Post 1.411 on Wednesday March 29 2023.

——The Dutch squad settled in St. Auban for some serious mountain soaring.
Peter Millenaar was one of the pilots. Peter was JWGC Champion in Standard class in 2013 in Leszno [Poland]
Jonker Sailplanes shared this news on him
“ Peter Millenaar shares some epic pictures flying his JS3 RES in the southern French Alps from Saint Auban. Have a look and enjoy.” https://www.weglide.org/embedded/flight/238252?baro=true
Peter; “Once again an awesome day in paradise… Can’t get enough of these views.” Indeed a spectacular photo story over the mountains there. Have a look.
They flew with mentors as Bas Seijffert , Hermann Moeller and Erik Borgmann in an Arcus T and in an ARCUS M , and in 18m ASG 29 E, JS 1CTJ /21 m and an 18 m JS 3 RES.
Quite a few are members of the Gelderse. Some still junior as Lars Groot or former junior Nick Hanenburg , who was already 13.5 m WORLD Champion .[2022 in Pocuinai]
Lars gained his 5000 m height and has gold now with 3 diamonds. Good job! Hermann was one of the mentors who taught him how to fly best in wave.
Lars praised SkySight for their brilliant accurate overlays on the LX 9000.

On March 23 Peter flew into the Barcelonnette Valley. His comment; “Nice challenging flight . Not so easy to get out from low…. Got rewarded with some nice wave in the end.“
Powered by MillenAir Glider Supplies; http://www.millenair.eu
AND,…on the other side of the world on a trailer along the side of the road, on the way back from Narromine also MillenAir on Adams trailer.

Also in St. Auban, but between March 12 and 18 was the Fly Pink squad from Italy. Though the weather was not on it’s very best, lots of wind, the ladies had an interesting ,good time in which they learned a lot. A fabulous team-spirit helps of course too.

Talking PINK in Australian gliding;
“Female aviators from across the country and New Zealand are in Mount Gambier for the Australian Women Pilots’ Association annual conference. ‍
The not-for-profit first met in 1950 with 49 members to develop and assist women with a passion for aviation.
About 130 members are in attendance this year.”Yesgirlsglide
Happening this weekend.

Talking -more- on Women in Gliding.…there is an action to collect money for Ukraine pilot Olena to participate in the Spain WWGC at Soria between July 1 and 14 2023. The action has as goal Euro 3.700. At this time they have received already 2.320 E.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ukrainian-woman-pilot-to-attend-wwgc2023

Strong women in Gliding as shared by Cosmosphere ,a Smithsonian affiliate located in Hutchinson, KS. USA
“Marta Bohn-Meyer (1957-2005)
In 1991, Marta Bohn-Meyer became the first woman to crew the triple-sonic SR-71 Blackbird. She was assigned as a NASA flight engineer and, after 22 years, was named chief engineer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. Widely known as a precision aerobatic pilot, Bohn-Meyer died Sept. 18, 2005, when the Giles G-300 she flew in an aerobatic practice routine crashed near Oklahoma City.
Today we celebrate Bohn-Meyer’s remarkable career. Learn more in our blog
https://bit.ly/3ug2aQl.

We talk PINK in the Netherlands as well. Enthusiastic young glider pilot Lizzy, who represents “us” in Spain at the WWGC in Soria, has set up “Dutch Soaring Sisters.” To make women stronger in the soaring community, she started 5 years ago a FB site with Sanne.
This week they restart their project and Lizzy wants us to share , the next words;
” This is a group to feel safe and comfortable in your own environment, where you can ask questions you might not be able to ask in your own club , certainly in a club where nearly no women fly“

Last but not least another top-soaring-lady in gliding Frauke Elber. She is important in the USA with her Women Soaring Pilots Association …..WSPA. Founded in Tucson [Arizona] on June 11 1986.
 “WSPA is a place where women gain new skills, build their piloting dreams, and motivate each other. Women exchange ideas and knowledge, meet new friends, and find mentors. WSPA provides scholarships to support women to fly gliders and offers a yearly flying seminar. WSPA inspires us to confidence in our abilities and to gain new heights!“
https://womensoaring.org/membership/
After a year delay due to Corona she finally got her very deserved award at the convention in Reno;
Schweizer Nomination – Frauke Elber.pdf (ssa.org).
CONGRATULATIONS Frauke.

————————————————————————-

The MSC GRAND PRIX in Matamata in New Zealand was flown between March 17 and 25. Form 7 ,they had 5 soarable days, in a Class A open as well as in class B with racing class gliders .
Day 1 was cancelled, day 2 was difficult with in A only 3 from 10 finishing.
Task 3 …NO TASK,. due to rain but then 4 days in a row with small tasks , but they could fly.
The last day showed the best weather with in A, 284 km. with 126 km./h. for Brett Hunter in his 18m. JS 3. And in B 237 km with 97 km./h in a DG 300/15m. by Anton Lawrence.
“It’s all over! The Great MSC Grand Prix has finished, congratulations to Brett Hunter, Open Class/A, and Anton Lawrence, Racing Class/B. Some very exciting racing, with 3 seconds down to the wire between first and second on the last day.”
Brett had 38 points which was 10 more than both Tony van Dyk and Jason Shields as runners up.
The margin in the racing class B was small….36 for Anton and 35 for Steve!!! Only ONE point. AND,….that happened all on the last day, when Anton clearly won being 7 km./h faster than Steve in the ASW 20; 10 points and 8.
Anton moved up from 3 overall to 1 and Philip Rees in the St Libelle moved from 1 to 3. He had only 5 points on this last day.

————————————————————

Another “soaring-master-piece” by Baptiste Innocent and Gil Souviron. My goodness me, soaring so long over the sea is pretty scary and epic, but of course they know what they are doing.
In the Stemme S12 they started at Ajaccio Campo in France for a flight with a scoring distance of 1.158,86 km.!!!!! It took them 10 hours and 27 minutes.
The best height was just over 6000 m MSL. the lowest 117 AGL not over water/1627 MSL. [OLC]
We Glide wrote;”
Baptiste Innocent and Gil Souviron continue to be unstoppable. Today, [March 25 2023] they accomplished another spectacular flight towards Corsica, and for the first time, they dared to make the jump to the southern neighboring island of Sardinia – with great success!
The thermal connection in Italy initially worked well, but unfortunately, it came to an end in the Po Valley. However, it’s still early in the year, so there’s plenty of opportunities ahead Congratulations to both, we’re truly impressed What’s next for them?“

————————————————————

Next Sunday the Aussie F 1 Grand Prix will be as usual in St Albert Park. I was there MANY years ago looking at the event from a flat looking over the circuit with a glass of champagne in my hand. I then was mostly struck by the noise.
Since “we” have Max Verstappen I am a real fan from F1.
More next week.

You are up to date,…….. we are waiting for the REAL spring!!!! Everything out side was WHITE from frost last Monday.

Cheers Ritz
P.S. Last week I wrote about the trailer from Tony Condon with the glider in it. The fuselage fell through the ply floor…Tony made it to Forbes, where he stopped at Bunnings, not intentionally but forced, so did 2 of his team mates, Jack and Steve, who HELPED him.
I found these pictures and want to share them as well.
In between Tony is safely home in the USA.