Tourist information center in town           Saturday December 18   ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

I was a nice reunion with the Grong Grong boys  at Sportaviation, as well as with Michael and Neville, Jake and good to meet the tuggie for the season Ian. Nice to hear from Nobo that he still remembers the kiss he got with the flowers when he flew his first 300 km. After talking and making pictures each had to go his own way again. In the pub in the evening I heard , I missed out just on 2 minutes ,on Andrea and Werner visiting me.Sorry!!!!
I even thought I heard a Dutch voice flying over from Corowa over Tocumwal and calling he was there.
At Kelly’s where I invited Dundee for dinner, as he ” donated me his car or his car with a driver”  and I really kept him busy and wanted to say thank you,this way ,  it was very busy but we still got a place.I must say, we were treated like royalties and we got a super meal. We had 20 ordering in front of us, but maybe  because we were just the 2 of us, good old top chef Brian cooked our meal in a flash and before we knew we heard ; ” Ritz …where is Ritz sitting ” and we could enjoy it straight away.

From Michael I heard Pepe is still trying to fly to Corowa and then travel to Tocumwal, where his friends take care of his car. Was hoping to see him today as well , but that might not happen. This low pressure system is still haging in between Corowa and Narromine.
We even had rain this morning here as well. I have been here for a 6 months period with 2 days of rain and now I had 6 days with 2 days of rain!!!

Got an sms from Daan that it was pretty windy in Pokweni, so he took the day off. Still great flying over there in Namibia.
Have ‘n’t time to do research on all what’s happening in our small world so will do that when I am home again on December 28.
 I love the set triangles , but do realize that not every day it is possible to do so!! Enjoying the flight is MORE important then ” struggle for life ” to fly one. And it is also different in what kind of glider you fly it and with or without an engine.

Looked at the one hour video  yesterday of the reunion in Tocumwal of  the last few people still alive from the Liberator time here in Tocumwal in 1942. There is this great replica of the B-24 Liberator on a pole to the entrance of the Golf club.The wing span is 8.38 m and the length is 5.12, the height 1.37 and it is made from fibreglass over a steel frame.Eddie was helping to put it on the pole as well as Neville and young Jake. A lot of town people donated to make this all happen. My friends Bob and Gina, organised this very successful day. I visited their home yesterday and half of their garden is a [ private ] lake now, from the flooding of the Murray. I read this morning in the paper that 50.000 visitors are lost for the Region over the festivity season.That is a lot!!!!
But campers can still visit the great camping place from Eddie. What’s even better then being at the river, then being at a WW 2 camping with Waldorf Astoria – facilities?????

Travel tomorrow to NZ , so just stay tuned for my view on that part of the world , they call the most beautiful in the world.

Cheers Ritz

at the airport in Tocumwal      Friday December 17 2010   ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

           

Thank you for all the birthday wishes, via sms, phone internet and Facebook, could not even all read them by now. Wonderful! Had a great day and a fantastic dinner with some of my friends. Still not over the jetlag!!! Tony and Jo flew in in the Lance Air and just reported that they have arrived back home again, which is good as more S . some thunderstorms were forecasted. Here in Toc the weather is good a bit windy at the moment [6 pm] and the pilots here were going for a 500 km task. One Japanese Grong Grong boy is back and one outlanded, the other flies local.

This morning Tony , Jo and I  had a super breakfast at the Paviljon, looking out over the Murray, which looks more then a lake at the moment. After we looked around in town and found a nice new shop on the other side of the fore shore. Good to see new business still start up here. The rest of the day was filled with visits to friends and Sportaviation where Eddie was busy enough with all his guests. Great to see Terry’s son Scott who was a tuggie I guess about 20 year ago at Sportavia.Now he is a senior first officer at Dragon Air living in Hong Kong, flying an A330.His son was flying with his granddad Terry who had that nice flights 2 days ago. ” still too short”, was his comment when I praised him.

At the moment the junior Nationals are on in Waikirie.See for results at the soaringspot site. Have to go nkow ,see you soon again. Travel to NZ on Sunday. Take care cheers Ritz

Tourist information center in Tocumwal    15-12-2010       ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

The biggest impact after arriving here, is the long-leg-mosquito and ,even worse,  the locust, some kind of bigger grasshopper flying around with millions and disturbing life and soaring as well, as before you are in the air , the canopy is full of blood, wings and other colours of remains of this animal. All of this , a result of the heavy rain here over the last weeks. Now it is bloody hot, I gues in the low thirthies with 8/8 of cu and storms brewing up in the south. The wind activates the locust and they fly in huge groups around.

Yesterday Dieter drove me to Cobram for some shopping and to Corowa to see some of my friends over there. That did not happen , as it was a gorgeous day with great clouds and all pilots stayed up till later in the day , so they should, [that’s why it did not annouce my arrival, ] and we had to back home in Tocumwal around 6.30. So we only had a word with Anders who’s big smile said enough , that he was happy to see us. I left a note with Grietje for Kees [703 km] and Max [839 km] and Jan [ father of “my” junior Robbie, 781 km.] and the rest. Pepe was not yet back from Narromine, due to rain between Dubbo and Corowa. Corowa looked well, all in splendid condition. Also Grietje and the kids looked ” top” , Francesco was flying.He declared and flew a 750 in the new glider ASH 31.

Today I catch up with the Grong Grong  boys from Japan flying at Sportaviation and with Michael flying UE. Though this should be after flying and to be honest it does not really look like flying. Busy enough however here at the airfield. Yesterday Terry flew 817 km while Michael had 623 on his instrument and Lothar a very nice 654. So clearly a great day!!!! The Grong grong boys , always declaring a 300 km flight to Grong Grong, flew with 3 of them …a 300 km. Will check if it was to Grong Grong.

From South Africa I received the message  that the weather is not co-operating for their Nationals. Friends Bruce and Brad from Australia and Ronald from Holland and my SA friends still are waiting for their first flying day. It looks as far as I heard that they will not fly today as well, but MAYBE…tomorrow. Hope so!!!
Anita, Bruce’s wife has left SA for Europe , but a lot of her belongings from her suitcase have been stolen!!!! Not good!!!!

It is great to see that Tocuwal is doing well. Shops are busy , but the high water from The Murray, stops all recreation on the beaches and that is a bit sad. The holiday makers bring in a lot of money during the Christmas and New Year festivities and at this stage they do not have a place to camp!

That’s it for today. A rush against the clock as I pay by the hour.

Cheers Ritz

Dundee’s caravan                 December 13 2010                ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

So it all went smooth and here I am back in Tocumwal. SUPER!!!!
The flight was OK! We really had a bad landing in Hongkong. Normally the stewardess stright aways says : welcome in Hongkong, but this time it was silent over the radio, they all had a bit of stress. When we arrived at the gate the captain was speaking. He apologized for the hard landing and said he normally did much better , but the tough East wind and even worse the sheer wind on final, got the big 747 with 400 passengers in a tough and turbulent grip. We were already happy it all went well.
The Airbus flight was good but…here we also had turbulent weather. The captain even climbed from 11 .270 m to 11.880 m. and still we were in the clouds meaning we were sitting in total over 4 hours with the safety brelts on and no hot drinks were served, we could not even get out of our chair to go to the toilet. BUT…I arrived in time, John was waiting to bring me to the motel and as I did not sleep too much aboard , I was pretty worn out and slet straight away til 6.30 AM. A quick visit to KLa Baguette in Little Collin street for breakfast a short walk through Melbourne town and off to Tocumwal.

Skies here looked super and the finally had a better day here , but it seems this week will be good with a strong high, so no worries.
A great experience this afternoon , when I went to the cemetary to visit my son. A ” new girlfriend”  was laying nearly on his grave!! A lovely mother kangaroo with baby in the bag , woke up and I was close enough to make nice pictures before she moved away.A once -in-your-life-time-moment!

Eddie and Sheryl both look very well and it was busy enough with flying this afternoon. Dundee is in great spirit and offered to drive me when necessary and in town people were pleased to see me so unexpectedly.Former instructor Richard was one of them.I have never seen the river SO high. The 3 m. high levy banks are ” gone”.Water everywhere and the river is normally THE place to be for caravan-holiday-makers this time of the year, but they can’t be standing at the river for a while now.

More news tomorrow as I nearly fall a sleep now and I still have to bring my luggage to Margies home.

Good to be back here , cheers Ritz

Alphen aan den Rijn    Friday December 10 2010      ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

Just checked in for the trip from Amsterdam to Hongkong and Hongkong Melbourne !All done now and ready to go!
Weather was awful here with frozen rain, hail and rain yesterday, but the sun was shining as well ; today and  the weekend will be around plus 6. So not too bad and no worries to leave Amsterdam.Snow has disappeared for the sun.
Different then Paris and Frankfurt where yesterday still flights have been cancelled due to heavy snow. From Munich I heard that it is totally white again. Was I lucky!!!
While waiting in row at Munich on Wednesday , some people really were “pissed off”, when they found out that there were no flights to Paris. But what can you do when 11 cm of snow falls down from heaven, the worst since 1987. Even the Eiffel tower was closed for a while to avoid accidents. On Thursday it was open again.
In Portugal, a tornado caused lots of pain and damage. 40 People were injured under them 19 children. Damage was beyond believe. This weather is just weird!!!!

No worries for pilots in Africa and Argentina. But still not the normal weather in the Australian paradises, where I hear gardens have never been so beautiful green as now. To be honest I have seen more dry years in Tocumwal then wet ones. Only brown fields then, as even watering was forbidden , to not spill water. That is for sure different now. But….last year January was excellent, so …no worries.
In Argentina [ Chapelco] Klaus flew a nice 1000 km triangle as well. Not the up and down  and up and down, but a nice FAI triangle of 1.608 km. As I told you before it is really good to see so many triangles on the OLC now.
Daan had his day off but friend Jos was flying in Kiripotib and he also flew a 1000 km. Most of my Dutch and German friends are really having a ball in Namibia and Gariep Dam.Yesterday Daan flew on his flying-day another 1000 km.,  as if it is normal to fly a 1000 every day.
Good to see Lasham mate , Roy flying at Bloemfontein, with good old Dick Bradley; 870km in Ventus 2CT.
The first 50 pilots flew last Wednesday between 678 and 1.728 km. I noticed that day 27 over 1000 km flights.No complains!!!
Today more great flights and the first 30 flights on OLC were for Namibia. Very pleased to see Hans Raschke flew his 1000 in a duo discus T.

Today I saw that Corowa has much better weather, very pleased for them!!! When they have good weather Tocumwal has it too, certainly when pilots fly to the west from Corowa,  so Michael , who flies in Toc since “ages ” can do some good flying in his DG600.

You remember Brutus?  He visited during his Africa-trip, Gariep too and Ute , Hans, Karin and Uwe, really were pleased to unexpectedly see him. He also caught up with Tjeerd , Max and Marc. Brutus still knows so many in our soaring world as well. He  travelled with a friend through Africa  and returned last week, visiting the Krueger park and enjoying Africa to the fullest. From 30 dgr + to -1 was less nice!
I noticed that the forecast for Johannesburg is partly cloudy with thunderstorms throughout the days and temperatures between 14 in the night and 25/28 during the day.

Namibia’s airspace is  bigger!!! The Civil Aviation Authorities of Botswana have been so kind to open up a big area East of the border of Namibia ,with even up to flight level 195. Look at the site at” aktuelles”,  if you want to see what has changed. [www.bitterwasser.com]

At the M[ountain] W[ave] P[roject]  site [www.mountain-wave-project.com] , I read today that on December 8 that very nice triangle from Klaus included  3 WORLD RECORDS in one flight,  in a class D-glider. Distance over a triangle course of 1.600,2 km . Free triangle distance of 1.608,2 km and Speed ove a triangle course of 1500 km ; 122,77 km/h. The former record was by the deceased Steve Fossett. Pilot reports and impressions will be soon on their site. His first reaction you might have read on the OLC comment in German ; “There you see it all goes in wave as well. But..it was pretty difficult”.

The Mountain Wave Project (MWP) – a project of the scientific and meteorological panel of OSTIV, was conceived during an OSTIV seminar1998 in Serres/France by René Heise and Klaus Ohlmann and attracted several enthusiastic scientists/pilots since.

Was nice!Wrote on Facebook that I will visit Tauranga and straight away got an invitation to see the local gliding club over there. So…When I have time, I will report about them as well, as …..we share the news.
Also on Facebook; My Aussie friends Anita and Bruce Taylor are in  South Africa preparing for the South African Nationals at the airport of Welkom. Ronald our former ECG champion will be there as well. As dealer for Jonkers JS1 in Holland it will be nice to fly with so many JS1’s , 11 in total in 18 m.  class in the country were the glider is built and…against the 2 Jonkers brothers Uys and Atti. Other well known pilots flying during these comps ; Oscar and Laurens Goudriaan, Mannie McLaughlan, Sven Olivier, Arne Boyer Moller , John Coutts and daughter of  Dick Bradley, Jennifer.[www.sssa.org.za]  Competition is from December 13-22. Will try to keep an eye on it as well.

To get in the Aussie mood already  I share with you a few lines of the last Narromine Cup , as seem through the eyes of  Brian Hayhow, winner of these special comps,  also now  distributor for Schempp Hirth and Jaxieda in Australia. Interesting to see Dutch pilots as well; a couple, William and Evelyne, both airline pilots in Holland and collegues of my daughter Inge, spending quality time in winter in Narromine as well. As said before, this world of ours is SOOOO small.
Hope to “see”  you in Tocumwal, in Springhill and in Tauranga, as I have the info ready to reach you all. Bye for now from  grey Holland, Ritz

Narromine Cup has been around now for some eleven or twelve years and has become, probably, the most well known of these events. It continues to draw pilots from all over the eastern and southern states, and usually, some overseas visitors (this year from Spain, The Netherlands, Japan & the USA). It is always a chance to catch up with old friends, as well as get in some good flying for the old hands, while affording the newcomers the opportunity to take advantage of that wealth of experience.

The Cup has always been about providing the opportunity for pilots to be able to achieve their flying goals. There is a complete infrastructure on hand to facilitate that, along with full catering and the scoring via the On Line Competition (with its associated handicap factors). It really could not be made easier or more encouraging for the pilot. The focus is on distance flying and after the morning briefing & weather, pilots will usually split up and task according to their experience and aims.

It’s not uncommon to meet pilots who are looking for their first 50km or 300km flights and just down the grid, find others who are attempting 1000km. It is just that diversity that makes the Cup one of the more interesting for all the pilots involved, the newcomers can fly with coaches and mentors and pair up with others who can assist them around a task. That encouragement & assistance has always resulted, year after year, in many pilots going home with substantial developments in their flying.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Cup for that reason, and in previous years have been involved in a coaching role there at an introductory XC level. This year Paul Mander ran the morning lecture series and, as always, gave great insight into the art of soaring. We were blessed with six challenging days flying and a lot of kilometres covered.

If you are looking to extend your flying, or just want an atmosphere of mutual encouragement, consider adding the Narromine Cup to your schedule. I know that having flown five of the last six Cups has been of tremendous value to me and I look forward to seeing you there at the next one.

Alphen aan den Rijn     Wednesday December 8 2010    ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

Back home from Munich again! Stupid me! I kindly invite you all to virtual come with me and…then I forget how to get in the website where I write my blog . SO sorry to let you down!! I normally start from my favourites and do not use the name .
But I did write down a few things in Munich, so here we go:

As last year Germany and Austria were special and great.   I am blessed I can do all those nice things due to the soaring world I got , in ,in 1967.
My flight to Munich was easy going and though there was snow everywhere, the flight was not delayed by it.
Maria and Dieter welcomed me at the airport and on the way home, I enjoyed  many things they showed me, as the Olympic Park where in 1972 the Olympics were held and the buildings still look fantastic and different , real spectacular architecture. 
Also the soccer dome from Bayern Munich looks good , as well as the head-office from BMW built as a round building ,with a lot of characteristics as used for the Olympic village. 
 
Next day we were up very early  as we travelled by train through the snow landscape of Bayer to Austria. Quite an exciting trip, with more people in the train then fitted, so lot’ s were standing in the aisle and the train was so heavy that after climbing the locomotive gave up aboiut 30 km. before Salzburg, as the push-belt was broken. All those hundred’s of people had to go out and within 5 minutes we had to be in another train, going via stairs , then under the ground to the next railway. It all went well.
Already a year ago Maria ordered a real Wiener– Schnitzel -dinner in a fancy restaurant and every-time when guests left,  the sign “reserved ” was placed. It was booked out all day.
The Advent play/singing was even more impressive as last year. It seemed to me that Josef and Maria who both are students at the opera school , felt better in their role. I had goose bumps several times.
We went back in the fast …..but wrong train from Budapest to Munich, which only stopped in Salzburg and straight brought us to Munich. We had tickets for the stop- train, but the people were very kind and after paying an extra amount, [not too bad,]  we were home quicker and could go out, inside the big hall instead of outside, where it was pretty cold and the walk was less, which was good for Maria who broke her leg badly last year with Christmas and still needs a walking stick.
At 10 pm we had a drink and a bite to eat and we all went to bed with a very satisfied feeling. Salburg is just such a wonderful town!!!! Specially in Christmas time with the special market and special light decorations.

Sunday was a more easy going day with a visit  to a Weihnachts/ Christmas _market in the neighbourhood. Still a more then an hour drive trough  again  a great landscape full of snow. Bad Tölz is a great and very sophisticated little town and the market went up to the top of the town. The other market was around the Benedict convent, where the stable was turned into a real authentic Christmas-  market. Lot’s of things made by the monks as well. Had a real nice hot stuffed apple!!!

Monday was a rest day as the föhn hit  and temperatures went up from minus 6 to plus 9 during the day. Lots of watery, slippery snow, due to heavy rain, so the rest-day was welcome. Yesterday we drove around the Starnberger lake. The lake is about 30 km long and 3 km wide. Sisi ,the empress Elisabeth from Austria, has lived there with her family before she met the emperor Frans. We had a nice coffee and cake looking out over the lake and to the Sisi-house.
Another interesting story around this lake is the maybe suicide of the King from Bayern Ludwig 1.Or maybe ..the mord on him , this will be ALWAYS a secret , which he took with him into the water and still keeps people busy. Me as well!!

On Wednesday I was back home again  after a very quick flight with KLM; 20 minutes ahead on schedule. 10 out of 10 for KLM. It was colder here with -2 while Munich was still over 0. A great time with my nice and warm friends! THANKS!!!!
Found out that the top of a flat building in my town has been blown of by an explosion, killing one , the owner of the flat and injuring 4 more.
Preparing now for Tocumwal, Springhill and Tauranga, so Australia and New Zealand here I come, departing in 2 days on Saturday AND…the site- info is in my wallet now , so I will try to keep you updated.

In between life continued  with some great flights in Namibia , 28 x 1000 km flights  yesterday this time also with 18 m gliders!!! My friend Daan arrived in Pokweni and flew straight away on day 1 a 1000 km flight. Alexander Müller is back on track after a quick reparation of his ASW 22 and added 1.221 km to his already impressive list of 8 till now. Was it 15 last year???
Also Gariep Dam had a 1000 km flight. As I always say, when the weather is there it is so much easier….but….you still have to do it!

As I mentioned in an earlier mail, I got in touch via Facebook with the Perlan Project.  They read that I wrote about them and the project manager Morgan Sandercock, gave me some more info, and do you know what is very interesting? He bought our duo discus with the demise of Sportavia, has refinished it , built in instruments which are going to be used as well in the Perlan glider and he flies it in the Hunter Valley. How small is this soaring world of ours;

Did you know we have a web site? www.perlanproject.com

 The project has been underway for more than 10 years.  Phase 1 of the project set the current glider altitude record at 50,000ft and that is only half of our final goal altitude.  Phase 2 is building a new glider that is optimised for efficient flight at these extreme altitudes.  This year we have had a lot of progress with new funding from Dennis Tito, the world’s first privately-funded astronaut, and we are well on the way to building the actual fuselage of the glider.

More news when I receive it. Just a quick blog cause I let you down, will do some more research tomorrow.

Will be back before I leave, cheers Ritz

Alphen aan den Rijn      Thursday December 2 2010     ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

YES, on Monday at around 5,  we got our first snow here in town. Not only in town but most of Holland was happy, or ….maybe NOT SO MUCH , as the travellers by car got into the worst-ever-in-history-traffic-jam in the evening. Just over 900 km! The worst ever was in the morning on February  8 in 1999 with 975 km. Anyway it looks great outside with the sun shining on the white world. Maria thinks I can make it into Munich, so I will let you know.
It is so cold with minus 7 but with the NE wind , straight from Russia, the wind chill factor is around -20.  Amsterdam has ordered that all people without a home, should be inside! Even if they do not want to be inside they have too. Other towns leave it up to the homeless their-selves. 
The animals in the ZOO go inside as well when necessary and some even get heaters. In Belgium they distribute warm clothes to those who need it. Yes it is really cold , yesterday-morning was one of the coldest moments I ever felt, but after this week it should go back to more  normal.
The UK , Germany and Poland suffer as well and even more.

KLM cabin personnel will work in the future on 3 different types  instead of 4  [ Boeing 737, Boeing 777, Airbus and MD-11]. It is better to avoid mistakes to know the security procedures for 3 types , is what they found out after risk-analyses. And…as the first priority of KLM is safety, they will change that. From April 2011 it should all be in place and all stewards and stewardesses “only ” have know the flight safety rules for 3 types.

Only ONE soaring-day till now at Lake Keepit  ! My Aussie friends suffer a bit from the rain and on channel 9 I noticed that this rain might well go into the Christmas period. HOPE NOT!!! Due to the poor weather this competition has been cancelled and is re-scheduled for March 2011.

And then the ridge soaring in Argentina is “hot”.   Klaus flew 1.572 km with the comment ; “unfortunately not the most ideal day”!!!! He started at Chapelco in a Nimbus 4D, while Sebastian Kawa started a bit more south from Lago Nahuel and he flew in a Nimbus 4, a great 1. 623 km task up and down over the ridges. Speed ; 138 km./h not bad!!!
Dirk , one of our guests in Tocumwal in the past and if I remember well he learned how to fly gliders with us, must be over the moon with his great flights in Kiripotib.Till now 5 out of 9 flights over 700 km.  in the ASH 26E. Great job Dirk!
Alexander flew from Kiripotib another 1.224 km flight with a speed of 141 km/h. on the last day of November. Sadly he has a problem with his ASW 22, so as he mentions , he has to stay a few days on the ground. Won’t be easy for him I guess. From 7 flights till now he had 5 1000 km flights, and what flights!!!!

Did you hear from the co -pilot who “dived ”  his plane 2000 m lower,  to the huge scare of the passengers. I guess we would have never found out, what had happened ,would it have crashed.
The captain went to the toilet. The co moved his chair a bit forward to reach better. While doing that he hit the stick and put it full down , causing the dive. The captain quickly came back, but as the co panicked and tried to recover the situation,he did not open the door straight away. When the captain sat on his chair again, they had dropped already 600 m. and dived further another 1400 m, till it all was established. In the end the 737-800 from Air India Express got away with it, but not thanks to the co who kept pushing while the captain tried to pull back, to get back to normal.” The poor co had no idea what he was doing”  is the result after the investigation. This all happened on May 26.

December  1 2010; Most of Europe is “cold “,  Australia is pretty wet , but South Africa  ,  Namibia and  also Argentina still have great soaring weather. Klaus [ Ohlman] added a great 1.709 km. ridge flight to his total till now with a nice speed of 130 km/h. A good beginning of December.  Also the speed from UK pilot John makes you smile; 168 km/h over 1.198 km over the ridges starting at  Lago Nahuel in an Antares.
AND ……more ridge flying, also from Lago Nahuel; a SUPER flight by Sebastian Kawa with my friend Bruce Cooper as co pilot. Good to see Bruce is back in Argentina. He really loved it last year!!! They flew 2.125 km with a speed of 160 km/h!!!!!  Straight away the longest flight till now in the 2011 season.
Gariep Dam had a “WOW ” -day with Max who flew a magic declared 1012 km triangle with 117 km/h! Well done Max!!

What a  bet at TWITTER  can do?  Before December 6 there should have been enough pre-subscriptions for a special  extra flight to Miami. Within 5 hours they had enough people to do the flight, so on March 21  2011 , fans from the dance scene will travel to the Ultra Music Festival in Miami. Nice to see that the vice president of E- Commerce at KLM has organised this and…I know him.

Soccer; who gets the world comps in 2018 and 2022??? Today at 4 it will be known to the world. Holland and Belgium still have a chance, though Russia and the UK will be strong competitors, as well as Portugal/Spain.

While my daughter and family travel to Cairns tomorrow, I am off to Munich tomorrow as well and Salzburg on Saturday, CU there, if possible. Clothes for Australia and New Zealand are sorted out , so the only problem might be too much snow to fly back from Munich to get the next plane in time for Melbourne. No worries it will be OK! If not I travel by train.

Cheers Ritz

Alphen aan den Rijn     Monday  November 29 2010    ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

A bit later then you are used too,but as I told you already , times are hectic at the moment. Anyhow the weekend was great and very relaxed. It is however bitter cold here , but the fore-casted snow seems to only arrive today or tomorrow. My poor friends in the UK are suffering from minus -17 dgr and loads of snow. Now my friends in Munich seem to have the same problem, so better see IF I can travel to Munich on Friday. Today they cancelled 125 flights at Munich.
My friends in Scandinavia have cold weather as well, but they are used to it  and will think, “what’s new”?!

With another 9 x1000 km.  and a really impressive one by Alexander Müller from Kiripotib , an FAI triangle, as he calls it himself BIG and FAT, Namibia has presented his business-card as well. The 18 m gliders still struggle , but the big ones just go for it. Lot’s of over 900 km tasks were flown as well. Bitterwasser straight away went up to spot 1 on the OLC list for airfields with Gariep following as well as Corowa. But this will change again.
AND…..then one day earlier Argentina is in the 1000 km-picture as well, as Klaus {Ohlman} was racing the ridges up and down “making” 1543 km.

Now at Monday morning even more 1000 km flights have been flown and I even can’t count them anymore, are there 25 till now!?
Alexander has flown 6 flights since he started in Kiripotib and 2 are 950 km-plus and 4 of them are 1000 plus kilometers and VERY nice great 1000 [1.225 km] FAI triangles. Very impressed again…and the speed was 135 km/h!!!!!! 
Top pilots from all over the world are flying “overseas”now and it is good to see names as Gerard Lherm , who I met most during the 8 jours d’Angers, Walter Binder, Wilfried Grosskinsky and earlier Reinhard Schramme and Tassilo Bode.

Still meeting friends as Facebook  and last I became friends with “The Perlan Project”. I am not their only friend as 1.244 have joined in before me. The Perlan project is and I quote now  a research project to study atmospheric conditions utilizing sailplanes designed to fly at extremely high altitudes. I had never heard of it shame on me , maybe you neither so that’s why I mention it.

In Lake Keepit , Australia, the State comps are on  with 50 pilots flying in 5 classes. They started on the 27th and the 28th was cancelled but the 29th was a flying day. Look for progress and scores from this competition at soaring.spot. The comps will finish on the 4th of December. I like the field of Lake Keepit, close to a beautiful lake and the accommodation over there is very pleasant.

Sad day yesterday for a  very experienced 44 year old Dutch parachutist. His parachute and his emergency- parachute did not open……He died at Teuge Airport.

As you know I travel on December 11 to Melbourne via  Hongkong  and today a plane will fly from Hongkong to Kazachstan ,  to pick up over 300 passengers , [several from Holland,] and 20 crew , after the cabin-pressure dropped yesterday  in the 747 flight CX  270, after 6 hours of flying from Amsterdam . As precaution they landed at the closest airfield. This way the trip is 34 hours…with excuses from Cathay!!!! Hope I will not have to go trough that as I fly Cathay as well. But…at-least everybody is sound and safe.

Tonight the first marathon on speed skates will be skated on natural ice and ….it still is autumn!! A very cold one and very white one. Also Scotland suffers a lot. Greetings from cold and grey , but still not white Alphen. Don’t know what will happen on Friday but I will be back on Thursday,
Cheers Ritz

Alphen aan den Rijn     Wednesday November 24        ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

The great-soaring-flow in NSW in Australia continued  and only happy pilots in the air, with distances up to over 700 km in both Corowa and Tocumwal.Later then normal, but it is still there that great spring -November-weather in NSW. Love it!!!
And what’s even better , more and more pilots fly real tasks , I mean set triangles, not “just going with the weather”!  Corowa stimulates that in setting tasks,  for whoever wants to fly them and last Sunday this was a Hay -Pyramid Hill ….a 600 km.   FAI  triangle . That area is pretty remote, certainly the way to Hay, a sort of desert with in 300 km. only ONE pub and of course I visited that one in the past for a cool beer. We travelled by car from Mildura via Hay to Tocumwal with 2 cars WITH radio , on my very first visit to Australia. I felt from one astonishment in the other, first fighting and swallowing grasshoppers and later this trip through the desert!!! But our friend Bruce Brockhoff was a great host and coach in this for Dutch people difficult area.
In the middle of November we usually had the Shoot- out in Tocumwal with free distance flying and pilots really flew long distances with the best weather. So very happy it is still there.

A bizar incident in Birmingham, in the UK , where a small plane crashed in heavy fog with aboard a donor liver. Luckily a police found the liver , brought it straight to hospital and the person waiting  for the liver had his operation and is doing well. The pilot and another person were badly injured.

The statistics of best airfield on the OLC  in 2011 are , as I announced already , changing quickly. Gariep Dam jumped to first place with 21 pilots flying 47.894 km in 84 flights while , now it gets busier in Corowa , this field jumped to place 4 with 22 pilots flying 31.000 km. over 74 flights. It will change more in the future! Till now 2011 showed us 11 x 1000 km. flights. [26th of November!]
1 in Austria and 1 in Switzerland, 5 in the USA and 3 in South Africa an 1 in Namibia.
Yesterday it was all Namibia in the top of the list. And….about time as he says himself, another 1000 km.  for Alexander Müller, flown  from Kiripotib, first for him from …how many?? We will find out in the end of the season.

This time the USA had a lucky escape with an airliner as Delta flight 30 [ Boeing 767] on its way from New York to Moscow had to return just after the start, after one of the 2 engines failed. Safe landing ,after flying around for an hour to first get rid of the kerosine .One of the passengers was movie star Leonardo DiCaprio, who mentioned that he he wanted to thank the pilots and cabin staff for the safe landing. It must have looked a bit scary on the ground , as 160 people from the fire brigade with their trucks were waiting . First reactions are that it might be a bird strike, but let’s wait and see/hear!

In between guests and writing and visiting and shopping and more, I prepare for Munich with a suitcase of warm clothes and on the spare guest bed, all the stuff for warm Australia and New Zealand are waiting to go. I heard Australia has in the low thirthies high twenthies, so that is good! Have no clue what NZ would be, but know that,  if we are getting snow , maybe already this weekend  here in Holland, I might have that too in Munich and or Salzburg. I am a bit worried about all the treaths Germany has received and hope it is all safe for everybody over there. Atleast there is a lot of green in every corner, meaning policemen everywhere!

I love flying with Cathay, but this morning I saw in the paper that one of the two Dutch  3-star -Michelin restaurants [so one of the 50 best WORLD WIDE, ]  is going to prepare the food on Intercontinental flights by KLM, between December now and Sptember 2011. But…only in the World Business Class…a pity! Would have been good!

When you are a fan of  speed skating you are going to miss this season, like I do , our hero Sven Kramer. First he was overtrained and now he has a muscle in his leg, not doing what he wants it to do. A pity!!

Well a busy weekend ahead for me , travelling to the East, so NO news on Sunday or maybe later in the day!
Cheers Ritz

Alphen aan den Rijn         Sunday December 21 2010                  ritzdeluy@hotmail.com

In Waikerie , the WGC host in 1974, pilots are flying the South Australian State Comps from last Wednesday till the 21st. There are 7 competitors in one class and the most well-known are Terry Cubley and Peter Temple! First day was an AAT in 3 hours, won by Peter in 3 hours and 6 minutes over 302 km. After 3 days Terry was leading Peter with 40 points. Today after 5 days of flying
 it is over and the winner is; my good friend Terry, who flew the WGC already in 1984 in Rieti , where I met him and his wife Vicky. She and I  just got friends again on Facebook.
Terry flew the 5th and last day with a speed of 131 km /ph in his “old “LS 3 over 415 km during an 3 hour AAT. Day 4 he received also 1000 points, some called that day a “cracker”!!! Good on you Terry!!!!
Peter was a good runner up.

Slowly the weather improves as well   in the south of Australia were both Corowa and Tocumwal were active. The 2d ASH 31 Mi flies now in Corowa as well , owned by Dutch pilot Jos who shipped his new toy to Australia, another maiden flight ….super and 684 km! Spiffy gliders!
Corowa had flights up to 753 km.[Ventus 2 CM] , Tocumwal up to 573 km.[ASH 26e] and Benalla 527 km in an LS 4. The WEST , down under , Gawler still has super weather ,  with a 600 km flight in a Standard Libelle, and a nice triangle!!! Graham, yes the one who left the WGC in Szeged, flew a nice 766 km flight [ 750 FAI triangle!!] from Gawler airfield, in his ASG 29, he is and remains a TOP PILOT. Speed ;130 km/h.
In Narromine Shinzo flew 759 km in the Nimbus 3. Good practise as the Narromine Cup starts TODAYtill the 27th.

Gariep Dam pilots were having great fun with several over 700 km- FAI -triangle- flights last Wednesday.
In this short time 14 pilots made 54 flights together good for 27.117.51 km. at Gariep. It is only a question of time and the first 1000 km will be flown at the popular overseas destinations. Bitterwasser was close with a 923 km flight on Thursday, in an ASH 25 EB 28.
BUT ….indeed a question of ONE day,  as 2 pilots,  one our Dutch Max flew their 1000 km in Gariep and nice 1000 km. triangles on Friday.
Over the weekend the pilots just were happy, as the only more or less minus point was that it is still a bit too cold in Namibia, but for sure that will change!
Nice to see Dirk in Kiripotib [770 km yesterday in ASH 26 e] and Karin in Gariep [775 in the duo discus]. Have fun!

More and more it is clear that without the very experienced pilots aboard the A380 from Quantas , a disaster  could have happened. Not only the engine exploded but parts of the engine have damaged vital parts of the plane as well , due to a hole in the fuselage and the plane was full of fuel after the start . A VERY lucky escape for the 440 passengers. Those pilots are heroes, but they will say “it is our job , we are trained to do so!!! Chapeau!
It seems Airbus is going to change 40 Rolls Royce engines not only in Australia, but also for Singapore airlines  and maybe in Germany. A construction fault in the engine is the reason. Air France and Emirates have no problems.

“No worries “, the CEO of  TransAsia Airways from Taiwan  must have thought , as they ordered 8 new planes with Airbus for an amount of 1 milliard euro. They will fly in the future with 2 wide body’s the A330-300 and 6 of  the type A 321. Since 1996 they fly Airbuses from the type A321 [x5] and A320[x2] for their domestic and regional network.

KLM-Air France had a great second financial part of the year. They turned a 147 million loss in the same period last year into a 290 million profit on a turnaround of 6.65 milliard Euro.
New is that KLM is going to give you a ” 45 minute-life- changing -experience “, as from 2014 onwards you can go in the Lynx into space for a commercial flight up to 100 km.. Price will be 70.000 E pp. The Lynx will be flown by ONE pilot and one passenger will be sitting with him/her. Next year will be the first test flight. KLM really believes in this project , which will start close to HATO airport at the Island of Curacao,…yes where I lived in the past.
They even want to build a space- park on the island for research and where you p.e can experience weightless situations.
KLM is not the only one who wants to go in space flights and the future looks like a space future. Virgin has done already some test flights and NASA supports Armadillo , who are doing 3 test- flights this year  from the rocket base in New Mexico not too far from the former WGC field at Hobbs and Blue Origin, do not know much about them.
Virgins Spaceship 2  can handle 2 pilots and 6 passengers. One ticket will be Euro 148.000 and it seems that already 380 people paid a deposit on it.
The CEO of KLM predicted this week that in about 15/20 years , my flight to Australia next month from about 24 hours , will ONLY take 2 or 3 hours!!!!!! WOW!!! Hope my grand children enjoy those facilities.

See you next Wednesday, Cheers Ritz