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topic: Amir Shalom (24 articles)

Amir Shalom »

Thu, Apr 3 2014, 9:26:42 am EDT

Took his own life

Shmuel (Sam) Korb «chairman>»> writes:

It it is with great sadness that I am writing to let the international hang gliding community know of the passing of Amir Shalom.

Amir took his own life over the last weekend, and he was laid to rest on Monday in Petach Tikvah, outside of Tel Aviv. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people who knew him, with the entire Israeli aviation community represented.

Amir was a pillar of the Israeli Hang Gliding Association, serving at various points in almost every function of the organization, and was our frequent representative at CIVL competitions the world over. He was a wealth of knowledge that I can say I personally only began to tap before he left us so suddenly.

Aviation was Amir's great love. Besides hang gliders, he flew and taught others to fly almost anything he could get his hands on: gliders, light sport aircraft, paragliders, powered parachute, general aviation. For the last six years, he was employed by the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority.

Amir's passing leaves in its wake an emptiness that will be impossible to fill for all those who knew him and were touched by him. May his memory be for a blessing.

Discuss "Amir Shalom" at the Oz Report forum link»

Looking for a tow rope

April 27, 2012, 8:25:50 EDT

Looking for a tow rope

The supplier went out of business

Amir Shalom

Amir Shalom

Amir Shalom <<amirhang>> writes:

I fly in the south flats of Israel, doing static (fixed length) car tow launch. The Israeli factory I used to buy the tow ropes from is bankrupted and no longer willing to make them for me. I need a 1,200m static tow rope (for two sets), of 10%-20% stretch at maximum load of 150kg-200kg. Where can I get such a rope?

Discuss "Looking for a tow rope" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Remora Rack and pads

November 5, 2011, 10:23:23 pm PDT

Remora Rack and pads

From Mike Barber

Amir Shalom|Mike Barber

Amir Shalom <<amirhang>> writes:

Got the new Remora rack and the aerodynamically padding a month ago. After a month use, no hesitations on how to describe it: Perfect.

http://remoraracks.com

Pay up for the⁢ 2011 pre-Worlds »

Tue, Jan 12 2010, 5:43:01 pm AEDT

Just a few more days to send in the money

Flavio Tebaldi|Pre-Worlds 2011

Flavio Tebaldi «Flavio Tebaldi» writes:

I would like to remind you that in order to confirm your place please pay and send the organisation the payment receipt no later than the17th January. Confirmed pilots whose receipt of payment does not reach the organizers by 17th January, will be moved to the bottom of the waiting list. All other pilots accepted afterwards, will have 10 days to pay the registration fee before their place is reallocated to another pilot.

pre-Worlds - update »

Sun, Jan 3 2010, 8:49:03 am AEDT

150 out of 250

Alessandro "Alex" Ploner|Corinna Schwiegershausen|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Pre-Worlds 2011|World Pilot Ranking Scheme

The preliminary pilot list has been updated with the latest WPRS rankings. You'll find it here: http://www.cucco2011.org. Click Pilot Info, then Pilots List. If your name is on the list you have until January 17th to pay your entry fees in order to hold your place on the list.

As of Sunday night there are 150 pilots listed: 145 male, 5 female. Gliders: 58 Moyes, 38 Aeros, 23 Wills Wing, 21 Icaro, 5 Airborne, 3 Laminar, 1 Aeros, 1 unspecified.

  • ARG: Marcelo Chaves
  • AUS: Jonny Durand, Steve Blenkinsop, Cameron Tunbridge, Rod Flockhart, Bruce Wynne, Trent Brown, Neil Petersen, Tony Lowrey, Richard Heffer
  • AUT: Manfred Ruhmer, Thomas Weissenberger, Robert Reisinger, Michael Friesenbichler, Manfred Trimmel, Wolfgang Siess, Günther Tschurnig, Christl Elmar, Christian Tiefenbacher
  • BEL: Michel Bodart
  • BRA: Michel Louzada, Alvaro Sandoli (Nene Rotor), Jose Lessa, Konrad Heilmann, Eduardo Oliveira, Alexandre Trivelato
  • CAN: Brett Hazlett
  • COL: Mike Glennon, Eitan Koren
  • CZE: Radek Bares
  • DEN: Nils Dalby, Bo Klint, Johnny Christiansen, Jens Henrik Badsberg
  • ECU: Raul Guerra, Rafael Arcos
  • ESP: Blay Jr Olmos Quesada, Pedro Garcia Morelli, Daniel Martin Mota, Jose Antonio Abollado, Lucio Nelli
  • FRA: Mario Alonzi, Gianpietro Zin, Luis Rizo-Salom, Antoine Boisselier, Laurent Thevenot, Eric Mathurin, Eric Wyss, Fabien Agenes
  • GBR: Carl Wallbank, Gordon Rigg, Bruce Kavanagh, David Shields, Richard Lovelace, Dave Matthews, Anthony Stephens, Gary Wirdnam, Graham Phipps, Nigel Bray
  • GER: Gerd Doenhuber, Lukas Bader, Corinna Schwiegershausen, Tim Grabowski, André Djamarani, Markus Ebenfeld, Roland Wöhrle, Stefan Boller, Christian Zehetmair, Joerg Bajewski, Hans Kiefinger, Konrad Schwab, Monique Werner
  • GUA: Giovanni Vitola, Jose Herrarte, Dieter Meyer, Rolando Mansilla, Mario Leon
  • HUN: Attila Bertok, Endre Kovács, Attila Kis, Zsolt Balogh
  • IRL: Shaun O'Neill, Geoffrey McMahon, Philip Lardner, Justin Beplate, Kenneth Hickey
  • ISR: Amir Shalom, Ron Wiener, Yaron Levin
  • ITA: Alex Ploner, Christian Ciech, Elio Cataldi, Davide Guiducci, Tullio Gervasoni, Anton Moroder, Arturo Dal Mas, Filippo Oppici, Paolo Rosichetti, Fabrizio Giustranti, Sergio Bernardi, Suan Selenati, Edoardo Giudiceandrea, Vanni Accattoli
  • JPN: Koji Daimon, Hiroshi Suzuki, Takahiro Matsumura, Shogo Ota, Keita Kokaji
  • LTU: Justinas Pleikys
  • NED: Mart Bosman, Martin Van Helden, André Disselhorst, Joost Eertman, Erik Van Keulen
  • NOR: Vegar Hansen, Petter Peikli
  • POL: Dariusz Perenc, Sebastian Olifiruk
  • RUS: Vladimir Leuskov, Artur Dzamikhov, Anton Struganov, Natalia Petrova, Julia Kucherenko, Maxim Usachev, Oleg Andreev
  • SLO: Primoz Gricar, Stanislav Galovec, Iztok Jarc
  • SUI: Roberto Nichele, Christian Voiblet, Francis Gafner, Chrigel Kuepfer, Carole Tobler, Beat Howald
  • SWE: Hakan Andersson, Joakim Hindemith
  • TUR: Tugrul Yilmaz, Halil Caner Atilgan, Kamil Demirkan
  • UKR: Dmitriy Rusov, Pavel Yakimchuk, Sergey Semenov, Dmytro Teteretnyk
  • USA: Zac Majors, Dustin Martin, Jeff O'Brien, Davis Straub, Jeff Shapiro, Derreck Turner, Ben Dunn

pre-Worlds - who's going? »

Sat, Jan 2 2010, 6:58:31 pm AEDT

150 out of 250

Ben Dunn|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Jeff O'Brien|Jeff Shapiro|Pre-Worlds 2011|Ubaldo Romano|Wills Wing T2C|World Pilot Ranking Scheme|Worlds 2023|Zac Majors

The best guess so far: http://www.cucco2011.org/test_romano/ Click Pilot Info, then Pilots List. Based on December 2, 2009, WPRS ranking, will change when January ranking is available. US pilots chosen to go to the pre-Worlds, so far:

Zac Majors, Wills Wing T2C-144
Dustin Martin, Wills Wing T2C-144
Jeff O'Brien, Wills Wing T2C (144 or 154)
Davis Straub, Icaro Laminar MR1000
Jeff Shapiro, Wills Wing T2C-144
Derreck Turner, Moyes Litespeed S5
Ben Dunn, Moyes Litespeed

Each nation gets up to five pilots independent of WPRS ranking. If more than five pilots from one country apply for the pre-Worlds, then the top five in that nation as per their January 2010 WPRS ranking are allowed in. When all those nations' slots are taken (some nations won't have five slots because less than five pilots pre-registered from that nation, for example, Turkey), then the remaining slots are available by WPRS ranking to the pilots who pre-registered.

Turns out a lot of pilots from Italy pre-registered and they have a lot of good WPRS rankings, and so fifteen pilots are coming from Italy. Derreck Turner and Ben Dunn got in with their WPRS rankings. Many US pilots did not.

Everyone has to get their entry fee in with ten days (January 17th) or they go to the end of the line. Starting on the 17th, pilots are chosen for the now empty slots by pre-registration date.

The actual five man teams will be decided at the competition.

Update: The January WPRS ranking it up and the pilot list will be updated soon.

Over 200 pilots sign up for⁢ 2011 pre-Worlds »

Fri, Nov 6 2009, 8:58:57 am PST

The limit is 150

Pre-Worlds 2011|World Pilot Ranking Scheme|Worlds

http://www.cucco2011.org/

Apparently hang gliding is not dying at the level of World competitions (or at least pre-Worlds) The Italian based pre-Worlds is over subscribed already, just a few days after opening the registration to the waiting list. The local regulations state:

Registration will open on 2nd November 2009. Priority will be given to national teams of up to 5 pilots per country.

Places will be allocated starting from 7th January 2010 to pilots on the waiting list.

Allocation will be based on WPRS ranking on 1st January 2010 followed by order of registration for any unranked pilots.

As from 7th January, all confirmed pilots will have ten days time in which to pay the registration fee, in order not to lose their priority position in the pilot list.

Therefore, confirmed pilots whose receipt of payment does not reach the organizers by 17th January, will be moved to the bottom of the waiting list.

All other pilots accepted afterwards, will have 10 days to pay the registration fee before their place is reallocated to another pilot.

Retrieval in Israel

December 3, 2008, 8:04:53 PST

Retrieval in Israel

Going with the local transport

Amir Shalom

Amir Shalom

amir shalom «amirhang» writes:

A funny retrieve, Isra'eli style, on the south. We've had some troubles getting the car to the glider's landing place. Luckily- there was a Bedouin with his 4x4:

Discuss Retrieval in Israel at the Oz Report forum   link»

Super Race Brazil 2007

April 6, 2007, 10:33:27 pm EDT

Super Race

Day 5 aerobatics fun

Amir Shalom|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon Durand jnr|Leonardo Dabbur|video

http://www.superrace2007.blogspot.com/

1 GUSTAVO DE ARAUJO SALDANHA 4288
2 LEONARDO DABBUR 4189
3 JONNY DURAND 4151
4 ANDRÉ WOLF 4010
5 ALVARO FIGUEIREDO SANDOLI 4004

There would be more information but the Brazilians continue to use the very second rate PDF output format from Race. PDF's don't play well with others and the particular PDF output from Race doesn't give you the glider the pilot was flying. You would think that glider manufacturers would complain about this. I have been complaining about this for years, but to no avail (at least with Brazil).

I'd just rather not cover Brazil. If they don't want to play nice, why play with them?

amir shalom «amirhang» writes:

Day Five canceled, after two hours of continuous postponements of the final decision. Over-development all around (especially on the task's direction). Jonny Durand derigged soon after rigging, announcing no flying due to the dangerous OD, agreed by Nene Rotor ,Andres wolf & many others (but none but Johnny derigged).

But - the story of the day.

Michael is a (ex-Hungarian?) pilot who participates a lot in the Brazilian competitions. Michael had decided to take off for a fun flight, way before the day was canceled. After an hour plus of flight playing with the clouds, he returned +-400 meters above and in front of the take off, and started showing off with some flat spins. It did not look good.

Then he started steep wing overs. Tey looked bad. He was about 200 meters over to, a bit in front. Out of the second wing over the glider was pointed vertically up, and as speed decreased, it looked like he was trying to push it to a turn. Too late. The glider rolled back and over. He fell on the wing. Glider rolled again, and luckily, soon he threw his reserve. He was descending slowly, so it took the canopy three or four seconds to open. Five to seven seconds later he hit the ground.

No injuries. Hallelujah. Glider - minor damages. Mainly sprogs cables! Well, that was a different show for the 100+ people on take off, all watching. All taped, hope to have it sent to the Oz Report (YouTube, etc).

Discuss Super Race at the Oz Report forum

Brazilian Nationals

April 4, 2007, 11:17:02 pm EDT

Brazil

Fun with landowners

Amir Shalom|Dustin Martin

Amir Shalom|Brazilian Nationals 2012|Dustin Martin

Amir Shalom «amirhang» writes:

Day 3. Nice +3-4 m/.s lift on first two third's of then task. Then, the late ones (especially the very late ones, like me, flying a 2003 glider) encounter showers and thunderstorms. Dustin Martin said later, he expected somebody to turn back, but pilots flew into the rain climbing under the thundering clouds.

But that is not the adventure.

As I was at 300 meters AGL, and seeing the shadow, rain 300 meters from me, the thunder, lightning, and crazy winds on the high Ecaliptus trees, I have decided to land in a field by the road, and push 3-4 km into the fields and rain.

I had a good landing in spite of the wind, carried the glider to the field edge, near a plantation, found the GPS coordinates, informed the retrieve, and started to de-rig.

A sound of big motor cars braking up on the road beside drew my attention. I looked through the trees and saw more than four big police vans, with a dozen policemen. Guns drown at me running towards me, shouting in Portuguese. I slowed down, lifted my hands up, then sat on the ground as told, and tried to calm them down. They checked the equipment (even trying to open the reserve), radio , GPS's etc. They stopped another hang gliding car (Bebe & Mona from Paraguay) that passed by to the retrieve Dustin, to checked them and their papers.

Apparently, the owner of the farm near the fields, a very rich men with a lot of influence, saw a few hang gliders over his farm, low, and got the idea he might be under an attack.

After an hour, not before local magazines reporters came by putting some common sense in, I got my passport back, and we could go.

Must say, policemen were very strict, but polite and professional.

Come fly Brazil!

Discuss Brazil at the Oz Report forum

Pre-European Results

Thu, Jun 30 2005, 3:00:03 am EDT

On the web

Amir Shalom

Amir Shalom

amir shalom «amirhang» sends this URL: www.cubeprogramming.com/HomoVolans

Discuss pre-Europeans at the Oz Report forum

Pre-Europeans

Fri, Jun 24 2005, 4:00:01 pm EDT

Gerolf Heinrich won.

Amir Shalom|weather

Amir Shalom|weather

http://www.xckevin.blogspot.com/

amir shalom «amirhang» writes:

After the first two cancelled days, and the 3rd day with the backwards task, the organizers began to learn. Then five consecutive days of really good weather and very good tasks.

Gerolf Heinrich won the competition, followed by a young Austrian pilot, Michael, and third Mario Alonzi.

It was an interesting place to fly, tricky, very nice people and a beautiful country. The organizers were attentive and improved on daily bases.

Discuss pre-Europeans at the Oz Report forum

Pre Europeans

Thu, Jun 23 2005, 4:00:06 pm EDT

In Croatia

Amir Shalom|Robert Reisinger|weather

Amir Shalom|Oleg Bondarchuk|Robert Reisinger|weather

Amir Shalom|Oleg Bondarchuk|Robert Reisinger|weather

No flying the first two days. amir shalom «amirhang» writes:

Day three was the first competition day. With dad weather on the course and the task set going the wrong direction, most of the field landed around the first turnpoint. Oleg won the day going 63km, Mario Alonzai was second.

On day four the weather was a bit better. A 103km task was called mostly on the ridge. Christian Chiech was first and Robert Reisinger was second.

Discuss pre Europeans at the Oz Report forum

Emberger Alm

Wed, Jun 15 2005, 3:00:00 pm EDT

Lousy weather

Amir Shalom|Kevin Carter|weather

amir shalom «amirhang» writes:

Day 3

The task was along the ridge, so the flex winner, the Japanese pilot Ota Shogo did the 70km task at an average speed of nearly 51km/h., well done!

Bad Weather. Cancelled. Went to Slovenia and flew there.

So: Day 1: 106km task, Day 2: cancelled, Day 3: 72 km task day, Day 4: cancelled, Day 5: cancelled

But going to Austria for a competition, you get to fly in Croatia and in Slovenia.

Kevin Carter «heaviek» writes:

So the weather hasn’t been the greatest but I have flown every day so far. Saturday was the strong day, Sunday was canned (overcast) but I flew PG.

Monday was extremely good. Fear of OD kept the flexies in the valley. Shogo won that task averaging 50kph. The rigids had one turnpoint that carried them out of the valley, across the Molltal near Spital. That crossing proved to be very difficult with the wind.

Tuesday the rigids opted not to fly since the fast approaching low and strong winds aloft would restrict them to a short task in the valley. The flexies flew but the task was canned (for rain I heard), while I was gliding to the second turnpoint.

Today (Wednesday) is called off for the low sitting over us so I will go free fly in a couple of hours. The air looks pretty soft though with the near 100% cloud blanket.

Discuss Emberger Alm at the Oz Report forum

Emberger Alm

Sun, Jun 12 2005, 4:00:00 pm EDT

Scary in Greifenburg

Amir Shalom|Kevin Carter|weather

amir shalom «amirhang» writes:

Surprisingly, there are only fifteen pilots in the meet, and none of the Austrian top pilots are here. The rumor is that they know the weather is going to be bad the next few days so they haven't bothered. Still, some good flex wing pilots are here, and some good rigid pilots as well.

Day 1 (Saturday)

Crazy weather. Got to 3693 meters. Climb rate maximum was 9.2 m/s and sink was -10.3 m/s. Scary.

I was really afraid sometimes thinking that I was not fit for the sport anymore. After landing, I went over to some experienced pilots and asked them how they felt. I wanted to know if it was me becoming a coward after the accident I had or if it was the extreme weather. They all were scared.

One guy (Kevin Carter) nearly spun twice. Once I experienced sink for a minute and a half and lost 800 meters. Luckily, I found that sink when I was at 3250 meters.

The final glide was 54 km on a 106 km task. I arrived 800 meter above goal and couldn't get down, no matter what I did, even pulling out the drogue chute. Eventually I flew 5 km further on to land and won the day.

(editor's note: No more word from Amir since Saturday night, so I assume that the weather is bad.)

Discuss Emberger Alm at the Oz Report forum

Flying in Israel

Fri, Apr 1 2005, 3:00:01 am EST

It can be a dangerous place.

Amir Shalom

Amir Shalom

amir shalom «amirhang» writes:

During a league competition in Israel, I have landed on one of the shores of the Galilee Sea, near a plantation. After derigging, I hid my hang glider and harness behind the trees of the plantation, and went to the shore to direct my pick up crew & buy a cold drink. Coming back in a hurry, we loaded the glider and went away. After half an hour, I was shocked to realize that I had hidden the harness (and GPS, Radio, 4030Race Vario etc in it) so well, I had forgotten to pick them up. I try to hurry back, but we found ourselves in an endless traffic jam.

Later, we had found out what caused the traffic jam. After we left with my glider, the owner of the plantation saw my harness bag (the one I couldn't see and forgot about). Worrying that it might be a bomb, he had called the police. They came, got worried, and closed the area totally, and the road as well (16-20 km of a traffic jam).

The police checked the harness from 25 meters away, and decided not to take a chance. They brought in a special robot, and blasted my equipment. The harness wad total loss, so was the reserve chute, as well as the 4Fight helmet. Luckily, the GPS, Vario, Radio etc, were unharmed. Now comes the nice part of the story.

Nene Rotor, hearing about it from Eitan Koren, a common pilot and friend made me a new harness, and a week from the incident the harness was made and sent and arrived to Israel. "Apco Aviation" made me two new reserve chutes in one day! It is such an agony to have so much of your flying equipment destroyed, (even though the government partially compensates you) realizing you will not be able to fly for a while. Then discover there are so many nice people, that understand the tragedy, and really really do their best to help. 1,000,000 thanks for Eithan, Nene Rotor and Anatoly, Itai and adm from "Apco".

That's the story. If you want, I can try to arrange somebody to go to my house, go in my computer and try to find and send me the pictures of the blown harness in the police station.

Discuss blown harnesses at the Oz Report forum

Will fly for subscriptions »

Mon, Feb 24 2003, 10:00:00 pm GMT

Peter Owens|Russ Gelfan|Avron Tal|Amir Shalom|Karl Dinzl|Nick Kennedy|Rick Culbertson|Stephen Bannasch

Oz Report readers who have helped out starting late on Sunday and going through Monday: Peter Owens ($30, “Always willing to pay for good information, and when it comes to HG, yours is complete.”), Russ Gelfan (pledge), Anonymous PG pilot ($20,“I have always enjoyed reading your articles, even though I don't fly hang gliders {yet). I appreciate how you go after the difficult issues.”), Avron Tal & Amir Shalom ($30, Israel), Karl Dinzl ($17, Canada, “Objective with personal flavour and humour.”), Nick Kennedy ($30, snail mail, “I remember you in your tent, in Oz, in 1997, when you first started producing the "Oz Report". Nelson Howe placed 2nd in the pre world, just behind Gerard Tevenot, you had the first topless Laminar St {boy, what a wacky twichey glider to fly eh?) and it was hotter then hades. The first week at the pre worlds in the paddock at Forbes. Betsy was one of the drivers for the US team and we all had a total gas! I remember you trying to send out issues in Mt. Beauty at kakery and yelling at you to hurry up as we were late going up to launch at Mt. Emu! The Oz Report has brought the whole HG comp world together like I could never imagine it would. Information from across the globe the next day. Unreal just a few years ago. Hats off to you and Belinda, I love it all. The up to the day comp report, rumors, pictures of all sorts of things and NEWS.”), Rick Culbertson($20, “I now fly only Sailplanes but I enjoy stay in contact with the HG world. I sometimes sent the OZ Report to my sailplane friends reminding them while they bore holes around the airport HG are racking off 1.2.3&400 milers, it gets them going!”)

We start off a new week here at pledge central with lots help from many quarters. Stephen Bannasch <stephen@concord.org> sends in another way to send money electronically, https://www.c2it.com/C2IT/Login. This is City Bank (any one of the many indicted New Banks), so at least they won’t go broke before they send out the money.

Doesn’t make any sense to use them to send $10 from overseas as they charge $10 to send any money from the US to overseas. Don’t know if they do it the other way, but I’ll bet it is still a $10 fee. Still not a bad way to go if you are going to send a few thousand to someone overseas. Much cheaper than wire transfer. I’ve added it to the options below.

In the US the fee is 2% with a minimum of $0.30. You can send $10 to the Oz Report through c2it by sending it to <davis@davisstraub.com>. You can use your existing credit card, you don’t need to have a City Bank account or credit card. Takes about five minutes to sign up.

You can see how to send in $10 for a yearly subscription to the Oz Report below.

Discuss "Will fly for subscriptions" at the Oz Report forum   link»

The flex wing Pre-worlds »

Wed, Sep 4 2002, 12:00:00 pm EDT

Adam Parer|Aeros Combat|Amir Shalom|André Wolfe|Brett Hazlett|Curt Warren|Davide Guiducci|Gerolf Heinrichs|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kari Castle|Kraig Coomber|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Barber|Moura Velloso|Nichele Roberto|Oleg Bondarchuk|Rohan Holtkamp|Rohan Taylor|Shalom Amir|Wills Wing

http://www.brasilia2003.com/resultados/us_results.htm

José Luiz Moura Velloso «joseluiz» sends the results:

The conditions are getting better here. Today we had a 103.1 km task, and 39 pilots in goal. Manfred was the first pilot to reach goal, but he took the 1st start time. The winner was Oleg, who took the 3rd start time and was in goal only 1 minute after Manfred. Nene Rotor was 4th on day. With this result, Oleg jumped to 1st in the competition, followed by Nene Rotor and Manfred

Task 8:

1 OLEG BONDARCHUK Aeros Combat UKR 1:58:35 889
2 CURT WARREN Moyes Litespeed 4 USA 2:04:16 867
3 BOISSELIER ANTOINE Moyes Litespeed FRA 2:04:42 859
4 Nene Rotor Wills Wing Talon BRA 2:06:07 843
5 PARIS WILLIANS Icaro Laminar MR700 USA 2:06:08 840
6 ANDRE WOLF Icaro Laminar MR700 BRA 2:02:04 832
7 CARLOS BESSA Wills Wing Talon BRA 2:07:18 827
8 MANFRED, Ruhmer Icaro Mr 700 AUT 2:17:29 807
9 KRAIG COOMBER Moyes Litespeed AUS 2:09:36 806
10 Betinho Schmidt Moyes Litespeed BRA 2:09:51 801
11 REISINGER ROBERT Icaro Laminar 14 AUT 2:16:59 746
12 GUIDUCCI DAVIDE Moyes Litespeed ITA 2:12:48 740
13 GUILLEN BRUNO Moyes Litespeed 4 FRA 2:13:26 734
14 JERZ ROSSIGNOL Aeros Combat II USA 2:14:08 729
15 NICHELE ROBERTO Moyes Litespeed 4 CHE 2:21:34 714
16 KUEPFER CHRIGEL Moyes Litespeed 4 CHE 2:21:40 711
16 WEISSENBERGER, Tom Moyes Litespeed AUT 2:28:24 711
18 MIKE BARBER Moyes Litespeed 4 USA 2:17:05 709
19 SHALOM AMIR Icaro Laminar MRX 700 ISR 2:17:34 705
20 FRANZ HERMANN Moyes Litespeed 5 CHE 2:22:56 702
21 HEINRICHS GEROLF Moyes Litespeed 4 AUT 2:17:59 700
22 JEAN FRANÇOIS PALMARINI Moyes Litespeed 4 FRA 2:24:03 694
23 MARIO ALONZI Icaro Laminar 13 MRX FRA 2:19:28 690
24 WALBEC RICHARD Icaro Laminar MR700 FRA 2:20:59 680
25 MASSIMO TURIACO Moyes Litespeed ITA 2:30:18 654

The results after 8 tasks:

1 OLEG BONDARCHUK Aeros Combat UKR 6749
2 Nene Rotor Wills Wing Talon BRA 6705
3 MANFRED, Ruhmer Icaro Mr 700 AUT 6567
4 WEISSENBERGER, Tom Moyes Litespeed AUT 6399
5 Betinho Schmidt Moyes Litespeed BRA 6256
6 REISINGER ROBERT Icaro Laminar 14 AUT 6241
7 KRAIG COOMBER Moyes Litespeed AUS 6194
8 HEINRICHS GEROLF Moyes Litespeed 4 AUT 6103
9 BOISSELIER ANTOINE Moyes Litespeed FRA 6052
10 MIKE BARBER Moyes Litespeed 4 USA 5935
11 PARIS WILLIANS Icaro Laminar MR700 USA 5823
12 ANDRE WOLF Icaro Laminar MR700 BRA 5788
13 GUIDUCCI DAVIDE Moyes Litespeed ITA 5751
14 WALBEC RICHARD Icaro Laminar MR700 FRA 5680
15 ROHAN HOLTKAMP Airborne Climax AUS 5558
16 ATTILA, Bertok Moyes Litespeed 5 HUN 5452
17 CARLOS BESSA Wills Wing Talon BRA 5441
18 CURT WARREN Moyes Litespeed 4 USA 5418
19 BRETT HAZLETT Moyes Litespeed CAN 5340
20 FRANZ HERMANN Moyes Litespeed 5 CHE 5212
21 JON DURAND JNR Moyes Litespeed AUS 5209
22 JEAN FRANÇOIS PALMARINI Moyes Litespeed 4 FRA 5039
23 JERZ ROSSIGNOL Aeros Combat II USA 5026
24 ALDO SANCHEZ BRA 5003
25 GUILLEN BRUNO Moyes Litespeed 4 FRA 4959
26 MARIO ALONZI Icaro Laminar 13 MRX FRA 4761
27 ADAM PARER Airborne Climax AUS 4638
28 KARI CASTLE Icaro Mr700 USA 4480
29 GERARD JEAN-FRANÇOIS Moyes Litespeed 4 FRA 4428
30 SHALOM AMIR Icaro Laminar MRX 700 ISR 4240

The competition goes through September 8th.

The European championships tighten up

Fri, Jun 28 2002, 1:00:02 pm EDT

Amir Shalom|Davide Guiducci|Florida|Gordon Rigg|Guido Gehrmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Stephens|Oleg Bondarchuck|Richard Walbec|Robert Reisinger|weather|Wills Wing

Amir Shalom|Davide Guiducci|Florida|Gordon Rigg|Guido Gehrmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Stephens|Oleg Bondarchuck|Richard Walbec|Robert Reisinger|weather|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

Aeros Combat|Amir Shalom|Davide Guiducci|Florida|Gordon Rigg|Guido Gehrmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Stephens|Oleg Bondarchuck|Richard Walbec|Robert Reisinger|weather|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

Aeros Combat|Amir Shalom|Davide Guiducci|Florida|Gerolf Heinrichs|Gordon Rigg|Guido Gehrmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Stephens|Oleg Bondarchuck|Richard Walbec|Robert Reisinger|weather|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

Aeros Combat|Amir Shalom|Davide Guiducci|Florida|Gerolf Heinrichs|Gordon Rigg|Guido Gehrmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Stephens|Richard Walbec|Robert Reisinger|weather|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

Aeros Combat|Amir Shalom|Davide Guiducci|Florida|Gerolf Heinrichs|Gordon Rigg|Guido Gehrmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Stephens|Oleg Bondarchuck|Oleg Bondarchuk|Richard Walbec|Robert Reisinger|weather|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

Aeros Combat|Amir Shalom|Davide Guiducci|Florida|Gerolf Heinrichs|Gordon Rigg|Guido Gehrmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Stephens|Oleg Bondarchuck|Oleg Bondarchuk|Richard Walbec|Robert Reisinger|weather|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

http://events.fai.org/eurohg2002/results2002/results2002.htm

After 4 rounds, Class 1:

Place Name Glider Nation Total
1 RUHMER, Manfred Icaro Laminar MR700 AUT 3371
2 HEINRICHS, Gerolf Moyes Litespeed AUT 3333
3 GEHRMANN, Guido Aeros Combat DEU 3303
4 BOISSELIER, Antoine Moyes Litespeed FRA 3080
5 RIGG, Gordon Moyes Litespeed GBR 3036
6 OLSSON, Andreas Moyes Litespeed SWE 2911
7 WALBEC, Richard Icaro Laminar MRX 14 FRA 2887
8 GUIDUCCI, Davidde Moyes Litespeed ITA 2811
9 WALLBANK, Carl Moyes Litespeed GBR 2800
10 GUILLEN, Bruno Moyes Litespeed FRA 2791

The sixth day (today) was cancelled due to poor weather. After he came in ninth in the fourth round, Manfred’s lead dropped to less than 40 points over Gerolf with Guido 30 points behind Gerolf. It’s getting very tight near the top.

A couple of points of interest. Long time French Wills Wing pilot Richard Walbec is now flying an Icaro Laminar MRXX 14. I caught him taking a test flight on Paris’ Laminar MR700 WRE at the Flytec Championships in Floridain April. I asked him at the time if he liked the glider, he said very much. Then I mentioned the possible Oz Report headline, and he asked me not to say anything. Well, now you all know.

There continue to be seven Moyes Litespeeds in the top ten in this most European of hang gliding meets. Now you expect this in Australia(although it wasn’t so true this year), but here in Europein the biggest competition of the year? You’ve really got to wonder what is going on? Is Moyes just more competitive as a company or is the Litespeed more competitive as a glider (although it’s obviously got some hot competition at the very top)?

Why can’t the Europeans fight back with more pilots on the Icaro Laminar or Seedwings, or La Mouette gliders? Notice that long time La Mouette pilot, Guido Gehrmann (former world champion in Australia) is flying an Aeros Combat 2 instead of a glider from his former patron Gerard Thevenot. The word was the Gerard was working with Guido up to the last minute to get him to fly a Topless in this meet.

It looks like the European hang gliding makers are maybe not as up to the task as they once were. Icaro remains a force, obviously, with their top ranked Laminar MR700 WRE. You just wonder why they can’t get more competition pilots to fly it? They’ve got the top pilots in Manfred and Paris and others, but they don’t appear to have the depth that is displayed by Moyes.

Can we consider Aeros from the Ukrainea European country? Well, it is close by. A lot closer than Australia. Is it all the publicity that Moyes gets in the northern hemisphere wintertime that gets pilots to consider the Litespeed? Where are the other European manufacturers? Is Europelike the US, with room for only one major (so to speak) hang glider maker (in addition to the one in the Ukraine)?

It could be the case that Moyes just gives good deals (or support) to a lot of the top tier of competition pilots, sort of like loading the dice? You got a theory (or some facts)? Send ‘em my way.

Wills Wings has top pilot Robert Reisinger on its team, but Robert is back in the top twenty after a poor day and a couple of mediocre (for him) days. Ron Richardson, after flying an Aeros Combat in Florida, is back on his own Avian Cheeta.

Oleg Bondarchuck after doing very well in Australiaand Floridais back in the pack at 14th without having a good day yet. No really bad days, but not top performance. Its good that Aeros has Guido to help out when Oleg is perhaps under the weather.

Gordon Rigg on a Moyes Litespeed has been consistent coming in 5th or 6th about every day and putting himself up high in 5th overall. Tomas Weisenberger, who won the third round, started off with a poor performance on the first day. Otherwise he would be up in 6th or 7th instead of down in 17th.

Amir Shalom has escaped the trouble back home in Israeland is the lone pilot representing his country at the European Championships. He’s doing quite well in 18th place. It’s good to see Mike Stephens racing again. He’s in 19th.

The French are giving the Austrians a run for their money in the team competition. Reisinger and Weisneberger had better step it up a bit.

Different news from Israel

Sat, May 18 2002, 2:00:01 pm EDT

Amir Shalom|record

Amir Shalom «amirhang» writes:

I am proud to inform you that the Israeli hang gliding distance record held by Avron Tal & Avrozki Modi - 166 km straight line has been broken. Yesterday I flew 205 kms straight line & 236 kms on a declared route. I took off west of Beer Seba north of theNegevDesert, and that evening reluctantly forced myself to land in Eilat (Israeli’s southern border). The flight time was 6 hours and 2 minutes. I flew a Laminar MRX700. Launch was at12:18 and landing at18:20.

Israel's World Team

Thu, Jun 24 1999, 4:00:01 am GMT

Avron Tal|Shali Hasan|Nimrod Sapir|Amir Shalom|Igal Spivak|Hagai Ziv

Avron Tal writes in about the Israeli World Team:

Shali Hasan, Nimrod Sapir, Amir Shalom, Igal Spivak & Hagai Ziv as manager. If gliders will be supplied in due time, Israeli pilots will participate in class II in the upcoming worlds. We ordered 2 GhostBusters from Flight Design. The pilots will decide whether to fly class 1 or 2 if the gliders will be ready with time for practicing.

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