As a die-hard reader, you have for sure seen that the Wednesday and Thursday have been published already ,making blogs not TOO long.
A WOW factor picture by Tilo flying AND making great pictures [ during race 5] from the air. Good on you Tilo!!
Talking about Tilo he shared with one of the organizers his thoughts about the FES, bringing him home during race 5. I share it with you when you have missed it, otherwise you can just SKIP IT.
” Whilst having a lovely lunch in the tent a few days ago, Tilo was kind enough to talk to me about his Front Electric Sustainer (FES). This is an electric engine developed by Luca Znidarsic from Slovenia, and which he installs in his own factory. Tilo reckons Luca has fitted about 30-40 units since its invention several years ago, originally for Lak and Silent but now in many manufacturers types of sailplanes.
What does Tilo like about the FES concept? Tilo appreciates that it is so simple and quick to deploy – just one flip of a switch. The whole installation is also very light – less than a turbo installation including its fuel. Also, a for top level competition pilot who prefers to remove the engine for some championships, it only takes minutes to disable. Simply remove the batteries (16kg) and propeller, a real plus.
Tilo also explained that when the engine is running it is still easy to soar the glider normally – with little vibration the vario still works and means one can still search and use lift. With no discernable drag, field landings are much safer. In a high density environment the installation works well. What is not to like?
More generally, we chatted about possible future competition developments involving motor gliders. Up to now new classes have been added to the calendar but using the classic Speed Tasks,AAT or SGP formats. Tilo would like to see different disciplines, perhaps concentrating on longer tasks using motor gliders. Maybe there is a niche for the FES.”
As shared by and on www.sgp.aero
MUCH MORE NEWS on that site.
Friday September 11 no race ;14 years ago the twin towers were attacked something we never forget.
In Varese they set 214 km for the 20 pilots . The clouds were low so the task was made smaller…162 km….. the first launch postponed from 14.00 to 14.15.
Then all pilots had to come to the front of the grid;
The day was cancelled due to a too low cloud base.
So only one day to improve,…or to loose points.
Cancelled! Briefing at the grid by Fabio.
AND
seen by the Aussies picture above and they shared also; 2 pictures from Kathrin’s Art;
Pilotessadesign.com
One of the GRAND PRIX WINNERS will go home with one of her art pieces.
It turned out to be Christophe Ruch. Good on him.
They were not bored during the day.
” This afternoon the falconers visited us. Stories of them carrying animals up to 14kg in weight, flying at speeds of 400 kph and having ‘zoom’ eyesight enabling them to tell the difference between a brick and a mouse from 7km! We know their beauty in flight and respect their soaring capabilities.“
—
Saturday September 12 race 6;LAST DAY !!!!
Briefing at 10. Schedule, podium at 6 closing ceremony at 7 PM and dinner at 8.Later changed in 8 PM for podium,prize giving and dinner.
Todays weather is grey, light winds.
It is forecast to clear….but it may be a bit of a wait.
Task A 195 km ….Task B 161 km
What will bring this last day of this again exciting Grand Prix Final???????
5 Pilots still in the race. 10 points , PLUS a bonus point are possible today.
So Max, [36] Christophe {R} [33],Sebastian [29] , Roman [27] and Giorgio {G} [25] still have chances to be the new CHAMPION.
I have seen Roman doing interesting “things” on a last day, so very much looking forward to see what’s going to happen.But then he should win ALL points and p.e Max should have 1 or zero.
Will they fly?? It was raining during briefing and the forecast was not TOO good.” We have to wait,” was what Giorgio {B} had to say. BUT,….would the flyable window be in time??????
The briefing was closed with the words ;”we stick to the daily routine also on the last day. We can only start launching with a cloud base of 1200/1300m. and we need 1500 m to start.”
A SELFIE from ALL participating pilots was made [and shared on FB] and then Sebastian said something to his mates and got the FULL attention of ALL pilots, but briefing was over so was the broadcasting.
A selfie with a few missing.
After the briefing the pilots and organizers discussed the format and rules with Brian.I guess Sebastian put” the cat among the pigeons ” with his remarks about wing loading in the participating gliders.
Also the 2 leaders, Max and Christophe, looked a bit worried.
BUT,..there was also fun as the pilots with zero points formed a pact . Kerrie , who has fabulous feeling for humor, shared, after her husband Tom, got his first point;
“After a meeting of the Bored, there may be a resolution of the communication ban with the ZPC – a proposed merger with the OPC (One Point Club) to form the BC (Binary Club) as a united front against the MPC (Multi Points Club)”
Here is the verdict;
“Breaking news
Due to the unexpected desertion of a long serving member of the Zero Points Club yesterday, Tom Claffey (AUS), the remaining members have formalised the rules (in the bar late last night)….
1. On 10 September 2015 the Zero Points Club (ZPC) has created Annex F of the SGP Rules
2. At the beginning of each SGP, all 20 pilots will be invited to join the ZPC
3. To leave the ZPC a pilot must declare, BEFORE the control point, his intention to leave
A. If he succeeds in leaving the ZPC, there is no penalty
B. If he fails in leaving the ZPC, the penalty is 2 bottles of wine for the remaining members at the final dinner
C. If he fails to declare his intention to leave the ZPC but then leaves, this is considered CHEATING and the penalty is 4 bottles of wine for the remaining members at the final dinner.
4. Once a pilot leaves the ZPC, there is no coming back – and all further communication with the remaining members of the ZPC must cease!
5. There can be no President because at any time he may leave the group.
6.These rules have been ratified by steward Roland Stuck who approves both the rules and the penalties (because rules without penalties are of no use!)
There is a motion to merge with the One Point Club to form the Binary Club…
AND,…more fun ……an Italian podium??????
With the message;
“ ANYTHING could happen today!!!!”
With only 2 Italian participants they could add , local heroes Giorgino or the president of the club and female WWGC pilot Margherita Acquaderni.
So time , after all the fun, to follow the last day;
At 12.30 a tweet; the sun is out!!!!GOOD news!!!
The sniffer goes up! “Poor visibility “,he mentions.
Brian goes up to see for himself.” Just wait for the cloud base to rise and the visibility to improve!!!
We wait as well. Time to share what my friend Laurens had to say about the JS 1 EVO he flies;
” The glider EVO is owned jointly by the Jonkers factory and Anne Ducarouge, Womens World Champion, and her husband Yann Forestier. This allows it to be flown by different pilots in the European season. It has spent the summer at various International Championships throughout Europe. These included the European Championships in Hungary, Rieti and the German National Championships.
This Jet engine is a ‘sustainer’ version, the self launching model is under development. Other Jet versions of sailplane engines include the Shark but the JS version is the only one under commercial development.
Talking more generally about the JS1 21m, Laurens recounted his experience of learning how to fly it most efficiently, in particular, discovering best speeds to fly. He found in the World Championships in Uvalde, strong conditions, that the JS1 preferred to be flown fast. That suits Laurens ……”
Delay, ……more delay……. but still hope…. it’s only 2.
After Brian landed ,another 20 minutes and,..it was all going to happen!!!!
At the screen I see the gliders ready for launch!!!Live stream…HURRAY!
All gliders are airborne.
I have to run up and down , between laptop and TV, as down stairs history could be written on the last day of the VUELTA where Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin could be the 3d in Dutch history to win this tour through Spain.
Did not happen since 1980. AND,…it did not happen this time. He dropped from 1 to 5 was very disappointed of course he was, but did a great job. The VUELTA was only ONE day/ 2 cols, too long/high for him.
2.33 my time; Last glider behind tow plane, meaning the tuggies are ready and did a great job!
Regatta start at 3 PM with a max height of 1400 m.
The French for sure would help each other.They had good height but were not in the lead in the beginning.
Max ,I only heard just now, was invited as an other pilot could not come.What a great and extra ordinary job he does !!!!!
Werner and Sebastian are in the lead going to TP 2 . As we have seen over the last week, Sebastian is always high.
80 km to go and 8 km. lead for these 2 guy’s, at 1300 m. ,but from the past I know this does n’t mean anything.
Giorgio [B] comes in with the last weather;some high cover coming in from the West moving into the East, so stay HIGH,” the sky is not really looking well“!!!!
With only 60 km. to go Werner and Sebastian keep going in some kind of cloud-street with 170 km.speed and if they don’t get in trouble they are going to win with some margin.
BUT,…..The cloud street stopped, so did the lift and the 2 in-front -guy’s felt the breath of the followers.
1700 or 1800 m. would bring them home it’s 4.39 here now.
Not all pilots will finish this race as they pass “home” and will land as they were not in the position to be the new WORLD CHAMPION .
The group is now together and most probably they will stay together now, is the comment from the connoisseurs Giorgio [B] and Brian. Then the wind is increasing and pilots have to rethink their final glide!!!
I should better not listen anymore,…Stressssss…..!!!!!!
Then….about Giorgio [G] ;All is ok,…… but he out landed , luckily at an airfield and will be towed back.
” Not nice looking” ,…” enough words spend at briefing about out-landing-possibilities, they know” …” Tricky……very very tricky” …” middle air clouds are coming in very fast.” …. “half an hour more lift would have made the day but the weather is too fast”…..
No finish,……means NO points during this GP.
OUCH…it’s getting worse!!!!!
Max , not happy with gliding in sink moved and was on top now together with Werner and Sebastian, Christophe [ R] controlling the rest behind him.
Sebastian is the most experienced and he has a great safety feeling, so hopefully they stay together and help each other.4 Still form the leading pact.
We even see Giorgio at the airfield where he landed,…how different than 40 years ago.
Cloud cover has died the lift, when there is no ridge- lift either, it will be impossible to fly home.
How will this day end??????
Sebastian and Max are together, so are Werner and Christophe, the rest is far behind or out at an airfield close by or used the FES or engine/sustainer.
Max , Werner and Christophe have NO ENGINE!!!!! Poor guys all are still short of height to get home. They see the finish line, but are too low to make it.
Max has made the decision to fly back to land at the airport of Alzzate.
So the race is over, fact is to fly safely to a good paddock.Only 20 km. in front of the finish.
Task B could have made the difference, but …..they went for A.
So now we can only hope if their out-landing skills are as good as flying skills!!!
Werner and Sebastian go to the same paddock and Christophe landed also “aux vaches” .
Great skills in a pretty small field with lot’s of wires!!!
As shared by Sebastian.
Exciting day, great race, but no finish, no points so MAX IS THE NEW SGP CHAMPION!!!!!!
Christophe is runner up and Sebastian stays on 3.
I was not the only one following the race, many more did also at the airport as you can see on the picture from Kathrin.
Stefano [Ghiorzo] , the brand new 13.5 m. WORLD CHAMPION, doing the comments today with dad Kawa sitting with him at the table.
6 PM. They all landed safely!!! GOOD!!! Great decision also from young Max.When he has his ATPL and flies at Air France or KLM , I will fly with him, no worries very reliable young man.
THE CHAMPION with his JS 1.
and the RUNNER UP and 3d podium place.
2 Pilots from France one from Poland.
As shared by the organizers.
Shared by the organizers as well ; an interesting link at youtube.com where Tom Claffey, Tilo Holighaus and Christophe Ruch talk about differences in the sailplane models flown in the 6th FAI SGP Final; The Ventus, the JS 1 and the ASG 29.
6th FAI SGP Final-The Machines.
And to finish another Fabio Bossi -picture .
AND
GOODBYE AND THANK YOU TO VARESE.
Next GRAND PRIX FINAL[number 7] in POTCHEFSTROOM in South Africa [November 5-12 2016]
Cheers Ritz
CU on Wednesday.
