www.aeroclub-keiheuvel.be

A short blog , to not over-activate my left arm.

My annual trip with my high school friend Ans to Belgium to attend the Keiheuvel Cup flown by 34 pilots this weekend was as every yea, just wonderful. Lot’s of mates , unfortunately only 1 instead of 2 days flying , but fabulous food at The Kei , run by Chrisje and Rudy [some will remember him from the Sportavia time !] and lovely conversations with so many you only see once a year.

As every year “our ” caravan was placed on the best spot on the border of the airfield by Eddy [Huybreckx…Thanks Eddy]] so with chairs , table and i-pad and my camera I could keep track of what happened.

 

4 Classes club , sport, sport with transponder and open with transponder.
Saturday did n’t start too good, but the forecast on all weather-stations was for a flyable day. Task setter Robbie [Seton ….my 2005 HUSBOS junior and now married and father of 2 ] said during briefing;
” A window between 12 and 5 PM with a cloud base from 1700 m. /1900 m. …..lift with 1.5 m./s …..but a pretty tough wind.”  So we waited and indeed the dark shower-clouds disappeared,  a bit of sunshine appeared and even more and  this time nice clouds and blue skies and ready to go pilots .
Among them some toppers as former world champion Bert Schmelzer jr.  Keiheuvel has quite some good pilots and a lot are part of flying families. Young Dennis Huybreckx had to work on Saturday but attended after work. He was the number 4 in Pocuinai  this month. A few young ones have a bright future, as Jeroen Jennen and Pieter Daems and more.
An impression.

  

Improving weather and after the sniffer did not find enough lift and the cloud base still was at 800 m. they postponed and at 1.15 PM the 4 tuggies were in front of the gliders and the show could start.
By the way the sniffer was Pieter Daems in his new glider a Discus 2 T. He flew the competition as well.

    

The briefing was busy with young and old and as you can see well prepared. On pic 3 you see Wim Akkermans with his daughter Emma and Bert Schmelzer jr. He arrived in the night, driving up from Switzerland where he lives and works.

  

The airfield of Keiheuvel with in the back the restaurant THE KEI and a “black visitor”  more upfront. And all gliders are waiting for the good lift.

Nearly ready to go!! Just a bit of waiting,…no worries.

       

With in the middle Bert jr in his MILVUS flying outfit with Pieter’s dad Jeff Daems.

   

Surprise surprise,……not one but two grandsons from Mark,future new twin-glider pilots.

And

The tasksetter celebrated  his birthday, while ” working”,  so hip hip hurray for Robbie and beautiful birthday cake was served at the field by his wife. Why not!!? I can tell you it tasted WELL.

   

The happy birthday boy and the birthday cake.

Still waiting,…..

    

Ken Evens , just back from the Bailleau competition where he flew with great pleasure , flew the KEIHEUVEL CUP as well.
Whilst waiting he explained on request from some other pilots,  how he flies his Discus 2 T. In between the weather really improved and glider pilots were ready to go now!

    

Tijl, Tim, Robin and Bert jr.ready to go. All young top pilots,  3 from Keiheuvel and Robin [Smit] from Gilze in Holland where there was no flying last weekend so he choose for Keiheuvel.

and
Nearly ready to go.

  

Jef [Kell] with his wife Gitte and Niel [Deijgers] in his beautiful Libelle.

And I love the next picture with Wim [Akkermans] and his son Louis. Same smile,…. no doubt father and son.

Some 2 seaters;

   

From Belgium with Wim and his team pilot and the Dutch ASH 25 with Dirk Nieuwenhout and his team mate.

More- ready -to- go- pilots.

  

Emiel de Wachter with his wife Godelieve and Patrick Govers in the KA 6 CR.

AND to give you the complete picture the “tower” and the camping.

           

The day turned out different than expected or hoped for. The clouds looked great on the ground but were not too good at places in the air. Several trailers rolled out the gate to the paddock to pick up the glider and pilot.  The first finishing pilots mentioned a very tough day with lot’s of turbulence , low conditions and heavy wind.
Not too many pilots for the BBQ as only 7 pilots finished. As we knew already that Sunday would be wet, wetter, wettest, we knew after the briefing at 12 that the daily winners were also the winners from the KEIHEUVEL CUP.

In club class 70.58 km; 3 pilots and all 3 flew under 60 km. so all 3  were called as winners. Bottles of wine and an envelop with money ,sponsored by the EMSENS family,  who do this already for years and years, were handed over!
In the sport class 167.70 km;  4 pilots and 2 of them finished, good on them. Winner was Emiel de Wachter in his LS 8 with 70.41 km/h. Runner up Geert De Palmenaer in the Ventus 17.6 m. with 71.86 km.h.

Emiel waiting to be called as winner.

In the Sport transponder class 170. 49 km; 13 pilots and 2 finishers. Tijl Schmelzer flew with 94.47 km./h. around in his Discus 2 ax and won the day , ahead of Daniel Kleinsma in the LS 4.[67.19 km./h.] Good job!

Tijl just before the prize giving.

In the open transponder class 185.26 km.; 13 pilots and 3 finishers . Bert Schmelzer showed his great gliding ability and flew around with 96.40 km./h. and won the bottle and money. Daan Spruyt did well in his ASW 27 and flew with a speed of 88.39 km./h. and Tom Van Den Eynde did a real good job in his LS  flying with a speed of 65.71 km./h.
8 flew between 135 km. and 178 km.

The last prize was the beautiful bronze statue for the best junior in this competition and it was between Dutch pilot Robin and Belgium pilot Pieter. The last won and received the prize called after Albert Schmelzer, granddad of Tijl and Bert jr., who died in 2002 and was one of the “engines” for flying at the Keiheuvel.

  

Pieter….Not knowing yet but I did ……..and with the great bronze bird with many great now well known winners on it.
This year an other one. Congratulations Pieter.

CU next year with an other special on the KEIHEUVEL CUP.
Thank you to all friends for their always warm welcome.
Hopefully next week with the normal blog.
Cheers Ritz

Some extra info;

Icao code : EBKH
GPS : 51″10’51,1″N – 05″13’14,7″E
Freq. : 119.200 Mhz
Elevation : 131ft / 40m
Runway : 07 / 25 (Grass 690mx18m)
PPR : before visit contact on +3214812521
Activities : Motoraircrafts, Motorgliders, Gliders (towing and winching)
Remarks : due glider winch-launches do not cross the field below 2000ft

Koninklijke Aeroclub Keiheuvel
17e ESC.L.Vliegwezenlaan 8
2490 Balen
Belgium