Alphen aan den Rijn Sunday January 23 2011 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
The overseas season for Bitterwasser is over and gliders have been packed in the containers on January 19. They claim a very good season. Last I mentioned the half -season stats here is the season-total;
—98 flights over 1000 km.—41 over 1100 km.—9 over 1200 km.—2 over 1300 km and a total of 150 flights over 1000 km.
Not bad!
Sad however that 1 pilot died this season and 2 gliders were lost to ground-loops.
What was very good to read on their site was the warning from Martin Kroke, leader of the Bitterwasser team, to have a day rest after arrival to acclimatize!!! He is totally correct, I have been worried in the past as well, when pilots immediately wanted to go up coming from cold circumstances and a long trip, to hot circumstances. That counts for Namibia and South Africa, which is a much shorter flight from Europe, but even more, for flights from Europe to Australia.
Benalla added a good soaring day 5, to their total of days. A 4.30 hour AAT with Mount Buller , but also both Corowa and Tocumwal in it, so for a few pilots a trip where they knew the better spots.
Best pilots flew 423 in LS 8 and 432 in LS 4. Terry flew 435 in his LS 3 , but was 3 minutes over time, while Tobias was back on the dot!!!!
Day 6 gave pilots a last 3 more hours to show who is the best. The weather was promising, then did not look TOO good, but then in the end “fired up ” [ read = pretty good] ,with 300 km in 3 hours in an LS 8 in sports class.
Australian Champion in sports class; Peter Temple, runner up Lisa and good 3d, Tim Wilson. These 3 were in the top over all, since a few days!
In club class Tobias Geiger lost his first place to Alan Barnes after not having his best flight on this last day. He was 14th and lost 250 points to Alan, who took the cup home to Queensland. Guess he should be able to travel home by now!
A good party finished these comps and I hope to receive an evaluation soon by somebody who was there.
When the weather is OK in Benalla, the weather is even better in Tocumwal and Corowa which is a bit more up North and NE. So great to see that the guests at Sportaviation , as Jochen, Jari, Ralph and Stefan finally had good weather. January really was a wet month. But with flights as on Thursday pilots must be happy again. NEARLY 1000 km in Corowa , 915 and a nice triangle and over 700 in Tocumwal. Good to see many “old ” friends in Corowa as well.
On Friday Hans Raschke had a great day flying in Narromine 600 km. in an LS 4!!! Hans was earlier in the season in Bitterwasser.
Today an excellent day again for both Corowa and Tocumwal with flights at this stage up to 625 for Terry at Toc and 500 for Corowa but longer flights surely will be added later. Will keep you informed, as most of the over-seas news will be from Australia from now on where the weather is still good , [can be still good, with this rainy season you never know] , till April, but….days are getting shorter!!!!
Sometimes I get info which is valuable for everybody, so I share the news about flutter which I got this morning. Thanks Judy!
FLUTTER REMINDER.
> Flutter is the single biggest problem we are likely to experience as
> glider pilots. Those pilots who have had the experience will no doubt
> agree that it is guaranteed to stain the jocks. The attached video
> reference reviews flutter pretty well and is recommended viewing.
> Flutter can vary from very mild vibration to almost instantaneous failure
> of the structure.
> WE are most likely to experience flutter if:
>
> (1) We fly faster than Vne, remembering that Vne reduces with altitude.
> (density altitude also considered)
>
> (2) We fly with any control surface having freeplay in excess of the
> manufacturers limit, or the 1.5% Rule
>
> (3) We fly with the mass balance of any control surface altered by such
> things as collected rainwater.
>
> (4) We fly with structural damage resulting from flight overload or
> ground contact
>
> These 4 conditions are usually filtered by an adequate Daily Inspection.
> By design and certification our sailplanes are very unlikely to flutter if
> flown and maintained to the manufacturer´s requirements.
>
> http://wn.com/aeroelastic_flutter# Item 11 gives a good coverage
>
> A Google search will turn up lot of flutter examples.
>
> Regards to everyone
>
> Mike Burns
> President SRGC.
Finish today with the spectacular looking ,but safe finish of a glider at the WGC in Eskilstuna. I heard you like the pictures in the blog , so every time I will find some in my archive. I have to find out who made them to put the name with them. Enjoy!
See you next, but….might be back later, as I have to run to fitness now!!!!!!!
cheers Ritz