At 14.00 sharp the tuggies started their job , the pilots “hopped “out of their air conditioned cars to sit in their glider , well protected against the hot sun. Lot’s of sand/dust over the field. One tuggie came back with an electrical problem.
“Number 7 increase speed”, one pilot asked,….it is good to have the radio.
The tuggies have a West and East entrie,I hear,  so they come back right and left from the runway drop the cable there and land in the middle to pick up the open class gliders and to left site of the runway to pick up 15m and 18 m. .
Must say I am impressed with the towing here! Hear also that they are FAST.
See the Antares go  from here with it’s special electric engine. He must be the last one as the
open class gate opens at 14.37! for a racing task of 332.7 km.
15 m. Class can go on track at 14.38 !for a racing task of 332.1 km.
18 m. can go at 14.49!for 334.5 km.

Put Richard’s picture on again so you can see the airfield.

To the left of the runway tuggies land to pick up from that runway 15 and 18 m.
The open class is waiting to be launched on the taxi way and those tuggies land in the middle between the 2 tarmac lanes and go to the r. to pick up their glider.After the tugs are ready with open class the tuggies go over to help the gliders still on the runway.
Hope you get a bit of an idea how it works here and why it is pretty dangerous there.

The wind is much tougher then the days before. The gates are open in 2 classes , 18 m. will open in 5 minutes from now, so let’s see what happens on this last practise day. The announcement of the opening of the gates is very clear.
See some shiny spots… read gliders , very high. Some crew members arrive here for a quick drink to straight away disappear to their aircondionated team huts or motels.

One more picture from Richard, enjoy;

 

Update;16.00. The TV for the tracking system has been installed here, close to me. Beauty! Saw 2 Lak gliders flying a nice formation for a video camera and come back with a nice long landing behind each other. Not a lot more happening . Oh  yes a lovely little girl tried to entertain us, look at her.

 

 

                                         The first people looking at the tracking system

Off to the Pre opening tonight with my camera.