ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN WEDNESDAY APRIL 3 2013
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.soaringcafe.com www.glidinginternational.com
4 DUTCH glider pilots topped the OLC list flying IN/FROM Holland on APRIL 1!!!!!
NO,…..No April-fools-joke; Easter monday was a GOOD/SUPER day. April started cold , we are used to that now, but not too bad for soaring! I read several times that when this is the beginning of the 2013 season, it ‘s very morish.
With lot’s of nice high , even strong looking clouds here in Alphen , where you could feel some strong passing thermals in the garden, the weather else where in Holland was pretty good too.
As seen and shared by Frank Hiemstra who flew 412 km in the St. Cirrus and loved every minute and his sister Ilse on FB.
From Teuge not too far from Terlet Sander Luimes flew in the 18m. LS 6, a yo-yo-like -distance of 416 km!!! He comments that even with heat- packs and double- socks his feet were “frozen”, but his day was TOP, for him it might be such an Easter monday every day!
Specially the middle and East of Holland were good and flights over 500 km. in -flat-as-a-pancake-Holland early in the season in ASW 20 and Duo Discus are just good.
Even a nearly 500 km triangle [478 km] was flown by Bart Renckens [Ventus 2CM 18m] , the Dutch TC in Chaves from Soesterberg and a REAL FAI 500 k .triangle by Sikko Vermeer in the Ventus BT./17m. a total of 685 km..for him.
Sikko send me that great video from the reparation of the ARCUS at Terlet, you remember?
755 in the NIMBUS 4 D as well, flying direction East to Port Westfalica in Germany, 698 in the Ventus 2CT/18m. SPRING has arrived for soaring not for sitting in the garden, or,…you should do so behind glass!!!
What about a 548 k [ FIA triangle 462 k. ] from Bart Berendsen who was once , in the past one of my juniors; free distance-Ahlhorn -Borken-Salland starting slow, but still going strong thanks to cloud streets but sometimes “blue” as well. IN a ST. CIRRUS
I am getting a bit too excited with so many long x-country flights, I better stop now , before I get you bored , you can see the rest at the OLC; 800 flights world wide!
AND,….. yesterday was a nice day again , not a lot of people had a day off, but those who had enjoyed some nice soaring , nearly 600 km in a NIMBUS 4M from Terlet direction NE into Germany.
Only a bit more than a month and the Dutch Nationals are on and the organisers are pleased with already 53 pilots and you can still enter when you wish. The organisation added another 2 weeks! Good , no great news, so many participants!
With the snow gone at the airfield from Nitra, there was hope that gliding carefully could start. The organisation in Nitra does n’t exist out of “softies”, but “experienced-whenever-you-can-fly-,we-fly- types.”
Unfortunately not all 124 preliminary entered pilots have arrived , but still 74 might GO UP from 16 different countries!!!
The situation is ; 32 in club class, 14 in the 2 seater class, 16 in open/18 m. class and 12 in 15 m. class. But this changed due to the weather again.
7 In total from the UK , but I heard it is their squad training as well!
Easter Monday was cancelled not so much due to the weather , as it was dry and sunny with cu’s, but after the [melting-] snow and a day with rain, the runway was not suitable to launch all 74 gliders. Hardworkers as they are, they dried/drained as much as possible, to let pilots who wished so, “snif ” the NITRA- air.About 30 did from the tarmac runway!
courtesy;FAC@ Nitra
Very sad for the organisers and pilots and crew travelling up to Nitra but day 3 was cancelled too, due to the condition of the runway and the expecxted rain in the afternoon.
What can you do? Nothing, it’s all in the game!!!
Some more pilots have left for home, some love the atmosphere and will stay till the end, some just got a launch for a short flight from the tarmac runway!!
Today the briefing is in the bar, WHY not!!! They continue as real professionals as,…It rains again, extremely sad for Vladimir and his team and for the pilots. But” flying in the bar ” can be fun too, not what they hoped for , but atleast an alternative.
They showed a nice Dutch 3.03 minute-video from Jens Bouma,a member of the FAC on Tuesday, which you can find on ;
PribinaCup Nitra at youtube.
Jens made nice short videos during the Nationals in Holland as well and the organisers started the briefing with it .Like Hubertus Huvermann , he is a talent and Hubertus made those nice videos to start the briefing with in Finland.
Look for the great and larger pictures from ELFO on
http://www.pribinacup.sk/2013/photos/?gal=day03_2013-04-01/2013-04-01_Day03_Floatplanes_by_Elfo&P=2
The Queensland Goondiwindi Easter Comps started with a day of reasonable good flying and than a full day of rain, meaning sitting and waiting ! But , it’s part of soaring as well.
Day 2 , from the final competition of the Aussie season, was a 2 hour AAT[ they only set AAT’s during this competition!] Was Bruce the winner on day 1 gaining the full 1000 points and Tom Claffey as runner up, day 2 was a prey for Lisa Trotter and runner up this time was Chris Woolley, father from Adam.
Bruce, Tom, Lisa but also her husband Peter and Kerry [the wife and crew from Tom] represented Australia in Uvalde during the last WGC and are flying here in Goondiwindi. So a strong field.
In club class Adam Woolley was the winner on day 2, whilst Michael Codling won day 1 . Allan Barnes [flying in the sports class in Goondiwindi] represented Australia in Chaves in the world class.
And,… former Sportavia-guest/employee Alain Potier [ season 1987/1988 under Bill Riley!!!] won day 2 in the Puchacz.[YES , Puchacz, of course I know that glider!]
As seen by Adam Woolley.
Goondiwindi field courtesy Adam and the place itself between Narromine and Brisbane as shared on FB, by Mike Codling.
Day 3 as seen by Adam Woolley winner in club class this day and of course with his permission, in his blog Gliding Adventures for more you can go to; www.glidingadventures.com.au
—“Another great day in Queensland, was as forecast. The goal today went well, got a lot out of it – unfortunately made one monumental stuff up with routing options (judged a street to parallel the wedge, in fact it was off course by over 10*).
All good, a great learning exercise. New focus was to follow the original goal of straight lining between clouds, plus leaving them efficiently; with the added goal now of, getting on with the show (putting the best flight in from this point forward).
Flew a good flight, & took climbs when I needed them, straight lined (felt good). Was showing 105kph at one point & looked to be coming home early, then we crossed into the wet lands…
Slowed right up, & tried my best for what was in front of me. Forced to take 2.5kts from the ground to final glide, slowed my speed back to 96kph for the day.—“
Bruce Taylor looked on FB back on this day as follows:—- “Ahhh, more fun was had today. The weather turned on a typical south east Queensland day, and we all romped around a sky full of cumulus for the afternoon. We went down south, well into the Lake Keepit task area, charging along using 6 – 7 knot climbs under big, fat clouds. The wind increased a bit, and the next leg was heading north west with flatter clouds that still gave good climbs and some long runs with no stopping. Occasionally there was some company to share the fun, and think most of us got home comfortably before the dreaded early finish to the day came into effect. It was just one of those flights that was a load of fun, and a real joy to share with other like-minded souls. It is amazing when this all happens over miles of standing water and soggy paddocks. Just don’t look down!—”
Winners in each class for day 3 with a 2.30 AAT; club class Adam Woolley!2 Seater class Erich Wittstock in a PW6U and in the sports, Adam’s dad Chris was the best. Good on the family Woolley!!!
The Italian top pilots are since March 29 together for their beginning-of-the-season-competition in Torino. Unfortunastely I was only been able to find one flying day till now, on March 31, withe Luca De Marchi as winner of the 279 km. long racing task. 2 ARCUS gliders followed with in one Alberto Sironi and a co pilot and the other Luigi Avanzini with his co pilot. Other well known pilots were on spot 4 , Giorgio Galetto, on spot 11 Stefano Ghiorzo and on spot 13 Peter Hartmann, from the 31 in total, not counting the co’s .All fly in ONE class with handicap!
And to finish; A fire in the workshop in Eskilstuna damaged wings , a fuselage from a top glider and other material. More news about this “NIGHT MARE for pilots” in soaringcafe on Sunday!!!
Maybe somebody can HELP already now! Or has an idea or,….
‘Dear friends I have lost my wings. There was a fire accident at the Eskilstuna club. No people was hurt bur I lost the wings to my fox. Now I need to rent, borrow, buy or steal a Fox or a Swift to the team.
Best regards Pekka Havbrandt’
When YES , please let me know and I will forward the message.
Cheers Ritz