Alphen aan den Rijn Sunday June 1 2008
Yes the metereological summer has started , can’t see it here, which means that on the other site of the world the winter has started.
Downunder!?
Yes it is still a lot of time in my mind.
This week I had some guests for dinner and ALL of them have flown in OZ at the
S[portavia] S[oaring ]C[enter].So we talk gliding, Murray River and the new operation from our former chief pilot Eddie Madden and his wife Sheryll.
I could tell my guests , as I just got news, that the caravan park will be fully operating in the new season. Only 24 places, but my caravan has a spot so has Dieter Dundee’s van.
The hangar is finished and they “ponder” already to make it bigger.
Dundee is one of my guests at the moment. The other ones were Marianne, who was our tuggie in one season , her husband Sape who visited her in that season and made some dual -flights with her, Harry long time guest at the SSC and Peter another but earlier- in -the- season- guest. Gliding -stories are NEVER boring!
In the Rieti story about the editor Ritz, is a small mistake. My own fault. When Marina asked me to update “the story of my life” I was pretty busy , so we decided to “use” the old story. Of course the SSC does NOT exist anymore so the web site and email adress are irrelevant. But…..the new adress from the new operation for soaring and ultra-light-flying by Eddie and Don is;www.sportaviation.com.au
The email adres to reach them is;flying@sportaviation.com.au
As it is TODAY the first anniversary of the Sportaviation Gliding Center I say;
HAPPY BIRTHDAY and lots of safe flights in the upcoming season.
What happened more?
Great news from Japan. Good friends Shige and Mikiko received a baby girl last week.Her name is CHIHIRO. It sounds like “chee “and “hero” ,which, according to Mikiko, means directly “thousand” and “sky/space”.
Shige is an instructor in Japan and Mikiko a very good glider pilot. Both were long time guests at the SSC and even married each other in the gardens from the Sportavia complex.
Spring has been pretty good for most parts of Europe. Holland had an average temperature of 17 dgr. while about 12 is normal.
No complaints, though the countries were the weather is always good as Italy, France etc had some problems with rain and severe thunderstorms.
Last week the best flights in Europe, were in the Scandinavian area , as Eskilstuna, former WGC field, Rayskala, former WGC and EGC field.
Unterwoessen , on the Austrian border in the South of Germany,had some great flights too, though yesterday the S. of Germany was hit by hailstones big as eggs and real downpours, causing flood in Stuttgart.
In the Rockies {Canada} they enjoy soaring to the fullest, now too. Good old friend Ernst , long time guest at the SSC in the past,is very much involved over there. The USA was more or less the place to be last week.
Only one month to go and I will depart to Rome to be picked up for my editing-holiday in Rieti. They are very busy, as in Luesse. Carsten had a great flight from Luesse last week, Rieti ‘s weather is pretty poor at the moment, bur for sure it will change soon , so that the world comps not only have fantastic pilots, but also great weather.
Will keep you informed,
Ritz