–—Bitterwasser;
LATEST news from November 2; The 2020/21 season can start!!!
“All administrative work is done.
Namibia airspace is defined and flyable.
The Botswana airspace is free for gliding.
The extension as ARO (Aviation Recreation Organisation) is made.
The overflight permissions are there.
Now “only” our pilots and our gliders have to arrive safely.
The container with the gliders is today (02.11.2020) on the north coast of Spain.”
So one container will be still there. Good news, after their very early news, on September 5, when they mentioned ” This year – due to the Covid 19 pandemic – there will be no gliding season in Bitterwasser!!.
Later [September 21] they hoped for a short season, so it looks that is going to happen!!!Good on them!!!When it can be done safe,…why not!!!
On September 21 they also mentioned;
“And this is what the conditions for staying in Namibia look like now: Anyone who enters the country with a negative corona test which is not older than 72 hours can travel to Bitterwasser without quarantine. Another test is necessary after five days. If the result is negative, the country may be freely traveled“

By the way “the magic from Worcester” showed up already early in the season, on October 28 with a 683 km. flight in a DG 800/18 m.
AND, from Potchefstroom there was an 805 km. flight [ 702 FAI triangle] in a JS 1A.

—— Eddie Madden….Not long ago ,it looked he was not going to be long with us anymore. He announced to quit all flying , he was SO sick, but look who he is now!!!!He gave up on soaring in his business, Lumpy from Sportavia Tocumwal took over, but teaching in light aircrafts is still very much his goal in life.
“I am just facilitating gliding with the private gliders in my hangar and check flights.”
His Sportaviation- Tocumwal -business now;
“Aviation Flight Training …RAA & GlidingScenic flights …Flight training … Hangarage & Lawn tiedown….Public Caravan Park…Permanent Holiday sites.”

Eddie was already instructor at the SSC when we arrived there in the mid 80thies. Later when we were involved he was our CFI. So I know him already for many many, years!!!
So do lot’s of gliding guests from all over the world.
When the SSC stopped he started a new soaring business on the N side of the field. Quite a few of our guest- pilots followed him.
And then…he got really sick last year.
Not long ago he also lost Cheryl, his wife . [RIP] A lovely lady. In my idea, she was one of the best things happening to him and for SportAviation .
BUT,….He goes on with life,….good on him…!!!!Very much involved!
“New fence built around the airport 8.2 Km in total 1.6 metres high.“
Hope the cables behind the tugs , or low incoming gliders, from the West, are not going to hit them.
I have seen a few LOW, in the past, so I guess a minimum finish height will be compulsory now.
I also heard news that REALLY pleases me as former Toc resident;
“Tocumwal town is going from strength to strength, difficult to get a park during the day“.
Still love the place,…you might have guessed ,…after all my writing about Toc.

—–“Skysight as a motivation-pusher!!! [note; From Matthew Scutter!!!]
A fantastic race with my electric Antares along the southeastern Alps, what a race horse. Once again a little bit late. Despite the reduced day length it would have been possible to make a 1600 km flight.
But a landing on another airfield is less comfortable, so home, sweet home..”
Words on the OLC from Klaus Ohlmann, who flew 1.465 km. last Thursday from Serres La Batie in France. He flew the Alps, over several European countries. And,..not for the first time!!

——KLM...is suffering like all other airlines!!! Big discussions about down seizing in people and wages. The pilots had no problem with that. They agreed already on 20 % less till 2022 and then look into the case again.
BUT….Last Friday they heard that 2 years was unacceptable. The Finance minister only gives them a few billion extra when they sign for 5 years!!!So no extra millions NOW. Will we still have KLM in the future???
YES we will , I hope, as yesterday the deal was made.

——Schempp-Hirth…they shared this great picture about their top gliders on October 30 2020.

–—-Many of the young pilots I know ,who have lost their jobs? Hopefully temporarily, but for how long is that ???!!! In Australia they have a great harvest this season, so a lot of them are going to help out on harvesters!!!
I heard that we won’t see Cathay Dragon anymore on the departure or arrival boards….a few mates were flying there.
Heard that 35 % of the staff has been dismissed and nearly 40 jets are in Alice Springs .
TRAGIC!!!!!

——the death of Sean Connery the one and only 7 times JAMES BOND!! Loved this tribute from Kiki, with the words…. R.I.P Sir!!!.

—–the GLIDING CALENDAR 2021 from SEGELFLIEGEN. This time from the French Alps.
“A very nice photo to start the month of November is available again today – the best glider calendar in the world!
Enjoy the view and don’t let the next short days get too long!”

http://fotokalender-segelfliegen.de/

—-Ridgesoaring ;”Lots of wind, lots of snow with ridge, wave and thermal flying. Lots of fun.” Happening yesterday with ridge soaring between 1000 [lowest 65 m. AGL] and 1256 m.[MSL] and one peak of wave up till 3567 m.[MSL] from Ridge Soaring, the mecca for ridge soaring.
3 Pilots flew between 816 and 868 km.
Porta Westfalica, the ridge-place to be for European pilots was busy yesterday too. Flights from around 400 km, great day but a bit short I read.
On the OLC [ on 15] is the flight from Peter Millenaar with lot’s of pictures!
“Never had such a good and relaxed ride at the ridge; it was working perfectly all the time“
By the way; “This beautiful Nimbus 4M is available for sale by the way. Anyone interested?”

—–the last soaring weekend at Terlet. It was still reasonable weather.

And I finish the season with this great …WOW…. picture, yes again from Arjan….

CU next week. By the way 20 dgr. C …yes plus…. on November 2 !!!!!The warmest EVER November 2. It REALLY is a WEIRD year!!!
No USA president yet…what a tragic “soap” this outcome of the elections is now. Awful.
Cheers Ritz