Red Rock (PG) Nationals in Richfield (UT) 23.-30.6.2011
A while back I have decided to participate in the US PG Nationals in Richfield (UT).
More info can be found here.
Last year, at the XCamp in Southern Italy, I acquired the taste for it; not because I want to compete, but because of the infrastructure provided by the event: every day you'll get a wx-briefing, transport to the best possible launch for the day, a proposal for a route (= the task) and (hopefully) some kind of retrieval service. I think these are all the ingredients needed for a successful PG day.
Furthermore I'll be meeting some old friends: first of all Stacy (he'll be my guide before/ after the comp); Kari (my 'coach' for the comp), Arnie and last, but not least, Nicole from Italy.
Beda
It has been quite a whiile that I was able to arrange for a flight together with Beda (how long? 2, 3 years -the last I remember for certain was Abdalajis...)
The conditions were quite nice until I coming back from the 'Fergenhütte', but in Davos (Landwassertal), just too many clouds (almost overcast)...
www.flugsau.ch
that's THE adress if you are in need of a new harness and have a few special wishes ("Spezialfürze" -we'd call it here). André surely will find a clever solution and with his ability at the sewing machine realizes it within extremely reasonable time.
That's what I call (after sales) service!
By now my new harness (Ava Sport 'Tanto light' XXL is exacltly the way I want it and it's awaiting the first real XC-flights (may be next week in Fanas?).
If you have a "GoPro"camera and are looking for a way to fix it on your glider (or where ever you want) they have the solution for you: Kamerahalterung
TO at 'Büelen'
Not that it was really a good flying day; but I just got my new harness,
the "Tanto light" from Ava Sport (size XXL). After trying to adapt it to my size I went for a trial flight. But I had big problems getting into the harness and into the speed bag as it was simply not big enough. After the flight I left it with 'André' (its inventor/ constructor) so that he can modify/ adapt it where necessary.
Saturday (instead of going to 'Fanas' as planned) I'll be there again and (hopefully) can make another test flight. When I had ordered it, I had clearly said, that I will only buy this harness, if it can be perfectly adapted to my size; othzerwise it will be returned...
the value of pilots
check out this video on YouTube - that's one of the reasons, why pilots earn their high (?) salaries...
San Fermo
For 4 days I drove to Italy: Colli di San Fermo near Bergamo/ Lago d'Iseo. It was a training camp organized by "Fly with Andy". Monika and Erich have been our instructors.
San Fermo is a beautiful spot in the foothills of the Alps. It's ideal for training/ groundhandling, as there is lots of space to play and also for toplanding.
The only problem (if someone wants to go there alone) is transportation: there is no public transport from the LZ in Casazza back up to TO in Colli di San Fermo...
But as this was an organized trip, there was no such problem. We had 4 excellent flying days, of which Saturday was the best with cloudbase at almost 2100.
2 perfect days with great thermals!
The 2 weeks flying in Maroc have been a great succes. Never before (on my revious visits to this country) have I been able to fly as much as this time: all days, except one (!), have been flyable.
The pictures are now uploaded and can bee seen here - enjoy!
I have also uploaded pictures from the first week (without flying), when I visited Marrakesh (and its surroundings) together with Ruth. See here.
Sorry for not having posted more out of Maroc, but the opportunities timewise have been too rare...
Last Thursday I met the members of our flying group in Agadir.
Before that I had stayed with Ruth 1 week in Marrakesh - but that's another story.
We drove to Aglou Beach and after a day with too little wind we had an excellent day today and everybody could soar as much as he wanted to. The conditions in Aglou-North were absolutely perfect: good strong winds in the morning (a little cross) and straight on the nose, but a little weaker, in the afternoon.
Even though today the conditions were far from optimal I went flying as I wanted to check out the speed bag I had recently attached to my harness.
According to WoodyValley this speed bag is NOT intended for use with their X-Alps harness. Nevertheless I got this speed bag and it seems to fit well with my harness.
I still have to work on the technique of getting efficiently into that bag...
Chur: looking west
During the winter season 'ABB' (Arosa BergBahnen -Arosa's Cablecars) offer once a month "full moon skiing" -conditions permitting.
We PG-Pilots use this opportunity for flying as well.
Last year the weather was unsuitable on all proposed dates and unfortunately the evenings had to be cancelled.
So this year -on the first possible occasion- 11 pilots took advantage of the good conditions.
Do not assume that we are doing something absolutely illegal: of course basically PG-flying is restricted to daylight only. But fortunately there is a gentleman's agreement with REGA (Swiss Air Rescue Guard): all pilots carry a light and we inform them of our intentions, time and route of flight.
"Weisshorn" -looking West
The new year continued with more of the same weather as the old year had ended: cold, but clear, blue skies with little wind, which permitted flights almost every day; the first sled ride on January 1st.
The new year has started with the same beautiful weather as the old year had ended: just clear blue skies with little wind and already a hint of thermals coming out of the forest - just great!
"Weisshorn" -looking West