Oz Report

European Competitions – both Class I and II

CIVL|Hansjoerg Truttmann

Hansjörg Truttmann «h.truttmann» sends information about a couple of upcoming European competitions that include both Class I and Class II pilots.

The 13^th Alpen Open from 24^th to 27^th May 2001 at Innsbruck/Gnadenwald AUSTRIA.  e-mail: «alpenopen» homepage: www.hanggliding.at It's less than $100 to enter, limited to 100 pilots.  There is plenty of prize money (and not to just the top competitors). GPS verification, but no Garmin eMaps or eTrex GPSes can be used.  CIVL category II sanctioned.

On the same weekend:

International Swiss Championships (Class 1 and 2), Plaffeien, contact: «shv». All the top Swiss pilots will be there, of course.  The place is interesting flying.  May is best for the northern Prealps.

Europe just sounds like so much fun!

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Crossing the Alps

Hans Bausenwein|Lukas Etz|PG

Hans Bausenwein|Lukas Etz|Oliver Barthelmes|PG

Hans Bausenwein|Lukas Etz|Oliver Barthelmes|PG

Hans Bausenwein «Hans» writes:

Last Tuesday I was doing my first flight in a hang glider again after my PG accident last year in June.  It was a fantastic flight of 2.5 hrs racing up and down the Drau valley in Austria . The German Hang Gliding League competition task was cancelled, but the flying in the late afternoon was perfect.  Here is a picture of me at 3500 m msl taken by Steffen Hertling as Eki Schröters (German hang gliding National Team doctor) tandem paraglider passenger.

The next day, five of us planned to cross the Alps from south to north and to land in front of Aerosport, which is my company.  Aerosport is located in the Inn valley right where it leaves the Alps.

Lukas Bader, Lukas Etz, Herbert Sturm, Oliver Barthelmes and Hans Bausenwein took off at 3 pm and followed the Felbertauern valley to the north.  Near the lowest point of the main range of the Alps, which is there at about 3000 m everything was still covered in ice and snow and the south wind was picking up to more than 50 km/h. It was obvious it was Föhn.

I turned back and landed near the next village in the south.  The other guys were more courageous and made their way through the washing machine into the lee side.  Herbert with only about 50m of air under his belly and 110 km/h on his GPS.

Lukas Bader and Oli Barthelmes happily landed right in front of Aerosport at about 6.30 pm. A memorable flight, especially in these conditions.  There have been only very few flights made in which the Alps have been crossed from north to south or vice versa in a single flight.

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Pioneering the Spanish hills

Wallaby Ranch

John "Ole" Olson|Wallaby Ranch

(?-i)John "Ole" Olson|Wallaby Ranch

John "Ole" Olson|Wallaby Ranch

Peter Kelley «peter.p.kelley» writes about the site of the upcoming World Championships in Spain:

A friend of mine, a Dutch artist named Frans Pannakoek and I were likely the first people to ever fly Grazalema, Spain in 1977. I was in college in Spain and Frans found the place and described it as, "Pedro, it's a paved road up with totally soarable launches in two directions from the same spot!!". Even back then we had great flights there.

Once I went "XC" and a friend put up a windsock for me in an LZ he picked at my instructions.  It indeed was flat as I had told him.  It was also about as big as the Wallaby Ranch Pole Barn and a 6' high wheat crop.  Probably this poor farmer's entire annual wage.

I mowed right through it so I could slow down before hitting the surrounding stone wall and, ashamed, fled the scene fast.

I have flown in the Sierra Nevada where the PG Comps are to be held.  Though it's gorgeous and very mountainous terrain, I never had great conditions there so I'm intrigued what they'll find there now.

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Airborne Climax

«flyndan»:

Airborne's Climax is in production and has arrived in the US. The sail work is impressive as is the wing's performance.  Component quality is very good and a matrix main sail comes standard (no additional cost). The model shown is the smaller "Climax 13". "On the same scale it weighed in 4 lbs lighter than the LS4 in the background, both without bags and pads."

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Skorpion harness

Chris Giardina «halkeyeflight» writes about his Skorpion harness that he used recently in a speed gliding contest in Chelan:

When I take the Skorpion out of the bag it tends to draw a crowd.  Plenty of oohs and aahs.  The set-up is straightforward.  The comfort is very nice.  Lots of storage.

I feel real safe in it, safer than I've felt in a long time.  At top speeds (70 mph+) there isn't any yawl rotation.  It's on rails!

Even unzipped with the head down, I feel no wind on my legs.  It rocks up well for a good flair.

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Dustin's instrument pods

Chad Koester|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|USHGA

Chad Koester «CKoester» writes:

You'll find Dustin's instrument pods at $150 at www.soaring-solutions.com --> under Services.

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