An early blog [as I go for a short break] on the very first day of September. A warm but also very WET month here and more thunder and lightning, WITH damage than I can remember in any other year.
We even go from 31 in the SE yesterday to 18 dgr. today!!!But summer was not too bad, in fact pretty good.For sure weird!!!
VARESE;
The Grand Prix final in Varese in Italy should be great fun again.They start on September 5 and continue in their 18 m. gliders till September 12.
19 Pilots have qualified for this event and 1, Giorgio Galetto , got the wild card for the pilot from the home country.
Aussie Tom Claffey prepared in France for a couple of days , but the weather was n’t too good,… as it was in Varese. He managed however in the weekend to fly from Sisteron to Varese. Easier job for his wife Kerry who flew the WWGC in Arnborg [also in pretty marginal weather] , as she had to drive the now “lighter” trailer through the mountains.
She mentioned it was “an epic trip” from Sisteron to Varese.
Tom and Kerry enjoying life before the GP starts.
As shared by them.
Luckily the weather improved and Sebastian, who is there too with already 3 GP-wins under his belt , had a nice “ride” to the Mont Blanc not in the car but his glider, as you can see on the picture he shared,a bit further than they will fly this upcoming week.
As he said;” A warm up, easy task for fun. Weather was much better so it was possible to go where you have no turn points for GPX. “
For all the news about the pilots and pictures;
http://www.sgp.aero/final2015/news_add_here/sgp-news/competitors-for-6th-fai-sailplane-grand-prix-world-final.aspx
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The latest GLIDING INTERNATIONAL, arrived again and I was straight away touched by the very personal story from the editor John Roake [my ” boss “] writing about the loss of his friend Bill Walker who died in Namibia about 8 months ago. Bill and his mate /colleague, both from New Zealand , crashed with the EB 28 , both very experienced pilots.
A ” special Minden Experience” by Elke [Fuglsang-Petersen] , brought me back at that soaring field where we practiced for the WGC , later “given” to Uvalde in 1991.Jim [Payne], who lives in the Minden area nowadays, invited her for a flight in the new Perlan ARCUS M, over this area.
Elke also visited the WSPA [Women Soaring Pilots Association] Seminar 2015 in Minden and shares her thoughts about that.
Aldo [Cernezzi] shines his light over the ” SUNSEEKERDUO ” …flying with solar cells on the wings; the future?
Joseph King mentions that ” the Perlan project” is closer to lift off .
Robert Downe, tell you all about “how to improve your contest flying”.
And more stories and lot’s of short world aviation news.
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Talking about the WSPA, who celebtated it’s 30thiest birthday [ it was founded in June 1986 in Tucson Arizona ] ; the August Hangar Soaring is posted on www.womensoaring.org
The next WSPA seminar will be in Varese, Italy from June 27-July 1,2016.They hope that many of the European women will join them. Also the locale for the 207 seminar ,date pending, has been announced: Chilhowee Gliderport (Sarah Arnolds gliderport).
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Talking about Minden /Tahoe and talking about Jim,….. then you know a long flight has happened again; on the 29th of August Jim flew on a good wave day in the ARCUS M a flight from 1.328 km. [500 FAI triangle in it ] with a speed of 134 km./h.
Keith Essex in another ARCUS M flew about the same distance , a bit less, but he had some problems with a broken cable at start and other stuff in the glider did not function as normal. Luckily nothing to really worry about.
Looking at the longer flights this week, Rieti had some really good ones!!!
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The meteorological autumn started yesterday in this part of the world and spring down-under and how can you better share and show that , then with beautiful pictures.
Gorgeous purple heather as seen by Joke [Termaat] at the Veluwe.
Spring tulips as shared by Leslie [Daniels] in Australia’s ; Araluen Botanic Park
and from Narromine, the venue of the 2015 JWGC you can see the yellow canola in full flower already.
Lovely last Sunday of winter flight taken by local member Kah Chong flying VH-WVS one of the clubs Duo Discus.
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Busy week so more pictures than text.Last I showed you some WET pictures from the RENCONTRE ASK 13 in St Crepin. Also there the weather improved and now I can share some, by them shared pictures in the sun and ,…from flying gliders!!
DEFENITELY THE WOW-FACTOR.
CU next Week.
Cheers Ritz ……off for a few days.