heard that due to opening of the Hume Dam, even more flooding has occurred. At this stage you can’t drive from Toc. to Cobram [school, big supermarket, hospital etc] neither by main or cause road.
Eddie just flew over the bends;”Water is finally starting to flow over the road at the start of the Bends Tocumwal”
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Back to the past for a moment;
As a farewell- present for 10 years Sportavia- involvement, I got a flight with Ingo in the Caproni in November of the 2006 season!
My family was there at that stage too. 2 Days ago I got these pictures from Rodger, husband of my daughter Inge. Joris , family friend of Inge and Rodger was there as well and took these pictures.
And to finish this nice areal shot from
CU next Wednesday
Cheers Ritz