Practice Day 1

Typical Uvalde weather today in terms of cloudbase and lift values, 8000 AGL and some averages in the 7-9 kt range, but most in the 5-6 kt range.  My average for the task was 5.8 kts.  The 15 m class had a 3.5 hour assigned area task with a nominal distance of about 360 km and max of 460 km.  I flew 411 km at 135 km/hr and was 30 minutes early today.  I could have maximised a little more in the 2nd area, having flown only to the center.  I did max out the first zone and almost the last, but looking home, it looked like it was starting to die and it was 5 pm and I had 100 km to get home.  As it turned out it was not dying as I was able to get home at 150 km/hr on the final leg.

Another great flying day!

 

Dave

August 2nd

Tue, Aug 2
JS in Memphis, crossing the mighty Mississippi into Arkansas. The next state will be Texas but we are only at the half-way point of our journey. Still a long way to go.

On the way to Uvalde

JS and crew Sonia Hildesheim left in the afternoon of Aug 1st , stopping for the night near Dayton, OH. Always a bit uneasy parking the trailer in hotel parking lots.

Pre-worlds

The practice days for the Pre-Worlds in Uvalde start Thursday 4 August and the contest starts on Saturday 6 August.

Canada will be well represented at the contest with 4 pilots in the 18 m class:

ST - Nick Bonniere - LAK-17a
OX - Willem Langelaan - Antares 18s
TT - Derek Mackie - LAK-17a
XG - Jerzy Szemplinski - ASG -29

and 3 pilots in the 15 m class:

7V - Ryszard Gatkiewicz - LS8
2W - Dave Springford - ASW-27
JS - Joerg Stieber - LS8


Many Thanks to Walter for allowing me to fly his glider in Uvalde.

My best result in the Worlds

It was my best result in a World Championships, I hoped to be in the first three, but a couple of mistakes in the early part of the contest cost me too much and it was very hard to recover the lost points. Good results in the contest are not only the pilot's achievement. My wife Maria did an excellent job not only taking care of the glider, but my mental state during contest in addition she together with George beat the Brits with field retrieve by a good 30 minutes when I landed out together with Phil Jones. Unfortunately no extra points, but well rested pilot.
 
Our Team Manager Joerg gave me assurance that all is under control. In addition strategic and technical discussion with Joerg helped me to resolve some issues and concentrate on flying task. Dave helped me with the weather reports before and during tasks, in addition our professional radio broadcaster Virginia did an excellent job relaying information so I was able to gather information about the task situation during flight. Willem with his crew Diane and Pim gave me a big smile every morning ( Go Jerzy Go) Thanks to Dan Bush for letting me fly his glider in Europe and set his glider exactly the same way as mine so I didn't have to adjust to new instruments. His emails with analysis during the contest of my closest opponents were very helpful with my task strategy.  After the closing ceremony I was still in treadmill as I had to deliver glider back to Germany go back to Poland and return the car before I could fly back to Canada. All went as planned except GREAT SURPRISE at Pearson International where a group of pilots waited for me: Luke, Derek, Bill, Chris and Martin with his wife , what a Royal Treatment .

Thank You All for team support .

Jerzy