Finally  kissed/said hello this morning to Michael Sommer. Lovely fellow and the one defending his title! He flew in the past with us in Australia. Heard he lives now in China Shanghai , is about to be a daddy in a few months and might be the first ever pilot to win 4 consecutive WGC’s. Of course he has to win first but he has it in him! If he has the “momentum” and everything falls in place for him it might happen. At this stage Ingo Renner is 4 times World Champion but he did not win  4 in a row!
Michael flies the EB 29 with call sign EB in open class and when I asked him if he still was focussed enough having a wife and a baby to come,  he smiled bright and said “even more”!!! So there you go.

Talking to Ludwig Starkl from Austria as well, he is not flying but supporting  Josef Kammerhofer who is flying “his “Antares 23.
The other Antares in this years open class is flown by Pete Harvey from the UK and I am anxious to see how he flies it, as he is a favourite as well. He flew every practise day and enjoyed it , I hear . As it is a brand new glider like the Quintus , there has not been a lot of time for practise and getting used to it.But maybe that’s not even necessary, he might also only need “the momentum”.

 

Catching up as well with Susie and Laurens Goudriaan from South Africa, longtime friends , a busy day as you see. On the Dutch site I noticed a question about the configuration of the JS 1-C with the 21 m.span. So Laurens was so kind to fill me in. The JS 1- C flying in open class by Laurens is experimental. The JS 1-C in open class flown by Oscar and Bruce is Australian registered. Brad from Australia flies a JS 1-C which is registered in the USA.So you are up to date and off they all went to the field to fly. Mind you all those JS 1 pilots have big chances in both classes!!!

The Uk mates arrived as well in the white tent and had a bit of lunch before they went to the field. Here they are.

   

 

 Had a look in the hangar from Conrad Huffstutler. When I heard “grumman” my ears went open a bit wider. A lot of you know that we owned a Grumman Albatross an amfibian plane. I had a hate/love relation with it, loved to see it flying, hated the cost of such a plane. Here were 2 Grumman FN-2 Wild cat’s. One nearly restored one in the condition as they found it.
Later some pictures from those great “toys”, I even made one from the CYCLONE 9 engine, what a beauty!!!
The pilots are on their spot, a few tuggies drive out to the strip [1 pm] and I want to see the launches, sitting in my tent and enjoying some french fries and a cool drink and looking at a great cloud popping up and growing. Another great day! Maybe…as the cloud has disappeared and the launches have been delayed.AND…….the wind is HOT now!!!!!
It’s 1.30 PM now, and more  tuggies go to the field. it’s about to begin practise day 4!!!
1.35 and launches are in progress.

Back later!