On the flight he got to know a lot about Namibia and neighboring Botswana. The OLC rating showed 1225 kilometers in the evening. Jeremias: “A great flight.” He has already practiced the tactics under the elongated cloud streets.
It wasn't his first flight, not even the one with an EB28. At Christmas 2014 he flew a 1000 k with Fabian Siebenwurst. This time it was an anniversary present: Jeremias has been there in Bitterwasser for 25 years.
Jeremia's day starts early at the gas station with the Avgas replenishment for the self-starters. In the Namibian winter, from September to October, he sits on the tractor for hours and days and rolls the pan for the new season so that the guests can find their airfield in their usual good shape. During the season, his day is not yet over with the last landings and they often only happen shortly before eight. Sunset is now at the beginning of January at 7:43 pm. 15 minutes later everyone must have landed, because then it can quickly be night, but until then many people are spending their days.
Photo: Jeremias in the car just before a drive into the pan. The grid boys are on site immediately after the gliders have rolled out for transport to the lodge.
A stay at the Bitterwasser Lodge is usually beyond the financial means of young pilots. At the same time, the next generation is the key to the future of our wonderful sport—and of the lodge as well. That is why supporting young pilots is a core part of the Bitterwasser Flying Center’s mission.
Early October is the ideal time to prepare the runways for flight operations. You can land at the Bitterwasser Flying Lodge in every which direction—depending on how you look at it, on 8 runways (plus one emergency runway), each in two directions. Jeremias carefully levels the landing area over the course of several weeks.