Post 1.393 on November 30 2022

—–When you have to make an out landing at this stage in the wet parts of Australia you have to be prepared that this can be difficult. A landing in a crop might be pretty safe as long as the canola is not too high .
Such a landing happened around Tocumwal and Joergen was so kind to share some pictures from Bernie ‘s outlanding.

And when you wonder who is Joergen, here you are;

—–It ‘s nice to see that USA pilot Kathy Fosha is back in Lake Keepit. She must have good memories on flying from that field during the Aussie- Keepit- 10th-WWGC in January 2020.
Her first flight back down under was in a Discus ; 447 km.
Last Monday she flew in a Discus A 361 km.
“Day was better than expected. Was a bit pessimistic and grumpy on the ground, and pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be a great day. Good fun!“

–—–Also great to see that my friend Daan [Pare] flies in Kiripotib with his son Thijs ; a father-son-week in the ARCUS M. One day Daan “leads”, the other day Thijs, who I know since he was a toddler.
On Friday Thijs was “the leading man” ; “Plan A was to go around the Windhoek TMA, however some showers in the north made us chance our minds. So we conjured plan B which was to go south, where we joined the giant motorway that ran into Botswana. Great day!“1.063 km with 140 km./h!
Last Friday , indeed, they had in Namibia “one of those days” again.
With 26 x a 1000 km,; one 1.169 km [1000 FAI triangle !!!!] by Eric Schneider in an Ventus 3 M /18m. with 150 km./h.! He is one of those young ones who “get” a glider from the junior sponsor for Bitterwasser Wilfried Grosskinsky. Eric felt “over the moon”, grateful, but was a bit annoyed with himself that he/it started half an hour late. So the flight could have been even better!!!
During his very first flight in Bitterwasser, with Klaus [Reinhold] in the Arcus, they flew with great lift and lines, 1.145 km….so great practice.
Those young Germans say it more enthusiastic; Toller tag, Geil, Hammer steigen and tolle Linien.
Longest flight that November -day -25, was 1.240 km. in the mighty EB 28 from Bitterwasser.

—–They started last Friday on November 26 in Bitterwasser with Wilfried’s 1000 km. camp for young pilots.
Wilfried himself took young Max Maslak for a ride in the EB 28;
“A very good day with the usual first hour in the blue, but then under lines to SS….! For Max, the first flight in Africa was full of excitement….! All in all, a very good team performance, with Max getting along excellently with the big plane!“
Tobias Pachowsky another young talent, flew the Ventus 3 on this day 1 and was as enthusiastic as all others flying solo or “with” during the camp.
He mentioned it was a pity that the final approach thermal didn’t want to come. But at least they flew the 1000 k.
“What a day today. Was really incredibly fun. Especially with Eric together in the team. At the beginning it was really tough up to the clouds. After that, going north, things went very well in the team. The leg to the southeast was the absolute top hammer. Lift everywhere. Maybe we flew a little too far to the southeast. On the way back, the line deteriorated properly and we had a headwind. In the end it wasn’t quite enough for the 1000 fai.
Still a great day and the Ventus is an absolute machine. Thanks for this opportunity!!!”
Wilfried and Tobias had another good flight yesterday in the EB 28, together with Max , now in the Ventus 3;
“Day 4 1000km Camp Bitterwasser.
A weather situation with high instability, overdevelopment and thunderstorms in the evening.
The right routing and timing was the prerequisite for the success of the day!
Another new experience for Tobias and Max, which can only be mastered in a team flight.
Definitely exciting up to the last minute, with a common frequency providing great help and security for everyone!” 1.215 km [ 995 FAI] with 150 km./h. and 1.159 km. with 143 km./h.
Those young ones must have the best time in their lives, whilst en passant, learning more than ever before.

——Veronica is getting more and more a host for all International pilots. I noticed pilots from Germany, Israel [6!!!! all from the Negev Gliding Center] ] Poland, Czech Rep. and the UK.
Kiripotib shared great news;
“Gabriela Beláková and Antónia Sulírová set a Slovak record today (not yet confirmed). The 750 km FAI triangle was never flown before by a female Slovak team. Congrats ladies!”
125 km./h in the ARCUS M.

———South Africa’s MAGIC WORCESTER, had the same great weather last Friday; 1.154 km by Mathias Schunk together with our -long-time-ago-in-Tocumwal-kilometer-eater Uwe [Thiele] ;143 km./h.
On Saturday they went up again and had an even longer flight, what do you expect else from 2 kilometer-eaters in One ARCUS M;1.302 km. with a speed of 145 km./h.
One of our other frequent-Toc-flyers is in Worcester too; Michael Godoj.
2 Over 700 km flights till now.
This OLC is such a fabulous way of “following” old mates.

–——–The weather down under is in spring mood. When you can fly 507 km. in a St. JANTAR [SZD 48-1] from Beverley in the West, that’s just good by Ross McLernon!!!! 95 km./h.
What I remember from the past is that the weather in the early season was good in the East moving through the time/seasons via the South to the West.
Last Saturday Norm [Bloch] flew already a 730 km in his JS 3/18m with 130 km./h. so a
great start of the Western season.
Also Tocumwal on the Murray river had a good day and frequent-Toc- flyer Ken from Japan, tried out his beautiful “toy” again after the covid -years.

—–Staying down under, with lovely news about Beryl from the FAI AWARDS
“Beryl Hartley, has been awarded the prestigious FAI PAUL TISSANDIER DIPLOMA, named in honor of Paul Tissandier, Secretary General of FAI from 1919 to 1945. This diploma is awarded to those who have served the cause of aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular.”
And I have personally seen and heard how she served gliding…in an unbelievable way.
NOTHING WAS TOO MUCH FOR HER!!!!
MORE THAN DESERVED!!!
Congratulations Beryl.
Also the Integrated Training Panel has won the FAI award for Group Diplomas of Honor.
“Gliding Australia is proud to announce that its training programme steering group has won this award.
This award recognizes the team’s hard work in developing a common pathway for training pilots in core skills as well as soaring and cross country through standardising materials and adopting modernised training techniques.”
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

——one of the kilometer eaters flying in Argentina Juan Pablo Verdura flew last week, for the first time far South from his departure spot Zapala, passing many other departure points to fly a total of 1.844 km [131 km./h] in the Ventus 2CM/18m.
The South indeed was good, as another kilometer-eater Swiss pilot Jean Marc Perrin started from Jose De Saint Mart, where Juan Pablo turned. Jean Marc flew in his DG 808/15 m 1.484 km. [130 km./h] !!!

——-One of the colleagues of both my ex George and my daughter Inge, Harold ,wrote a book about his time in the cockpit, flying for Transavia.
It could be a nice Sinterklaas or Christmas present for Dutch reading friends.
With exotic destinations, inside stories and exciting news from the cockpit.
Now no cost to send it and only 22 Euro as” end-of-the-year-present”.
If you order from Australia there might be cost for sending??!!

–—–And to finish this fabulous picture from Kurstjens Farming Australia / Beefwood Farms,
The pictures has nothing to do with gliding but with gliding pilots.
My friends Pam and Gerrit have created an awesome business in Australia. CHAPEAU!!!!!
With help from hardworking, very motivated people from different parts of the world their business is huge!
In between they fly their gliders [EB 29 R and ASH 31/21m] from Mccaffrey Field [Queensland] as well.
And once in a while when they are back in Holland , they visit me. Belgium beer, TRAPPIST with grenadine for all 3 of us in bar Jo d’un Urste! Early spring 2022.

CU next Wednesday.
Cheers Ritz