Quarzazate….Space , Issoudun….and …back on line!

Alphen aan den Rijn Wednesday July 4 2012

ritzdeluy@hotmail.com     www.glidinginternational.com     www.soaringcafe.com

 
Bert jr. and Tijl before the start of the 1000 km and after.
Pictures courtesy Schmelzer brothers.

Back on line after 4 days of more or less desperate trying to find out what was wrong. I “lost ” the “visual”  toolbar, but Bill in the USA “found it back” . What about that for skills and co-operation between Holland [soaring.eu] and the USA. [soaringcafe.com]
With the help of SKYPE, or not as it failed all the time , a mobile phone and chat’s , it is sorted out. Bill knows SO much more about WordPress then I do , but then …I am just a blogger and like to write…. not to know too much about the background of the system.
Looking forward to meet Bill and Rand. We “stepped’”  in our adventure/co-operation a while ago, only knowing we love to share soaringnews.
A bit ashamed I have to mention now too, that I never put a connection between the “Soaring- cafe Bill” and the Bill who won TWICE the 18 m. Nationals in the USA. So in a few weeks I will meet the editor/top pilot in Uvalde where he FLIES in 18m. class and writes about his flights and I do the rest.

What a great moment for all viewers when the  Soyuz capsule arrived safely at earth at 10.15 AM on Sunday. How fantastic that I could see in Alphen live-pictures from Kazachstan , even the capsule hanging on the 1 square km. parachute. Unbelievable !
What heroes those astronauts are and how “terrible “they look after arrival. Unbelievable that we can send people around the earth but have difficulties to get them out of a capsule. It went “like an oiled machine” they said, but it did n’t look too good to me. Lifting them under their arms….
Anyhow they are all sound an safe and Andre , to be honest looked best from the 3 . Felt really sorry for the American who seems to have fainted after pulling 9G and ” falling” still pretty hard on earth. Will be interesting to see how these astronauts will be in 25 years, if this trip has had any influence on them.
For now Andre mentioned he has to learn walking again after half a year without gravity.He also feels miserable and unsteady.But he should be perfect again on the 20thiest when he arrives back home in Holland. End of August he will be honoured by all Dutch people. The way he shared all news , gave us an inside look in the “rooms” of the space station and his many jobs, makes him a ” mate” for all Dutchies.

AND YES,….on the first of July they, the brothers Schmelzer flew their first 1000 km flight from Quarzazate. The weather had improved and both brothers Tijl in the back, had a very rewarding day with a difficult beginning.
Yesterday Bert jr. and sr. were up in the air for another 1000 km flight,  while Tijl took time to write to me and other friends. You can read that in my blog on www.soaringcafe.com A new series of pictures by Bert jr is here;
https://picasaweb.google.com/101367179377196465151/010720121100Km


 
Mum Hilde keeping the long wing, ridge flying and amazing landscape.

The day before on the last day of June, Bill Hill flew in his Discus 2 a 1000 as well from Moriarty with “truly awesome soaring weather”. Speed….163.90 km./h. What do you want more!? More 1000 km. flights??? Possible as they were also flown from Ely.Best picture I have from Ely I received from Daan Pare a few years ago; REAL RAIN!!!

Uvalde is going to live more now. On FB I heard from Kiki, [Jackie Clerbaux] that he will be there as well as coach of the Italian team. Also Terry Cubley from Australia, will be there, it looks like ONE BIG reunion! I wonder how many people would put their hands up when asked if they were there in 1991.
Got some dinner invitations already now, one from a Dutch soaring-friend  [we go 40 years back] living in Canada for years and I have not seen him for those 40 or more years.
Goal from soaring comps; make and keep friendships all over the world. For me this worked more then GOOD!!!!!!!
The South African team is nearly ready to go and on FB I found their itinerary, and…as a lot are not linked to FB , here it is;
—”Since the Worlds are just around the corner, I thought we should give you an idea when our pilots and crews will be leaving SA and heading to the States. The travel plans look more or less like this: AP will be the first to head off on the 12th of July, followed closely by Attie and Uys on the 16th. Then it will be Bossie and Ronald heading off on the 19th and Mark and Gunter are leaving a day later on the 20th. Laurens is leaving SA on the 23rd and Oscar, Carol and Richard on the 24th. So that leaves Stephan who will be on his way on the 27th. Eventually we will all meet up in Uvalde!—”

Issoudun in France is very busy this beginning of July  with several comps in one go!
There is the French Women Nationals, with 20 participants and with 17 international invited guests. Busy ,busy….. but next year the 7th WWGC will be held in Issoudun, from June 29-July 2013, so practice is important , so you can call  this  a PRE WWGC.[July 7-14]
The 18 m. Nationals ,with 28 French pilots and  also with a max of 8  invited guests and still 2 on a waiting list.
Further on the  yearly International competition  this time the 37th edition ,[July 3 till 14], will be held and the 6th Coupe Libelle.
 Even guests as Brian Spreckley [Libelle] , Dick Bradley, [South Africa]  Chief steward in Uvalde  and daughter Jennifer [ sharing a Pegase] , as well as Natasja van der Neut the comps director from the Dutch Nationals are in France to enjoy some good soaring from a well known place with great conditions and infra- structure!
Issoudun is like Bailleau very popular by Dutch pilots who like to fly comps and the practise days had good weather with 500 km. flights!

 

 Natasja, ready to go for it, with crew Hans[meteo at all Dutch Nationals I was involved in ] and Ronald [ involved in the same comps]

As said the 37th edition of Issoudun started yesterday. In standard class former WGC champion in Benalla, Brian Spreckley won the day over 198 km. Dick {Richard} and Jennifer Bradley, sharing the Pegase were 6th.
In open class the long time experience from Dutch pilots was clear . 2 Dutchies on spot 1 [Ronald Kaay] and 2 [Antoon Poortman] both  flying a duo discus XL. Natasja was 10th.

For ALL the news from the first flight FULL of water from the CONCORDIA, 800 kg. and still not yet the max starting weight, you best read the news in soaring cafe from Bill, who was there that day!

That’s it for today. In soaringcafe on sunday the latest private news from Tijl about Quarzazate. Scores from Issoudun and tasks on www.soaringspot.com.
You are up to date, cheers Ritz