Today…..June 1 ;meteorological summer starts.
Not that we can see it here. Temperature[ around 20 dgr C] is rather OK but there is more thunderstorm activity and rain than normal for this time of the year. More countries in Europe suffer; France had lightning on a playground injuring at least 10 kids and on a soccer field in Germany ,35 people were injured by lightning, among them at least 30 kids between 9 and 11 years old,
You ask why did they not seek hiding straight away?
As I noticed here,… the weather arrived without warning what so ever, just at a flash. No dark skies, no rain, just BENG and we were looking at each other ” is that a thunderstorm ?????”Very weird!!!
My Aussie friends would love the rain which fell in the German state Baden-Wurttemberg ; at places 70 liter per square meter within an hour!!!!!So streets looked like a tsunami was passing by. At least 4 people were killed.
Braunsbach is flooded and for that reason DAMAGED.
Only in Holland the damage is OVER 10 MILLION Euro.By the way the Dutch spring was about normal looking at rain , but we had more sun hours than normal.
Down under winter started!
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METEO news!!!
Got some interesting news about meteo from Alexis. Here it is ;
“We have launched a beta version of the Alps forecasting service for glider pilots:
http://www.meteorologica.gr/alps/
The model runs at the very high resolution of 2km which has been tested in Greece and is good enough for all local phenomena and the combined effects of convective ridge and wave lift. We provide the following parameters for the next day:
- Cloud cover
- Cloud ceiling (thecloud base height relative to the ground)
- The maximum vertical velocity
- The precipitation
- The wind at 10m AGL, 3km MSL and 4km MSL
- The long wave radiation (indicative of the height of cloud tops)
Also, under the KML tab you can find a KML timeline for viewing in Google Earth for planning. It is important to use the range in the time slider to look at each one chart. Alternatively, you can select a chart under Places/Temporary Places at the sidebar.
I have attached a sample map of the strongest updrafts on 3D terrain.
Looking forward to comments by pilots flying in the Alps.”
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DUTCH OBGC.
They continued with tasks on Wednesday and hoped for a day,….it was in vain , BUT Thursday should be better. Some pictures from Willemijn from the cold and wet days. Great picture from the airfield Terlet at THE gorgeous VELUWE.
1. Dennis [Huybreckx ]and Jef [Kell] ………2 Hans [Biesters] and Jeroen [Verkuijl]. 3. Jeroen [Koolen] en Max Leenders.
Only club class started on Tuesday but the only thing the pilots could do was return to the field.
More impressions in Willemijn’s daily pictures; ENJOY!!!
1. “Welcome sun” with Erik and Robin. 2. Ronald with his mates in relaxed mood. 3. Our Belgian friend Nick ready to go.
More ready to go
Annemiek in the middle surrounded by Jef and Tim from Belgium.
I found out that the rules are different this time, because of the co-operation with the Belgium pilots.
THEY DO NOT NEED 4, BUT ONLY 3 Days. So a last day would have been great but not necessary for a valid championship. I should not have worried.
Thursday ;After 2/3 days and 6/5 cancelled days and only Friday to go, there should be MERCY for the organizers and pilots.
There was !!!!FINALLY NICE WEATHER!!!!!!
Club;…. 252 km. Tim [Kuijpers] won the 1000 points with a very late start at 2.27, whilst the early birds left already at 1.09 PM.He raced over the circuit with a speed of 80.59 km./h., about 10 km./h faster than the runner up Frank [ Hiemstra 71.19 km./h.] ,who started exactly ONE hour earlier. After 3 days Tim leads with 2010 points ahead of Frank with 1911.
Combi;309 km….Belgium again “on the top” in this class. Today Wim [Akkermans] won in the LS 8 in about the same time as Dennis Huybreckx and the same glider; 1000 points for 999. Dutch pilot David [Muller] finished on spot 3 for the day.
After 3 days Dennis tops the overall list with 2598 points and Wim has 2544 points. So it will be a -last- day -decision between Dennis and his brother-in-law.
18 m.;304 km…..day 4, also in this class the French speaking Belgium pilots found their way over Dutch soil. Olivier[ Sevrin] and Jean-Luc [Colson] flew their ASG 29’s to spot 1 and 2; 1000 and 994 points.
Peter [Millenaar] tops the list but Jean Luc “raced” from 5 to spot 2 overall.
Between the number 10 Sikko with 1962 points to the topper at the moment is not THAT much difference.
open;354 km….3d day as well for open . A good day for the big-wing-ship the ASW 22 BLE from Jeroen [ Oostendorp]; 1000 points during his first participation on a National Championship, good on him!! He started relative late at 2.31 PM, but so did Mark [Wering] at 2.45 last one, in the ANTARES 23 T and he finished as 10th with 525 points.
Between spot 6 [1902 points] up to spot 1 [2279] there are still possibilities. Jeroen[ Verkuijl] has 2223 points and Ronald [Termaat] 2201.
A day with good distances but the speed , nobody reached 100 km./h. shows it was NOT easy.
So we can only hope that it will be a flying day on Friday. It is a valid competition anyhow that’s good but some more flying would be really good.
“Powerfood” for pilots and crew.
Courtesy Maarten Brouwer.
Friday; last day. 2 Hour AAT’s in all classes were set. WAIT AND SEE!!!! First launches at 12 ,as there is a possibility for local thunderstorms in the [later] afternoon from the SW.
The day had to be cancelled.
So with 3/4 out of 11 days there were “poor” but REAL championships.
Dutch National Champion in club class Tim Kuijpers with Dutch National Champion in 18 m Peter Millenaar. Both are Ryan Air pilots. AND… interest enough for the 18 m. Champion. AND …his nice finish.
Picture 1 shared by Frauke , proud mum of Tim and picture 2 and 3 by Peter’s dad Rob as proud, so they should be.
So here we go with the names and the final scores CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL;
Club; 1. Tim Kuijpers 2040 points…….2. Frank Hiemstra 1911 points ….3.Jeroen van Dijk 1663
Combi; 1. Dennis Huybreckx 2598…..2. Wim Akkermans 2544….3. Tim Huybreckx 2170.
18 m; 1. Peter Millenaar 2254….2. Jean -Luc Colson 2188……3.Dennis Schouten 2132
open;1. Jeroen Oostendorp 2279…..2. Jeroen Verkuijl 2223…….3. Ronald Termaat 2201
And all the gold, silver and bronze winners on one picture
shared by Frauke Kuijpers.
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Norwegian Grand Prix CHAMPIONSHIP. [Norwegian Nationals]
“A couple of hundred meters before finish, fighting at over 200 km/h with Arnulf right to the line.”
As shared by Arne Martin Guetller.
Beautiful Norway had it’s Voss Grand Prix [Norwegian Nationals in GP configuration ] between May 22 and 28.
—” Voss Grand Prix had this year been extended to a week and gotten championship status. This would be the first time a Norwegian championship would be crowned at a Grand Prix contest, and also the first time in Western Norway for a championship.—”
On May 24 the 14 pilots could fly and with a 206 km. task , 11 from 14 pilots managed to fly over 100 km./h. Best speed was 114 km./h and it gave Jo Inge Bjoro 10 points. Arne Martin had 7.
Above Hardangerfjord by Arne Martin. How beautiful is Norway !!??
May 25 ; 199 km. was set for flying day 2 and it was another penalty/warning festival with 10 from 14 pilots ” in the prizes” . Start height, start speed etc. The daily winner , flying in an LS 6, had NO penalties and got the 10 points for a speed of 100 km./h. over the 199 km. Per Morten Lovsland tops the overall list now too after 2 days; 18 points.
May 26; nearly 300 km. in Norway as well as task for Thursday. Arne Martin was runner up and moved with 8 points to spot 2 overall; On top still the LS 6 pilot Per Morten with 25 [he got 7 today].
Another great/ fabulous picture by Arne Martin.
May 27; Here is Arne Martin’s story for the day;
” Awesome flight today at Norwegian championship / Voss Grand Prix! Like yesterday we flew to Lærdal, but then headed north west to Fjærland, right next to Jostedalsbreen!
Like yesterday, I seem to do better on longer tasks, with more mountains. Crossed the finish line first today, although with some penalty seconds Per Morten will most likely get first place. And also overall we will be first and second.”
That was correct, Per Morten got 8 and Arne Martin 6 points, due to a penalty for a too fast start speed.
May 28; Last day was cancelled, ” since extreme rainfall and possible flooding had been forecast.”
Looking back Arne Martin wrote;” We had some great weather. The practice day was cancelled, and instead the next day was declared a practice day. After that we had great conditions for the next four competition days, before the final day was cancelled due to heavy rainfall.”
Thanks Arne Martin.
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The Polish 15 m. Nationals.
From Leszno 32 competitors are going to look between May 27 and June 5 , who is the best in 15 m. class in Poland. Mac [Ichikawa] is flying there as well.Among them toppers as Sebastian [Kawa], Janusz [Centka] , Lucasz [Grabowski], Lucasz [Blaszczyk] , Lucasz [Wojcik] , Adam [Czeladski] , Tomas [Krok] and Tomas [Rubaj].
On flying day 1 they had a 2.15 AAT and 12 from 33 finished. Several penalty points as well. Good old Janusz Centka did well in the ARCUS on spot 2 with Tomas Rubaj straight behind him. Tomas flew 268 km. in his ARCUS but needed more time 3.01 [Janusz had 2. 37 in over 240 km.]
The next 3 days were cancelled/no task, or invalid due to too short distances. A pity!
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The latest on KIRIPOTIB and Rent-a-glider/ FLYING WITH THE CHAMPIONS by Ludwig Starkl.
Dear glider pilots and guests,
thank you to everyone who visited Kiripotib in the last years and enjoying the beautiful landscape and lifestyle in Namibia. As some of you noticed already, there will be changes in Kiripotib next season. Bernd Dolba is leaving the second biggest gliding center in Namibia after 8 years time and he is looking for new ventures.
Accordingly Claudia and Hans von Hase were looking for new partners to run the gliding operation in the future. Thus we are proud to announce that Kiripotib will continue – visual as Kiripotib 2.0.
Who is Who?
KIRIPOTIB SOARING, so the name of the new team, is a cooperation between three professional gliding companies from Europe for more holiday, more service and more fun for all pilots, their families and friends.
The Kiripotib Guest Farm with Claudia and Hans von Hase (Namibia). They are in charge of your comfortable stay in Kiripotib and with their lovely Kiripotib Collection they represent the sport of gliding in Namibia and offer plenty of local tradition and adventures while on the ground.
Rent-A-Glider with Ludwig Starkl and Wolfgang Janowitsch (Austria). These two gentlemen knowing Namibia like the back of their hands and are in charge of one of the best rental glider fleets on the planet and it’s safe transport to Namibia and back to Europe. Also gliders of clients will be shipped to Kiripotib by them professionally. On top of that they organize the top level coaching “Flying with the Champions” in Kiripotib and Bitterwasser.
streckenflug.at with Christian, Regina and Mia Hynek (Austria/Namibia). This young family is in charge of the technical support of gliders, booking, IT, the soaring facilities and also manage daily matters. Their well known gliding shop is also available for all Pilots in Namibia.
The Mountain Soaring Enterprise with Markus Lewandowski and Aurel Hallbrucker from Innsbruck/ Austria.
These two fellas are professional chief flying instructors (CFI) certified by the SSN. They are in charge of the daily gliding operation and safety in and around Kiripotib. They are available for check flights, check outs, coachings and rides for pilots and guests.
A big fleet of gliders are available next season, there will be 5 Arcus M an Arcus E, Nimbus 4DM, ASH 25, Antares 23E, two Shark and a DG 800 available. For all who want to fly world records, Alisport will send a Silent E, one of the new 13,5 Meter class gliders with us. Be the first to be in the record list.
The new web page KIRIPOTIB.COM/SOARING is online since some days. There you find all information, programs prices and details concerning Kiripotib Soaring. Stay tuned!
If you are planning a gliding holiday in Kiripotib in the upcoming season, please be so kind and send us your preferred dates and gliders as soon as possible. We are limited in space. Or you have any question, send us an e-mail to soaring@kiripotib.com
Regards Ludwig
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We called him Mr. Aosta.
Jan van Genne died on May 28.
R.I.P Jan.
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That’s it for now on Tuesday evening. Off to hospital tomorrow early for a day of medical examinations.
Cu next week
Cheers Ritz
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