The overseas season is in full swing and as you know there are pilots who love to fly long distances , whilst others love to fly records, and some prefer to fly comps as Nationals or State Comps and if possible they fly long distance combined with good speed during those comps, as well.
Both in Africa and Australia the boy’s and girls, have hard days in ” their offices” as EB 28’s, Arcus or other beautiful gliders.
For sure there are more records broken again this year than I know off, but this is what I found recently.
But first combining speed and long distance during a National Competition in sports and club class….yes that happened in Waikirie. 8 Days out of 10 were flown, some a bit dodgy , but 2 with everything in it you wish for as a pilot.
Young pilots as Matthew Scutter [ 155 km./h. over 631 km. in the Discus 2] and Adam Woolley [521 km with 129 km./h in the St Cirrus] flew fast, but also the ” oldies” did well as Terry Cubley in his LS 3 [133 km./h over 532 km] and BB John ” Butch” Buchanan in his 18 m. ASG 29 [158.8 km./h over 667.5 km] .I met both already for the first time in 1984 in Rieti and they are still in the TOP!!!! Good on them.
In Tocumwal my Danish friends love records. Ib even flies them in a Janus CT, he calls this glider fondly the ” wooden Arcus”.Yesterday he declared and flew a Danish record distance over 750 with 3 TP’s.
After they have flown their records and before going home , they have their special tradition of uncorking a bottle of bubbles with the sword.
Pictures from last year in Toc.
From Corowa Boerje Erikson is trying some Swedish records and flew one yesterday over 800 km.[827/810 FAI triangle] with 125 km./h. and from Stonefield Brigitte and Joergen Thomson flew a new Danish record over 300 km. out and return with a speed of 132.6 km.h in their new ARCUS, which is 6 km. faster than the old record, so there will be some “fights” for Danish records from Stonefield and Tocumwal.Though I know the Thompsons are moving soon to Tocumwal, so they can attune to each other.
Also from Corowa Boerjes friend flew his 750 badge, not bad either!
In South Africa 2 Dutch mates are trying records from Douglas Backhound in a Nimbus 4DM. It’s not that easy to fly records as I know from the past , you just have to try and try and for some it just happens straight away.I remember days that the 1000 was not on, the pilot was towed back , new water was ready and off he/she went again for a 500 record.
Max and Marc , who fly from Douglas Backhound are trying hard. Marc, not totally fit in the beginning [bad cold] , still tried with Max, in his Nimbus 4DM, to set new Dutch records in open class.
One of the day’s had a slow start , so they decided to go for a nice lunch first at the Vaal-river—NO stress— and after , preparations were ready to fly a quick 200 FAI triangle.
The ” old” record was 152 km./h…… the new one 160 km./h
Trying,..that’s what Max and Marc did as well, with a declared 900 km. out and return but ,..as they said…. FAIL.
Yesterday was a happier day again with a new Dutch record in open class over a declared 300 km. O & R.;160.13 km./h.
The first TP on the 200 record was a gold mine.
As shared by Marc and Max.
No secret that Bitterwasser had a great season till now, for that reason it was interesting to read that one of the pilots flew a 1000 k on a cold day in Namibia, with just 28 dgr. and a trigger temperature of 21 dgr.on January 8.He could not remember another day like that, on which a 1000 was flown.
Yesterday was a TOP day again , which started blue/slow, but improved with the minute and several 1000 k flights were flown again, for some the very first,[ in ARCUS M, NIMBUS 4DM and EB 28], which always makes a pilot HAPPY, even a co-pilot.
On the OLC list for airfields they are on the absolute top. Till yesterday they had 132 pilots . making 804 starts , flying 620.584.83. Number 2 [Kiripotib] and 3 [Pokweni] are nearly half so “good” both also in Namibia!
Bitterwasser area as seen by one of my UK friends.
courtesy Hugh.
In Kiripotib , Janusz Centka , enjoys himself after Flying with the CHAMPIONS in November, with record flying as well ;2 Polish National Rekords: distance ( declare and free ) triangle over 1000 km. and speed 147 km./h. over a 1000 km. triangle.
Not long, about 3 or weeks and gliders will be packed at their overseas destinations, “sailed’ back and the ” circus” starts again on this side of the world.Hope our spring, summer and autumn will be half as good as the Bitterwasser weather , with on some days/weeks that special HAMMER WETTER and we will be ALL happy.
Looking forward to that !
Cheers Ritz and for news about the Nationals in Waikirie and more other news; www.soaring.eu
