End of a good Day in a Sandstorm

Lucky. The shower line approaching from the northwest stopped just in front of Bitterwasser. But landing had to be delayed. Shortly before sun set, a gust roller swept through the palm avenue and whipped the blown sand into the Kalahari in a flag that could be seen for miles.

Refreshing at 40 knots, landing was not advisable. A final approach with an arrival altitude of 600 meters didn't leave much room for alternatives. The luck: The cold air falling from the showers drove the heated desert air to rise. Until the draft on the floor had largely calmed down, it could be turned up again in the warm air. At 20 knots, the pan invited us to come down, no problem with its size, aligning the final and the taxi to standstill exactly against the wind.
The glider could just be packed in the low light.

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The Long Journey to Africa

In early September, the containers holding the gliders for the 2026/27 season were loaded in Waghäusel. Transported by trailer, truck, and cargo ship, the gliders are now on their long journey to Namibia, to the Bitterwasser Flying Lodge.

Winner Club Class

Two new world champions are heading to Bitterwasser!

The Bitterwasser Flying Lodge was the main sponsor of the Junior World Gliding Championships, where from August 2 to 17, 2026, around 80 pilots from 22 nations competed for the titles in the Standard and Club classes. The grand prize for the JWGC winners was a one-week stay at the lodge, including travel and an airplane.