The main street starting with the post office….The Palms hotel-motel…The antique shop.

The big fish…The glider at the tourist information center…the new boat ramp.

The Mighty Murray River.

The river….the fish in it….the mighty trees.

Practice at the river with lot’s of fun, different than normal when the fire brigade has mostly a tough job.

And last but not least great colorful trees.

And of course good food and yummie drinks.

This upcoming Wednesday the regular blog again.
CU then
cheers Ritz

December 4;

This morning the family left. Diana brought them to Shep ,where they had the 12.49 train to Melbourne, the one I hope to catch in a week as well.It was a fabulous family week and we got all out of it we hoped for, though Inge would have liked to even catch up with more people;e than she did already and playing golf was on the wish-list as well but did not happen due to lack of time.

Yesterday was just a real good day though of course still sad.

We caught up with several friends in town as Glenda and Ross, Deslee and the coffee ladies at Lynne’s.

Lynne from the Antique Shop with Deslee and Glenda

Due to Dennis our relation with the Riley family is very close.
David arrived at noon and Chrissie and Stuart later in the day.

We had real Russian bubbles brought by Diana from her Novosibirsk trip and Aussie bubbles.

All in all a day full of memories and very healing.

Grietje arrived this afternoon and took the Scout SFO to Corowa and she arrived in style with Rudy Herzog , former long time guest here, in a Cessna.She was wearing a Sportavia Cap from 1999 in which, I had written a small message for her.

By the way on the last day of the year Dundee donated his glider ,the ASW 15 ES, to the Southern Riverina Gliding Club. They had it on line already now they own it under the supervision of Ingo.
Great gesture from Dundee to the club he supports already for many years.

This is the last blog. I move my laptop now and can’t see news or mails for a week  neither write . No worries there was enough to read.

Hope you enjoyed the more private diary.

Cu from Holland on Wednesday the 17th of January.

Cheers Ritz

January 3;

MEMORY-tree for Dennis and Kees.

R.I.P 

DENNIS
never forgotten…always in our heart and not only ours.

03-01-1988

Ritz

January 1 2018 !!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!

Life continues,…. also in 2018, I have to get used by the 18 though.
Tried to stay up till 12, but as we had only one designated driver and she had to go at 11 my family spend the time around 12 together ,but I was there till 11 and this morning they visited me at my “house”.
It still felt like being all together.

Looking back at yesterday.

Dexie went for a flight in the DOT. Indya and Rodger go today.

At 5 I had drinks with Ingo and Dundee at his balcony. We found a little present for Dundee showing some similarity with him.

“Dundee” in his holiday out fit.

At 6 we visited Eddie and Cheryl and some other friends as those from Horsham , Laurel and Tim, Glenda and Graham, Wayne, Peter and Ginny and more. Though Cheryl is sick, she was there ,as the as always very strong wife of/behind Eddie . She loved to see Inge and her kid’s.

Dinner was at the golf club and for sure we were not the only ones liking the carvery.
After a short visit again to Eddie, we went for another short visit to Sportavia were Lumpy had ,with us arriving as well, 10 different nationalities at the tables in “our” former sun room.
Catching up with Pam and Butch and Andrew [Georgeson] and many more friends.

A big bunch of people you know for sure a few of them. You can see us in the left corner with Judy.
as shared by Sportavia Tocumwal.

This morning Kait left again and with her, the by now at the beach famous ,red-haired dog.
We went into town and caught up with Mary Anne and good old Mary and her granddaughter Emily. Know Emily is a little baby now she is a gorgeous young lady.
Val Riley was out with her grandson[ son from Denise] and his girl friend.
Both elderly ladies will be visited this upcoming week.

–—-FORMULA 0.1 day 4;

winner in the LS 1f , starting at 13.45, was Scott Lennon;10 points for him.
In the 14.20 start-group best pilot was Nathan in the Hornet.
All pilot’s finished!!!
Today they fly 305 km.

—–OLC news; Last day of 2017 was topped by Gariep Dam with a Duo Discus flying over 1000 km. [FAI triangle] and Douglas with a few very good flights also a 1000- FAI -triangle.My friends mentioned a high base and cu’s and 5m. thermals.
Lot’s of happy pilots on this last day of 2017!!!

THOUGH,….a sea plane crashed North of Sydney after it nose-dived in the Hawkesbury- river. All 5 passengers from the UK, on holiday in Australia, and the very experienced [10 000 hours of flying, 9000 in seaplanes ] 44 year old pilot from Australia died .
One of the passengers  was the chief executive of one of the world’s largest catering companies, the Compass Group.

—–The beautiful table and chairs are now rigged, mostly by Rodger and we can eat in style out side now!!
The first-of-January- 2018-bbq is on tonight!!!!

By the way, I should have cleaned it before making pictures!!!

December 2; SHEPPARTON-day;
All ladies who stayed with us in the past remember the day’s we visited Shep. Shopping, coffee and lunch with bubbles at the Australian Hotel.
I told my granddaughter all about it, but in a way it was a bit disappointing. The shops we visited were not there anymore, lot’s of shops were empty and it all looked a bit poor, whilst the restaurant was fancy but lacked the atmosphere from years ago.

No worries we had fun , left Toc at 9.45 and were back at 4.30 after a quick visit to the Big Strawberry for some fresh red summer fruit!!!

After we caught up with Peter and Mary Anne Menhennit and their family. Most we saw in the past in Amsterdam as Libby, Mary Anne’s sister and her daughter.Also Mary Anne visited last year.

Lovely family.

Part of my family, ……Libby and her mum Mary 90 years old and wife of Dessie Russell the CFI from Sportavia in the past. I call her the “MADRE FAMILIAS”……Children and grand children.

After Inge and Diana hang around the Scout, before putting it to sleep.

Yesterday we had a great BBQ and had the food in the hangar under the wing of the SCOUT.Very special.

Another great family night.
Picture from shopping.

Cheers Ritz

December 31;

Last day of the year 2017, no clue where it went!!!!
We have great quality-time here in Tocumwal with our family and some good friends.
It’s busy at the moment at the field.
4 Tugs and lot’s of gliders …..the FOX from Eddie, the Cessna from the SRGC, the Pawnee from the Geelong mates and the Scout from George who will launch Diana with Dexie.
It’s all happening now at 2 PM. Some early birds started already around 12.
Tug after tug brings gliders up…..the airfield is “buzzing” ,…not as in the past,…. but nearly.
For sure the busiest day of the year, since I am here.
At 3 it got quiet again. The ARCUS M flies over just to the NW. It’s still blue

So today, part of the family is flying, part at the beach where it is still peak hour.

This morning it was power-flying-time and Dexie had an hour flight already in the DOT, Bruce’s Cessna 150. When it was  Indya’s turn little DOT refused and needed a break, so later she will fly as well.

Looking back at yesterday we  had another good time in the air and at the beach and a nice meal at Kelley’s……another hour waiting but with some drinks and a good “talk” time flew.
Great to see Kait who all the way traveled up from Yacandanda, with doggy “Cricket”.
Diana spend her afternoon in the air, flying her set task about 220 km. as practice for the nationals.

A photo-impression from the later part of yesterday.

  At the airfield.

Dexie helps Diana at the launch,” opa” operates  the tug.

At the beach.

At the PUB.

The girls had enough of the paparazzi “oma”.I am having FUN!!!

——FORMULA 0.1 GRAND PRIX 2017;
Day 1 was a prey for Todd Sandercock in the Hornet starting at 14.50. He got the 6 points.
The other 6 points, for the group starting at 14.00 were for Andrew Horton in the St. Jantar 3.

Today they fly 258,82 km.

——The first 24 flights on the OLC, on December 30 were 1000 km plus flights from Namibia and South Africa. Keith Essex topped the list flying the Antares 23 E, over 1.358,45 km with a speed of 158 km./h. He gave up on his task but still flew a 1000 km FAI triangle.
Also 3 over 1.200 flights one from Anja Kohlrausch in the Antares 20 m.;1.217,56 with a speed of 137 km./h. Good on her!!!

To finish this year , THANK YOU for your interest and support.

HAPPY NEW YEAR DEAR READERS ,
wishing you a year in good health and with many safe flights.

Cheers Ritz

December 28.

Inge and Rodger left early for Shepparton [about an hour driving] to pick up Diana who arrived this morning at 6 in Melbourne and travels by train to Seymour and bus to Shepparton. After arrival she was straight ready for a check flight in the Blanik as Simon left again . The weather was poor with wind and lot’s of rain, so he traveled home.
GREAT THANK YOU to Simon as my grand kid’s loved his lessons!!!!
Each had 10 lessons and they know now what gliding is. They also already know now,….they want to visit next year again!!!

Thank you Simon and Thank you opa George, who organized this all.

In the storm and rain you can still do shopping, so that’s what we did bringing a visit to Cobram.

At 10 George and Simon, as well as Raf, brought glider and tug to 09 for the last day of training.
Dexie already was excited about doing everything by himself during the last flight to show what he had learned. OF COURSE with the instructor in the back to see his progress.

We had quite some rain yesterday evening as well, but the BBQ could continue outside ,though dinner was inside.

Even with the rain and some cool air, we had a lovely time with Margie and Bracey, Raf and his lady friend  and Simon, the instructor both children like a lot..

——The opening in Leeton from the FORMULA 1.0 2017,  was done by Ingo. I was invited to come as well, but with the family here that was not a real option.

“The great Ingo Renner. An incredible pilot and a gentleman.”
shared by the Leeton friends.

If they have the same weather as we have here, they won’t fly. Just noticed day 2 is cancelled. A pity!!!!

December 29;
Today the Tocumwal Market was on and you “could walk over the heads of the many people”. Unbelievable, never saw it SOOOO busy here.

With 200 stands this is the biggest market in the area. With all the Melbourne guests at the river it is crowdy as hell.
Indya and Dex wonder all the time, where all these people come from.

Busy market and town, busy river and busy ice cream shop with my favorite ice cream which they had to fill up as it seems I am not the only one loving it.

Yesterday evening we went to several pub’s, but NO place available….. ALL tables booked. We started at Kelley’s where we caught up with some Toc. friends and via the Palms we ended up in the Terminus , close to the railway station. We found a table but had to wait, as they announced at ordering, for over an hour.
We did.
For tonight and tomorrow , we learnt,…we made reservations for Kelley’s and for the Golf Club.

In the afternoon Diana went for the first time in her Discus 2 cT, up in the Toc skies. Dexie wanted to be there!!!
pictures tomorrow.

In the afternoon Kait arrived for a couple of day’s to see Inge.Her doggy ,…dog, Cricket…arrived with her.

—–203.69 km. is on the menue for the 27 Leeton Pilots,  their first flying day!

Enjoy the last day’s of December/2017.

Cheers Ritz

December 28;

Overcast so great weather for practice!!!! 28 dgr.C at 10 and it feels as 26!!Humidity is 42 %. Visibility 16 km. No rain expected. Tomorrow thunderstorms. Reason for some Narromine friends to NOT fly here, but come by car.
By the way at 4 it was 36 dgr. C and it felt so,  luckily the humidity dropped to 23 !!!

As you can see Dexter our grandson has downloaded some video’s from their landing [ I did n’t even know this was possible in my blog.] Long live the young ones!!!AND….Landing,….all by their selves!!!!!

After 4 lessons, not bad it seems they both have the  Schuit-flying-hand.

It’s lovely to see their enthusiasm and their discipline at this young age!! Not something to take for granted at this adolocent age. At 10 AM the whole family left again to 27 ,for a new load of fun.Inge and Rodger as enthusiastic and George doing the tows today,..yes a family affair!! And,…yes we know  many gliding families!!!!

ready to go.

——Looking at yesterday’ s weather for soaring the OLC showed for Australia the best flight from Benalla by Tobias in the LS 4; 755 k. and Jenny , yes the 1000 km. lady, flew from Narromine a 750 triangle extended to 850 km in total in the ASH 26E.
Good, better ,best by 2 TOP-Kiwi’s , young Dane [Dickinson]  and a tad older John [Coutts] , flying from Bitterwasser and the combined power of the 2 resulted in a 1.326,48 km. flight, a declared 1.250 in it as FAI triangle in the ARCUS M.[148 km./h.]
Their OLC comment;” 1250 FAI declared. The big mac with extra cheese.”
Keith [Essex] , still there [ but in Kiripotib] flew the Antares 23 , over 1.262 km.with a speed of 142 km./h.
3 More flights from Bitterwasser over 1.200 km. One of them by German female top pilot ,Susanne [Schoedel] 1.235 km. with a speed of 143 km.h.in the Nimbus 4M. She is now more or less involved in paperwork, as since March 2014 she is the  Secretary General of the GFA , but she shows she still belongs to the German TOP as a pilot as well.

Interesting to see ….. most flights from Namibia nowadays are flown in 2-seaters and the ARCUS M is a real “gem” to fly in, also for records and very long distances as it shows!!!

—–Leeton is the host of the very first FORMULA 1 here in Australia. Leeton is also the place where George became Australian Champion years ago. Of course he was called WINNER, as he was not an Aussie citizen. Weird weather that year with rain, hail and at height even snow.
They start TODAY with 27 pilots in club class and a 160 km. task.
In the end the day was scrubbed.

F1GP Scoring Explained

Grand Prixs are fun right? Yeah! Everyone starts together, the first pilot over the line wins. But, when you have a large number of gliders in a small amount of airspace, the risk of collision increases. So, the list of F1GP competitors is randomly split into 2 groups (Group A and Group B) on Day 1, and both groups go around the same course, but approximately 30-60 minutes apart. Each group is scored independently (like a normal GP), and then the points of both groups are tallied to form an overall leaderboard

However, the next day (Day 2), the top half of the pilots from Day 1 go into Group A, and the bottom half of the pilots go into Group B. Both groups are scored independently again, but the winner of Group A scores 10 points, and the winner of Group B scores 7 points.

On Day 3, the cumulative scores (from Day 1 & 2) are added up, and the top half goes into Group A again, and the bottom half goes into Group B. Winner of Group A earns 10 points, winner of Group B earns 7 points.

Second, third, fourth, etc place getters earn progressively less points than the winner, down to the 10th place getter (and below) in each group, who will score zero for the day. Outlanders also score zero points.

A good performance in Group B will likely lift you up into Group A for the following day. A poor performance in Group A will likely see you lowered into Group B the following day.

On top of that, the organisers can award bonus point(s) on any day, to a competitor for:

• Being the fastest pilot in their group
• Being the first competitor to a given turnpoint

Due to potential variances in weather, at least one competitor from each group must complete the task (get home) in order for the day to be valid. If no one gets home in one or both groups, the day will be invalid and not scored.

At the top of our score sheets on SoaringSpot, you’ll see information about each group, like the number of finishers, whether the day is valid, the maximum points that can be awarded in the group (10 points in Group A, 7 points in Group B from Day 2 onwards) and bonus points awarded. We also list the competitors in each group. With this type of scoring, there will be many equal scores each day, but over the duration of the competition, the scores will spread out to rank the pilots accurately.

To accommodate for the small differences in glider performance, the lower performance gliders have a larger circle around their turn points – this means they can turn earlier than the higher performance gliders, and effectively their task is shorter.

——-At 5, one could see lightning to the SE. For a short while some more wind as well.No worries  kid’s on the ground, they fly in the early morning and evening when the air is more quiet and only Rodger flew, with an instructor. He had not flown since his last visit here, years ago.
Before we all had lunch in the Big Strawberry with pancakes filled with warm strawberries, cream and strawberry ice cream. MMMmmm….

——-And to finish……Our grand children start at age 12 and 14. You see in Argentina they even start younger.

Great picture!
As shared by Damian [Goldenzweig].

Another day in Tocumwal paradise.
CU tomorrow last flying day of the “kid’s” ,so other exciting things/visits are waiting now.

Cheers Ritz

DECEMBER 27.

R.I.P. 

KEES MUSTERS

27-12-1987

First things first, we should nor forget the world champion of Hobbs in New Mexico and a long time family friend.

—–Yesterday we visited Ulupna Island, after Ingo had made the check flight with the Blanik. So today both “kid’s ” started with Simon Holding, their 10 flights each in this Blanik. Granddad gave them another Christmas gift as well; each a one hour flight in a Cessna 150 with Bruce Wilson.

Picture courtesy Rodger. I never saw so many koala’s over there.

George and Bruce did the towing and all had a great time. Even Inge went up with Simon. Temperature 33 dgr. C…… feel temperature 36 !!!
Great clouds again . Though yesterday the clouds “only”  reached to 7600 ft. as I heard from one of the pilots, the other ones might have been higher.
The B C T triangle looks to have had the best weather yesterday in Australia with flight’s up to 808 [750 triangle] from Corowa [8 flights] in a ASH 31/21 m. 657 in an LS 4 from Benalla [ 13 flights] and 562 in an LS 4 as well from Tocumwal. [7 flights and one check flight from Ingo] No flights anywhere else down under.
Today Swiss Chris flew over 500 k in his ASW 27 and I heard the cloud base was over 8000 ft.
Except for Rodger and me all family members flew today.Pictures tomorrow.
One of our friends flew with Ingo in the Caproni.
The family is at the beach now and the kid’s will do one more flight tonight. Nice long and hot day!!

CFI Simon brought some great Brown Brothers bubbles which we really enjoyed !!

—–the 10th WWGC will be held in Lake Keepit.  The dates have now been changed from November/December 2019, to January 2020 ,to fit in with European holiday time.

Natasa shared this picture in Female Glider Pilots , great PR !

—–www.borderaviation.com.au; Here you can find Jamies business,….. light aircraft maintenance and Restoration. He worked on the from Holland imported Piper Apache and is waiting for the paper work to come, as it is ready to go.

Here in George’s office but his own business is a bit more up road.

Off for dinner now CU tomorrow.

Ritz

December 26 ;BOXING DAY.

It’s noon now and the sky explodes, great clouds EVERYWHERE. Pilots went up early and the Geelong -mates are here for their annual soaring-Christmas- holiday ; arriving with gliders and a tug.On the right time at the right spot.

Looking West, Looking East.

Looking North,looking South.

Yesterday we had a great Christmas day with the family. NO flying at the airport , very different to years ago, so all very quiet; we had pre- drinks and nibbles in front of the hangar.
Dexie helped George with the cleaning of the tarmac in front of the hangar  and Indya got the high pressure system out to clean a lounge chair, all things they never did before.

We had a great swim in the river too, of course I only wet my feet, BUT for the first time in all those years I saw very close by a Murray -cod ,which disappeared leaving a trace of sand when it heard me.

After the Christmas dinner, in summer clothes, with good food and drinks, we all were satisfied with a Christmas day together. Now we wait for Diana who will be here soon too.

This morning Bill [Harvey] and Harry dropped in before flight. Good to see them.

Good old Bill and Harry who flies a lot in the season here. He is an hang glider pilot in China as well. We shared the last pieces of the yummie cake with them.

Ingo will be here for the check of the Blanik and Simon will be here tonight for 3 days of trial-lessons for the kid’s.Off to the koala’s at Ulupna Island , Target and Woolworth and not to forget pancakes at the BIG STRAWBERRY.

Cheers Ritz

CHRISTMAS 2017

December 25

Christmas quilt from oma and native flowers.

——-Sorry about the mistake about the engine from LP. For sure and you knew already not electric but a jet!!!!  Clearly!!