Despite a rather poor forecast at the morning briefing, the day turned out to be a real spectacle.
The teams led by Armin Behrendt and Thomas Wolf, Holger Back and Ilka Elster-Back, and Daniel and Reinhard Schramme only returned to Bitterwasser shortly after sunset.
Despite the rather late start around 11 a.m., a lot of kilometers were covered.
All three teams reported a surprisingly good flying day. After initially weak thermals and constant sinking, updrafts and clouds appeared as if at the push of a button.
Holger Back and Ilka Eslter-Back covered the longest distance with 1123 kilometers and made it to just before the South African border.
Armin Behrendt and Thomas Wolf won the day in Africa with a distance of 1118 kilometers.
Daniel and Reinhard Schramme also flew a long way with a distance of 1048 km.
The pilots reported an average speed of almost 200 km/h for up to 2 hours.
In the evening, a convergence appeared directly above the airfield, allowing the pilots to enjoy a beautiful sunset.
All in all, a really successful day of flying!
The SSN (Soaring Society of Namibia) website states that pilots holding a SPL license together with a valid LAPL medical may fly gliders with European registration in Namibia. Previously, the more complex Class 2 ICAO medical was required. The SSN point out that no definitive, valid statement can be made for neighbouring countries such as Botswana or South Africa.
For glider owners: Please check with your insurance company that this is in accordance with your insurance contract.
Although the season in Bitterwasser seems to be coming to an end in mid-January, the weather is at its best. Pilots from all over the world enjoy impressive thermals, breathtaking cross-country flights over 1000 km and a unique community.