Alphen aan den Rijn Wednesday June 27 2012
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.glidinginternational.com www.soaringcafe.com
Only 3 days in Husbos during the 18 m. UK Nationals, but at least 2 days more then at Lasham with the open class Nationals. Winner in 18 m. Derren Francis before former WGC participant , Russell Cheetham and winner in 1993 in Borlange Andy Davis .
It is not often that I notice OLC flights from Hungary and they have such good pilots. Good to see a few good ones last Sunday; 605 in a Glasflügel 304 and 396 in an LS 6. A pity no pilots from Hungary fly for the 32-d WGC in Uvalde. Not even György Gulyas who won the 15m. class in Lüsse in 2008. Did not see them on the Pre-entry-Chavez list either, but that has still time!
Euroglide; Organizers report on Sunday said;
—” – Today was another difficult day, stong wind and difficult thermals and the teams where bouncing against the front.
The QV has flown wave up to 3000 meters and 50km/h of headwind at the Ertzgebirge!—“
As you see all kind of different weather situations on this over 2000 km. race and compared to last time , more difficult , as pilots were already back home then. After 7 days in 2010 84 % , 49 from 56 teams, were back home.
Of course you noticed that the organizers due to the bad weather forecast decided to fly the race the other way around. NOT to the SE first , but to the NE via Germany and Poland to the Czech Rep. and back via Germany to Malden. Just to inform you when you have a look at the map and the positions via tracking.
Combined with this RACE is a sponsor programm and I really like that as well;
—“The Euroglide Sponsor Challenge is a charity fundraising initiative. Several teams have found sponsors and are raising funds for Aviation Sans Frontières. Detailed information can be found on the website euroglidesponsors.nl—“
Pictures via FB from Jeppe waiting for glider DIX to arrive at Burg Feuerstein where quite a few of my friends fly and a picture from Rens; trailers on the Czech Rep. Road.
Real Euroglide pictures via FB by Jeroen Beeke.
On Monday glider UFO the Nimbus 4DM was 500 km out!!! Glider QV , a Duo Discus T is flying but….the trailer had a problem at Zwickau Airport, as you can see on the picture from Frouwke via FB. That is also part of EUROGLIDE! Luckily it did n’t cost too much time as the message was there with ” We are on our way again!”
On day 9yesterday the weather was OK for the pilots up front a bit of a tough wind for those still in Czech Rep. Expectation was that 2 gliders would reach the final destination at Malden.
Organizers morning Tuesday-report ; –“The LT and LL have to fly about 280km to Malden, that’s possible. Maybe more teams reach Malden today!–”
And indeed with the great weather from yesterday it was NO problem. Team LL arrived first in the self launcher class and LT in the turbo class. They had in their team the first 1000 km pilot flying from Holland [ Venlo ] and back this year.
From the pure gliders nobody has arrived yet. A total of 6 in selflaunchers and 6 in turbo glider-pilots is back at Malden. Amongst them also Daan Pare and glider QV with the trailer problem and Bart flying SH.
For pictures from both winning teams please go to www.zweefportaal.nl
Bart [to the r.] happy to be at Malden with the best!
Picture via FB[ Euroglide Sponsor Challenge!!]
While waiting for better weather Tijl is very informative about the Solar Impulse. Great that just he meets these people in Quarzazate, being an engineer .Here is what he had to say about the hangars for the plane:
—“In Madrid Barajas they have access to an existing (massive) hangar, in Toulouse (for a potential stopover in July) they have also arranged one. The logistics are insane. For the circumnavigation of the globe it will be even much more challenging.
The team now here is over 50 people. They will have to wait for a couple of days until the weather calms down. They operate in a very thin margin.—“
The airport from Quarzazate.
The rest of the family is there as well, what about such a soaring-family-holiday, so they hopefully share more stories and pictures with us. Bert jr. straight away started. Look at these pictures and for all pictures at;
https://picasaweb.google.com/101367179377196465151/25062012FirstXCountryFlightInOuarzazate
Bert jr. and Bert sr. and Tijl in Quarzazate.
Great view over the desert area.
The latest pictures are SUPER as well; under “chasing convergences and dodging rain showers” you can find them at ;
https://picasaweb.google.com/101367179377196465151/26062012ChasingConvergencesAndDodgingRainshowers#5758486361583115618
The Quintus indeed has in time the water ballast- system built in ,for the Uvalde WGC .On the Schempp Hirth site I read that they started with the prototypes on June 15. It seems reliable with NO problems. Good. Look at this great picture I found on FB by Chris Kiehn from Australia. Love the text as well;
A WOW picture!Quintus finish with Tilo driving…
My Aussie mates are preparing for their trip to Uvalde. David Jansen has arrived already in Texas;
—“Southfork Ranch TX. As the new series of “Dallas” begins here in Texas, 4D finally gets a customs clearance in LA after some “special” attention. The glider will be collected from the importer today and I will begin the 3 day drive from LA to Uvalde on the 24th or 25th with the anticipation of beginning practice around the 29thJune. The weather indicates temperatures in the high 30’s to low 40’s a month out from the contest… “—”
Gosh do not have to take pullovers or coats though …..I remember having been cold in air-conditioned areas!
Cu on Sunday, by the way “WE” were BAD during the European Championship of soccer, but there is hope “We” that is the students of the University of Eindhoven won the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP robot soccer in Mexico. cheers Ritz