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| The Solar Impulse above Lake Zurich |
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| HB-SIA Closeup |
Mittwoch, 22. September 2010
Solar Impulse Live
Montag, 6. September 2010
Airborne Again
After 13 hard weeks of deprivation finally airborn again! Last Saturday my first lesson "how to fly a sailplane" took place on the HB-1778, a Grob TWIN II 103 Acro built in 1980. Roland Odermatt, teacher on duty, took me on a 40 minutes instruction flight. We were towed by a Maule aircraft to a nice altitude above (!) cloud base. Enough time, to fly the first manoevres. Flying straight is not that easy! Let's not even talk about circling in a thermal...
Apart from the fun in the air, I enjoyed all the procedures before (assembling and checking the aircrafts, getting the cars ready), during (logging takeoffs, towing a glider to the takeoff position with a car) and after (cleaning the planes, putting them to sleep in the hangar) the lesson, and the company of a lot of friendly and passionate people of the SGW.
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| Between Winterthur and Frauenfeld around noon. |
Freitag, 2. Juli 2010
Aftermath Of Dangerous Flying
For a couple of months my mantra was "all will be well". However, six months after the accident in Quixada, when I still couldn't run without feeling pain after a few minutes, it finally dawned on me, that all will be well not automatically.
Another month with doctor's advices, MRIs and X-rays went by. The diagnosis: the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is ruptured. Yesterday I underwent a four hours surgery. While replacing the ligament, the doctors discovered, that the meniscus was damaged, too, and needed reattachment.
If I'm lucky, and everything runs fine, I'll walk without splint and crutches within three months. Another six months until recovery is complete. "Complete" is relative: maybe the knee will be stable enough again, maybe not. If not, the anterior cruciate ligament, that I've been living without now for ten years, will be replaced in another surgery. Wish me luck, that one surgery is sufficient!
Consequences are clear: I'd better not paraglide for the rest of the year. I've already given back my comp wing to Housi - life's easier without permanent temptations. So far for the dark side.
On the bright side: in autumn I'll begin to learn flying a sailplane in club in Winterthur. "When one Door Shuts another Opens... How often does the Divine Bounty surprize us with unthought of Felicity!" (S. Palmer, 1710)
Another month with doctor's advices, MRIs and X-rays went by. The diagnosis: the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is ruptured. Yesterday I underwent a four hours surgery. While replacing the ligament, the doctors discovered, that the meniscus was damaged, too, and needed reattachment.
If I'm lucky, and everything runs fine, I'll walk without splint and crutches within three months. Another six months until recovery is complete. "Complete" is relative: maybe the knee will be stable enough again, maybe not. If not, the anterior cruciate ligament, that I've been living without now for ten years, will be replaced in another surgery. Wish me luck, that one surgery is sufficient!
Consequences are clear: I'd better not paraglide for the rest of the year. I've already given back my comp wing to Housi - life's easier without permanent temptations. So far for the dark side.
On the bright side: in autumn I'll begin to learn flying a sailplane in club in Winterthur. "When one Door Shuts another Opens... How often does the Divine Bounty surprize us with unthought of Felicity!" (S. Palmer, 1710)
Sonntag, 13. Juni 2010
One Less On My Bucket List*
When I started paragliding almost ten years ago, I found a lot of convincing reasons for flying with a coloured fabric. Amongst the most important were (and still are): lowest possible barriers to get a licence, aircraft easy to pack and carry everywhere, launchable and landable at a lot of places without need for any further help. The best aircraft for lazy and egocentric individuals like me.
But also on my wishlist: a more birdlike inflight position, more speed, more stability. Hanggliding offers these advantages, as we all know. For a long time now on my bucket list therefore was a flight with a flexible hangglider. But for long years, the opportunity never arose. In spring 2007 I even started with a hanggliding training myself in order to make my dream come true, and passed the theory exam with only little effort. However, I never started with the practical part. Too anxious was I, that I might get injured; and for sure I did not want to risk my pole position in the World Cup Rankings of the 2007 and 2008 tours.
But now these days are gone. Not flying comps any more, offers opportunities to explore other fun stuff in life. A few weeks ago, I remembered, that Roberto "Nic" Nichele had offered to take me on a tandem flight with a hangglider. When I contacted him to find out, whether his offer was still valid, he was incredibly positive. Only one (small) problem: he was a little bit behind schedule with his own tandem licence. Fortunately it's a networked world, and so he talked his friend Christian "Didu" Bärtschi into taking me onto a flight.
Sunday, June 13. Forecast was getting worse from hour to hour, and the actual conditions in Interlaken were even worse. So instead of flying, Didu, Nic, Raoul Geiger, his student, his passenger and me, started with a small lesson of hangwaiting, a discipline that I mastered fairly well, since it's very close to the art of parawaiting. Only after Raoul's designated passenger was fed up with waiting and had disappeared, the rain stopped. 20 km to the west, more heavy rains were already approaching.
Up we drove to Luegibrüggli, and got ready as fast as we could. Taking off with the hangglider was a smooth, floating experience. Two, three steps, and up in the air we were. I understood then, what Nic had previously meant saying "I love taking off with a hangglider. I could do that ten times in a row." D'accord!
Didu floated through the shreds of clouds, a simply beautiful view. (On the downside: no lift, nothing, nowhere, not even a little, tiny bit). A few manoeuvres, wing overs and stalls, and we were already on the final glide. Didu dove down in a steep angle to gain energy, pushed the glider parallel to ground, and with an amazing speed we glided only one meter above the wet grass for at least 100 m, before we smoothly touched ground again. Nice!
Simulating the takeoff procedure
No simulation - the real thing
Playing between shreds of clouds
Enjoying dynamics
Nic, designated driver and organizing buddy, Anja, hanggliding novice, and Didu, tandem pilot
Thanks Nic and Didu for the flight. Wish you two, Carole, and the other guys from the Swiss team, all the best at the Europeans next month in Ager!
*Bucket List: Things to do before I kick the bucket.
But also on my wishlist: a more birdlike inflight position, more speed, more stability. Hanggliding offers these advantages, as we all know. For a long time now on my bucket list therefore was a flight with a flexible hangglider. But for long years, the opportunity never arose. In spring 2007 I even started with a hanggliding training myself in order to make my dream come true, and passed the theory exam with only little effort. However, I never started with the practical part. Too anxious was I, that I might get injured; and for sure I did not want to risk my pole position in the World Cup Rankings of the 2007 and 2008 tours.
But now these days are gone. Not flying comps any more, offers opportunities to explore other fun stuff in life. A few weeks ago, I remembered, that Roberto "Nic" Nichele had offered to take me on a tandem flight with a hangglider. When I contacted him to find out, whether his offer was still valid, he was incredibly positive. Only one (small) problem: he was a little bit behind schedule with his own tandem licence. Fortunately it's a networked world, and so he talked his friend Christian "Didu" Bärtschi into taking me onto a flight.
Sunday, June 13. Forecast was getting worse from hour to hour, and the actual conditions in Interlaken were even worse. So instead of flying, Didu, Nic, Raoul Geiger, his student, his passenger and me, started with a small lesson of hangwaiting, a discipline that I mastered fairly well, since it's very close to the art of parawaiting. Only after Raoul's designated passenger was fed up with waiting and had disappeared, the rain stopped. 20 km to the west, more heavy rains were already approaching.
Up we drove to Luegibrüggli, and got ready as fast as we could. Taking off with the hangglider was a smooth, floating experience. Two, three steps, and up in the air we were. I understood then, what Nic had previously meant saying "I love taking off with a hangglider. I could do that ten times in a row." D'accord!
Didu floated through the shreds of clouds, a simply beautiful view. (On the downside: no lift, nothing, nowhere, not even a little, tiny bit). A few manoeuvres, wing overs and stalls, and we were already on the final glide. Didu dove down in a steep angle to gain energy, pushed the glider parallel to ground, and with an amazing speed we glided only one meter above the wet grass for at least 100 m, before we smoothly touched ground again. Nice!
Simulating the takeoff procedure
No simulation - the real thing
Playing between shreds of clouds
Enjoying dynamics
Nic, designated driver and organizing buddy, Anja, hanggliding novice, and Didu, tandem pilot
Thanks Nic and Didu for the flight. Wish you two, Carole, and the other guys from the Swiss team, all the best at the Europeans next month in Ager!
*Bucket List: Things to do before I kick the bucket.
How to Burn 1000 m of Altitude in a Breathtaking Manner
The birthday present from my former boy friend: an aerobatic flight with a sailplane. Wow!
Pilot of the day was Manfred Echter, who got his gliding licence before I was even born. The glider: the MDM-1 Fox HB-3241. Takeoff from Schänis. We were towed up to 1300 m, and immediately after the towing plane left us, Manfred started with the program. On my wishlist were only "easy" figures, with positive G-Forces, like loopings. The figures have funny German names, Männchen, Rolle, Kubaner, ... - please spare me explanations and translations.
During the program I was not able to take any pictures, because I was too busy watching and trying to keep the orientation. From my Yoga lessons I'm trained to breath fluently, which is not exactly the smartest idea, if you want to keep the blood where it's needed most... Towards the end, when I still felt ok, Manfred flew one more advanced figure with a little negative force, which - I have to admit - was fun, too. - Only four minutes later, we had consumed our available altitude, and Manfred started with the landing procedure.
I want to thank Manfred for the pleasure of being his passenger. His excellent control of the aircraft made the flying look effortless, and made me feel very comfortable, even when we dove down directly towards the ground. Thanks to Bruna and Beatrice for the warm and heartily welcome in Schänis, and to Fritz for some beginner's theory and the ride back. Good luck to Beatrice at the Aerobatic Worlds in July! I'll keep my thumbs pressed.
Manfred Echter and his living ballast.
Towing above Schänis. The program on the diagram is not what Manfred flew with me, but a program, that Beatrice is practising for the Worlds. All read lines in the diagram mean negative G-Forces.
Pilot of the day was Manfred Echter, who got his gliding licence before I was even born. The glider: the MDM-1 Fox HB-3241. Takeoff from Schänis. We were towed up to 1300 m, and immediately after the towing plane left us, Manfred started with the program. On my wishlist were only "easy" figures, with positive G-Forces, like loopings. The figures have funny German names, Männchen, Rolle, Kubaner, ... - please spare me explanations and translations.
During the program I was not able to take any pictures, because I was too busy watching and trying to keep the orientation. From my Yoga lessons I'm trained to breath fluently, which is not exactly the smartest idea, if you want to keep the blood where it's needed most... Towards the end, when I still felt ok, Manfred flew one more advanced figure with a little negative force, which - I have to admit - was fun, too. - Only four minutes later, we had consumed our available altitude, and Manfred started with the landing procedure.
I want to thank Manfred for the pleasure of being his passenger. His excellent control of the aircraft made the flying look effortless, and made me feel very comfortable, even when we dove down directly towards the ground. Thanks to Bruna and Beatrice for the warm and heartily welcome in Schänis, and to Fritz for some beginner's theory and the ride back. Good luck to Beatrice at the Aerobatic Worlds in July! I'll keep my thumbs pressed.
Manfred Echter and his living ballast.
Towing above Schänis. The program on the diagram is not what Manfred flew with me, but a program, that Beatrice is practising for the Worlds. All read lines in the diagram mean negative G-Forces.
Samstag, 12. Juni 2010
Gliding to Meran
A week ago I made one of my most impressive cross country flights ever. Not with a paraglider, not as a pilot. Instead, I spent six enjoyable, relaxing hours in the passenger seat of a power glider, the Pipistrel Taurus HB-5511. The flight showed me a complete new aspect of the beauty of thermic flying.
10:41
The adventure began on the airfield Speck close to Fehraltorf. The flight was a present from the Segelfluggruppe Winterthur for a talk I'd given earlier this year. Not only is a flying experience a perfect gift to me, but fate also provided one of Switzerland's finest and most experienced glider pilots, Max Hofer, as my companion for the day.
11:53
The day started slowly, we took off around noon. To the right: Fehraltorf.
12:03
Above the Bachtel, we observed paragliders at Scheidegg near Wald.
12:12
The air was still dead, no serious lift at the Churfirsten either. Crossing the Rhine Valley, we used the engine.
12:48
The Sassauna provided us with the first sufficient lift of the day. The Prättigau worked reliably as usual: another thermal at the Kreuz, and we gained enough altitude to cross Madrisa into the strong thermal above the Älpeltispitz at Klosters.
13:48
A few more kilometeres, until we reached the end of the Prättigau valley. The high passes ahead of us into the Engadin, I hadn't crossed with an aircraft before.
14:03
The Pass dal Fuarn.
14:15
Merano. The valley leading towards Bolzano.
15:02
This gorgeous view of the Dolomites marked our turnpoint.
15:18
On the way back we passed my favourite lake on the route, the "Langsee", for the second time (2377 m, Spronser Seenplatte). Look at the fine turquoise band that surrounds it! - Mountain in front: Cima Rosa.
15:39
Here's where I discovered taking pictures from the outside. Less reflections, true colours and an icy hand.
15:39
15:39
We needed to find a last thermal. Clouds above us looked worn out, but there had to be a lift left somewhere around here. Max found the updraft, of course, and once more we climbed to cloud base.
16:34
We crossed into the Engiadina Bassa valley. Below us: Scuol.
16:41
Same time, same place, view direction Zernez.
16:41
Piz Buin and the Silvretta plateau ahead of us.
16:48
More of the same.
16:48
Above Amden, near the end of the Walensee, a lovely mystic view into the Glarner mountains.
17:40
The south banks of the Lake Zurich.
17:49
Apart from the breathtaking views, here is what I enjoyed most: It's still warm at cloud base. Eating during the flight is an option. The glide angel is convincing, and so is the range. Turbulences are less rough than on a paraglider. No need to recover the wing afterwards. It's comparably quiet. Discussions about the flight tactics with Max. Connecting several known areas in one flight. Orientation in the larger scale made me look stupid :-)
18:12
Who says you need to die to experience a little bit of heaven.
10:41The adventure began on the airfield Speck close to Fehraltorf. The flight was a present from the Segelfluggruppe Winterthur for a talk I'd given earlier this year. Not only is a flying experience a perfect gift to me, but fate also provided one of Switzerland's finest and most experienced glider pilots, Max Hofer, as my companion for the day.
11:53The day started slowly, we took off around noon. To the right: Fehraltorf.
12:03Above the Bachtel, we observed paragliders at Scheidegg near Wald.
12:12The air was still dead, no serious lift at the Churfirsten either. Crossing the Rhine Valley, we used the engine.
12:48The Sassauna provided us with the first sufficient lift of the day. The Prättigau worked reliably as usual: another thermal at the Kreuz, and we gained enough altitude to cross Madrisa into the strong thermal above the Älpeltispitz at Klosters.
13:48A few more kilometeres, until we reached the end of the Prättigau valley. The high passes ahead of us into the Engadin, I hadn't crossed with an aircraft before.
14:03The Pass dal Fuarn.
14:15Merano. The valley leading towards Bolzano.
15:02This gorgeous view of the Dolomites marked our turnpoint.
15:18On the way back we passed my favourite lake on the route, the "Langsee", for the second time (2377 m, Spronser Seenplatte). Look at the fine turquoise band that surrounds it! - Mountain in front: Cima Rosa.
15:39Here's where I discovered taking pictures from the outside. Less reflections, true colours and an icy hand.
15:39
15:39We needed to find a last thermal. Clouds above us looked worn out, but there had to be a lift left somewhere around here. Max found the updraft, of course, and once more we climbed to cloud base.
16:34We crossed into the Engiadina Bassa valley. Below us: Scuol.
16:41Same time, same place, view direction Zernez.
16:41Piz Buin and the Silvretta plateau ahead of us.
16:48More of the same.
16:48Above Amden, near the end of the Walensee, a lovely mystic view into the Glarner mountains.
17:40The south banks of the Lake Zurich.
17:49Apart from the breathtaking views, here is what I enjoyed most: It's still warm at cloud base. Eating during the flight is an option. The glide angel is convincing, and so is the range. Turbulences are less rough than on a paraglider. No need to recover the wing afterwards. It's comparably quiet. Discussions about the flight tactics with Max. Connecting several known areas in one flight. Orientation in the larger scale made me look stupid :-)
18:12Who says you need to die to experience a little bit of heaven.
Donnerstag, 18. März 2010
Wow! We Made It
First venue of the Womens Paragliding Association will be the organization of the Womens Open in Àger, Spain. The competition is officially sanctioned by FAI, and we're expecting a lot of female pilots and male fans. Some have already registered.
It took us exactly half an hour to run through the whole formal procedure, including discussion of the statutes and election of the Board members (as you might have guessed the six of us) and the three named roles. Klaudia is our first president, Karolina the secretary. Congratulations to my friends from Warsaw! The treasurer's office stays in Switzerland at my home.
Even though the legal container for the competition was only born today, we've been working on a regular base now for more than a year. Choosing the appropriate venue was tough for all of us. Building the website is Nickys great achievement, the friendly colorful logo a small and beautiful one. In the last months, we've met on skype almost every week to discuss our business. During that period, we've also received an incredible amount of good wishes and effective support from others. Today was an important milestone on our road to success. Actually, I'm very happy to work together with these fantastic women. Groovy!
Keywords:
Community,
Competition,
English,
FAI,
WPA
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