gil souviron () writes:

Really, something will occur in the "deep south" this winter.

For sure it is a one of the first year that so many Record Encampments are organized on all flyable continents of the southern hemisphere.

Major Encampments are set in the Queensland Australia (one very best place according Jean my brother and Jean-Charles), Xceara in Brasil, and Tony Raumauf who will fly with his group in South Africa. All with the firm intention to make historical distances.

On our side, sometimes a figure is far better than a long talk:

Namibia - Ceiling (in meter) by day. Winter 2006 - 2007

It is the analysis which I made starting from the sailplanes traces, recorded on the OLC web site, where flights has been made in Bitterwasser and Pokweni - Namibia.

The story began this summer when I was in Spain as I spoke about my project to fly aero towing in Patagonia - Argentina. There, I met Michael Schweitzer a German guy flying an Atos VR and Glider pilot who told me:

- "You know Gil, you should come to Namibia. You have all the world top best pilot flying all over the world. They have flown on all places everywhere, and they conclude that best thermal are Namibia". He added.

- "The main difference with Spain is that instead of 80% of blue sky, 80% of the days are with cumulus, and instead to have constant wind like in South Africa, most of the time there is weak or no-wind".

There, I started to be very interested. I like free distance, but to break a record with what Davis Straub did seven years ago in finding the best spot in the world, and with the distance made at 700+ km by Manfred Rhumer and Mike Barber it will be very challenging to do better. I love too, in the free distance it's part of "total" involvement and the discovery of new territory, new frontiers and his dimensions of "no limit".

But in fact I prefer close circuit, for several reason, the first is if you miss the record you don't loose the following day to be retrieved as you are down at 450km or more. Then I love to take a few beers with friends after a big task of 8+ hours flying and fly again the following day. And I consider that Out and Return and mostly FAI triangle is the "state of the art" in distance of our sport and in fact every "no engine" flying sport.

As I just pronounce the word Namibia on our Spanish encampment, saw the eyes of the pilots shining, they love desert and they love unknown country, but over all they love Africa Land. The project "Flying in Namibia" is a big success regarding the size team. 18 pilots, have answered YES. These guys are all top gun pilot in an international group especially with Jacques Bott, Patrick Chopard, Pascal Lanser, Carlos Punet from the French national and Spanish team, my brother Jean and all rest of the group.

Well, we don't ask a lot, just ask to have this year the same weather statistics! For weather forecast we will use the excellent website http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/cmet.html

Location: Maltahohe Date: 7 to 28 of January

The team: AeroTow Pilot Le Boulicaut Serge

The German: Thomas Sterzing " El Doctor "

The Spanish: Punet Carlos Atos VQ Medem Roberto Atos VR Lucarelli Enrico Atos VR

The French: Jacques Bott Atos VR Patrick Choppard Atos VR Pascal Lanser Atos VR Michel Hussennois Lite speed Delage Jean-Pierre (Opal) Atos VR Dupenne Roger Atos C Cazes Jeff Atos C Violette Jean-François Atos VR Mesnier Louis Lite Speed Troussard Jean-Marc Atos VQ Haenel Marc Aeros Combat 13L Cossard Christophe Atos C Souviron Jean Lite speed 4 RS Souviron Gil Atos VR

The Austrian Geppert Walter's group will start by mid December using winch tow. Tony Raumauf's group will fly in South Africa not far from us (just 1000 km….)

Carlos and Jean-Marc will fly with an Atos VQ, we expect to make fully detailed and comparative test.

Our youngest pilot (69!) Roger Dupenne is joining us after Wilcannia trip last year where he did 200+ km flying faster than many "kids". He has more experience in Africa and desert than the total rest of the group. The organization is quite tuff, we have to find a farm for 20 people and bring all the goods with Ultra light plane and pilot to Aero Tow, hang glider, oxygen all by container in the middle of the deser. A big thanks to Thomas Sterzing who is experienced in Namibia over the last three years and is key in our organization: Found a farm, cars ….

With all these Top Gun, flying everywhere in so many different Encapment, I don't know where, but I bet $20 that records will fall this winter.

To see so many pilots coming from so many different countries, so motivated in going to an expedition at the four corners of the southern hemisphere, is a true happiness. This shows the vitality and excitement, that all these deep pilots and through them the passion and vitality, that creates our sport. The sacred flame is there flowing in our veins of "young men" that we are. Stay tuned on "Namibia news" on the blog of Opal: The dream begins… http://delajoie.blogspot.com/

Gil Photos: Thomas Sterzing

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