zondag 31 juli 2011

Uvalde 2011 - Jeroen Verkuijl

I would like to use this opportunity to tell a bit about our adventure from my point of view.
Because I couldn’t find a suitable aircraft for the European Championship I had to think of something else that would be at least as an adventure. Or better! So I came up with the idea of going to the Pre-Worlds in Uvalde, Texas. First I tried to figure out with Francois if we could bring gliders over there. I had some opportunities, but it all became very expensive. So I tried to swap or rent a glider. I tried some e-mails and informed the contest director. But nothing…  Just before I had to think about something else Steve Dee got the word I was looking for a glider and  he sent me an e-mail. He came up with a good deal for his very nice ASH-26e. I could even use his car! So thanks Steve for renting your gear and bringing it to Uvalde.
As Francois, I had to do some preparations to be able to fly in the US. Garret Willat helped us al lot with this. I got to know him via Francois and met him the first time in Nitra, Slovakia. After a visit at his airfield it had some consequences: I got to try out buggy driving in the desert, got to fly the Stemme S10, flew on Francois Ventus (even before he did) and I got Willem and Boyd to swap gliders so Boyd could fly the Junior World Championships. Furthermore I can stay in Garrets HUGE R(ecreational) V(ehicle).  Europeans who never have been to the US, cannot imagine how big it is. So Garret and the rest of the family: THANKS.
After all this I’m now (7:00 AM!) sitting in the airplane to Frankfurt. All direct flights from Amsterdam to Houston were full, so I thought this was the best idea.. Let’s hope for the best, because this flight is delayed by quite some bit and I hope I will make the next flight or else I’ll get stuck in Frankfurt!
Ah, there we go. Have to shut down the computer. Hope to write some nice stories about very cool flights very soon.

vrijdag 29 juli 2011

My First day

After a bad night sleep I woke up at 05.00 am and got up at 06.30 am. After showering I walked up and down the street just to have a look at where I was and the surroundings. It is very nice here with some hills and allot of green.

After breakfast Garret and I went up to the airfield. I had alot to do, the Ventus needed a pollish very bad and the ceelings had to be redone, the electrical system had to be checked and the LX8080 I borrowed had to be installed. I started with the wings first, i hoped they would be finished but at the end of the day only one was finished and the other one half way. The forecast for Saturday wasn't as good anymore so an early start tomorrow and hopefully i can fly tomorrow afternoon.

I have been flying today but not i an glider. Only planes with doors. In the afternoon we went to the FAA office to pick-up my American license. If i would do something in Holland i would go by car.

In America you go by plane.....

We went to a small airfield.


It would be nice to have planes like this at the small airfield in Holland to.....


On the way back we had lunch.

After we had picked-up my license i had to do 3 flights with Garret as a flight review. I just told you I only flew plane with doors. Garret and I made the required flights in a Schweitzer 233, it has a door for the instructor. And the canopy opens to the wrong side.










It's unbeleaveable but this thing fly's


With a glide ratio from 1:22 it's not realy a good glider, in other words i don't think i have ever flown a glider with a this bad glider ratio but you can open the canopy if you are hot during the flight. Yes you under stood me wright.



Well, it's American build....

Hopefully i can finish the Ventus tomorrow morning and fly in the afternoon. I will not be as good as the forecast but maybe sunday i can try a long flight.

Arrival

Arrived

After 21 hours of traveling i arrived in San Diego. First from Amsterdam to Philadelphia in a Boeing 757 ( I didn't know those this flew that far) in economy class. It wasn't as bad as people had been saying but i was glad i could get out of the airplane. Getting through customs also wasn't as bad as I had though it would be so sofa everting all okay. The only thing that is different comparing to Europe is that every thing is bigger, cars roads, houses, peolpe. 



After 2.5 hours waighting the next flight from Philadelphia to San Diego in a Airbus 321. It's still 5.5 hours filching but you stay in the same country, what i already said, everything is a little bigger.
After arrival at San Diego I picked up my suitcase, it had arrived so very good USAirways, and Garret picked me up. The first thing we did was eating a hamburger in a restaurantchaine that was only located in California.



The fries where bad but the hamburger was okay. A tip for people who have never been to the US, buy just a small drink, you can refill as much as you like…….


For the people who don't know Garret Willet, this is his beautiful smile


For Friday the plan is to get my American license this means flying a Stemme S10 to pick it up, life is bad I know, and work on my Ventus to get it ready for the competition. I hope to tray to fly on Saturday, the forecast is 12000 to 16000 feet cloud base and climbs up to 10 knots, but this is only a forecast, lets see if i can finish the Ventus first.

maandag 25 juli 2011

Pre Worlds 2011 Uvalde

Dears Friends,

When came clear that the WGC 2012 would be held in Uvelade Texas USA I decide to go to the Pre-Worlds in 2011. I have never been to the US and a lot of things have to be organised and a good opportunity to do some training on-site. The selection for the WGS 2012 is not done so it's not sure  I can go but I think I will make a good chance for the selection. If I am allowed to go next year I will fly the new Schempp-Hirth openclass glider the Quintus-M.



But that's for next year. For this year I had to look for a glider in the US. My friend Garret Willet maybe had a glider for me, a Discus to fly in 15 meter class. Because this wasn't sure I looked to find something else. The people who know me know I prefer to fly openclass but I also like the "a" fuselage from Schempp-Hirth. I owned a Ventus a for 1 year. I flew Tilo's Ventus 2AX a few times and I liked that one very much. I knew Schempp-Hirth built 6 Ventus Ca's, the "a' fuselage with the Ventus C 17.6 wing with the nicer handling. I knew there where 4 sold to the US. With the help of Garret I found 1 and the owners wanted to sell it to me. So I'm the very proud owner of 1 of the 5 still flying Ventus Ca's.


I will fly in the 18 meter class this year with this Ventus.

Normaly I'm going with the national team to a large competiton but no one wanted to come with me to Uvalde. My crew Frans de Guise is going to Lithuania so I'm all alone in that big faraway country....
Not really alone, because Jeroen Verkuil and Willem Dortu are also going. Jeroen will fly an ASH 26 with me in the 18 meter class and Willem will fly a Discus a in the 15 meter class. Garret Willet is the one who we have to thank for organising everything and he will also be a part of "our team". He will fly a Nimbus 3 in the openclass. For Garret this will be the qualifying competition for the WGC next year.

Normally I'm not really a person who posts things on facebook or anything but I enjoy reading things from other people. I also enjoy reading the posts that the team captain writes on the website www.ekzweefvliegen.nl so I decided to try to keep you all informed on my adventure in the US. I hope Jeroen, Willem and Garret will also write on this blog. I have specially bought a small camera to take with me if I go flying so I hope I can make some nice pictures.

I'm flying to the US Thursday the 28th, and the first few days I will spend with Garret in Warner Spring close to San Diego. August 1st we will do the first part of the 2000 km drive to Uvalde and the 2nd we will arrive at Uvalde. I will come back to you when I arrived.