Flying with the Champions - Picture-Gallery - Kiripotib 20152015-11-22
  

Picture-Gallery - Flying with the Champion 2015 - Kiripotib








Flying with the Champions - Kiripotib - final report - 3. block2015-11-19
  



Now we are already at the end of our third week of “Flying with the Champions 2015”.

Very dry air was with us the last course, but now we can say in blue conditions we are unbeatable. In every days weather forecast we could here:” no clouds in our area, some of them far in the east.” But our pilots made the best out of it, they flew every day and enjoyed their daily program.
Tomorrow we will have our last day her in Kiripotib, and as in old tradition we will fly a grand prix task. Two Pilots are also taking apart in Bitterwasser, so it will be a nice race.

Finally we can say, we had again three nice weeks, with super trainees, with excellent champions and  all that on the best gliders you can have.

Thanks to all joining us.








Flying with the Champions - Bitterwasser - final report - 2. block2015-11-16
  



A beautiful end of flying with the Champions at Bitterwasser from the second Groupg. Not all teams finished the Grand Prix Task but the atmosphere was still quiet good.

All teams lands safely and there after we went to the first dune to celebrate the last sundowner.
In a short term, a group of the Bitterwasser stuff joined us with original Namibian songs.
A beautiful flight red sand, red evening sky, a glas of Champaign  in the hand … nearly not more to top.

Jeremias, chief of Runway team, took is trumpet and played two songs.
It was a beautiful evening and all of us came to late for dinner where the Certificates of flying with the Champions was given.
With the words “ we all are winners” Wolfgang and Dieter started the procedure and Wolfgang sponsored from the company rent-a-glider for every table at Bitterwasser o bottle of red wine.

In ensconce round the teams end the evening and they have had storys enough.
All said thank you for organisation and they will come back.









Flying with the Champions - Bitterwasser - last day - 2. block2015-11-14
  



The task from yesterday was not well done from several teams, so we decided to make the same task because of again blue sky, twice.

Grand Prix Start
Startline Bitterwasser Hangar
1. Turnpoint Nosob Gabel
2. Turnpoint Pokweni
3. Turnpoint Info Afrika
4. Turnpoint Bitterwasser
Max Altitude 26oo Meter, max. Speed 170

the following teams are participaiting:
Wolfgang Zimmermann with Arndt Hovestadt
Carl-Georg Bauer with Wolfgang Janowitsch
Peter Ocker with Stefano Ghiorzo
Roman Michalowski with Reinhard Schramme
Fernando Silva with Stefan Senger
Nico Mak with Joachim Schwenk

Fernando Silva and Nico Mak arrived yesterday and are flying next week with Wolfgang Janowitsch and Arndt Hovestadt, because they like to fly even today we organized two more glider with pilots.


Tracking Details:
Nico Mak: https://share.delorme.com/NicolasBennet

Fernando Silva: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=05WPBm3FXBSIUxIY8GvNJGngqnvuZZp0b

The spot tracking show us that team Roman and Reinhard are short before first turnpoint – Nosob Gabel

2015-11-14 | 16:00

From the teams we can watch they passed the first Turnpoint and they are on the way to Pokweni.
It is still blue. One Team cancel already the task.








Flying with the Champions - Bitterwasser - 4. day - 2. block2015-11-13
  



After briefing the teams decided to fly a grand prix task to take what they learned. Because of the weather conditions they prepared the gliders on the Pan and after lunch they took of at around 14:30 local.

Maximum Startline Altitude was set short before start.
15 Minutes past 3:00 local the start line was opend.

The task depending on weather forcast:

  • Bitterwasser
  • Nosob Gabel
  • Pokweni
  • Into Africa
  • Finish at Bitterwasser








Flying with the Champions - This is Namibia ...2015-11-12
  



Finally Kiripotib came back to normality, after the first week with the nonexistent overflight authorization, we can concentrate us on flying.

On Tuesday we started little slower, the teams were already together three days, so we sated a small Grand Prix task, 420 km long. The first where back after 3 hours, 142km/h average for the winner team Stieber / Karow, just two seconds ahead of Team Scherrer / Frank and 23 seconds before Durrer / Fischer. It was pretty cool to see the Champs here in their element.

On Tuesday very early preparations for a great day. We started to the east, only the weather was not as espected. Weak lifts in the blue, low operation heights dominated the first hour. But then, as if someone flips a switch, first clouds with strong lifts and rising the base to about 5000meters. The speeds went up, the smile on the faces widened. Most Pilots flow closed to the Botswana boarder, from there back to the edge in the west, and then you can say it really took off. A single cloud line over several hundred kilometers. I could see 218 km/h average on my LX 9000. I have now flown a couple of times here, but this where the best condition ever. Two hours without any circles, always at the maximum speed. Accordingly, the results in the evening. All participants of “Flying with the Champions” flew over 1,000 km, Hans Kandlbauer with Lukasz Wojcik set the maximum of 1173 km and myself with an average of 165km/h on 1100km flew20km/h faster than the second, the Antares 23 showed it’s potential.

Yesterday Wednesday, again slightly worth weather. The good zone should lie far to the east, Bernd Dolba, our Wettermacher even spoke of possible 1000km. But that's Namibia, it began relatively late, but then the air began to cook. All participants were flown to the East, just leaving Kiripotib the air began to bubble, a sandstorm with around 70 km/h wind past the field. On radio, it was very quiet, nothing was to be heard, also the satellite images showed not really the images you want. But then, after several hours of trepidation and hope, all gliders arrivedsavely. In subsequent discussions we  could see the respect for the power of the Namibian weather. Yes, and more than 600 km, where flown again, with speeds up to 142 km h. Here you can already see the quality of Champions, by chance, they have not flown this title.

If you want to come to Namibia shortly, In the best time some gliders became vacant
An Arcus M from Nov. 28 to 12 Dec.
Our Arcus E from 14 Dec. to 27 Dec.
The Antares 23E from Dec. 29. to 20. Jan.
Details available on request at  office@rent-a-gider.com

If someone wants to fly Quintus, in January would be one in Bitterwater available, if you are interested let me know, I will forward your request.

 

Impressions from Namibia/Bitterwasser








Flying with the Champions - Bitterwasser - 3. day - 2. block2015-11-12
  



The teams decided after take off to change the prepared task. The goal now was to fly as much km as possible, perhaps the first 1000 km for the pilots. The flight was then flown by weather conditions and they all were looking forward to reach this goal.

1 Hour before sun set the obligatory 1 Hour before sunset safety report was done from all gliders and short before sun set they land at Bitterwasser Pan and the happiness was drawn into the faces of the pilots. Even at the Pan Windsock there was a welcome drink and all Pilot congratulated each other for their first 1000. Yes we did it!

 







Flying with the Champions - Bitterwasser - 2. day - 2. block2015-11-11
  



Day two at Bitterwasser:

the teams get on the first day closer together and the new day starts with the daily briefing. Because the weather forcast was just blue sky the teams decide to fly again together. So they take off together and fly by team flying into the direction to Gobabis and SWA Knee.

It is always the same… clouds in the area where we are not allowed to fly – north from Windhoek it looks quiet good with a lot of clouds and after landing some teams asked why it is not possible to fly there… .

But we have to follow the rules and stay inside the gliding area.
The feeling of the group is very good and they proceed to fly in a group.
Still a big matter of learning is – watch the area – make the right decision’s for your next way to fly and this is what every pilot enjoy to have a champion on board. – Just learning!

Because the weather forcast for today was very good we where making just a short briefing and set a task.

The today task – take off early – from Bitterwasser to South West Knee – Wandervogel 3 – Maltahöhe S and back to Bitterwasser.
But the real weather was not as promised so we will see what they will decide during the flight.

Flying with the champions at Bitterwasser was even talked to the animals around here and we have a new member at the whole Bitterwasser team.

 

Mr. oder Mrs ? BIWA we call the bird  - and she/he is watching the radio and after work you should always drink…









Flying with the Champions - Kiripotib - 1. day - 2. block2015-11-07
  



Yesterday the first flying day of the new group here in Kiripotib

... in Bitterwasser it was time to say goodbye to the trainees from the first week. The good weather of the last days could compensate some of the loss of the begin.

In the evening,  at a small party all our participants got  a certificate as a memory to this worldwide outstanding event.

The first are departing, the others are coming, we could welcome Peter Ocker from Germany, Carl Bauer of England, Roman Michalovski from USA and Walter Mayer from Austria. To the Champions Wolfgang Janowitsch and Reinhard Schramme came Arndt Hovestadt from Germany and Stefano Ghiorzo changed from Kiripotib to Bitterwasser, again a strong team, who teaches here.

Today bright blue sky in the morning, Bernd our over meteorologist is talking from good conditions in  the east.

 

flying in Bitterwasser                                           -                      flight from Reinhard Schramme








Flying with the Champions 4. day - 1. block2015-11-06
  



Today is last flying day
for the pilots from our first training week, due to the circumstances only with three flying  days, we apologize.

The forecast for today says difficult weather, early overdevelopment with showers and thunderstorms in the early afternoon. At 11.30 all gliders where airborne and the sky looked great. At about 14:00 first towering cu and at 15:00 a first thunder north of us, which past us without rain. We gave our pilots the warning to be in the area of Kiripotib at about 16:00 and now at 17:00 they are all only few km out in good heights.

In the meantime participants for the second week have arrived, from Switzerland, Felix Ammann and Hans Kandlbauer, Hans joining us already the second time, from Canada Michael Stieber.

Late afternoon we are awaiting  Heiner Scherrer and Philipp Durrer, also from Switzerland and a second pilot from Canada, Jean Yves Germain.

As champions the second week, Janusz Centka, Lukasz Wojcik und Markus Frank, flying with us already the first week, coming new Holger Karow, Erwin Ziegler and Bert Schmelzer.

 








Flying with the Champions 3. day - 1. block2015-11-05
  



Finally daily routine has returned

An intensive debriefing session of yesterday, extensive weather briefing, preparing gliders for the start. How we yearned us for this normality.

So around 11:30 clock first gliders took off, due to the unclear weather forecasts no tasks today in Kiripotib. The teams should decide for themselves where they fly. As we can see in the logs of spot, they flew to the edge in the West and arriving there, further south than yesterday.

Meanwhile, it is now 17:00  local, a thick cloud cover has reached us from Northwest. On the satellite image you see its covering nearly the hole westerly part of Namibia. It looks quite dark outside, some showers are also there, but still active air and absolutely flyable. Pilots are on the way home.
We are very excited about the reports of our pilots tonight.

Now I have my fifth season here in Namibia, today I saw my first cobra between kitchen and breakfestroom.








Flying with the Champions 2. day - 1. block2015-11-04
  

 We are flying!

Today at 11:30 we got the new overfly permission. Since our first day in Namibia last Friday we were grounded. One military officer decided, glider pilots and there planes are high risk for Namibia and rejected the permission for 2015. We got this notification on Friday morning, much too late to react. So on Monday morning Hans van Hase went to the Ministers to find a solution. Finally four days we had to stay on ground. Not to think about this permission would not have come, it would have been the end of gliding in Namibia.

Anyway, a loud cry of joy at the arrival of the fax here in Kiripotib, somehow it seemed to me that I heard the pilots from Bitterwasser too. Immediately pilots ran to their planes, we had already parked them at the start and at twelve all gliders were in the air. Today we expect a very nice gliding day, the forecast said the best zone along the edge, the demolition to the Namib Desert.

If our trainees get there, this is certainly a small compensation for the agony of the last days. Scenic is the demolition to the dessert, one of the most beautiful regions of Namibia. Wild canyons, steep cliffs, and beautiful color games dominate the landscape here.

As from this year, spot also works here in Southern Africa, all aircraft from Kiripotib have one of these devices on board. Get the link below where the tracks can be seen. From tomorrow on we will know who has which device in the cockpit, we forgot to write this down due to the circumstances.


http://share.findmespot.com/









Flying with the Champions 1. day - 1. block2015-11-01
  



Flying with the Champions 2015

You just turn around and a year is over. Today the third year of “Flying with the Champions” in Namibia started. European and World Champions will give their knowledge to 24 Pilots from all over the world in the next three weeks. Not only in Kiripotib as the last two years, also in Bitterwasser the well known gliding center in southern Africam, we will run this training program this year. In this three weeks we will try to bring our participants to their personal bests, to higher speeds, to give them memorable experiences.

Here in Kiripotib were I, Ludwig Starkl will lead the event the next three weeks, we are starting as Champions with, Janusz Centka from Poland, Markus Frank from Germany, Stefano Ghiorzo from Italy and for the first time here, Lukasz Wojcik the current European champion from Poland. In the second week will come Holger Karow and Erwin Ziegler from Germany, Bert Schmelzer from Belgium and in the third week, the brothers Phil and Steve Jones and Pete Harvey from England and Holger Back from Germany. Erwin, Bert, Phil and Holger Backare also for the first time here with us.

In Bitterwasser Wolfgang Janowitsch will start the first week, together with Andy Lutz and Reinhard Schramme in the management and coach role. Stefano Ghiorzo will change over from Kiripotib, and Arndt Hovestadt will come from Germany. Reinhard and Arndt are supporting us for the first time.

In Kiripotib as a participant in the first week, Andre Arb from Switzerland, Dirk Windmüller from Germany and the Austrian Junior Paul Altrichter, invited by his uncle and coming the second time Walter Horvath also from Austria.

In Bitterwasser for the first time we also have a woman, Andrea Abt from Germany, Toni Leuenberger from Switzerland and Oskar Tollich from Germany who also is the second time here.

Unfortunately, our beginning is clouded by a decision of the Namibian authorities. The military have denied the overflight permission without giving any reason, for all aircraft from Germany to fly in Pokweni, Bitterwasser and Kiripotib. No one is allowed to fly, everyone has to stay on the ground. This communication reached us very short on Friday, where it was much too late for an intervention, all civil servants are already in the weekend. Now it is to wait until Monday, with the optics of the last days, the worst that can happen to a glider pilot.

Today we will check an alternative. Wse will start for a game drive to a neighboring farm, where the farmer owns an Antonov 2.  Maybe we can make a start with him to get into the air.

 
 






NEW- also in Bitterwasser!


   

'Flying with the Champions 2015' - Bitterwasser

  

HERE you find the full programm 

  

 

  

 

Who:

Confirmed until now:

  • Reinhard Schramme
  • Arndt Hovestadt

 

  • Wolfgang Janowitsch

 

 

all of them former European- or Worldchampions!

  
With:

EB 28, Arcus M and an ASG 32 (Schleichers new doubleseater

    
Where:

Bitterwasser, Namibia, ca.200 km southeast of Windhoek

    
When:

two seven day courses

  • 01. - 07. november 2015
  • 08. - 14. november 2015

 

How:

  • In a doubleseater together with a champion is a direct transfer of knowledge possible.
  • The champion supports by feedback the development of motor and mental skills.
  • A structured training process ensures clear objectives.
  • The participant gets the tool for effective work on himself.
    
 

Six flying days, one reserve day are planned, course language is generally English, possibly also German.

 

 

 









   

'Flying with the Champions 2015' - Kiripotib

  

HERE you find the full programm 

  

 

  

 

Who:

Confirmed until now:

  • Janusz Centka
  • Pete Harvey
  • Markus Frank
  • Brad Edward
  • Andy Lutz

 

  • Holger Karow
  • Stefano Ghiorzo
  • Steve Jones
  • Holger Back

 

 

all of them former European- or Worldchampions!

    
Where:

Kiripotib, Namibia, ca.150 km southeast of Windhoek

    
When:

three seven day courses

  • 31. october - 06. november 2015
  • 07. - 13. november 2015
  • 14. - 20. november 2015

 

How:

  • In a doubleseater together with a champion is a direct transfer of knowledge possible.
  • The champion supports by feedback the development of motor and mental skills.
  • A structured training process ensures clear objectives.
  • The participant gets the tool for effective work on himself.
    
 

Six flying days, one reserve day are planned, course language is generally English, possibly also German.