The end of the year , is often time to reflect. I personally, quickly forget about 2016 ,as I was 11 out of 12 months not well. I really have to get used to asthma and heavy allergies, [never in 70 years had any problem !!!] but slowing down is not so much in my character. I have to do it now to just be able to live a nearly normal life with inhalers in the morning and evening to avoid more infections and to open my lungs better. I know though,… it could have been MUCH worse!!!

There were changes to my blog  as well. Soaringcafe founder Bill Elliott helped me to move soaring-eu from Instra in Australia to his server in the USA.
I did not even know ,…but INSTRA -owner Tony Lentino who also owned my domain ,….and his mate Phil Parker who set it all up for me, did more in the past years for me than I ever knew.
I wrote you that Tony died this year  age 42 on cancer, leaving 2 beautiful little girls and his young wife Emily. Though we did not see each other a lot ,I do miss him !!!
Instra is busy with changes after Tony passed away and I got a letter about how to continue. All who know me , know as well  that I am a “zero” in that world, so Bill who already installed the updates from wordpress in my blog,  is an ace in this matter and he helped me.
Instra was so kind to leave me the domain and a few other names as well and now you can read “me”  from the USA.
A huge THANK YOU to INSTRA for hosting me for over more than 10 years!!!

Thank you as well to Bill, who worked for hours to finalize the changes and it took more than a week to move all my”scribbles”  to his server.THANKS Bill.
So we continue and I guess you had no difficulties to continue reading the blog.

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Back to “work”,

The rumor was that there might be 2 JS 3 Rapture gliders in Benalla. Here is the latest news on that;
“We are happy to confirm that both Adriaan and Uys Jonker will be flying their brand new JS3 Raptures at WGC Benalla.
Qantas will be flying the two gliders to Australia in the next few days.”
So that’s great news!!! And,..not by boat,… as that was with time not possible , but with the Aussie Airline Qantas, good on them!!!A 747-400 from Johannesburg to Sydney and then quarantine and customs and a few hours driving to Benalla close to Melbourne. A huge exercise.Had several pictures from containers and boats, but this looks different.

    

Pictures shared by Wilhelm Mosehuus.

Normally it happens like this and the South African pilots look in their container to see if it all is OK.

  

Laurens inspects and does not” tear hair from his head” so it will be ALL ok.
Pictures shared by brother Oscar.

Further on in South Africa…
Sven Olivier got himself a very nice Christmas present on December 24;
“A fun Christmas Eve flight – a declared 3TP 1000 – thanks to Martin Gruenert for tugging – a low point on the second leg (thanks for pushing to hard) but got a way – it became 3.5m/s
Smoke from fires enveloped the third turnpoint – difficult with the low airspace ceiling and spread out. A real nice christmas present.”
He declared (and flew:) 1000 km 3TP -he  lost his  LX vario on the 3rd leg and  had only 80 ltrs water due to the tug.
Sven started at Worcester , flew a more or less out and return to the East and flew the JS 1B.

Further on in Australia…..
Alfred Paul Alfers; was the first young pilot we invited in the past, to come to Tocumwal and fly with Ingo Renner during the Outback Shootout ,a competition for long distance flying. He won that summer the juniors in Holland and this was some kind of present. Now , so many years later, he flies not far from Tocumwal in Corowa and had good practice for the Benalla WGC where he represents Holland; 1.002 km. in his 18 m. ASG 29 E on December 23.
At the same day Danish pilot, Joergen Thomsen flew a friend around in his beautiful ARCUS M from Tocumwal; 728 km.[700 FAI triangle].
On Christmas day Alfred Paul organised his own Christmas present with another 1.028 km. flight!He seems ready for Benalla!!!

Arne Boye Moeller; flies the JS 1 from Brad Edwards in Benalla. He and his wife had a great trip from Armidale to Tocumwal, enjoying the beautiful landscape of Australia. At Brad’s it was talking- soaring , with Brad and his wife Kerrie, Bruce and Anita and his own wife, Anne. The real Aussie BBQ was of course the place to sit around for these stories. As you can see Brad cooks the meat but “he still flies”, talking with his hands.
And ,…… Arne gets Brad’s bucket and grease!!!! YES THE ONES from the year 1991 in which Brad became WORLD CHAMPION in Uvalde. Will this be an “omen” ???

     

“”Enjoying the view in Carpatee Valley”,..Enjoying the company of long time soaring mates and ..   holding the precious special bucket.
Pictures courtesy Arne.

They visited Danish mates Joergen and Brigitte, who spend their annual -soaring-summer in Toc  and parked the trailer and glider in the hangar from my ex George at Tocumwal Airport.
After,…. lot’s of fun with each other after the 700 km plus flight from Joergen and Ulrik Eilert.

With Arne,Brigitte, Ulriek and Joergen and Anne in the middle.
Picture courtesy Arne.

Sportaviation at Tocumwal, has a day off with Christmas, very consequent as in the past, Eddie as our chief pilot always wanted the day off to celebrate Christmas with his family. No worries ,…as Ingo was always available.
This year George  , who lives in winter in Tocumwal and has his hangar open and his planes ready for those guests who want to fly ad hoc and Chris Zippel , an old frequent guest and tuggie at Sportavia in the past,  who was invited by George to spend his winter in good old Toc, helped out Akemi and Mac , who flew a nearly 500k. in the LS 8 and a 742 k. in the Ventus 2.
Their comment on the OLC;”Thanks a lot Chris and George, a bit like good old days.”
Great they still could fly on Christmas-day which turned out to be a GREAT SOARING-day.

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Benalla!

Benalla was already “nearly ready” with most of the organisation last year when the pre -worlds were on. I was there, so I could see it. Now lot’s of international friends are visiting this nice town and big airfield. Many have arrived already and some practice from airfields in the area.
You can organize EVERYTHING, but the weather not , you just depend on it.
Whilst pilots drive from East to West through the southerly parts of Australia, in the heart of the continent, the center of Australia  with Uluru/Ayers Rock as main and most famous attraction , the weather is totally off!!!
Rain falls with bucket-loads over the red sand and the big “red stone/rock”,due to a massive storm. The ULURU National park was even closed for the day due to heavy flooding; 242 liters of rain in 24 hours says enough!!!
On FB I read that some Aussie pilots worry a bit about this weather. Tom [Claffey] mentioned on BOXINGDAY;
” The centre of Australia is interesting at the moment, hopefully Benalla escapes!”
That’s what I hope too.The weather can change very quickly down-under in a bad but also in a VERY GOOD WAY!!!
Still a few days to go……before it all happens!!!

Bruce and Anita Taylor keep as always a blog about the WGC ;Taylor’s Gliding Page. Enjoy.

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Wishing you a happy, successful, healthy and safe 2017.
Good luck to all my friends in Benalla. Wishing you a great and safe WGC.

A pity I can’t be there.
Ritz