European Soaring Season About to Start! A Lot to Look Out For in 2012!

The first gliders have been put on the strip and for some enthusiastic  pilots  the x-country season has started in Europe, after a nice cold and for some, pretty long winter. Nearly March 1st now and the metereological spring starts and pilots can enjoy some bumpy, strong spring thermals. From Ocana in Spain, Fayence in France and Belluno in Italy the first, short but happily announced cross country-flights on the OLC, were a fact this week.

In Corowa in Australia they packed the containers and from Benalla and Tocumwal, pilots still make long flights, as SportAviation’s tuggie Petr in Tocumwal with 671 km [500 FAI triangle] in an LS 4 and from Benalla a nice nearly out and return all up north from 625 km in a Kestrel 17m.

What will the new season bring us? In any case a great WGC in Uvalde! I expect a lot from that competition. Haven’t been for a few years at comps with “long-ears.” As at most International comps I visited lately, the smaller gliders were up in the air. A nice way to say farewell to some friends flying in open, 18m and 15m class and to keep you updated day by day on Soaring Cafe about what’s going on.

Looking forward to see the Concordia ready to go! Love those “every-day-pictures“.

The calendar for the 2012/2013 FAI Sailplane Grand Prix has been set and the qualifying series will be flown from Romania, [29th of April] South Africa, Australia, Chile, Slovakia and France.

The first European comps are in Italy; the 40th Trophy of the town of Torino [April 7] and also from April 7 till 14, the Pribina Cup from Nitra in Slovakia!

And of course this year’s Euroglide, a 2400 km trip through Europe, will be in June. The concept route will be from Eindhoven in Holland crossing the Rhine to nearly Bruchsal in Germany, then to the east, passing Wien on the way to Nitra in Slovakia, then along the Polish border to the Czech Republic, back to Germany, passing Berlin to the north, and back home to Eindhoven in the sour of Holland. Nobody can enter anymore as only 60 pilots are allowed and there are over 70 already now. Gliders can be flown by several pilots forming a team.Will keep you informed!

For the rest of last week’s news, please go to www.soaring.eu .

Thanks and cheers,

Ritz

  2 comments for “European Soaring Season About to Start! A Lot to Look Out For in 2012!

Comments are closed.