March 2; the meteorological spring has started here and autumn down-under!!!
What happened last week in “our” world?
Most soaring activities are around this time of the year mainly in Australia, even when the meteorological autumn has started over there yesterday! The first week on the border of NSW and Victoria has still temperatures in the low thirties and cu’s where ever you want to go and flights in an LS 4 from over 658 km.[ 599 FAI] !
After 5 periods of over 40 even up to 47.
” What a day so in the end of February ” was the message I got from Dieter” Dundee ” Albrecht, who years ago arrived unannounced on our hangar-/office-door at Sportavia in Tocumwal and since then came back every year. I have returned to Europe , he is still there for 6 months every year.
a ” selfie ” from Ingo and Dieter both with big smiles!
Dundee is a good mate from Ingo Renner , they both flew at Oerlinghausen in Germany. Ingo as instructor Dieter as student , later glider pilot and together they made a flight side by side, on a hot day this week in the Caproni.
Dundee even had time to make some pictures. Have a look!
Picture 1 Tocumwal,picture 3 Hilston
One of them 5 days ago; a 500 km. out and return with 129 km.h. which was 10 km. better than the old Danish record.
We kept the curving down to 20%. The task speed was 132 km/hr. Our finish height was 800 meters above our start altitude, so we could have done a speed of 140 or more, this time we chose to go for more distance.
This flight gave 5 new Danish records.”
Courtesy Joergen and Birgitte.
One of our Dutch pilots, Mark Weering, living in the UK and member at Lasham, but when possible active at the Dutch Nationals, was flying the Andes;
“ Another brilliant flight with Andres Errazuriz, I love flying the Andes.
Just couldn’t get high enough to see the Aconcagua from even closer.”
Last Wednesday they flew together in the ARCUS M over 400 km from Munivitacura Pis. Flights from over 300 in the Pilatus B4 over there are not bad either.
Follow and lead!!! THE way to learn how to fly cross country. That’s what’s happened last week in Lake Keepit. I love the philosophy behind the Lake Keepit Regatta and I know that they are not the only ones doing it like this.
“Lake Keepit Soaring Club’s annual Regatta is a fun, friendly and informal cross country event to introduce pilots to cross country competition.
The idea is that the regatta is a mentoring event where pilot pairs are scored together around an AAT task. So we match up early cross country pilots with a seasoned pro, and they compete together as a team, either in two gliders or in a twin. Only the slowest time of the pair is scored, so it is in the interest of the more experienced pilot to coach and assist right throughout the flight.”
Well known ” leader” of course is UK pilot, G Dale and with the DUO DISCUS he shared with several pilots a 1000 points day.But also in the GROB 103, he achieved enough points for an 8th place.
Also the ASH 25, the Nimbus 3D and Twin Astir help out and several pilots fly single seaters to lead.A total of 44 pilots means that the enthusiasm is big, which is great.
Winners are not really important on such comps but still worthwhile to see at; www.soaringspot.com
The SSA convention is on and that’s were a lot of my USA mates meet. Rand [ co -founder of the Soaring Cafe] is there and he will update you with the latest.
Tony Condon is somebody who loves soaring, vintage planes and the maintenance on them.Met Tony in Uvalde after having email contact with him before.
He also was the WINNER[ in the Central zone] of the Henry Combs Perpetual Trophy. This prize is awarded annually to the pilots completing the greatest number of straight out diamond distance flights in each of the 3 SSA contest zones during the previous year.
He received the prize during the banquet in Reno .
No secret what picture he put on FB and I love it , for that reason share it with you,
Uncovered LK-10 at SSA Convention; the real WOOD!!!!
courtesy Tony Condon.
SSA2014
Picture courtesy Rand Baldwin.
SSA chairman nowadays is Richard Maleady who cuts the ribbon, to open the exhibit hall at the SSA Convention in Reno Nevada.
Met Richard at several occasions, on several places, in several functions in the world! Lovely guy!During the Uvalde WGC he was involved with the security at the field, ” racing ” around in a golf car.
You surely remember the tragic story about the drought in Australia I wrote about and how it had a huge impact also on friends of ours.This picture shows smiles in the rain!!!! We would sit there with a long face,” rain again!” in Australia they laugh, certainly when it is really WET!!!
Bruce and Anita Taylor smiling in the rain!
As shared on FB.
For all other news from last week you can read; www.soaring.eu
Cheers Ritz and CU next week.
