Finally a blog again from Ritz after all the troubles I had to go through, to find and connect to internet. In the end it turned out too easy!!!The PUBLIC LIBRARY!!!
So I better start quickly.
We are on code red here in Tocumwal on the border of Victoria and NSW in Australia! HIGH alert for bush fires as today we have up to 45 dgr. C and a N.N.E. wind.
It really is hot, as yesterday with 41 dgr.; the best place was high up in the air.
And stupid me I walked twice to town and I was the only one doing so, you could shoot a bullet through town without hitting anybody!
The Bureau of Meteorology says “ Australia could be facing its hottest January on record as the nation comes in the grip of a severe and extensive heat wave. “
Fire brigades are on high alert!
For those who do not know the worst heat waves here have been in 1851, with temperatures up to 47.2 dgr.in February .
Than in 1908 with 6 days over 37.7 in January with a max of 42.8 and 246 heat-related deaths.
1939 Had in January temperatures up to 45.6 dgr. which led to Black Friday and 438 heat-related deaths.
2009 Had 3 days of 43.7 leading to Black Saturday with 46.4 dgr. and 374 heat-related deaths.
The worst one I remember was on January 3 1990 when we were surrounded by fire. In the end the wind changed before it could hit our WW II hangar full of gliders.
Chaves has interesting weather as well. Very difficult to follow for me , as the library is not open every day and I work on a 2 hour-time-limit,but each country has their own site and Facebook site , so enough for you to be informed day by day. Atleast they had 5 practise days and pilots and crews are ready for the opening and THE COMPS.
Picture courtesy Rob Millenaar
On the OLC life continues as before I left.Noticed Namibia still has fantastic weather and the new year started grear as well. My friends Roy from the UK flying the Antares 20 and Bert sr. and Hilde from Belgium have arrived in Namibia as well, flying a 1000 on their first flight on the last day of the year 2012.
Australia is not doing too bad either with thousands from Narromine, [Mac in the ARCUS] and yesterday with some good flights from South Australia Waikiri with a 1000 in a ASG 29. And the “young ones ” from Stonefield are having fun as well with flights up to over 800 km. in the blue however.
In Benalla the multi class Nationals start on Monday and I hope to be there in the last weekend for the last flying-day and the prize giving.
On www.soaring.eu you can read these weeks only the diary about my visit in Tocumwal , catching up with friends from town and many former guests from our past. With pictures from the airfield, gliders and pilots. Maybe not so interesting for readers who have never been there, but some kind of a revival for those who read my “latest news “ during 7 years on the Sportavia blog.
CU next Sunday.
Cheers Ritz
Tocumwals Murray River, pretty low at this stage.
