Italy - iCamp: Wed/ Thur/ Fri (+ return)

Unfortunately also the next days the wx didn't play along :-(  So we had several very interesting theory sessions with Michael, Gudrun and PeterNi. Many pilots also had their harness adjusted by Michael in order to permit easier steering by weightshifting. I did so too; actually twice, as there had been some 'shortcomings' to be ironed out. Some of our group also took the opportunity for some sauna visits.

every morning freshly pressed OJ

my 'standart' breakfast (left) + something a bit more 'substancial'...

Thur (28.3.) for a moment in the morning the wx looked not too bad, so we prepared to go to Rodeneck again, but shortly afterwards it had started to rain/ snow again :-( As there was absolutely no chance for a wx improvement in the next 2 days, it was decided later to end the iCamp next day (Fri, 29.3.).

more harness adjustments

carpaccio for dinner

Fri (29.3.) More theory in the morning, then a joint pizza lunch, before It had been time to say good-bye. I followed Michael to the launch at Vetriolo, as he had hoped to make a first flight with my new glider; but after a thourough check of the wx conditions, he renounded and just kited the wing for a moment.

As there has been a ban for lorries in tranist to/ from Austria, driving home went surprisingly smooth. I can't remember having driven on the Brenner-Highway with so few lorries; also passengers cars have been less numerous than expected.... In Sagliains I reached the 'car ferry' across Vereina-Tunnel to Klosters with just 5' to spare and finally arrived at home at 2100.

 

...first and last gelato this week...

Conclusion(s): even if in the end airtime has been pretty low, the time and money have been well spent. Especially as Michael has taken altogether more than 1 hour to adjust and 'fix' my harness; the many theory sessions all proved to be very interesting.

Italy - iCamp: Mon / Tue: Levico / Rodeneck

Mon: Levico: excellent flying wx: blue skies, good thermals, wind not too strong (at least until noon).

I had a good launch and also quickly found a thermal which had brought me about 900m over launch. I then headed towards the antennas at Panarotta. Here I had to search for a while. During that time I heard a radio call from PeterNi, which I took was meant for me, saying, that I was too far North and that I needed to head South towards the the edge of the mountain. I did this, but I couldn't find anything but sink (up to -6 m/s). So after a little more than half an hour I was back on 'terra firma' :-( Later it turned out that this call wasn't meant for me... Unfortunately in the afternoon the wind then remained too strong to permit another launch.

Full moon (around 0100)

Lauch at Vetriolo (Levico Therme)

Pano looking SW-W; Lago di Levico / Lago di Caldonazzo (bigger)

Di: Rodeneck (1.5hrs drive from Levico). Upon arrival at launch, I found that my equipment, which I had put down behind the Sprinter (our transport car), had not been loaded :-(  So no flying today... Not that I hadn't missed too much: more or less extended sledders, but it was an opportunity lost for training TOs and LDGs...

coming back to our hotel

I know that I alone am responsible for my gear, but I still cannot understand that that the person who closed the rear door of the car didn't see that there still was as pack standing, nor that the driver didn't see it in his rear mirror. (2 days 'lost' and unfortunately the fcst for the coming days is not promising at all...)

Italy - iCamp -Sat/ Sun: Levico / Bassano

Sat (23.3.) I drove from Tiers to Vetriolo (Levico Therme), following Michael and Gudrun, Luckily Michael had decided to leave already at 0845, as this permitted a short flight at Levico before the wind became too strong (when I landed windspeed was around 20-25-kmh).

LZ at Barco

Sun (24.1.) First we could again make a flight here in Levico, before driving to Bassano. Unfortunately light rain over the mountain started when I launched, so I just flew straight to the LZ at Garden Relais. Without a chance for improvment, we returned to our hotel (Hotel Aurora & Garni Anderle) in Vetriolo for an interesting theory lesson about thermal flying.

Levico (looking East) in the morning

flying Levico

flying Bassano (looking West)

Levico

Sunset in Levico

Italy - iCamp -'Travel': Stubaital

(Friday) Even if it had meant some driving, Michael had selected Stubaital (Kreuzjoch/ Schlick 2000) as the best option for flying today, as northwind has been predicted and there are few sites in Südtirol/ Alto Adige suited for this wind direction (and even fewer which can be accessed easily). Traffic on the Brenner Highway was already pretty intense with some long holdups (due to upcoming Easter next  week) -especially going South.

Schlick 2000

But conditions for launching have been nice: nil or just a little headwind... Initially I found a good thermal which brought my about 200m above launch, but then I lacked patience and had to land (too) soon; getting back to the car by bus from Neustift. In order to avoid the queues on the highway we drove along the old Brenner main road to Sterzing for a short stop ;-)

Stubaital looking West towards the glaciers

looking East towards Neustift

stopping in Sterzing 

Sunset at Tiers

Italy - iCamp -Travel

Val Mustair / Münstertal (just outside Mustair (looking East)

I had left home in rather heavy rain which persisted until I had passed 'Vereina Tunnel'. In the Engadin Valley some small sunny spells. Once I had crossed the Swiss National Park and 'Ofenpass' into 'Münstertal', more and more sunny patches appeared :-) I had mad a brief stopp in Schluderns for a Capuccino, unfortunalely no ice cream (gelati) yet ;-)

beautifully restored!

I then continued via 'Val Venosta / Vinschgau", Castelbell, Meran, Bozen to Tiers, arriving after a bit more than 5 hours.

Castelbell

Tiers, looking East to "Rosengarten/ Catinaccio"

New Harness / Arosa

Finally, I have been able to make the first flight(s) mith my new harness (Sup'Air EVO lite 2 with pod): only some minor adjustments had been necessary. Thanks to Peter and Gabor for setting up the harness so nicely! It's very comfortable and there is also (just) enough space for stowing all my gear :-)

I stayed for 2 days with my friend Oli and we both made 2 flights each day: mostly nice thermals and (today) also high cloudbase (> 2900m). Many thanks to Oli for his help and hints & tipps!

coming back from Pirigen/ Seta (Langwies)

excellent (!) dinner with Oli at 'Güterschuppen'

Medergen

Pano looking SE (at 2900m): Kesch (left) Bernina (center)

Cari (TI)

Today I had to depart home rather early, as I had told my friend Oli, that I would pick him up at the train station in Arth-Goldau at 0745. The plan has been to drie to Faido, then by bus to Cari (-Paese) and further to launch by chairlift (the ride costs only 10chf - a great value for money). Both us have been rather surprised by how many pilots had had the same idea (especially as the thermal fcst had looked less optimistic this morning than on the days before).

Pano looking S-W at the middle station

According to the info posted at the cashier, there should be 2 launch sites, but only 1 launch had been groomed; at the other (better!) one, the snow has been still knee deep and thus not permitting TO :-(. Most probably here there would have been no tailwind and the launch has no shallow part but gradually becomes steeper

launch, which is very flat at the bottom

This launch unfortunately is not very good, as it quickly becomes rather shallow; furthermore we constantely had a light tailwind... I had attempted several launches, but never could reach enough speed enabling me to 'overfly' the shallow part. In the end I had to pack up and ride the chairlift back down; another pilot had suffered the same 'fate' and several others needed more than 1 attempt before they could fly....

As there was no bus schedued for the next 2.5hrs, I had been lucky to catch a ride down to Faido after having waited less than 10'.

Many thanks to Oli for his company and help on my relaunch attempts; thanks also to the 'unknown' pilot for his advice and assistance!

But in the end -for those who could fly ;-) - conditions turned out rather better than fcst (several >100km flights have been posted on XContest).

shortly before 1600 (Oli finally landed around 1700)...

Scheidegg: GH

...ideale Bedingungen um etwas GndHandling zu machen...

(das mit den Bremsen ist noch verbesserungswürdig)

 

Arosa :-((

The last two days (Thur/ Fri) I had spent in Arosa: I had wanted to make some flights with my new harness: Sup'Air Evo Lite. I had bought this harness already before leaving for Colombia, but had taken along the old one for that trip.

For Thursday the fcst had looked rather promising with not too much wind; but as it turned out, the actual wind had been much too strong/ gusty as well as completely out of the West - a combination in which only a few pilots launched, while the rest -after a few tries- returned to Arosa by cable car (me among them). 

Friday: there has been Föhn in the fcst, but supposed to get stronger only after noon. I arrived on top of the Weisshorn at 1000.

nice sunrise, no clouds (yet)

Although the wind speed would have been low enough to permit a safe launch, I didn't like the clouds, nor the wind readings on Weissfluhjoch / Parpaner Rothorn (South with gusts to 30kmh), so another ride down by cable car...

Arosa -'first' flights....

2.5 weeks after my last flight in Crucita, I started again flying in Arosa: 2 days/ 4 flights :-)

Fortunately, I had a 'spare' glider at home, so I didn't have to shop around for a replacement ;-) Anyway, the replacement would have been another Leeloo - but of course it would have taken quite some time until a new one would have been produced in Croatia, tested by Michael and then sent to me, as Leeloos are only produced to order and are normally not on stock (especially my size)...

Sun (28.1.) first a flight to 'LAW Mitte', then a sledder to Chur.

Chur - Masans, where I normally land; several options, depending on wind direction

and strength and within easy distance from the bus station ;-)

Mon (29.1.)  again, first a flight to 'LAW Mitte' with some thermals above 'Tschuggen'. PeterN had much more patience than I and flew close to 45' - cool!

a perfect day for skiing etc

When I had been ready for the second flight, cirrus clouds had covered the sky and thus all thermal activity was stopped - straight down to the landing on 'Obersee'...

All-in-all 4 pretty good launches with 2 very good and 2 acceptable landings.