Monday, December 29, 2014

one more solo

I soloed in a model glider on Saturday ... and guess what - it's still in one piece!




We had a great Christmas time with friends in Robe ... Our Forester is well capable of handling sand dunes and rocks with 5 people on board. This is really cool!









long beach - 16 km


Ziggy chasing gulls


man, we're good

FIGJAM - F... I'm Good Just Ask Me! My dear friend Rhonda will kill me for posting this but I will anyway. Here it is, earned with our awesome team work:


And by the way, my braces are off and the teeth look unreal. I still have to wear retainers most of the time for the next 3 months and then only at night.

We are now packing to leave for Waikerie on Wednesday. We will limit celebrating New Years Eve as predictions are for a 17,000 ft day on Friday. Can this be true or am I just dreaming? We will find out!

Sunday, December 14, 2014

it's been 18 months

Hard to believe but I've been having my braces on for almost 18 months now. 4 days to go - they are coming off this coming Friday! I can see even through the braces that my teeth are perfectly straight but can't wait to see them all without obstructions. How exciting is that?


The procedure on Friday is gonna be anything but pleasant but it doesn't matter. I'm extremely excited!

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

get out - I'm next!

So it was my turn today. We have changed many settings in all the over-smart computers and had to test them. It takes a while to have everything set to everybody's liking but we're getting there. The day was very challenging and I wasn't feeling well on top of all that. Probably I shouldn't have flown at all but I did. I got around the task with an embarrassing speed but at least did a so called competition finish in front of the spectators. I call it a missed approach because of too high speed and gear up.




All in all I guess it's better to fly, even in crap conditions, than not to fly at all. It will be Ziggy's turn tomorrow. Hopefully he can enjoy some better weather.

But for now it's dinner and PIWO time!

Oh, almost forgot about that one. The other day Mr Gonski and Peter showed all of us a perfect team flying demonstration followed by a synchronized outlanding. The story developed (as they usually do under alcohol influence) into a synchronized swimming episode and the guys got awarded a pair of Speedos (oh well, not quite that but a good enough imitation) and a matching laundry peg for their noses:

if this is not embarrassing then I don't know

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Zig flying


Ziggy finally got his second flight in XM. He wasn't 100% happy with the instrument settings and is working on them now. Other than that it was a nice day :)






It's my turn tomorrow!

Saturday, November 22, 2014

back in Waikerie

Here we are, back in Waikerie for the 2014 Orange Week. This time the event is combined with the South Australian State Championships. Because Ziggy and myself are sharing one glider, we will not officially take part in the state comps.
Weather was very average today (more on the competition blog site: http://orangeweek2014.blogspot.com.au/). We used the opportunity for some social activities ...





It was a hot day and every time something started popping up, it was blowing up and throwing water and lightning strikes accompanied by some nasty gusty winds. The pub was the way to go - out and return!

way to cross the river

built in 1860 - veeeeery old for this country

unfortunately Ziggy found a stage and no one to pay him not to sing ....


Summer is getting closer

This one will be an exciting one for various reasons ... also the flying ones. It looks like we'll be able to do more of it!
Couple of weekends ago we had a visitor - Ziggy's high school friend and a very gifted professor who came to Australia to give some lectures. He found one spare evening and drove all the way up to Horsham to see us. It was a very short visit but a very nice at the same time.
We took him for a little sightseeing tour over the area.


naughty one in the back


Dimboola Medical Centre

Sunday, October 26, 2014

the big day

Yesterday was the day we've been waiting for 2 years. Weather was crap, hot, blue and stable but it didn't matter. Because I had to complete the Maintenance Release, I was the one to go up first. I never got higher than the release altitude (1400 ft AGL) but it still was fun. She is just gorgeous!






You can always count on Mr. Griffoski - one phone call and he will leave everything behind to come up and give you a tow. It must have something to do with the fact that he enjoys flying the Beast from the East.






And then it was Ziggy's turn ... his very first flight. I remember exactly how I felt before my first flight in Graham's 29. I also remember him saying to me: "This will be the easiest glider you've ever flown". I said the same to Ziggy and off he went.


He then refused to get out of the glider and was pushed into the hangar sitting in it. Did he like it? I think the smile says it all :)


still not getting out

I finally found an excuse to get him out. I told him we have to take a photo of the back of his shirt and send it to Uli K. in Germany. He agreed.



Like every good story this one ends with ... beer. Cheers!