Here we go again,….up to 2000????? Not sure yet about that!! PERLAN SUCCESS…..downwind dash UPDATED

A GREAT THANK YOU, to all lovely reactions on my blog 1000. Really appreciated that and I translate that into the words ” Continue Ritz”.

Just picked a few, some brought me to tears;
“Dear Ritz,
I’m quite sure that the whole community of gliding is more than pleased and very grateful to you for you have done over the years. Your 1000 blogs were always informative, interesting and full of news. Your last blog about the EGC 2017 at Lasham gave the best overview with superb pictures and nice comments. One friend of us wrote, thanks to Ritz I was fully up-to-date about many activities and could look at all those lovely pictures. Most of all we admired your kindness in writing about people and your appreciation for what they have done as human beings. You never forgot any friend, always positive words and commentary or good-looking pictures about everyone.
The future is laying in the past. The last comment and picture of your 1000. blog is dedicated to the young people, also here you do have the right vision.
Thank you for all and be sure that many of us will follow your upcoming blogs and waiting eagerly.”

“Congratulations Ritz on your 1000th blog posting! You’ve bought many readers all over the globe many smiles & quality updates – looking forward to the next 1000 🙂)”

“Ritz, congratulations on 1000 blogs which I have been following since we met in Tocumwal about 20 years ago.
Your blogs are always full of interest on achievements and the characters in gliding. It is very fitting that you finish you competition blogs on EGC 2017 at Lasham. We were proud to hold a successful competition, maybe the first time that an international contest has co-existed with club flying on the same airfield.
Best of luck for the future and keep the blogs going please!”

“Congratulations, Ritz. A great accomplishment. I will continue to look forward to the next thousand.”

THANKS AGAIN……..

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You remember the great flight from Gilles Navas on July 14.

After the flight from Vinon to Buno-Bonnevaux and back in July.

To remind you,…..1.526, 18 km. was this flight from Vinon in an ASG 29E /18m. Looking at the statistic’s of this year’s OLC , this flight is the BEST IN EUROPE!!!
The next best European flight is also flown in France by Baptiste Innocent, in an ARCUS M from Fayence; 1.362,75 km.
In total only 5 European flights in the OLC top 50.
2 From Lienz Nikolsdorf flown by Tobias Welsh ;1.490,03 km. in the ARCUS M and one by Oliver Schwenk also in the ARCUS M 1.452,61 km.and one more from France from by Gil Souviron in the TAURUS;1.263, 41 km.
The rest of the 50 have been flown in the USA, Namibia and Argentina.

So a fabulous “job” from Gilles. Here is some news I received from him.
“This flight discard 2 French and 2 European records on out and return distance and free out and return distance.
Moreover it was just a game to win the Buno Challenge.
The Buno challenge was held by AVVE to celebrate the 50 birthday from the club. They allow a price for the longest distance done from April to the 27th of August with Buno Bonnevaux airfield declared as turn point. This was the reason of such a flight.
And fun is to start an out distance return in wave then changing to thermal in the day, shifting again with slope and wave in the evening,…
Price giving ceremony will be held in Buno on the 16 September.”
Congratulations AGAIN and I share a picture of the prize-giving, when I have it.

He knew he got the CUP already but,…… After writing all this, Gilles DOES IT AGAIN!!! Another great flight, same glider but now on September 2; 1.305,91 km. From Vinon, up and then nearly to south of Aosta in Italy. Best height; 6064 MSL and 5167 AGL.
Baptiste Innocent added another long flight from Fayence;1.115 km. in the ASH 25.
Mind you it was on September 2 , the meteorological autumn has started. But,…good wave does not depend on seasons and again,…it was not only wave.

Gilles ; another SUPER flight,…early morning…another long day!!!
As shared by him.
And some pictures from the flight.

” Cevennes ” “back after turn point ST Pons on Le Vigan “

“Wave of Lure in the evening. Rotors up to FL 195“

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OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS …the next goal …….and polar air in Holland!!!!

Still the end of summer here, but pilots are running around already, to have EVERYTHING ready in good/clean state and condition for the rest of the 2017 season in either Namibia, South Africa or Australia and for some New Zealand.
Containers are waiting for gliders and equipment and already half of September the first gliders will be transported to the different destinations.

In between we got over the weekend nice cold nights, as cold polar- air “streamed” over our country giving us some good autumn soaring weather on Saturday and Sunday and still on Monday.
On Saturday, Steven Raimond flew from Terlet all the way to West of Holland to Zeeland [ big islands and a first for him, he never flew there before] and mentioned huge visibility;525 km.[see OLC on September 2.]
Ronald Berg flew from Soesterberg 544 km. He had to fly around some showers.
On Sunday another cool morning ,but quickly some great clouds, also here in the SE of Holland and another nice day. So looking again at the OLC in the evening and ….YES Sikko flew 606 km. from Soesterberg.
Their ASG 29 E/18m. was the topper on the Dutch OLC with 2x a 500 km. flight this weekend. It shows the great quality of the ASG 29 and more Dutch pilots flew good distances in this glider they “love”.
More great flights; 450 and 423 km. in an LS 3 and St. Cirrus from Soesterberg and Leeuwarden is not bad either and worth mentioning!!!
Leeuwarden is high up in the N of Holland. They flew a new Frysian-day-record;
72.13 hours over 56 flights,… so 1.17 hour average per flight and a total of 2969 OLC km. according to Frank. Great and enthusiastic club. Well done !!!
On Monday , for those who still had a that day off, over 446 FAI triangle in JS 1 c/21m.

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This is very interesting…about the Lasham EGC !!!

As “created ” by Arne Boye- Moeller.[pictures and text!!!]

“Despite the complex airspace we only suffered a total of a few incursions – well done team Lasham in the thorough work and pilot briefings.”

“Start and Arrival Track Art”

“Just had to add this one, where start times are synchronized.”

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GLIDING INTERNATIONAL.

The September /Oktober Magazine 2017, is out and of course full of newsy news about;
—–The JS 3 is not only a 15 m racer , but also 18 m.
“A wing loading ranging from 40kg/m2 to 60.3 kg/m and an aspect ratio of 32, makes it the most slender 18m glider available today.” A race to have one has already begun. Aussie Lumpy Paterson bought one , but he had to travel half around the world to see if he fitted in it.
—–Germany,..the land of the ideas:
“Germany is lifting its image with the German Mobility Award. The ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ initiative has a goal of raising public awareness of smart mobility solutions and digital innovation.” Very interesting.
—–The tow pilot ended up facing the magistrate after deciding to release the glider behind him ,who over- controlled the tug and ” forcing it to mush into the fast approaching trees .” Never knew that this could happen.
—–The Perlan Team back in Argentina is enough reason to read…
—–Looking back at the 13.5 m. WGC with extra info about the winning glider and manufacturer; GP Gliders, produced by PESZKE S.C. based in Krosno, Poland. The GP 14 velo, flown by Sebastian Kawa and he looks back as well.
—– GPS turned 40!!!
—-and much MUCH more….enjoy
You can read the PDF on line by subscribing on ; www.glidinginternational.com. You then get a code to get in.

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And some last minute news:
—-TONY CONDON left Ames for what his mates call “an epic flight” .
Tony is attempting a “downwind dash” from Ames, IA to Bloomington, Indiana.

Before departure ….very relaxed…. at Ames.
As shared by Tony.

News en route; cloud base 6300…..7000 no circling required.

EN ROUTE!!!
Shared by Tony.

How far will he go ???? Will he reach his goal??
I don’t know yet ,have to go to bed ….anyway he passed the Mississippi and entered Illinois. More when I am back from Amsterdam.

Back now!!!!
Tony flew from Airport to airport over flat country but with ” Corn and soybeans still filling the fields in midwest“. This interstate goal-flight , flown in the St. Cirrus was 878 km. long. GOOD ON YOU TONY!!!!

TopMeteo predicted I would run into the back of the front and then I would be on the ground at 6:20. I did run into the back of the front and landed at 6, but went about 60 miles further then predicted.

Here is the OLS comment from the adventurer ;

“Fall go South! Thanks so much to Matt for the encouragement, training, and help. Nice to be back in Ames, got to see some old friends during my brief visit. Forecast said launch at 11. Cu started popping at 10:45.

Past Pella the cu were really nice. I had an AWESOME street run across SE Iowa. Then NE of St. Louis there was a patch that had had some heavy rain yesterday and had some high cirrus shading it before I got there. Initially I was afraid I had already caught the front. That hole caused some tip toeing and then the day sort of started over.

About 5 PM I could see that I was catching the real front and dumped the water and took anything I could find going up, which wasn’t much. Had a real marginal glide to Muhlenburg County but wasn’t ready to try it with a lot of trees between me and there so landed at Madisonville.

Matt showed up an hour later in his Mooney and brought me home. Tomorrow I’ll go get the glider. What an adventure!”

“Greetings from Madisonville, KY.”

—-PERLAN PROJECT success;
Congratulations to the Perlan team Jim Payne & Aussie Morgan Sandercock ;
New world absolute altitude claim. 52,172 feet GPS altitude. 53,955 feet pressure altitude.

They share their happiness with a lot….Thanks to Einar and Steve for the vision, to the fantastic Perlan Project Team for 11 years of hard work, to Dennis and Airbus for believing in us, to Cholo for the tow by the CNVVM Aero Boero 180, to our many friends in Argentina, and to Jackie. You all played a part in making this possible!

See www.PerlanProject.org/blogs altitude record, FL520!