Photo by Guido Müller There was a low cloud base in the Swiss Alps near Lucerne, but good weather to take some pictures.
Gliding in the Swiss Alps
by Bill Elliott •
Author Archive for Bill Elliott
Bill is a Soaring Cafe Co-Founder and the Publishing Editor. He is a two-time U.S. 18m national champion with extensive racing and cross-country soaring experience. He represented the U.S. in the 18 meter class at the 2010 and 2012 FAI World Gliding Championships Bill earned his airplane rating in 1981, but was looking for new challenges by 1989 when the lure of motorless flight induced him to join the Huntsville Soaring Club. After soloing in a Blanik L – 13, Bill began soaring cross country in the club 1-26, then bought a Duster followed by an HP-18 a few years later. It was with that HP-18 that he won the Region 5 South Sports Class Championship in 1995, his first championship.
2 and 1/2 hours in the air
by Bill Elliott •
As I have had tonsillitis for a few months, I haven’t planned longer flights until I will have a surgery. However, the weekend weather was perfect and my hand was in. It was ideal to fly 3 hours. (According to the training syllabus I have to fly 3 and 5 hours near the airport…
2014 Mifflin, Region 2–Photos by Maria
by Bill Elliott •
Photos by Maria Szemplinska All rights reserved neetka@rogers.com www.neetka.ca
Tullahoma, Tenn GTA Race – Day 3
by Bill Elliott •
I’m writing this from the comfort of my home office back in Columbus, Ohio. I got home about 3am Ohio time this morning, after an uneventful drive back from the Tullahoma. We got in a 3rd day on Sunday – a 2hr TAT. Conditions were variable – OK to very good to the north of…
Tullahoma Tenn GTA Race, Day 2
by Bill Elliott •
Most days when the weather doesn’t work out as forecast, it is because something bad happened – high overcast, storms popping up, spread-out/overdevelopment – you know the list. Today, however, we got what CD Francois Pin (PF) referred to as ‘the other side of the coin. The forecast was for blue all day – we…
Being on the highest spot, that’s what it is all about on the end of a WGC!
by Bill Elliott •
Looking back at the 33d WGC is a pleasure. You see how quickly the bad weather and 7 non-flying-days are forgotten.It all ended in hurray-mood. Great winners in each class, I guess they had a soar head at the prize-giving this morning. For the first time in history Belgium has a WORLD CHAMPION in…
Tullahoma, Tenn GTA Race
by Bill Elliott •
I’m sitting in my Micro-Castle here at the Tullahoma GTA (Georgia-Tennessee-Alabama) race site, on Saturday July 5, waiting for my brain to wake up and smell the coffee. Tullahoma regional airport (KTHA) is a great soaring site, with lots of ramp space for assembling gliders, huge runways with at least two separate grass runways, and a…
WORLD champions ; Bert jr. Schmelzer, Eric Bernard and the JONES brothers!
by Bill Elliott •
They kept the best for last . With 7 days the glass is still half full not half empty.My glass will be full in a minute ,needed that!!! Here is my story of the last day of the WGC in Rayskala. The last briefing, the last launches, the last tasks from this 33d WGC. It…
Latest on 33d WGC in Finland!Finally the REAL Finnish weather!
by Bill Elliott •
WOW, a real good day. Finally they all can see and ” taste” what soaring in Finland means. What a pity there is only ONE day to go! But better leave Finland with the memory of the great flights from the last days the sauna fun and the comradely. The rest will be forgotten soon.It…
Latest on 33d WGC in Finland ! What if there were no sauna’s in Rayskala!?
by Bill Elliott •
“Day cancelled for all classes, sauna recommended for anti-freeze”. “Eat. Sleep. Grid. Repeat..” ” A nap is recommended” Some quotes from the 33d WGC in Finland,where it seems they have a record-cold-summer,the coldest since 50 years, just when the soaring world visits them for some good WGC- flying, over an inspiring beautiful country with lakes…
