Happy Holidays!

Many thanks once again to all the regular (and of course also occasional)
readers of my (rather irrelevant) blog!

I wish you all a merry XMas, a happy NewYear and of course
all the Best for 2020 - including good health and many great flights!

I hope to see you all again somewhere on the ground or at cloudbase ;-)
 
Fly high! Fly safe!

Taggi

Special thanks to:
first and foremost: Ruth!
Hartmut, AndyS, PeterW, OliW,
Nicole, Marco,
Tekko&Peter, Yuko, Leanne&Rick, Masahiro, Koji&Mari, Atsushi, Chikako,
Ralf, Miguel
(this list is not to be considered final...)

PHI Maestro

Some of ouy might have realized that I have not particularily happy with the performance of my 777 Rook2 while in Chile ;-)  In late May the wing has been in Ajdovcina (SLO) with 777 for a check. When I got it back, I was told that they retrimmed the wing to 'faster'. In the strong summer conditions I didn't notice anything special, just that it didn't seem to be faster at all.

777 Rook2 (pix by Ralf)

Now in Chile -with often weak conditions (especially in Maitencillo, but also during the flight from San Marcos)- the performance of my Rook2 was kind of 'dissapointing': according to Ralf I should have flown 'at the top of the stack' with this wing, but instead I was the one who landed most often on the beach :-((
After my return from Chile I had the wing checked again (at FS Swissfly) and Walo confirmed that the wing is trimmed 'fast'...
Alteady during my stay in Chile I began looking around for possible alternatives, as the Rook3 from 777 is still in the pipeline and they wouldn't/ couldn't give me even a tentative date when the Size L might be homologated. And of course there is also the question: will the R3 live up to its expectations?

As I didn't want to go on my next PG trip (La Palma in January) with the Rook2 any more I had to make up my mind about a substitute. So WITHOOUT testing (time/ weather wouldn't allow for it when I wanted the wing to be ready by my departure). I ordered a PHI Maestro in XL at Flugschule Ostschweiz (the dealer closest to my home). I was promised the Maestro should be in my hands before I leave for SPC on 29.12.
But I don't want to be unfair to the R2: it has (especially before the retrim) given me many very pleasurable moments and flights!

PHI Maestro (pix by PHI)

On the short list have been also Ozone Rush and U-Turn Vison. But Danny (U-Turn) had told me that he'd be absent until 7.January, so the Vison was out of 'the race'. Between Rush and Maestro it was more like the toss of a dice - but I tend to lean a bit towards the not so well known brands... This comes probably from the times when I was 20kgs heavier and a wing for my flying weight (140+kgs) could never be had from the 'big' names (ie Nova, Advance, Ozone etc).

There is an video on Youtube from Flybubble testing the Maestro. (They also have a YouTube-channel with many interesting videos (instruction/ tests etc).

Test by Ziad Basil (Dust of the Universe): here
Test by Lucian Hass (lu-glidz) : here

Return flights (SCL-GRU-ZRH) / Conclusion

Two flights  - SCL-GRU (Latan B767, 4hrs) and GRU-ZRH (SWISS, B777, 11+hrs) - brought me home. Especially the first flight, which crossed the Andes into Argentina offered spectacular views of barren mountans and huge mining operations. 

high winds over the Andes...

luckily just one CB, which was avoided easily

Later, overflying Brazil, the vastness of this agricultural country was impressive.

Crossing the south Atlantic during the night was uneventful, though a bit bumpy at times.

GRU: Boeing 777

a more westerly route was taken to avoid more turbulent areas (the shortest way would be via 'Sal - Dakhla -Marrakesch')

Conclusion
It has been a very interesting trip to a country with very friendly, helpful people.
I really hope that the Chileans will be able to 'sort out' their problems and then can agree on a constituition, which will be more favorable to the people and their needs...

Flying: of course you always hope for more, for the one magic flight. But also here the long established weather patterns are changing and so every day offered now challenges. Out of 21 days (travel from/ to CH not included) I could fly on 17, which certainly is a very good ratio. Ralf (Airsthetik) proofed to by an excellent guide as well as instructor. I still don't master the Cobra launch completely, but the training with him has helped me considerably in order to take-off safely in the strong conditions of Vizcachas. The other pilots in the group (Martin, Georg (&Hildegard), Gerhard (&Renate) have been enjoyable company and always very helpful and understanding for my 'restrictions' - thanks!
To have found Miguel as guide has also been a stoke of luck: good pilot, excellent knowledge (not only about Chilean flying sites, but also about geography, nature etc) and -for me very important!- very reliable. His English is as limited as my Spanish, so we didn't talk that much. But we got along very easily and in the end communication never has been a real problem :-)

(Farellones / Valle Nevado) Condors

Final day here on this trip to Chile.
Miguel took me into the mountains to the (ski) resorts of Farellones (2400m) and Valle Nevado (3000m); both have also flying sites.
While Farellones is a rather nice looking place, Valle Nevado is a very artificial resort as I know them from France (Alpe Huez).

Farellones

Farellones

But as I would have been the only one flying (Miguel would have had to drive the car) I choose not to launch. It's mid-summer here with corresponding conditions and to have felt confortable I would have needed to watch some other pilots flying. I know 'chicken', but as you know: 'there are old pilots and there are bold pilots; but there are no old bold pilots'  ;-)

Valle Nevado

Valle Nevado

But at least I got to see a few condors today...

I have also chosen not to go back to Vizcachas for another evening flight as the conditions looked as weak as the last two days. But it would have meant at least 3 more hours of driving. So Miguel dropped me off at the Airport Holiday Inn. Toworrow I'll have just to walk across the street for check-in.

Vizcacha

				A southern viscacha in the Atacama desert, Chile

Viscachas or vizcachas are rodents of two genera (Lagidium and Lagostomus) in the family Chinchillidae. They are native to South America and look similar to, but are not closely related to rabbits. The viscacha looks much like a rabbit due to convergent evolution.
 
The five extant species of viscacha are:

• The plains viscacha (Lagostomus maximus), a resident of the pampas of Argentina, is easily differentiated from other viscachas by black and gray mustache-like facial markings. This species lives colonially in warrens of 10 to over 100. It is very vocal and emits alarm calls. The plains viscacha can strip grassland used to graze livestock; this has caused ranchers to consider the rodent a pest species.
• Lagidium ahuacaense is a newly described species of mountain viscacha from the Ecuadorian Andes.^[2]
• The northern viscacha (Lagidium peruanum) is native to the Peruvian Andes at elevations between the tree line and the snow line. It is dorsally gray or brown in color, with a bushy tail and long, furry ears. This species lives in large colonies separated into individual family units, like an apartment complex. It eats a wide range of plant matter, settling for almost anything it can find growing in the harsh, rocky environment.^[3]
• The southern viscacha (Lagidium viscacia), also called mountain viscacha, is similar to the northern viscacha, but its pelage is more red in color. It lives in similar habitat in the Andes.^[3]
• Wolffsohn's viscacha (Lagidium wolffsohni) is rarer than the other four species.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Die oder das Viscacha (Lagostomus maximus), in Abgrenzung zu den Hasenmäusen oder Bergviscachas auch verdeutlichend Flachland-Viscacha genannt, ist eine Nagetiertierart aus der Familie der Chinchillas (Chinchillidae). Es sind in Südamerika lebende Tiere mit bis zu 8 Kilogramm Gewicht, die in Gruppen unterirdische Baue bewohnen. 

Weitere Infos auf Deutsch hier.

Viscacha    ©Franck Zecchin (Flickr)

(no) Condors; Vizcachas -4

Today Miguel wanted to show me some Condors as there is a colony not far away. But unfortunately we couldn't see any of those magnificient vultures. I assume It's either too hot at the moment and they stay higher up in the summer time or it's because there is a lot of construction work is going on nearby...

Later, while flying Vizcachas, one of those birds 'visited'. But (again) the conditions have been (too) weak and I was busy staying up so I couldn't take any pix...

Miguel; looking NW towards Santiago (behind ridge on rt side)

Bicho Carrera: Maitencillo / Toplanding

Somewhat more 'elegant' than my way ;-)

https://www.facebook.com/234582376656180/posts/2665742073540186/

Farmers Market, Vizcachas -3

re 'los Cuernos del Toro': to be fair: today the breakfast has been much better; nothing extraordinary, but ok! But the WiFi is even worse, basically non-existent.
I finally have figured out how to load more data onto my smartphone. The app of the provider (entel.cl) is extremely user-UN-friendly! And you need a Chilean 'RUT' (social security number; I could use Miguel's).

In the morning Miguel took me to a small farmers market. It's actually a foundation, which runs a school for 400 underpriviledged kids. 100% of the money made goes into funding the program. >> more info

They also have a small cafeteria serving their products.

ahaziend

We could visit the hazienda (approx 200 years old); it's completely in its original state and gives a very good impression of how the upper-class at that time has lived.

In the afternoon more flying at Vizcachas. The less strong wind permitted an easier take-off, but conditions have been much weaker in the air as for the last 2 days.

Miguel

Miguel

Canyon de Maipo, Vizcachas -2

In the late morning sightseeing: Canyon de Maipo. The paved road leads up to an altitude of 1850m, but from there it's still another 4000+m to the top of Vulcan San Jose (5856m).
Miguel has climbed all these high mountains, either on foot or on skies...

Canyon de Maipo

left: San Jose Norte (5740m); right:Volcan San Jose (5856m)

At 1630 pick up for an afternoon flight at Vizcachas. Again it became after 1800 for the wind to die down enough for me to launch. Conditions a bit better...

A loud party/ rave was going on the whole afternoon at the LZ.

Afterwards dinner with Miguel.

Vizcachas -1

We arrived at SCL airport after an easy 2 hrs drive from Maitencillo.While the rest of the group was dropped at Departure for their return flight, I was picked up by Miguel 'Gato' - my guide for the time here in/ around Santiago. He met me perfectly on time at the designated spot!

I was driven to my hostal (los Cuernos del Toro), just a few minutes away from Santiago's main flying site/ LZ 'Vizcachas'.

Due to the (very) strong conditions here at this time of the year, flying normally starts after 1700. Only for the Pre-PWC last week they launched at 1400 and the window opened at 1500.
So he picked me up again at 1600.

Launch

We finally launched shortly after 1800. Still some very strong thermals at the beginning, but nothing really 'bad'.
All in all a good beginning here.
Already on this first day Miguel proofed to be an excellent choice: very knowledgeable/ helpful, a good pilot and he seems to know just about everybody ;-)

re: 'los Cuernos del Toros': I wouldn't stay here again even though it's conveniently located, has a nice pool and is pretty cheap. On the other hand my room (and especially the bath) is VERY small, WiFi most often not working and everything is rather run down. The restaurant is ok; breakfast rather frugal ;-)

Maitencillo - last day

Today was he last flying day of my Chile trip with Ralf (Airsthetik).
But today has been (finally!) a really nice day here in Maitencillo! Strong (almost too strong for me) westerly winds permitted nice soaring up and down the coast. I didn't topland, as the wind speed seemed beyond my 'comfort zone' -though it might have just been doable (but why take any risk?) - as there is beach everywhere ;-)

Overview (looking North)

We used 'Aire Libre' for our launches, about 5 minutes from 'Hostal Maitencillo' our accommodation. But landing on 'Aventura' would also have been an option to avoid sinking out to the beach.

Ralf launching at 'Aire Libre'

Martin

Tomorrow at 0700 we'll be departing for Santiago, as most have their return flights around noon. For the remaining 5 days of my trip Ralf has found me a guide (Miguel). He'll pick me up at SCL when we return the rental car.

Maitencillo - still rather weak

Another nice day here on the coast, but again the wind remained on the weakish side. But today I sunk out only once :-))  (Thanks to Ralf for carrying my pack back up!) All the other times I was able to topland before the wind became too weak. It's a perfect place to do touch and gos as well as toplandings

Ralf

Sunset from my room

Maitencillo

Nice coastal soaring even though the conditions have been often on the 'weak' side. Meaning: sinking out to the beach below ;-) But also a nice opportunity to do some touch and gos

TO 'Aventura'  and our hotel 'Hostal Maitencillo'

Temperatures are very nice druing the day; the night on the other hand is surprisingly cool; also the water is rather cold (max 15°C) due to the Huimboldt stream flowing along the Chilean coast.

Transfer IQQ-Maitencillo

Early wake-up and breakfast for a 0715 transfer to IQQ airport.
Calm flight IQQ-SCL, with nice views of very remote areas and the mountains.

Then a 2 hour drive from SCL to Maitencillo at the Pacific coast; we'll be staying here for the next 4 nights. This is a coastal soaring site, where one normally toplands...

'Hostal Maitencillo' (our hotel), looking to launch: right side of 'trees'

I tried to make a flight, but launched in a moment with very little wind. Also the flight plan has been rather stupid: going left instead of right, where the wind would have produced much more lift. So after a (very) short sledder I had to climb the 363 steps of the stairs back up to the hotel ;-)

Wer es nicht im Kopf hat, hat es in den Beinen!

IQQ - Sightseeing: Humberstone, Paca

Today we left at 0800 and drove to 'Humberstone', a Nitrate (=Salpeter) mine approx 55kms from Iquique. It was run from 1872 to 1960, connected to Iquique by train.

In its 'best' days 3700 people lived and worked here. Everything could be found in this 'city': a hospital with doctors, dentists, a theater, swimmingpool, shops etc etc (> Wikipedia). Nowadays it's a UNESCO world heritage site and a museum.
In 1907 a massacre happend here, when (according to certain sources) up to 2000 people (including women and children) have been shot as the workers striked for better conditions (high inflation and rising prices with no corresponding pay hikes).

housing for mid-level employees

class room

We then continued to Paca, an oasis in the desert with thermal pools; also fruits like mango, orange and lemon are grown here.