Memories…SSC Part 2!

 
Memories….SSC….part 2.

After the pilots landed we were welcomed like long-lost-friends! The weather was good, George straight away flew a 750K and every evening we had a ball. Didn’t want to go home anymore!!
George got the Ventus from Peter Griffiths and his car. After the comps we went to Tocumwal. Behind Bruce, with radios on, we drove through the desert from Mildura to Tocumwal, about 500 km. and only ONE café in the middle. Of course we stopped for a drink and also bought a stubby holder. I had NEVER seen so much ‘nothing’!!! A real remote area! A tiny little bit scary.

After a good day of driving we arrived at Tocumwal, a very small town with 1750 inhabitants, one main street, a famous river, the Murray, and an airfield with a HUGE WWII hangar. George had seen it already;  I was more than impressed. Even more when I saw the inside!! So many rigged gliders in it, a workshop for gliders and power planes, a restaurant, a bar, a briefing room and sun room, a motel, caravan park and modest accommodation for the staff. A huge green garden surrounded the hangar full of native trees  and a bit more to the north there were three more such huge hangars. All are owned by Bill Riley who, with his family ran the business, and a lot of international guests had found their way already before us! It was always buzzing, as nobody had to leave or wanted to leave the premises. ALL a glider pilot and crew, needed was there on ONE spot!


Sun room in the middle. To the right, the restaurant;  to the left, the briefing room.

I straight away fell in love with Tocumwal…can’t tell you why. The people, the weather, the river…??? Maybe even Kelly’s pub, where everybody from the area came on Thursday, after receiving their wages, to spend most of it on beer. One day I went with the men, but that was not really done for a girl!!!??? I couldn’t care less and was quickly one of the bunch. I had already flown as the only girl with the student aero club from Eindhoven in ’67 and ’68. Nothing new! By the way, Kelly’s is still now the best restaurant and pub in the far region!
It was David Riley who struggled so much with my name Rietje that he changed it to Ritz and that is still my name in Australia and…I write under that name.

  The wonderful Murray River.[archive]

Tocumwal , so close to Benalla, was busy with over 50 overseas pilots practicing for the WGC  in the season 86/87. Most of us celebrated Christmas with a night mass outside, as people did not fit in  the small church. I clearly remember the priest with his sandals and night insects on his white “dress,”  and we were all sitting on blankets as if we had a picnic. Unforgettable memories!
Daughter Inge just turned 14 and went solo in Tocumwal. She needed a Dutch instructor and Kees was available. As in Australia, the minimum age was 15. I had no clue, saw a glider (Blanik) and a tug and George rushed to me to tell me, “that’s your son in the tug and your daughter behind in the glider.” With flowers and baby bubbles we rushed to the field to congratulate Inge.
She later did her pilots training [CPL and ATPL]  in Tocumwal  and a bit later she converted it all to Dutch papers. She is a well respected airline captain now for years and mother of our lovely grand children.

Benalla 87 was great. Too long distances on not too good days is what I remember first, but still, a great competition. George flew with Dennis in the Nimbus 3D, with turbulators under the wings,  specially created for the event by Klaus Holighaus. The first father-son combination in a WGC, where also for the first time 2-seaters were allowed. From Holland, Baer Selen [standard class], Daan Pare and Kees Musters [ 15 m class ] were flying as well as Gerrit Kurstjens in open class.Of course Ingo won in this class…..his 4th WGC title!

After the comps a lot of the pilots and crew  came back with us to Tocumwal and some flew their first 1000 km then.

In  January 88 disaster struck as Dennis on a retrieve, hit with the tug the powerlines just north of Tocumwal and died. He had just finished his pilot training in Holland with the NLS and was allowed a short holiday to ” make”  some extra hours, as he had finished his training so quickly. We were still busy with the funeral of our house friend Kees Musters [world champion in Hobbs New Mexico], who died exactly one week/Sunday before,  in a hang glider accident in France. We never attended his funeral and went back to Tocumwal to say farewell to our beloved son, who is buried in Tocumwal “because of his great affection for the community.” A hell of a time!

 
One of the 4 Belanca Scouts and……..the grave with a stone from the small mine in Tocumwal.

Bill Riley, founder of the SSC and by then good friend, had had it after this accident and sold the business to two farmers, Don Escott and Jeff Close. Every year we visited …..and still …..with  pleasure.
In 1995 Don told us he wanted to stop as well and asked George if we wanted to buy his 50% shares. We could work together with Jeff as he was eager to stay. We worried a bit; being a customer/guest is something totally different than owning such a business. We had NO experience at all, though George  ran already an airline in Holland as CEO.

 Bill Riley last year in December.

Next week the last part of this “short story” of the SSC. It is a bit more private/personel than I wanted, but the best way to show you why we all love Tocumwal and loved the SSC. All pictures in  today’s story, sent to me by George and most probably made by our Swedish guest for several years, Lars.

Top pictures; The art work by a Dutch painter, Gerry Jillisen, created a new look on the Blanik in the hangar and the south side and office and heavy doors of the WWII hangar. By the way, I  heard  the Blanik is for sale as an ART object for 59.000 Australian dollars ex Tocumwal.

For all the other news from last week go to www.soaring.eu

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