ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN WEDNESDAY February 6 2013
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.soaringcafe.com www.glidinginternational.com
Woke up this morning in a white world. SNOW!
Straight away 500 km. traffic jam , mainly in the mid and SE from Holland and trains travelling with a winter schedule, meaning less trains, fuller trains and longer periods of waiting. Welcome back snow!?
Winter in Holland as seen by Ronald Termaat this morning.
Still amazing weather in Australia . Tom Gilbert flew with his DG 400/17m. a nice FAI triangle; 763 km. extended to 785 km.!!!! Flying to Narromine and Hillston and back to Temora! Nice flight indeed!
And today Tom did it again; 912km. [ 806 km.] up N and then E to go back to Temora.
Also a real nice flight , from Ed Marel in the ASH 31 who “always wanted to fly this 750 ” [extended to 810 km] from West Wyalong and did it now.
From Mount Beauty yesterday 786 km. in a 15 m. Ventus b.
Tom after the flight as shared by a proud daughter Sarah !
For sure the Australia season is a good and long one starting already in November with 4 over 1000 km. flights on the 25th. in Narromine and still going strong! At the moment they have a “squad week” in Narromine.
TODAY it was Adam Woolleys dad ,Chris who flew his very first 1000 km. from Narromine calling it a MAGIC day!!!!!!It is FEBRUARY ALREADY…. mind you!!!!And he flew a FAI 1000 k triangle. Hope this kind of weather will be in Narromine during the Junior Worlds in 2015 as well!
As Adam said: “Congratulations Dad, a monumental day & experience. So stoaked & proud for/of you for being the latest recipient of a 1000km FAI diploma!!
More super flights just have a look at the OLC.
Benalla with a Kestrel flying 690 FAI triangle extended to 704 km.
Tocumwal with a 683 FAI triangle extended to 706 km. in the ASH 26E and HIRO who flew his first EVER declared 500 km. Congratulations Hiro!!! And,…Takao achieved his Diamond Distance and Leo is silver badge. A great week for the 5 Japanese guests.For pictures you can go to www.sportaviation.com.au
And Tocumwal today with a nice 1000 [857 FAI triangle] by Neil Burns;
—”Excellent day. Had to abandon 1000 km triangle attempt and then take advantage of the better conditions out to the north-west.—”
He flew the ARCUS M from and with Roger Druce! Great effort! What weather, I should have stayed longer!!!!
ARCUS ready to go with Glenda Burns on the tip and husband Neil in it with Roger Druce.
courtesy Birgitte Thomsen.
YESTERDAY Corowa had already exellent weather with a nice 1008 from Harry, nearly a triangle[ 942k] but as he said he turned too early and had to gain some more kilometers in the end in the S where it was less good.Corowa with John Blyth taking over his glider he shares with Anders, from Anders for the rest of the season flying in the ASW 22/ 24 m. today 618 km.
–”Absolutely FABULOUS day in Corowa! Even thought I didn’t launch until the CUs started to pop at 1300, I managed 618km at a record speed for me of 121kph.
As Harry said – “Put in water then push the stick foward and fly fast!”–
Not long anymore and the gliders will leave also from Corowa to go back to Europe. Great they still had some super days before packing.
On the 7th and 8th they pack both containers , to have a last check on the 9th and than it is to the harbour on the 16th and “back home”.
Esimated time of arrival at Terlet for unpacking; April 13.
Not such a busy season this year due to less gliders , but still very good pilots and lots of flights .At this stage Corowa is on the OLC list on spot 6 with 28 pilots [60 last year] flying 190.784,97 km. in 349 flights just behind Benalla.
As Grietje said on her birthday [happy birthday!] ; “Without staff it has been VERY busy for us, we had however a great season. “
Horsham week counted 4 days till now and with a 603 km. task for 18m./open , they had a great day 4 won by “veteran ” Tony Tabart [Ventus CM] with a speed of 140 km./h. Not bad!!!!
Club class had a 4 AAT with as best distance 441 km. in a twin astir, 15 m. had 510 km. , standard class 509 km and Peter Buskens [LS 8] won the 1000 points with a speed of 144 km./h , wow!
Jo and Tony while visiting Holland last year.
What about that a blog full of happy pilots and family! What a great way to end the summer season when ours here is about to begin.
I finish however, with a very sad moment!!!! I was very much touched to hear that Karen Lysakowsky died after being ill , at age 43!!!!
She was an airline pilot for B.A.
Her mum lost her only daughter now and before already her husband in a mid air collision. TRAGIC!!
I still visualize her with Lizzie [Wells] and my daughter Inge , being great mates at comps!
The Ted Lysakowski Memorial Trust reminds me and others on this kind UK WGC pilot.
When reading about it I will think now of Karin as well.
Picture courtesy Vanessa.
And a last minute note from Tibor which I share with pleasure and later more with pictures;
—”we prepare 13th year of our competition fatraglide13.
Just to remind it is spring mountain flying comp on arguably most beautiful airfield in Slovakia.
We have new terrace with cafeteria, and parties are great – you know Brano, Wanda, me.. etc 
We have brand new web site www.fatraglide.sk for it and G Dale is among participants already! We stil operate www.gliding.sk gliding portal but unfortunatelly only in slovak language but galleries should give you some idea about how do we live here..–”
And one more last message;
—”Notice is hereby provided that the Victorian Aerobatic Championships are to be held at the Tocumwal Aerodrome from Wednesday 6th March through to Sunday 10th March 2013.—”
picture courtesy Ronald Hermans.
Cheers Ritz
