When you arrive at Bitterwasser you have to go to the two first. The flight office controls the paper and explains the airspace situation in Namibia and the special features of the gliding center. And it provides professional flight control at takeoff and especially when the day is drawing to a close. The “one hour before sun set call” is used to check where the pilots and teams are and that they can safely get into Bitterwasser in daylight. In the middle of the Kalahari this is anything but trivial, this semi-desert can very quickly become hostile to life.
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.
Largely unnoticed by the public, the 5th Red Bull Global Aerial Performance Camp 2026 took place in Bitterwasser, Namibia, from April 21, 2026, to April 30, 2026.
A few videos and pictures on this page offer a glimpse of the athletes and their performances.