Alphen aan den Rijn Wednesday June 9 2010 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
The great soaring weather changed in several places from Europe to rain, rain and more rain. Even Hungary seems to fight with high water. After high water in Austria , pilots had no problem last week. I know some of my Lasham friends soar during the spring period in Sankt Johann, they do this already for years. Roy is there and he had a very nice flight last Sunday of 738 km. in an ASG 29/18m. Well-known Austrian pilot Guido Achleitner flew even further that day, in his ASG 29 , knowing maybe the circumstances of the mountains there a bit better; 924 km!!!!! Another Austrian pilot flew from Innsbruck even over 1000 km. in a 26 m. span ASH25.
Unterwössen in Germany is not too far from St. Johann and they enjoyed good soaring-weather as well.
Norway , Sweden and Finland remain just good!
And what do you want more….a competition in this good period? Yes the Finnish pilots are so lucky! From June 6-13 they are flying their Nationals, I just heard from Visa Matti. Standard class, 15 m and 18 m. fly from Rayskala. At this stage , after 3 days of good soaring, Hannu Nurmiranta is number 1 in 15 m class after winning one day and being 2 and 3. Good mate Kari is on spot 4.
In standard class former world champion Marku Kuusisto is on spot 2 and in 18 m. Marti Koivula is on spot 1 while good mate Marti Sucksdorff is on spot 5 winning the first day. Antti Lehto, another top pilot from Finland and a great guitar-player is on spot 3 in this class.
43 Pilots are flying the Open Military comps in Holland in 4 classes. Malden is the place to be for them and from my ” gliding-camps” at Malden in the past I know how absolutely nice the atmosphere can be over there. Nice field surrounded by trees but a big cross to fly in and out, if I remember well.
Several pilots fly , I mean a mix of very good pilots as Bart Berendsen , who flew JWGC’s and the WGC in Italy and beginners in comps and not all of them are part of the military “world”.
Difficult first day with many outlandings but a day with points in each class. Only 4 from 43 arrived home!Look at www.soaringspot.com
Yesterday the “show “was cancelled as thunderstorms and pretty heavy rain disturbed the air. Here as well, the thunderstorms were not too bad but the rain was indeed HEAVY !
We had a special day at Zandvoort on the circuit; the masters of the prestigious Formula 3. Sebastian Vettel [Red Bull] was on invitation at the circuit to do a demonstration, which as I read was fabulous. I read as well that Frank with his “Extra 300 L ” [former Red Bull Air Racer ] landed and departed in his spectacular way again from this circuit, after also a sizzling show!
I have seen at the Nationals a bit of what this guy can do with a plane….I was to be honest a bit scared, as he goes pretty low , but he is amazingly good!!!! Look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98luEW5sL10
During my stay at the airfield in Rietie , doing my job as competition journalist , I had long walks and discussions with Visa Matti from Finland, who is as I remember well , president of the Jury at one of the WGC’s this year. He told me how good Finnish car drivers are, not only on circuits but also at rally’s.
He was correct as this year a young [21] Finnish lad had for the first time in history a successive win at the FORMULA 3 MASTERS in Holland at Zandvoort. Vallteri Bottas drove a Mercedes!
By the way Frank has also taken a camera while landing, starting and flying the demo and you can see the pictures on his site at photographs ; www.aerobatics.nl and clicking on his weblog you find more “you tube ‘s”and also facebook. Enjoy!
Both Sebastian [car] and Frank [plane] did an awesome job with their “u-ies”??!!!
A 737 from Royal Air Maroc had to make , last Sunday evening, an emergency landing back at Schiphol Airport , after the start there was disturbed by a flog of geese. One engine was hit and put out by the crew and they landed back without too much problems. Smoke was seen by people on the ground in Haarlem, and it seems some really got scared looking at the pretty low plane. Nobody hurt , all people stayed overnight, to depart on Monday again. The engine was badly damaged as well as the side of the fuselage of the the plane.
As damaged on one side , was the truck from the fire brigade on their way to help out. They took the curve to quick and fell over…….
KLM CEO Hartman will have on June 1 2011 a new extra job and he is very proud about it. He will be the new President of the Board of Governors from IATA. Main goal of the IATA is to let people travel from A to B by air in the safest way. They have 230 members from 140 countries and do exist since 1945. Top executive of IATA is Giovanni Bisignani who will after 9 years give up this function next year. At this stage it is unknown who will be his successor.
More and more people choose a German airport as place to leave on their holiday or business trip. Specially Weeze , not far over the Dutch border [ about 25 k] , is very popular and grew from 1.5 million travellers in 2008 to 2.4 million in 2009 and this year they expect some 2.7 million people departing from there. Parking is cheap and prize fighters as Ryanair fly you for 37 euro pp to p.e Oslo.
The next week I will not write….. Sorry! Will be on a holiday with my high -school- friends, so the next blog will be on Sunday June 20; “FATHERSDAY.” On June 21 Euroglide starts with 137 different pilots; 47 pilots sharing 14 gliders, 47 sharing 21 turbos and 43 in 23 self launchers. WOW… a great event to fly 2032 km over a few TP’s in Europe and who from the 137 will be back first . Will keep you informed!
CU then Ritz