Alphen aan den Rijn Sunday May 17-2009
Only 33 days to go and I will meet at Helsinki Airport with Marina Galetto , one of the stewards at Rayskala during the JWGC. She has spend already a day in Helsinki then. We will travel together to Rayskala, for a ,for sure, great but busy time. We start on June 21 with the MIDSUMMERNIGHT and what I heard, the organization has anticipated on that wonderful event. This will be my 3d midsummer-night party and I remember from 88 that at midnight we were still reading a book[only to make pictures, but nobody could see we had a good drink before!]] , as it is incredible light still then.
In between, competitions start and finish in this period of the year. In Germany they had till now great weather but also at some places HEAVY thunderstorms with lots of damage by the terrible high -gusting- winds.
Klix had this week its 17th International Gliding Cup from May1 -May 9 with over 100 participants also from Holland ,Switzerland , Poland, Russia and Belgium in 4 classes. In 2 classes Dutch pilots were the best. Only 4 days in open/18 m. class and in Club class. The mixed and 108 class had 3 days!
” Hahnweide “will be from May 15 to 23-2009.In 4 classes there are a total of 112 participants. 22 In standard class,12 in 15 m. ,41 in 18 m.,18 in open and 19 in the twoseater class.
Some well-known names; Jean Luc Colson from Belgium [ ASW 27]and Boerje Eriksson in 15 m class,[Ventus 2 A].
In 18 m. Werner Meuser and Reinhard Schramme, both former world champions, Mac Ichikawa,[ Japan] Yves Jeanmotte [Belgium] and Phil Jones[UK].
In open class Steve Jones [UK] and Uli Schwenk , more former champions.
In the double seater class is one of the well-known names;Patrick Stouffs.[Belgium]
All ingredients for a top competition!
www.wettbewerb.wolf-hirth.de
In Holland we have a very well kept and interesting site for the glider pilots. It is called www.zweefportaal.nland Ben Hiemstra is the “guy” who does a marvellous job there. He also will be the site -keeper for the Nationals next week.
On his site I read the article by a science site www.nu.nlabout artificial feathers on wings!!!!!!It claims that if you cover the wings with artificial feathers,the planes would be much more efficient according to Italian researchers from the University of Genua.In the Journal of Fluid Mechanics they say that the air-resistance is lowered by 15 % due to the cover of feathers!!!!I don’t know……
I was most impressed with the 1000 km attempt from Swedish pilot Ronny Lindell. In a Discus 2 T he tried from Landskrona a 1000 km. task, his first; a jo-jo up to more North over Sweden [Lidkoping]and back and the same nearly again , JUST missing out on 43 km. What a pity!!! In any case it means that Scandinavia will be seen more from now on , on the OLC. Yesterday it was Sweden again with a flight in a Duo Discus from Lidkoping; 472 km. and Rayskala with a 404 km. flight in a DG 505M 22m.
Just spoke to Maria from Munich on the phone. She told me that I had written,in my last blog, that I would be 4 month in Tocumwal, but…no she is correct it is “only” 4 weeks! Further on she gave me the best regards from Mac via her husband. Maria’s husband Dieter is helping in the organization and he does this already for years!She also mentioned to look at the fabulous pictures in the photo gallery [ Bilder] from the Hahnweide site. They have flown yesterday with tasks between 275 and 390 km. and they fly today too. Here it has rained “like hell”! With thunderstorms as well last night.
That’s it . Jonny [tuggie in the past at Sportavia] and Corinne [ helping us with everyting in the past] are visiting Dundee whilst he is here. CU on Wednesday, later in the day as Dundee leaves in the morning.
Cheers Ritz and on request, here is my email adress if you have news or a comment or just want to say hello,
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com