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.