Looking Back on Incidents and Accident! Some Nice Pictures by Frans!

It’s not difficult to think back with huge pleasure on the great time in Uvalde. It ‘s still in a lot of minds from people who have been there as I notice on FB. Also in my mind!!!!
It’s “mighty good ” to organise a WGC in 1991 which still makes people smile and now to make one again and in another 20 years we smile double, atleast for those still alive then!!
Hope all the organisers and those many volunteers got a real good and loud THANK YOU.

return by Bruce Taylor and Arne Boye Möller
picture courtesy Anita Taylor.

Of course there were a few hiccup’s as well. So was certainly the beginning of the comps a bit “harsh”. From some I heard straight away, the difference with the kind organisers in 1991 and the not very flexible organisation from this year, both in the briefing room as well as on the field. But against the end the flexibility was back and those memories remain in our heads.

A few unlucky circumstances for pilots as well, BUT , all turned out to be good …lessons in life. During comps I do not particularly like to write about hiccup’s but now in hindsight it is possible.

The first hiccup was the mid air collision from two Argentinian pilots practising a bit to close to each other. The next day when I arrived at the field part of a wing was carried out of a car and connected to the glider again [repaired overnight and brought back by Sarah the tuggie], while the investigators spoke with the other pilot. I never wrote that one of the pilots decided after this “touch” that his family was more important and he left Uvalde to fly home again to Argentina.

The 2d hiccup was not really necessary, they are NEVER necessary I know, but it still happened. I could hear it over the radio but not see close by. The gracious ASW 22 left with the brakes open.
” Spoilers ” …I heard LOUD over the radio a few times…but the pilot did not hear it [could not see if he had his head set on]. He decided when he did not go up properly [ not much choice!] to land in front of him, still had speed, went to the end of the real LONG runway and …there …is a ditch!!! So dust and flapping wings was the only thing I could see. Cars rushed to the unfortunate pilot. He had nothing [maybe a bit of a “broken” ego], but the glider was damaged and beyond quick repair. A pity as the pilot did well.

The 3d one scared the hell out of me, as I heard over the radio loud and scaring shouting, deep out of a heart, from well known friends/voices…”NO, don’t go …STOP, STOP….” An open class glider was ready to start, engine on, but…cover still over the elevator!!! The pilot in the glider behind, saw his son in the back and his best friend in the front before him, ready to go. Luckily they could stop the glider, taking of the cover and off they went. AT the moment I had NO idea what was going on, but when it all looked to continue my heartbeat recovered and I heard the full story straight after.

The worst one was of course the mid air, with one pilot coming back to the field and one who had to jump out of his glider landing in a pretty remote area. Also this unfortunate situation was without injuries to pilots. The next day as you heard /know the pilots were both at briefing. A well deserved cheering-on for the two young German pilots Susanne and David, for aborting the task and staying over the accident spot, to quickly have/give help for Peter.

Peter to the r. and Louis.

When you can fly 13 days out of the possible 13 [12 for 15 m.class] with one rest day in between, you really can see who is the best. You can only say what a fantastic WGC, you might be tired, you might be even worn out, you might have struggled with de-hydration or lack of energy, BUT the toppers had these inconveniences as well. In the end we all sit home again with great memories and these memories surely will stay for another 20 years AGAIN!!!

All toppers together!
Courtesy Frans Guise.

Next WGC for flapped gliders is in Poland. The FLAG is handed over by the president of the Jury [ Peter Ryder] to the very successful TC of Poland.[ Jacek Dankowski]
Courtesy Frans Guise

Leave you with some more memories from Uvalde as seen by Frans Guise.
For all the other news you can read my blog www.soaring.eu also published at SOARINGCAFE!!!! Back to the nice warm sun [28 dgr!!!] as this upcoming week autumn shows, as I heard, it’s REAL face! Cheers Ritz