Italy days 4 / 5 / 6: tx to Norcia / Sightseeing Norcia / Cascata delle Marmore and tx to Pescasseroli

Mon (4.9.) In Bassano, the wx didn't look 'suitable' for a flight in the morning, so I left at 0900 for the 7+hr drive to Norcia.

Campi

Tue (5.9.) Very windy, so no flying - not even ground handling. 

Sightseeing: Castelluccio, Spello, Monte Cucco, Nocera Umbra.

Castelluccio

Spello

Monte Cucco (Süd)

Monte Cucco (Nord)

Nocera Umbra

Wed (6.9.) First a stop at Terni for visiting Cascata delle Marmore and Lago di Piediluco, then driving to Pescasseroli.

This waterfall 'runs' only for a few hours a day, for the rest the water is used to produce electricity. The water comes from the 'Lago di Piediluco'.

Lago di Piediluco

In the evening in Pescasseroli I've met the guides/ drivers (Gudrun, Michael, Peter; Hans, Igor) and the participants of the upcoming 'iCamp'.

...a rather large group for my liking
- even if you 'take away' the 3 guides and 2 drivers...

Italy - days 2 / 3: Bassano

Sat: great flying; again lots of people; 2 comps going on (HG & GS) - but they used TO at Colle Campeggia.

Colle Campeggia

Pano looking North: Val Brenta

landing at Garden Relais

I could make 2 flight; but on the second flight I bombed out :-((

Sun: even more wings in the air... Today it has been 'hard work' until I was finally over 800m ;-)

Then it became better. The cirrus layer has clearly delayed the thermal development.

Italy - days 0 / 1: Bassano

Thur: leaving for Bassano del Grappa via Ofenpass (Swiss National Park), Vinschgau (Val Venosta),  Meran, Trient and Levico Terme. Luckily I left home much earlier than originally planned, thus I could avoid the after-work traffic in Meran, Bozen and Trento. I experienced the only stop-and-go in Val Venosta (but I had expected this). Here it's always the same: only one main road and everbody has to use it...

First longer stop in Mals (Venosta) for some Italian feeling' ;-)

Fri: Low cloudbose in the Fcst, but otherwise good conditions: little wind/ good thermals.

Unfortunately the 'Tapetti'-launch is presently closed for renovation, so almost all pilots have been taking-off at 'Stella'. But I have to admit that it went far smoother than I had expected: everybody 'behaved' and tryed to clear the launch area as fast as possible. Even some assistance to launching pilots has been given...

'Stella'

'Stella' seen from the air

'Tapetti'

I made 2 flights, all-in-all flying for a bit more than 2 hours.

2nd flight - with cloud base a bit higher

Fiesch (Tue)

By coincidence I've met Andrea and her partner Werner (with their LeelooT) on launch.

Andrea & Werner launching

Goms: looking East

Goms: looking West: Fiesch and beyond

Again very nice conditions, but due to a problem with my speed bar I cut the flight short and landed (again) at Niederwald after about 1.75hrs.

After the flight(s) we met at Restaurant 'Tschiffra' in Blitzingen, for some drinks and ice-cream. Even though it just has been a short visit, we all have been impressed by the owner and his creative ways of presenting our drinks/ food. It seems to be worth a visit for dinner or so...

Fiesch (Mon)

Another great day here in Fiesch: this year (so far) my longest flight (time - and distance wise) :-))

landing in Niederwald

Fiesch (Sun)

Another great flying day here in Fiesch; today with PeterW. Conditions similar to yesterday, but a bit windier and thermals a bit rougher at times. The big difference: after having passed Sidelhorn (again at about 3500m) I 'found' only sink and more wind, so I decided to land at Ulrichen. My Skytraxx had shown more than 30kmh wind there at times... Back to Niederwald by train...

not me ;-)

I know that the pictures are always kind of similar, but the views continue to amaze me anew on every flight ;-)

Fiesch (Sat)

Leaving home for Fiesch at 0430; the reason: possible traffic jams on the Gotthard route to Italy: actually I have driven via Brünig and Grimsel Pass. Being so early, traffic has been scare and I arrived at Niederwald after 3h30'.

Sunrise over Lungerensee, shortly before Brünig Pass.

With these excellent conditions and (finally!) several promising days in a row, lots of pilots congregated today. Having left home so early I didn't feel overly eager for a long flight so I have been almost the last one to launch.

Aletsch Glacier

Fiescher Glacier; Finsteraarhorn

Conditions have been excellent: strong thermals (but not 'nasty'); not very windy at the higher altitudes, great visibility. I could reach almost 4000m...

Pano looking East: Dammastock, Rhone Glacier, Grimsel and Furka Pass.

Sidelhorn at 3500m; Grimsel Pass, Gletsch, Rhone Glacier, Furka Pass

I turned around here, even though 3500m would have been high enough to attempt the crossing over to Furka Pass. On the way back to my landing at Niederwald almost no turns had been needed...

Ebenalp

Today I made a short trip to Ebenalp, where -after last Friday's 'desaster' at Disentis- I had a pretty good (forward) launch :-)

Nice thermals and good visibility. After about 1 hour a REGA-helicopter was very cautiously climbing up to the Äscher restaurant - clearly the pilot has been aware of the intense PG traffic overhead. As I was flying directly above I had to leaving the aera. After landing I have been told that a tourist with a medical problem had to be medevaced - luckily no pilot involved...

Pano looking West: Ebenalp (launch)/ Säntis

Pano looking East: Alp Sigel/ Hoher Kasten

No way! - video by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier