July 25 2006;Another hot day in Holland with 34 dgr. in the shade. Here is the news.
AUSTRALIA:
The 25th of July 2006 will be always in my memorie as A BLACK ONE.As you can read on the web site; www.sportavia.com.au the most interesting and international gliding school from the world, situated in Tocumwal[ Australia] on the mighty Murray River, does NOT exist anymore!!!
Lot’s and lot’s of pilots have flown there, came back year after year, then they spread the word and more pilots came with their wives, friends or new pilots.
I myself arrived there for the first time in 1985, travelling from Holland to down under. We missed after our first visit NO year, so we had no winters anymore with suited me fine!
In 1995 we bought the business from one of the owners Don and continued with his partner Jeff, who just 2 weeks later died in a terrible accident.
After being guests for 10 years we were sole owners now and I can tell you it is a total different story to be a guest from Sportavia or to run it.
But with help of Don and Eddie the CFI, Peter the technician, who started working there 30 years ago when the founder Bill Riley had this dream to put Tocumwal on the map , with Ingo Renner , Bob and many other people we managed to make it big, BIGGER !
The last 2 years Sportavia was in the hands of Richard Cawsey, who did his best, had the money and really tried hard, but in my humble and personal opinion, had not enough knowledge of aviation.
So the sad outcome is that the curtain has fallen over the place I dearly loved!
NO commercial gliding anymore IN TOCUMWAL!!!!Everybody who has been there, will feel the loss of this very special place.
A club has been started, so I will keep you informed where what and how, as soon as I know more!!
FRANCE;
Today is a rest day in the World Comps for World and Club class in Vinon.The 3 top pilots in each class are really top pilots and with 3 days to go it will be an interesting finish of these comps, which had unusual [for the time of the year] , as I heard, showers and thunderstorms. Unfortunately in my opinion the daily news is very poor and the results much too late. Preliminary results can have mistakes, but that’s why they are preliminary.Look for all news at www.wgc2006.fr
EUROPE:
Flying in Europe is still great fun. Pilots must get tired from flying nearly every day in such great weather.Lots of long distance flights have been made in many different European countries, as Germany, Italy and Spain but also the Scandinavian countries got their share of fantastic weather.look on the ON LINE COMPETITION for the daily results.
AMAZING!!! July will be the hottest summer EVER , they announced that already now. A summer to never forget , a day to never forget this July 25 2006.
A sad Ritz