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So, it's finally starting again!
The 2025-2026 Bitterwasser season is just around the corner.
Thanks to Bernd Mangold, Thomas Strate, and the line boys led by Jeremias, almost all the planes were already set up when we arrived.
Since Reinhard Schramme had the time and inclination, we went on a nice, exciting little workshop flight on the first day.
. 376 km · Elmar Erik Fischer · Bitterwasser 28.10.2025
The second flight went west, where a line promised fast cuts over two hours.
Unfortunately, the attempt to reach over 200 km/h in the speed rating failed at just under 185 km/h, although the hourly average was 220 km/h at one point. However, we did break the 1000 km mark!
It was an exciting flight with spreading clouds at the beginning, followed by beautiful lines, showers and thunderstorms, a rapidly falling base and, finally, convergence.
1.012 km · Reinhard Schramme · Bitterwasser 30.10.2025
The forecast for the third day promised another line, but this time to the southwest.
Under well-formed clouds, the route first took us against the wind to the northwest.
This was followed by a long tailwind leg.
Unfortunately, a small break in the clouds prevented us from reaching the magical 200 km/h mark.
However, at 190 km/h, we were a little closer.
In the evening, the sea breeze pushed in from the west and cleared the good cloud cover in front of it.
. 904 km · Reinhard Schramme · Bitterwasser 31.10.2025
All in all, it was a worthy welcome to the weather in Namibia, which left us wanting more!
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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.