AF 447

What really happened on AF 447 is summarized in this really interesting article of 'Popular Mechanics'

Happy New Year!

Vierleger

Nicht vorenthalten möchte ich Euch den Blogentrag von 'nff' (Peter Tilly) mit dem oa Titel - die Kurzstreckenvariante von Flug 69.

Dilettanten am Werk

Hier ein ein sehr kluger Artikel der NZZ vom 20.12.10 zur aktuellen Situation in der Politik -absolut lesenswert.
Dem bleibt Nichts mehr hinzuzufügen..

(Sorry - only in German)

Day 25: return

Postscrip to yesterday: the pilot I mentioned has a broken vertebrae: apparently it's a 'clean' fracture, which does not need a procedure...

This morning I drove with the 3 German Pilots from "Oppenau" to FOR: 4.5hrs from Tianguà to the airport without stopping: they cut it pretty closely for their 1400 departure. On the other hand, my flight leaves in about 12 hours, so I got a room in a hotel to spend the time untill check-in opens at 2100.

I also had dinner at the Churrascheria 'Sal e Brasa' in Fortaleza::excellent meat quality, and as much as you wanted/ could eat...

The TAP flight departed almost on time and I could even sleep a little; now I hang out in the Business lounge at LIS waiting for my flinal leg of this trip.

Day 24: Tianguà (last flying day...)

Exactly as Michael had told us the day before, the winds got weaker towards noon and shortly afterwards many of us were airborne. A few toplanded, but the conditions got bumpier as the day wore on, so later everybody flew to the LZ.


UnfortunatelyTobias had a collapse close to the ground and had to throw his reserve. He landed in the forest. It looks as if nothing major happend, but I have not spoken to the guys who went with him to the local hospital.


So this was my last flying day here in Brazil for this year, as tomorrow morning I'll be going to Fortaleza for my return flight to LIS and ZRH. I hope that todays general strike in Portugal will not affect my flight schedule...


All in all it was a nice and interesting trip, even though I had hoped get to know some more new sites; but apparently there are not that many around here in the Northeast.

Day 23: Quixadà - Tianguà

Rampa (TO) Sitio do Bosco

Again (as we did when moving from Patù to Quixadà) our group was split: those who tried to fly as much of the way as possible and those who drove all the way. The trip to Tianguà took almost 6 hrs; after check-in at the pusada, Michael then took us to the local flying site. It lies in a beautiful and well maintained kind of park just 10minutes outside the city overlooking the plains below ot the East. TO is a very large meadow and everybody went soaring for at least an hour. Some toplanded, many choose the LZ at the foothills and a few "outlanded".
Unfortunately dinner was a bad experience: very long waiting and lousy food...

Day 22: Quixada

A typical "Quixada"day with lots of clouds and wind in the morning. Only a handful took off early, some sank out and Daniela made it beyond 200km -Gratulations!
Then for some hours the wind was too strong and TO became only possible again after 1300. Conditions still looked promising with a high cloud base and some easterly winds.
So I tried my luck again. Rather easy going for the first 50ks, but then I glided for 11kms without the hint of lift (or to be more precise: mostly with sinkalarm). What I then found was too unorganized and too little to "save" me. So gone the hope/ dream of finally be able to fly > 100ks here in Brazil...

...gliding into the blue void...

that's what I'd needed...

Day 21: Patù - Quixada

Today was a "travel" day: we moved from Patù (back) to Quixada as the wind forecast for the coastal soaring sites still was unfavourable. Some of us (me among them) decided to go by car all the way, many tried to fly from Patù as far as possible towards Quixada: Steff made it to Quixeramobin (ca 216km).
Our group was ready to launch at 1400 and we found perfect conditions: light wind for TO, high cloudbase. I couldn't resist an flew away...

Boa Viagem

Boa Viagem

After Madalena I decided to follow the paved road towards Boa Viagem, knowing that this would result in a cross-wind track, a reduced grounspeed and thus reduced distance, but as no real retrieve organization had been setup for this day I considered this to be the most practical way. Thus I ended up(again) 900m short of 100km...

After landing I got a (free) moto-taxi ride to the 'rodoviaria' (central bus station) in Boa Viagem, where Andy texted me, that a car was on its way. We then drove back via Quixeramobin, where at a 'Churrasceria' (steak house) I had for the first time on this trip really good meat.

Sunset in Boa Viagem

Day 21: Patù

The first group of pilots departed at 0700 for launch, the rest at 0800 (me among the latter).

Already while driving up we saw 2 paragliders heading out West - but none belonged to our group - 2 Brazilian pilots. Lots of people on launch including some from a local TV station; they interviewed quite a lot of pilots - I could 'evade' them...

It took me almost an hour to reach base (today at 1600m). The sky really looked very promising, but I didn't take advantage of the good conditions.




But maybe it looked better than it really was, because also many of the 'cracks' landed unusally early.

Patù

Unfortunately the wind forecast for the coast is still unfavorable, so no flying there :-((

Day 20: Patù ...still walking...

No, not me!
But apparently we have a pilot in our group who wanted to save some money, so he purchased only SPOT basic services and no live-tracking. So the retrieve team didn't know until he had landed where he was and by now (2000) he already has been walking for at least 2 hours. Andy and Michael are trying to direct 'CheChe' to his position by using GoogleEarth and the sporadic 'OK'-massages they receive... In German there is a saying: "wenn man es nicht im Kopf hat,dann hat man es halt in den Beinen"...

Day 20: Patù

Today was a day for the 'early birds'- all who departed early (around 1000) got away and some far (Steff >200km;Daniela > 175km).
Then the conditions became more tricky and some sank out - me among them :-((

Barabara (Philippe taking pictures)

Tomorrow our group will split: those who want to XC remain here, the rest can go to the coast for 2 days of soaring - I think that's what I'll do...
> this had tobe postpoed by 1 day due to "wrong" wind direction on the coast on SUN...

Day 19: Patù - "Frutuoso Gomes"

Another day with difficult conditions: many sank out and had to relaunch. One of them (Steff) made it beyond 200km with a TO close to noon.
I had waited some more, got good conditions for launch, but still had to dig myself out low over the bail-out LZ in front of the 'rampa'. But in this thermal I could gain almost 2000m.
I headed west but never got into the rhythm of the thermals, so instead of going low into unlandable terrain I decided to land.

'Frutuoso Gomes'

I choose the highway as my LZ, and a friendly man from nearby 'Frutoso Gomes' drove out to help me pack up and then took me on his moto to the main junction on the highway: muito obrigado!!! >>his blog: http://jnetonews.blogspot.com/

landing on the highway..

Only a little later 'Fretsch' arrived and drove me back to Patù.

Day 18: Patù - "NADA"

Today the conditions have not been very good: wind from NNE, torn up thermals.
Just a few managed to get away, most of us just sank out in front (some even twice)...

Michael Gebert

looking back to launch...

Day 17: Patù ... just 810m short...

Another fine day here in Patù. Today I left with the 1000 bus for launch. The conditions at first didn't look too promising; quite a number of pilots sank out in front of TO. After 45 minutes I finally had reached cloudbase and started to move. Today the conditions called for a much southerly route than on the previous days.

'Pau dos Ferros'

Arriving over 'Pau dos Ferros' the windsituation was very unclear and I decided to head South along the paved road.

'José da Penha'

In 'José da Penha' I finally ran out of thermals and landed - just 810m short of 100km... After I had packed my gear and walked to the town center, I had to wait only 15-20 minutes before the retrieve car arrived and thanks to the good roads here in this part of Brazil I was back at the hotel at 1830, just in time for dinner at 1900.

Day 16: Patù

Postscript to yesterdays post:
Martin Bühler (LI) flew 321km (OLC); his flight can be found here. Congratulations!!!
He and Frederico (retrieve driver) slept overnight in 'Independencia' and returned only during this afternoon.

Spectators on launch

Today (as forecasted by XCSkies) cloudbase was a little higher, thermals a little stronger and the wind from due East. Again we have been on launch (too) early so we had to wait a while for the winds to become less strong. I launched shortly before 1200 and it took me (as usual) alomost an hour before I reached cloudbase. From then on it was not too difficult to fly farther than yesterday.
I landed in 'Rodolfo Fernandez', not because I had to, but because the paved road ended there.
So it was an easy 15 minute ride with the mototaxi to Itaù, where our bus already waited for me...

Patù

Umarizal

my LZ in 'Rodolfo Fernandez'

Day 15: Patù

Sunrise at "Pusada do Voo Livre"

The day started with beautiful colors and at 0700 we headed for the 'Rampa'.

'Rampa'/ TO

After 0900 the first pilots took off. The wind on launch today was quite cross, so conditions have not been easy. In the air (at least today) the thermals seemed much rougher than in Quixada...

...heading west...

From where I have landed (Umerazil), I returned by 'mototaxi' to Patù.
As I'm writing these lines, Martin Bühler (LI) seems to be still in the air and close to 300km (or alreayd beyond!)

Day 14; Morro Branco - Patù

After a quiet night and an excellent breakfast at the "Pusada Ibitu", we spend the morning in "Morro Branco".

"Pusada Ibitu"

"Morro Branco"

Andy said we'd leave at 1400, but it was not until 1440 that all cars were loaded and gassed up before we were on our way to "Patù" (RN).
The roads for once had surprisingly few holes so we could drive rather quickly.

thunderstorms building in front ...

Sunset approaching "Patù"

The closer we got to "Patù" the more interesting and impressive the clouds became and for a while it was raining heavily. And not before the sun was completely gone we finally arrived at our destination: the "Pusada de Voo Lovre" in Patù.
I hope the name is also the program...
Before going for dinner Michael (Gebert) made a quick briefing of what to excpect tomorrow: breakfast at 0615; departure for TO latest 0700 :-((
- didn't we have this already before??

Day 13 Quixada -Morro Branco

Today was just a 'transfer day'; withh the exception of Marco (who departs SUN for home) and Nicole & Arduino (who stay some more days and participate SAT on a comp in Quixada) everybody woved to Morro Branco on the Atlantic coast. This was not uneventful, as the GPS led us to some roads which either didn't exist at all or ended in a sand track...


But after some detours, we finally got teher. In the evening a number of pilots departed to FOR for .their returnflight to CH (Thomas, Peter,ANdy) and some 'new' ones are excpected to arrive (delay about 3 hrs)

Quixada - Day 12

Another windy day, but looking at the results this full last day of our stay her in Quixada probably was the best day...

Many pilots - Matt GB), Trias (GB/GR), Phippu, Michael (Gebert), Christoph (Juon) came close to or over 200k. Thomas(230k), Andy (265k), Martin (275k - finally!)

I waited till after 1500 for a nice soaring flight to the hotel.

Tomorrow we'll move to the cost and then we'll fly 'Patù'.

Quixada - Day 11

'Paolo' - launch director

...what great looking cloud streets...

Another interesting day: everybody was at launch by 0700; by 0830 six pilots had taken off, the rest didn't want to go soaring for 2 hours before cloud base would be high enough to permit a safe XC start. But as (bad) luck would have it: the windspeed steadily increased and no more good launch windows were available until after 1500...

Until then 4 of the six had sunken out but those two (Steff and Burki) kept going and landed finally beyond 270km . With this flight I think Burki broke the German open distance record - congratulations!

I took off at 1530 for an hour long flight just back to the hotel: I had only wanted to make sure that there would'nt be a problem with my (left) eye again.

looking back to launch/ Quixada

Quixada - Day 10

Actually I had hoped to fly by this time, but no: way too much wind!
Arduino has been the only one to launch so far, but unfortunately he got blown into the lee and got landed in the bushes - I hope he is alright!!!
He was lifted by helicopter to a hospital in Fortaleza; there he was x-rayed and as nothing couldbe found he came back to Quixada already later this evening...

Arnie was leaving us this evening, as he is scheduled to participate in a comp in Argentina starting on Sunday.
Hey man, it was great having you here and you did very well! I hope we can fly together again somewhere/ sometime next year.

Quixada - Day 9

This afternoon I visitied an eyespecialist in Fortaleza. After extensive examination of my left eye he told me that for the moment everything looked ok but that I should continue taking the medication until Sat (only once a day). I should then see an eye doctor again at home and have some more checks done. So I'll be flying again tomorrow....

Road from Quixada to Fortaleza

Today has been a good day with Arnie flying 223km; Michael 219km; Thomas 200km and Daniela 169km -congrats!!!

Quixada - Day 8

...the third day in a row I'm just hanging around - doing nothig... Finally tomorrow morning after breakfast we'll drive to Fortaleza to see the eye specialist - though I have to say, that I can't see any difference in vision between my eyes...

Arduino made it very quickly to "Mosenhor Tabosa", but unluckily he had to land there...
Peter Kleimann landed beyond 200km and Steff at 214km.
COOL guys!!!!

Do you speak English?

By coincidence I found that poem on the net.
Can you read it correctly on your first attempt?

"The Chaos"

Dearest creature in creation Studying English pronunciation, I will teach you in my verse Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse. I will keep you, Suzy, busy, Make your head with heat grow dizzy. Tear in eye, your dress you'll tear. So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.

Just compare heart, beard, and heard, Dies and diet, lord and word, Sword and sward, retain and Britain. (Mind the latter, how it's written.) Now I surely will not plague you With such words as plaque and ague. But be careful how you speak: Say break and steak, but bleak and streak; Cloven, oven, how and low, Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.

Hear me say, devoid of trickery, Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore, Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles, Exiles, similes, and reviles; Scholar, vicar, and cigar, Solar, mica, war and far; One, anemone, Balmoral, Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel; Gertrude, German, wind and mind, Scene, Melpomene, mankind.

Billet does not rhyme with ballet, Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet. Blood and flood are not like food, Nor is mould like should and would. Viscous, viscount, load and broad, Toward, to forward, to reward. And your pronunciation's OK When you correctly say croquet, Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve, Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous; clamour And enamour rhyme with hammer. River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb, Doll and roll and some and home. Stranger does not rhyme with anger, Neither does devour with clangour. Souls but foul, haunt but aunt, Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant, Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger, And then singer, ginger, linger, Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge, Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query does not rhyme with very, Nor does fury sound like bury. Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth. Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath. Though the differences seem little, We say actual but victual. Refer does not rhyme with deafer. Feoffer does, and zephyr, heifer. Mint, pint, senate and sedate; Dull, bull, and George ate late.Scenic, Arabic, Pacific, Science, conscience, scientific.

Liberty, library, heave and heaven, Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven. We say hallowed, but allowed, People, leopard, towed, but vowed. Mark the differences, moreover, Between mover, cover, clover; Leeches, breeches, wise, precise, Chalice, but police and lice; Camel, constable, unstable, Principle, disciple, label.

Petal, panel, and canal, Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal. Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair, Senator, spectator, mayor. Tour, but our and succour, four. Gas, alas, and Arkansas. Sea, idea, Korea, area, Psalm, Maria, but malaria. Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.Doctrine, turpentine, marine.

Compare alien with Italian, Dandelion and battalion. Sally with ally, yea, ye, Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key. Say aver, but ever, fever, Neither, leisure, skein, deceiver. Heron, granary, canary.Crevice and device and aerie.

Face, but preface, not efface. Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass. Large, but target, gin, give, verging, Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging. Ear, but earn and wear and tear Do not rhyme with here but ere. Seven is right, but so is even, Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen, Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk, Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.

Pronunciation -- think of Psyche! Is a paling stout and spikey? Won't it make you lose your wits, Writing groats and saying grits? It's a dark abyss or tunnel: Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale, Islington and Isle of Wight, Housewife, verdict and indict.

Finally, which rhymes with enough -- Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough? Hiccough has the sound of cup. My advice is to give up!!!

Dr. Gerald Nolst Trenite (1870-1946)

If you had to give up like me, here you can listen to the 'correct' prounciation:

or here is the link to the YouTube video

Quixada - Day 7

My vision is much better, but I'll most probably still go to Fortaleza on Tuesday to see the specialist...
Flying was better as well: Arnie ca 157km from TO, Andy 145km.

Quixada - Day 6

Sunset at 'Pedra dos Ventos'

Today no much flying: many/ most returned rather early.
The first week here in Quixada already has passed (too quickly); unfortunately the conditions never have been 'stellar', so as to permit really long flights for the 'cracks'...
My night has not been too bad: I can clearly 'see' that resting improves my vision drastically, but as soon as I move about, it deteriorates again - but so far never as low as when the whole thing started yesterday...

Quixada - Day 5

Today I skipped the first transport at 0620 and only got to launch at 1030, when everybody else had departed (and some had already landed). They had departed with cloudbase at 1000m. Last year we only departed after base had risen to at least 1200m... I took off at 1130, but everything was cloudcovered so I soared for 90min, not being able to climb above 1000m. Then the sun had finally burned away the clouds and fling got better. But by now I didn't want to go XC anymore so I landed below our hotel.

Hannes trying to launch

Peter

Results:
Burki and Martin: > 198km (straight line from TO/ OLC > 200km)


The big surprise came after landing, when I realized, that the vision in my left eye was practically zero! ?Hannes' looked at it and saw some blood inside, maybe from a ruptured bloodvessel? As I couldn't make sense of this, I decided to go to Quixada, hoping to find there an ophtalmologist. 'Paolo' and 'French' came along to help translate. We actually managed to find such a doctor in Quixada, which was the first surprise, the second was how clean and modern the doctors's office was. After only having waited 20 minutes, the doctor thouroughly examined my eyes, prescribed me some drugs, lots of rest and no flying :-(( and a visit at a special eye clinic in Fortaleza coming Tuesday. I can see that resting brings back my vision almost completely, but as sonn as I start to move it detoriates quickly...

Quixada - Day 4 -Madalena

Interesrting wx: during the night it had rained and therefore lots of moisture was looming in the morning, so departure for TO was postponed till after 0900. All pilots (except me) launched rather quickly and then departed direction "Madalena". Whle I still waited, the first ones already had to land... I finally launched at 1130 and found cloudbase to be alreday above 1500m, so I also started (slowly) heading West. It was slow going for me, as it was not alsways evident to me from where the thermals were coming and I wanted always to stay high. After 2.5hrs I reached "Madalena" with about 1000m altitude to spare, so I spiralled down. Our bus was already waiting here with other pilots, so I just had to pack up and then we departed back to Quixada: great flight!!

Monastery (Santuary) and launch (Rampa)

the "chicken" (la galinha)

...midway (looking back)...

on glide to "Madalena"

Results (OLC-distance):
Burki: > 148km
Andreas: > 118km
Gregi: > 98km
Taggi: > 78km