Preflight preparations -Step 5 (of 5)

Pano of Arosa during Tandemflight

And on the same day I visited the training hill, I was also able to make the aforementioned Tandemflight with 'Kiwi' (Mario Entzler - I didn't know his real name until today, though we have known each other for many years now...)

The flight didn't last very long (Kiwi had only the 39m2 glider available) and the thermals over Maran were pretty small and punchy.

We landed in Maran on the golfcourse, so the 'Golfhuus' was nearby for an after-flight-beer. We could enjoy the warm spring sun till 1740.

So next will (hopefully) be a solo flight...

Preflight preparation - step 4 (of 5)

Today I have visited the training hill in Trin (with Marina from http://www.fs-swissraft.ch) for a few inflations. I have used my old Mustang 2, as the terrain was rather muddy and I didn't want to 'spoil' the freshly checked Vega III.

Not perfect - as was to be expected - but good enough to make me feel comfortable to try a solo flight next.
Well, better: overnext...
I know that in my last blog I mentioned that my preflight preparations would have 4 steps. But I have added one more step: a tandem flight in order to bring back the feeling of 'flight'...

Preflight preparations -step 3 (of 4)

The 'good news' continue:
today I 'completed' step 3 (of 4) of my preflight preparations:
> step 1) getting new harness (same as old one) and having reserve repacked: done
> step 2) having glider (Axis Vega III) cheched: done
> step 3) G-Force training: done today

Taggi (Walo right)

When I got my glider back from checking last Friday, Walo Besch (Flugschule Swissraft (in Trin-Mulin), with whom of course I talked about my accident last year, spontaneously invited me to join todays Training on the G-Force Trainer in Malans/ Landquart (> see previous post).
I had always wanted to do this training after my accident in order to find out more about me and my body in such a situation.
So at 0930 together with 7 other PG pilots (including 1 lady) 

Anita

we were given some theoretical information and then we started working with the trainer. The initial 'round' was done with 2.5g in order to get used to the machine and its handling and then we continued slowly up to a maximum of 7g (left and right spirals).
Fortunately (as I had hoped it would) the situation of my accident was not repeated: ie loosing consciousness 'digitally' (meaning without any advance warning signs). I was able to go up to 5.5g (in a 'normal spiral you usually get 3.8g), but then 'tunnel vision' started and also my neck started feeling the strain of holding my head. But 4.5g I could maintain for quite some time...
In the end Walo also demonstraded Ozone's Anti-G. (Manual here)

Anti-G

> step 4) going back to the training hill: will (hopefully) follow in the not too distant future.

update (accident)

Arosa Weisshorn

One year after my PG accident in Arosa I've been to the hospital in Chur for a check-up.

Dr. Broger (the orthopaedic surgeon), who had operated on my back then, is rather positively surprised how everything is looking now: (much) better than what could be expected/ hoped for 12 month ago!

Of course there are some limitations in my mobility, which most probably will remain; maybe some small improvements can still be made. The neck of the humerus is also looking good, there are no visible differences in the x-rays made after the accident, 6 months ago and today.

I should/ must continue wih going to the fitness center in order to keep/ improve the strength/ mobility of my arm and leg. Otherwise he sees no restrictions: I should live and do what I like...

:-))

24 hours of world wide air traffic

A_Day_in_the_Life_of_Air_Traffic_Over_the_World  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1L4GUA8arY

Wings of Kilimanjaro

The project: Wings of Kilimanjaro

Kari

I had the pleasure to help her getting there, even if "we" couldn't fly off the mountain in the end... 

Pictures by Kari Castle; more pix to be found here

 

Video by '60Minutes' (or here)

EAPS

 EAPS = Extracteur Automatique de Parachute de Secours

This is a system invented/ constructed by Norbert Barboux and Hubert Chrétien of Envol Mécanique during 6 years of work in their spare time.

(Unfortunately at present their homepage is not updated yet...)

The system can be programmed to predefined rates of descend and/ or G-load, it then gives an audible alarm, which - if not cancelled - will lead to the automatique ejection of the rescue.

The system can be fitted to virtually all reserve systems (mono or tandem gliders): front, lateral, rear containers, big or small rescues...

Of course the pilot can at any time release the rescue himself.

Norbert presenting the system -

in his right hand the trasnmitter to stop the alarm/ ejection

Size

the box weighs approx 500gr

Attention:

- the pictures show a pre-serial model, the final model looks slightly different!

- the sensor unit giving rate of descend / G-load is not shown (ca 200gr);

  for example a Skyride Sys'ky could be used.

Additional info to follow...

 

update: Eye...

Yesterday I have been to Lausanne to have my left eye examined 6 month after its treatment with proton rays at the PSI in Villigen.

To cut it short: all is well!   (next check.up in 12 months time)

The tumor (or its remains) has become slightly smaller and thinner.

I have asked Mrs./ Dr. Schalenbourg about the effectiveness of this treatment and she told me that only in 1.2% off all cases the treatment didn't work (out of more than 6000 cases!)
'What do you do in these few cases?' was answered by that in rare cases the treatment can be repeated (but this can't be done with every eye) and that, if the tumor finally should become too big, it would have to be cut out, but then unfortunately this eye will be lost...

BUT: I think that I don't belong to the 1.2%.

...she did it again...

PWC 2012 Superfinal in Rodanillo (Colombia) 

 

and the winner is: NICOLE   >> Gratulations !!!

Results: here

Merry X-Mas & a Happy New Year !!!

Dear Friends,

after this not really easy year my/ our heartfelt thanks go to all of you, who have supported me/ Ruth during the past 12 months: be it with visits in the hospital / Reha or at our home in Fehraltorf, be it with calls, letters, mails or 'just' by being with me/ us in your thoughts!

Merry X-Mas and a Happy New Year

Fly high!Fly safe!

Best Regards

Taggi

PS: considering what happend only 9 months ago I'm doing very good... 

Sailing (the end)

'Vis'

As I had a complete day to "kill" before taking the Blueline Ferry to Ancona in the evening, I took the loakal ferry to the island of 'Vis'. This is the island closest to Italy. The trip (each way) took roughly 2:20 hours, leaving enough time on 'Vis' (about 2 hours) to stroll about and have a nice lunch. 

BlueLine ferry: Regina del Pace

Before boarding the ferry I had a nice meal in 'Split', so after being directed to my (small) cabin, I just read a bit and then tried to sleep. The trip was completely uneventful, the sea absolutely calm, it was inpossible to tell in my cabin if the ship alreday had left the harbour or not...

Capuccino ('Ancona')

Before starting the 8 hour drive back home I treated myself to a good cappucino (which was hard to find in Croatia), shopped in the local 'alimentari' some prosciutto, bresaola, salami, parmiggiano, castagne and some khaki. Even though it was a weekday with lots of lorries on the road, traffic was easy and fast.

Thanks again to Koji and Mari for a delightful experience on their boat 'Temari'!

Sailing (cont-2)

The last leg of our cruise together was just a 2.5hrs trip from 'Trogir' to 'Split'.
I would liked to have continued 2 more days with Koji & Mari to 'Hvar' and 'Lastovo', but it is a bit cumbersome to get back from there to Split, where I will have to catch the nightferry to 'Ancona'. So in order to keep it relaxed and easy for all of us, I decided to leave "Temari" here in 'Split' on today (Sunday), visit Split (on Monday) and maybe an outlying island like 'Vis' on Tuesday before sailing for 'Ancona' on Tuesday night. But tonight we'll have a farewell dinner together somewhere in town.

appproaching Spilt

Split

Sailing (cont-1)

Krka Falls and National Park

We stayed 2 nights in Skradin, so we had ample time to visit 'Krka National Park and Falls'.
Friday then brought us back to 'Sibenik' a lovely medieval town we just had passed on the way to 'Skradin'. 'Sibenik' is famous for its catherdal.

Catheral at Sibenik

Early morning departure from Sibenik

Trogir

A 6 hours cruise then brought us to 'Trogir', another medieval town (an UNESO world heritage site) with many narrow alleys paved with cobblestone, where we stayed Saturday night. Mari (again!) cooked an outstanding dinner after already had prepared an excellent lunch (Soba).

Soba lunch

'Trogir'

 

Sailing in Croatia

Yacht "Temari"

Last Sunday (14.Oct) I met Mari & Koji in Ancona. I had been invited by my Japanese friends already a couple of years back, when they told me that after retiring they wanted to cruise 'around the world'.

Koji & Mari

I had met Koji in the early 90's in Hakuba, while trying to paraglide there. I've visited them many times and they have taken me to different sites around Japan; once Koji also visited us in our 'farmhouse' in Ottikon.

After crossing the Adriatic sea we entered Croatia near 'Veli Rat', where we stayed for a night before proceeding to Zadar for another night. Today we cruised further southwards via 'Sibenik' to 'Skradin'.

 Sibenik

Skradin

European PG Championships 2012 in St.André (FRA)

.... and the winner is:

Women: Nicole Fedele (IT) - congratulations, very well done!!!

Results  can be found by clicking the link and then 'Overall Results, Women'.

left eye -treatment

HERE you can find the previous post regarding this subject.

In the meantime already half of the treatments have been done at the PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut) in 'Villigen'.

 With this mask, my eye is fixed, the eyelids are kept open by small clips

 Overview: 'irradiation postion'; the protons are produced/ accelerated in a cyclotron in a seperate room/ building on the right side of this picture.

Approximately 'my view' (I'm just closer). You can see the copper waver, with a hole in the form of my tumor.

Through this hole the protons are beamed. At the 3-o'clock position of the waver there is a small light (yellow point). This point is calculated for every patient individually according the position of his tumor. The light can be rotated around and the light moved further in or out. This light I have to fix for the approx. 30 seconds of the irradiation.

The irradiation cannot be seen, smelt nor felt. Just a muted sound indicates the beginning / end of the treatment.

After the treatment you are not supposed to leave the areal of the PSI for approx. 20minutes. As you have become a little radio-active, an alarm would be activated at exit...

So far I have not (yet ?) detected any side effects; also the vision of my left eye is not (yet ?) impaired. The tumor will only change slowly over time; only in a few months the effect of the treatment can also actually be seen...

Italian Ladies Champion 2012: Nicole Fedele

Nicole Fedele (IT) kindly put my name on her new glider (Niviuk Icepeak 6) with which she became Italian Ladies Champion last week at the 2012 Italian PG championships in 'Bassano del Grappa'.
Results here: Final Results Ladies

!!!! Congratulations !!!!

So even if I'm personally unable to fly, at least my name is up in the sky and 'doing great things'...

And of course I'm hoping she'll continue to make great flights - next up are the European championships in France in September or maybe a new record in Quixada (BRA) this autumn?

...airborne again...

Exaclty 1 week ago (26.July) I had the chance to get airborne with a friend of mine (Moritz S.). In the early morning I drove to 'Montrichier' on the southern foothills of the 'Jura' (250kms/ 3hrs). Luckily I had chosen the near perfect day with cloudbase > 3000m, so we have been able to climb to the legal ceiling of 3050m.
According to Moritz, this has been one of his best days in the Jura in many years. After 3.5hsr flighttime we had been back in 'Montrichier'...

'le Pont'

showers over France

Canada -Houseboating for 2 weeks with Ruth

I think that I have mentioned earlier (after my accident) that I still wanted to do our planned houseboat trip to Canada (on the Trent-Severn-Waterway). So on June 21st we departed for Toronto...

Instead of doing 3 weeks on the boat we cut it short by one week, mostly because of my left shoulder, where I could see no progress and I wanted to return to therapy earlier than originally planned.

So we got home on July 8th (instead of July 15th).

Weatherwise we had been quite lucky: just 2 days with some rain (we needed our raingear just once) and nice temperatures, whereas back home in Switzerland it was mostly rainy...

So have a look at the pictures!

my left eye (cont...)

I'm making reference to an earlier blog http://flyhigh-flysafe.blogspot.ch/2012/01/my-left-eye-cont.html about my left eye.
On January 4th I've been visiting Prof. Zografos (THE eye cancer authority here in CH) in 'Lausanne' a first time. My left eye was examined thorougly and a (malign) melanoma was confirmed; what could not be confirmed at that time was if it was growing or not. A further examination was scheduled for April 4th - which for obvious reasons had to be cancelled later on. So I visited 'Lausanne' again on June 4th. By that time ultasound examiation (unfortunately) clearly showed a growth of that melanoma...

So what now?
- Doing nothing and let the melanoma grow certainly is no option.
- A procedure (surgically removing the melanoma) would almost certainly result in the loss of my visibility, if not in the loss of my left eye - so no real option either.
- Treatment:
I'm now scheduled for a treatment with 'proton rays' at the PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut in 'Villigen') in August. Here on 5 conecutive days the cancer will then be irrradiated.
Pros / Cons:
- there is a 10% chance that the cancer has/ will  produce "offshoots"...
- < 2% probability of loosing the eye..
- < 2% probability the the melanoma will regrow...
- it will be quite probable that I'll have eye cataract sooner than later (but that can be treated!).

Otherwise my rehab progesses well (but slowly); but at least I'm able to walk without crutches...