Alphen aan den Rijn Friday October 29 2010 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
Long time , no see!! About time I write again! Was a hectic week since last Friday, but a great one!
What happened more?
I was very much impressed with the great flight from Beverley on October 23. Flying a 526 km in a Hornet still shows great weather in Western Australia. From the 526 there was an FAI triangle in it from 458 km.!! Great job!
I love the new system the OLC uses to show you the flights, another great job!!
Great to see that after the wet period, the East of Australia had good weather as well on the 23d, with “fresh” National Champion Alan Barnes flying in his LS 1 f a nice 503 km flight from his home field Jondaryan. [441 FAI triangle!]
That Saturday great wave flights in Europe as well, from Mikulovice [CZ] and Jelenia Gora [Poland]. And my friends from Israel, Arnon and Rafi enjoyed , with several others, nice over 200 km flights in their “desert”.
Last Wednesday Narromine had super weather and good old Shinzo flew in his Nimbus 4 DM nearly 500 k. Same day was the FIRST flying day in Corowa and who else then co-owner [his wife Grietje is the other owner] Francesco flew the first flight. I wish them a safe and good season. Yesterday they had good weather again with a Danish- early- guest, flying over 400 km. in the ASG 29 E/18m., yes the season has started in Australia .
In Narromine Shizo had some time, before the season starts for him as well, to fly 560 km. in his Nimbus. Tocumwal had some great flights earlier as well.By the way… Ken has arrived “home” from Japan . Ken has 2 vintage planes in Tocumwal and in the past we helped him getting the gliders in Tocumwal arriving from the UK. At Sportaviations site/blog you can see Ken and Tery in the open Slingsby 21 . 2 Very enthusiastic boys’ with their toys!!! Lovely!
Not much news from Africa . Sorry! Bitterwasser ‘s season-organisation has arrived and all gliders arrived safe in their containers and…the temperature is promising with 30 dgr. C. Soon they will fly as well.
British Airways had a big loss last year , but they are on the mend. Till now , they announced in the first half of the new financiel year a profit of 122 million Euro!!!! Good on them!!!
The new Gliding International is out. Was impressed with some stunning pictures , with the interview of John Roake , editor of GI with Australian top pilot Graham Parker !! Why would a competent pilot withdraw from a WGC [Szeged] ???? and …..is Blanik’s future in doubt??? Also the ARCUS, the ASW 20 get-together in Tehachapi[California] , is the Diana about to be consigned to history???? and lots of news from our soaring world. Enjoy!! Loved the story about the Rolls’Royce with the tow bar and glider on tow, in a real UK trailer [Dart 15R] at the WGC in 1968.
Prize fighter EasyJet has complained at the European Commission about the fact that Schiphol Amsterdam is 10 Euro more kind to transferring passengers then to the European ones.
In the past I wrote regularly about the EAC,the Eindhoven Aero Club, where I was a member in the past.Due to more flying- airline- traffic at Eindhoven the club got into problems and they are still not over I heard. The EAC is the oldest user of the airport , since 1932, but it looks they have to find another field. They still hope to stay at Eindhoven within the next 5 years , but right now they have send letters to municipalities 15 km outside the “control zone”. Also the new rules from the Ministry of Defense [ Eindhoven is a military base as well] give restrictions to the 150 enthusiastic glider pilots. Hope they find a good field again where they can fly free like eagles!!!
That ‘s it see you back on Sunday, when the time has changed back to normal! Cheers Ritz