Yearly Archives: 2014

WGC 2014 Leszno Day 4 & 5

30 July, Day 4For the fourth day, all three classes will fly area tasks. Each class today will fly with 3 areas with a Minimum Time of 2 hours. Fear of late afternoon thunderstorms drives this decision, which makes for a short day of flying and a de-valued day, pointswise. Rain is predictedtomorrow, although the…

Ascendance — A Beautiful New Video

Ascendance from Julien Jauffret PLUS 1 day ago ALL AUDIENCES Les jours de beau temps à l’aérodrome de BUNO sont synonymes de planeur. Une bande de passionnés s’en vont toucher les nuages à bord de leurs machines. Un mot d’ordre, le plaisir de voler. Translated: The good weather at the aerodrome BUNO is synonymous with gliding. A band of enthusiasts…

Morning Routine

The sun rises in Leszno about 4:00. We sleep a little later than that, but SS and DB are usually on the airfield between 6:30 and 7:00. By7:30, the entire U.S. team has arrived and is assembling. It is to the advantage of the big-winged planes to weave through the trailers and to the scales sooner rather…

U.S. Team WGC 2014, Opening Ceremonies

At the 2012 World Gliding Championship in Uvalde, the U.S. team contrived to be first in the parade by walking under the sign “America.” This year, the U.S. team was last, strangely, behind team Uruguay. One hundred thirty two pilots, and many more crew members, marched down Ulitza ? to the Rynek, or Town Square.…

1104 km across the Wild West – MP chases for Records

MP, alias Mitch Polinsky, obviously enjoys another big summer in the Western US. Launching from Ely, Nevada on Friday, he flew a straight out task from Nevada across Utah and the South Eastern corner of Wyoming, kissing the Nebraska/Wyoming border to finally land at Torrington Municipal Airport where he probably had to wait a bit…

A new Standard Class World Champion 2014

Bert Schmelzer answers Soaring Café’s Questions Bert, you are the first Belgian glider pilot ever to become a World Champion. What a feeling?! Even three weeks after the competition is over, it is still difficult to realize what it exactly means to be World Champion, but I can tell you that crossing the finish line…

On the Fly — WGC 24 July 2014: Team USA

Today is the third of four official practice days, and the rain is relentless. Captain Dennis Linnekin took advantage of the weather to call a complete Team USA meeting: all six pilots, full crew, and interpreter Greg Swiderski. Then he made a few observations and exhortations. The runway situation is great. There is a well-marked…

Klaus Ohlmann flies 7 World Records with e-Genius

The electric two-seater e-Genius just spent a week in Serres (France) a location which is also known as Klaus Ohlmann’s home airfield. Further evaluation and – if possible – some records were on the to-do-list. Seven records were achieved! As you might remember from former Soaring Café articles the electric glider e-Genius was built by…