STORMY

Storms yesterday, and more for today. I am slowly settling into EX (with the assistance of Ulf). Last night Spain made it into the final against Germany on Sunday - so no outlandings then.
At the moment still all blue, but some light cu on Terminillo, it will go up quickly.
The airport is filling up, the latest arrivals the Russian team - mostly from Novo Siebirsk. We travel to and from the apartment by bike - 8km or so. A refreshing ride! The rigging and derigging is smooth and we have entertaining briefings at nine by Allessandro. The Italians are rushing the completion of the office buildings for the contest.
I will try to post some photo's this evening or tomorrow.
We still await the arrival of Andrew and Janine.
regards for now

Sven

PS Volker, we got your message, look forward to seeing you (the train is best from Rome). My Italian cell number 3490516400 (international code +39) and Ulf 3400704650

Six days on

It is now Wednesday 25, six days into this journey. It started out as a bit of a road trip - sleeping over on the Hahnweide and visiting Schemp Hirth in action (quite a few DUSE in production - that is jet sustainers). Then on to the English Garden (yes, there is one) and it is an important part of Munich. A wonderful time, inlcluding watching the Eurocup with thousands of others in the open. A visit, but no beer at the worldfamouns beergarden (we drank the beer elsewhere, and hopefully the SPOT tracks will disappear with time.
Then a LONG drive down to Rieti - with a rush to watch the next match (we made it, but by then Ulf was already suffering from a cold which would last the next few days, and become more serious - not a nice condition to suffer from in 40C heat.)
Yes, it is as hot as hades and, in the result, the sky is quite stable. We were too late to fly in Monday, so we used the day to set up - we are in a renovated appartement in the old part of Rieti, and the roads are just one way passage ways. So we leave the transport on the airfield and commute using bicycles - Ulf and i are now also getting good at managing the chaos on Italian roads.
On Tuesday i had a flight, somewhat last on the grid, and the conditions stable and difficult. But all the systems are working and we march on to Wednesday (today). Very inverted and we forego the opportunity to launch (I think only two or so launched). It is really HOT.
Tonite Germany plays Turkey (and Ulf has a great interest in the outcome).
I think that Andrew and Janine arrives tomorrow.
The forecast is still for stable conditions.
Thanks for all the support from back home, it is greatly appreciated.
Sven

Departure Lounge

It is EARLY in the morning, the rain has starting coming down since late yesterday afternoon, rather heavy, and I am now sitting in the departure lounge, Cape Town International. It feels a bit like Leonard Cohen. The coffee shop is not yet open, it is winter solstice after all. Well this afternoon i will be in the summer solstice ;-)

Last night we spent a family evening. The girls wanted sushi so Christelle and I took them out. They did really well in their exams (both academic and dancing) so there was a lot to celebrate ;-)

It was a real rush (in the work sense) to get here - for weeks i have been slaving away, only able to see on the internet how the Rieti pilots are flying in overseas contests (and on OLC - Patrick Gai had a real nice (and fast) flight two days ago).

So i am really glad to be on my way, keen to get to Rieti and looking forward to really enjoying Italy.

Ulf, i am on LH2955 (ex Cape Town) and i only have SMS on my handy (till we get Italian simcards). Watch out for Spotmessenger tracking later today

On the flight i will be reading some literature courtesy of Bill Elliot (who won the 18m USA nationals) - thanks Bill.

regards for now

Sven

ULF FLIES OF THE HANDLE

The South African Team Captain, Ulf Dallmann, in impeccable style, flew to second place on OLC in EX yesterday, covering 950 odd kilometres in northern Germany. They had to send out a Nimbus 4M to beat him. WELL DONE ULF.

In the meanwhile back home the clock is ticking. On Sunday, in non-soarable conditions, i did an hour of outlanding practise in the Rotax Falke under the watchful eye of Mike Pascoe.

Regards for now

Sven

Spot Tracking Page

Hi all

the link to my SPOT messenger tracking page is

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?&glId=0QljvEYOeTTGRLzBuhnCT9AZhfyXWBG3R


I will only be activating the tracking when in Europe (and mostly only when airborne ;-)

I depart Cape Town 20 June and hope to be flying soon thereafter (i will test the tracking driving down to Rieti)

SPOT Messeger's support team is working on activating tracking for Southern Africa


EX

Final results in the Czech and Slovakian champs

In Slovakia Lubor Kubovick (1st) and Vladimir Foltin(4th) showed that they are ready for Rieti, whilts in the Czech champs Pavel Louzecky (1st) and Jaroslav Tomana (2nd) were streets ahead of a very competitive field. They must be looking forward to Rieti.

EX

Mike Young takes an emphatic win

Mike Young won the British Overseas Nationals with an emphatic win, well clear of the field. Russel Cheetam in an ASG29e is reflected as outlanding on the second last day and did not fly the last day - sounds like something went wrong on the turbo, but i have no details. Both Gill Spreckley and Dane Dickenson finished well and must feel prepared for Rieti.
Slovak Republic SI (Vladimir Foltin) and DI (Viliam Kubovcik) are 2nd and 4th (with two days to go) in the Slovakian Championships and they must feel equally prepared for Rieti.
Pavel Louzecky yesterday took the Czech championships in JB - and must also fancy his chances in Rieti. His compatriot Jaroslav Tomana in GX placed second and they will make a formidable team in Rieti.
I can feel the tension building in the air for Rieti.
With us it is cold and wintry as the front is passing through and the best i could do is to go to gym every day in the last week. Tomorrow i hope for some post frontal weather and a last opportunity to do some setting up of my instruments.
I am on a Lufthansa flight on the 20th and Ulf and I will travel down to Rieti via Schempp Hirth.
regards for now.
EX

THE BRITISH OVERSEAS NATIONALS

With just three days to go the British Overseas Nationals at Ocana, Spain is heating up. Whilst the ASG29's are at the top seven place bar one, it is Gill Spreckley in a LS1f in eleventh spot who should be causing some concern for those pilots who are flying in Rieti. Immediately above her on the overall standings is another pilot on his way to Rieti, Dane Dickinson - in an LS8 he is also having a great contest and no doubt gearing up for the Grand Sasso.

Thanks to some local (printing) support I now have some really cool printed maps for Italy - thanks to Peter Wooley. Also spending a lot of time in gym - to make up for the lack of competition flying - but i did some post frontal flying over the weekend.

EY

Christine WINS day 3

Christine Burki wins day 3 of the Swiss Nationals Standard Class. She is flying a LS8 with call sign 8C - if I recall correctly that is the LS8 Peter Hartmann flew in Leszno in 2003. WELL DONE Christine. The results are at http://www.sm08.ch/index.php?site=resultate&date=30&class=standard&ranking=day
She is 6th overall http://www.sm08.ch/index.php?site=resultate&date=30&class=standard&ranking=total
Keep it going Christine