ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20 2013
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.soaringcafe.com www.glidinginternational.com
What a great weekend of soaring in South and SW Australia. Benalla, Tocumwal, Gawler , Ararat, Bacchus Mars, Stonefield, all pilots flying there had a great weekend. Guess Terry had the best one flying his LS 3 over nearly 800 km. and topping the OLC list on Sunday.
Will see him within 2 weeks at the IGC Plenary in Holland so be sure I am going to ask him all about it.
Topper Terry here with former topper Bruce Brockhoff at Benalla in January.
On Monday the good weather stayed with nearly 600 km. by Lothar Arndt [who recently started competition flying ] in the ASW 28 from Tocumwal and Stonefield pilot Steffen Krush in the LS4 flying over pretty remote land 815 km., while pilot Konrad Maierhofen , the “engine” behind Fly Down Under, had a really nice last flight in the DG 500/22m. before it will be shipped back home to Germany again; 781 km [ 562 FAI triangle] .www.fly-down-under.com or www.fly-down-under.de and
E-Mail: info@fly-down-under.com
Oscar
With all the good soaring still in Australia I forget sometimes to look at South Africa. It ‘s still not over there yet either, as Oscar showed last Saturday with a speedy flight over 407 km.in the 21 m. JS 1C from Potchefstroom;
—” Riding the storm front. 156 km/h takeoff to landing, as well as fooling around taking photos of the B8. What looked like a below average day turned out to be one to remember.–“
I did not know the story from the B8, I copied and pasted it from Oscar as I was touched by it.
—-“Today, after almost 18 years, the B8 took to the skies again. The B8 was designed and built by the legendary Pat Beatty, a designer who designed and built first the BJ and later the B series gliders.
The glider was brought back to life by Paul Beatty, Pat’s son, and test flown today by Uys Jonker.
I last saw this glider flying before Pat and his wife Betty died tragically in a motor car accident in the 1980’s.
Truly a nostalgic day—“
AND
—“Video of B8 flying after being restored by Paul Beatty, son of designer and builder of the BJ and later B series gliders. The B8 was the last glider Pat designed before his untimely death in the 1980’s. it took the commercial glider builders twenty years to realize the benefits of an epiliptical planform. Pat, together with Fritz Johl, who still resides in Cape Town, were streets ahead with revolutionary glider designs, with variable geometry wings, in flight adjustable wing span, camber changing aerofoils. Their gliders ran circles around the then competition. One wonders what he could have come up with if he had lived longer, and had the use of modern building materials and computer processing power. Most of Pat’s wings were designed using a slide rule.—“
B8 over Poch on www.youtube.com
and Uys Jonker about the B8; “It was a privilege to fly the B8! Defenitely a highlight in my career!”
Poch is short for Potchefstroom but is also the surname of Julio Poch the former , now retired collegue of my daughter with Transavia, who already is 3 years in prison in Argentina and as far as I know totally innocent!!!
One of my friends Henri Cramer and a retired Transavia [chief] pilot himself has put a petition on FB to help Julio.In any case the Minister of foreign affairs has now FINALLY agreed on support for Julio. That might help!
Julio Poch via Henri at FB.
Taupo continued with a 3 hour AAT task on day 7 from their Club class Nationals. The best pilot this day with 263.6 km in 3 hours 3, was Steve in the Mosquito. Only 4 finishers and some flew nearly 4 hours!
One of the outlandings by topper and overall leader till that day, Mark flying the St. Libelle. Only 457 points for the 171 km. he flew. Unfortunately for him he dropped a spot even more bad luck for him as he damaged his main wheel with the outlanding.
CD Roy mentioned;”Todays task will be the 7th at this Nationals. The last Nationals at Taupo only managed 6 scored days over the the entire contest. The weather synopsis says fine weather for the rest of the week.”
So that’s good to hear!
Picture made by and shared by Mike Stathern before the start.Mike flies the ASW 20 during the Nationals and is overall on day 8 on spot 2.
This is the Huka Falls AND I have been there!!!!!!
So knowing that I looked ahead at day 8. But another day with problems for the toppers. 6 From 11 finished amongst them, the Mosquito with Steve, but Tim in the Discus b landed after 141 km and Mark in the Libelle seems to have not been flying ….. he did n’t get points for the day so I guess he is out! A pity!!!!!
Bob in the DG 100 won the 2.30 AAT with 207 km. in 2 hours 27. Today is day 9 and they have flown. More on Sunday! Or you can look at www.soaringspot.com or http://2013clubclass.blogspot.co.nz/ Enjoy!!!
A short Video of Day 5 from Philip Dunlop is to be seen here.Look at the skies!!!!
Some of them might practise for the next WGC in Finland at Räyskälä. The pre worlds are from the 8th to 16th June 2013.
The competition will be organised in conjunction with the Finnish Open National Championships flown in Standard, 15-m and 20-m Multi-seat Classes. You can enter till April 15 or later but than, only when place available.
www.wgc2014.fi
Beautiful Räyskälä
On the 27th of March the ZES , the Club from the students in Eindhoven will exist 50 years. A reunion with dinner will be part of it. Yes I have put my name on the list. As you know I was the very first girl flying in that club in 1967 so it will be great to meet a lot of “old ” friends and even more new ones.
A new one, I will meet this afternoon , giving him my photo book with pictures from that time. Arjan , a ZES member already for 18 years, is going to put them digital on their site www.zweefvliegen.nu
Another ” new one” will not be there as he is in N.Z. his name is Dinant. He reads my blogs so that’s how I got in contact with him.
“He LOVES soaring” but a flight down under under a hang glider is not bad either.Soaring will follow soon!
And….. he did so from Omarama in a two-seater up to 9000 Ft and he flew half of the time himself.
Dinant over NZ as shared by him on FB.
That ‘s it! You are up to date.
And,…….. I always “complain” when it is cold! What about MINUS 71 C. That happened in Siberia in a 500 people population in Oymyakon. A new record for them even when they are used to this climate; cold to very cold in winter and hot to pretty hot , over 30 dgr. in summer.Glad I am not living there!!!!!
Got some nice pictures from Dundee in Tocumwal , where it is still warm but days and flights are getting definitely shorter . I share them with you.By the way , from Benalla a Kestrel/17m. flew today an out and return up N. from 656 km adding some km. going S. to beautiful Mount Buller.Still going in thermals over 3000 m. MSL.
More thirsty friends visiting the bird bath at his caravan and one of his “neighbours” a lady with a baby in the pouch. A whole family lives so close you can see them from the balcony of the caravan.
A first time guest for Tocumwal; Hardy Krüger 85 now!
Both looking VERY well!!!!!
Next Sunday at the SOARINGCAFE the very interesting and easy -to-read story with pictures about wave in Greece by Michael Anastasiou, something to look ahead at!
cheers Ritz!