VGC News/Newsletters - Lakes Gliding Club

Saturday 29th June Hugo and Werner Roth flew their Spyr5 to 2050 m (6500ft) in wave. They were above all theclouds. Jorg Ziller flew his Meise to 2330 m. Both heightswere above site which is 682m asl.Werner Tschorn reached1800m in his Weihe.There was a strong wind and the turbulence near theground was terrific. Willi Schwarzenbach once saw his ASIreading 150 kph! The tow pilot said "If yOll can stand it, socan I"Chris Wills felt afterwards that it had not been the day torig the Kranich 2 and to give it its first flight since August1995 in America!That evening there was a very good meal under a marqueewhich had been erected for us outside the club house. FredericFischer's birthday was celebrated with a small orchestra consistingof Werner Meier (Fiddle) and Chris Wills (Accordion).Frederic is not only the founder and President of the InteresseGemeinschaft fuel' Alte Segelflugzeuge Albatross (IGO Albatross)which is based at Trogen and does everything possibleto bring back old gliders, at least in radio controlled modelform, but he has been the leading spirit in bringing LuigiTeichfuss and his sailplane designs to the fore. He is also afirst class pianist who teaches music at the Trogen school. Weowe it to him, and to Vincenzo Pedrielli and to Antonio CarloZorzoli that there have now been two Luigi Teichfuss commemoratverallies.Sunday 30th June The forecast was for low thetmals to3000ft but the weather turned out to be much better than that.The Kranich 2 had its first flight since ISYM in the USA whenit was flown by Rudi Opitz! Werner Tschorn ,flew his Weihefor 5 1/2 hours reaching IOOOm above the site.Monday 1st July There w,as low pressure centered overPavullo. There would be no towpolane available until 1300 hrs.In the evening,there wou:Jd be a spaghetti party, cakes and asmuch Lambrusco as we wished. The towplanes were SlinsonL-5s which were left behind by the Americans after the warand are still in general use towing gliders throughout Italy.One was 130 hp and the other (for weekends only) had 180hp. They were all built during 1941/42. The smallest of themstalled at 90kph and was flat out and not climbing at 110 kph.One of them was in war camouflage. There were many interestingplaces to visit near Pavullo. One of them is Vinei,where Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked. There is an excellentmuseum there showing the work of this genius who alsodesigned and built flying machines, although then, none ofthem got airborne.Willi Schwarzenbach beside his 1943 Spalil1ger S 18-3 afterhis flight to over 3000m in wave at Pavullo. Photo Chris Wills.The arrival ofthe bambilli to look at the squadriglie atPavullo. Photo Chris WillsThesday 2nd July There was some optimism for animprovement of the weather as a 40 to 50 knot wind overCentral Europe was shifting bad weather to the East.Our new tow pilot, Gianluigi (Giani) Marzotto had arrivedfrom Asiago. The first Italian International Gliding Meetinghad been held at Asiago in 1924.Our gliders were got out of the hangar but could be putback in quickly if the weather deteriorated.During Tuesday night, strong winds howled around theTabor. It should now be mentioned that many of us weresleeping there. It is a magnificent white painted buildingwhich is a hotel, a Casa di Cura, (for people with diseasedlungs) and a children's recreational centre for gymnastics andjudo (Centro Estivo Gilllnastico e Judo). The building has aBauhaus style of architecture at the front, with a more typicalof the time (1929), rear. It is located on a mountain top with asensational view to the West, overlooking the plain towardsMonte Cimone. At night there were hundreds of fireflies ,flashingin the darkness and the sounds of children laugbing. Onecannot imagine an old peoples home like this iJn Britain. (Itcould be imagined as half way to Heaven) A visit to our airfieldwas arranged for the bambini of the Tabor and Itheyarrived on foot, as part of their gymnastic pursuit. Without amoment's hesitation Antonio spontanlously rendered them alecture on gliding which went on for over an houl', and most ofthem were really interested. Afterwards, Frederico demonstratedhis radio controlled Spalinger S 18 J1f)(Xlel and manytried out its radio control, while others sat in the front of ChrisWills' Kranich. Everyone was very impressed at how interestedthese, and other children, were. Indeed, crowds ofpeople came during the following weekend to see our gliders.Later, there was some hill lift as the club's Blanik could beseen hill soaring the outer slopes of the basin around PavuIIo.Wednesday 3rd July Jurgen Dryer and family arrived bymotorcaravan. He is remembered as having a Cumulus whichhe has now changed for the ex-Rodi Morgan Castel C25s.Theweather forecast was for high pressures either side of us andthe sky was already clear over England and France. Pressureslowly increased, so there were cumuli and thermals forecastfor next day. There was no flying for us on Wednesday, butthere was some for the club's Blanik. Colin Anson showed usVGC Video films ofour Lasham International Rally etc.Thursday 4th July "Perfect weather! No wind, Go out andfly, and have fun" such were the electrifyng words of the Metman Guiliano Lauremti. "The weather situation over Europe ischanging qlilickly, a front may well divide before the Alps.Two fronts may unite, but they may miss us. 2000m cloudbase,min temperature 26 degrees over the plain but should8