Here I am!! Sitting in “David’s” yellow hangar, where they put solar systems on the roof at the moment, so it is a bit noisy.
Can’t have it better than this; a “fast” line and I can work here every day when necessary.So no waiting for place available at the library ,nothing wrong with that by the way,but this is SO easy.
This hangar is a smaller new one , new like 20 years old and been occupied all those years by Riley Aeronautics .David Riley has retired and George Schuit bought the hangar from him.To the right of me is “our” old WW 2 hangar; NUMBER ONE!!!
It feels like coming “home”again.
Putting solar panels on the roof.
The office and the hangar.
My trip from Holland was easy. Mind you, I had a 2 week flu and felt just right on the day I left.
On the way from Hong Kong to Melbourne we had a female Dutch captain and when I was allowed in the cockpit after the flight she turned out to be a former colleague from my ex George and my daughter Inge.
This world is so small.
The worst part of the trip was the waiting in a LONG queue.We landed at 10.35 and I was through customs at 12.15 midnight.
Kait was so kind to wait for me and at 2 we saw our bed at her house at a great spot in South Yarra behind the botanical gardens, at 2 AM.
Early morning again on December 1, for a train and bus trip to Cobram , very convenient. Dundee was there to welcome me and by car we went straight to TOCUMWAL.
Had a quick look at the airfield, catching up with Bruce , from the SRGC and Sheryll from Sportaviation. Eddie was busy with a few customers. George ,in his hangar ,gave me my Aussie mobile and then off to my second “home” at Margies. That REALLY feels like coming home!!!!
Crashed in the bed and fell a sleep at 5.30 PM.
Yesterday December 2 was my first full day here. In the morning my friend Jill showed up with her dog and invited me straight away for a lunch in Yarrawonga with 2 other friends.Lunch number 1 from many to come!!!
Today it is time to “work” again.
Blue skies here , sunny and temperatures here at the moment about 28 dgr. C., going up to 40 dgr. this upcoming weekend.
Sportaviation and the Southern Riverina Gliding Club have their gliders out to fly. Hannu from Finland is flying JJ, the 17.5 m. LS c.
This glider is here at the field already for many years and the 3 Finnish boys flew already with us in the past.
I caught up with Joergen today and with Eddie , Ingo and tuggie Bill Harvey, 77 now and still going strong!!!!!
He had a nice article in the paper today.
Very anxious to see how the ” young ones” would do in Narromine! THE JWGC has started on December 1 and today they have to go for a long flight;Standard 478.9 km. and Club 347.83 km. on a day the the clouds started later than expected.
Day 1 was cancelled due to “adverse weather ” , they tried hard, started,…. but that was about all for the day and on day 2 they flew ” under challenging circumstances” , a 3 hour AAT in both classes.
In Standard class the Polish and German pilots did well. Already in the practice period the pilots from East Europe showed they were in a “winning mood and going for it.”
For some a difficult day with an out-landing and only under 100 points! One thing was sure in retrospect; early starters had a better day and did not have to cope with the “bloody” wind later in the day.
Though one of the early starters, the very first one in fact in this class was, out after 35 km….. that hurts!!
In club class also 4 out-landings, a winner from Hungary Daniel Arday and a great runner up spot for Italian pilot , Simone Selvini.You surely have read and followed it all on the official site. http://www.jwgc2015.com/ or at the different country sites.
In club class they all started within 15 minutes in standard,starting last within 36 minutes.
The Opening Ceremony for the World Air Games will take place today on 3 December 2015 at the Skydive Marina.
The Gliding Event will begin tomorrow, on 4 December at the Skydive Desert Campus.
That’s it for now!!!
Cheers Ritz