Tilo Holighaus, soaring at Marfa, west Texas USA

Tilo Holighaus, the managing-director of Schempp-Hirth sailplanes in Germany and Andi Lutz, the brilliant young Austrian designer of the Quintus 23 meter wingspan sailplane, flew their Quinti from Uvalde to Marfa, Texas after the World Soaring Contest, staying (Andi is still here) for 10 days of soaring fun in the high mountain scenery of southwest Texas. Also joining them were Alan Barnes (LS-8) of Australia, currently on a five month soaring safari around the USA with able crewman Dave Holbrook. Charlie Barnes (Germany) arrived after the WSC with his Ventus 2a (race # Ei) and is racking up OLC points. Other visitors included Ingrid and Knut Kjenslie, Ross Briegleb and Sherry Reed, Steve Parker of Odessa, and many tourists and potential glider pilots who took introductory soaring flights with me in my new ASK-21 or my DG-1000T.

It has been a long time since our "Sun Ship Game" summer of 1969 and the WSC at Marfa in 1970. Finally, Marfa is again a destination for international soaring enthusiasts!

Fly your sailplane or train with me here - year round. (Just let me know when you are visiting.) Next, I'll host my "Octoberfest" meet OCT 7 - 16 at Marfa Gliders Soaring Center -- just an informal gathering to fly OLC and enjoy our good fall soaring weather, our excellent restaurants and hotels, the big sky mountain scenery and our friendly natives. (Please RSVP.)

Here's an excellent video interview of Tilo Holighaus and the Quintus at Marfa by our soaring-friendly "Big Bend Sentinel" newspaper / the Big Bend Now blog: http://bigbendnow.com/2012/08/video-...-visits-marfa/

New report and photos about flying at Marfa (after the World Soaring Contest at Uvalde, TX) posted by Tilo Holighaus on the OLC website:

http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0...2&news=798#798

Andreas Lutz, the brilliant young designer of the new 23 meter wingspan Schempp-Hirth Quintus M sailplane, is still at Marfa going for 300 & 500 km speed records for Austria (his home country.)

On Saturday, September 1, 2012 12:18:44 AM UTC-4, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:
New report and photos about flying at Marfa (after the World Soaring Contest at Uvalde, TX) posted by Tilo Holighaus on the OLC website:



http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0...2&news=798#798

The glider pilots enjoyed this flight and explored the new terrain, heading north to the Mexican border and the Guadaloupe Mountains National Park.

http://goo.gl/maps/hvbZp

A typographical / geographical error on the OLC news report about the flights that Tilo Holighaus and the German, Austrian and Australian pilots made at Marfa in southwest Texas:

North to the "Mexican border" is actually meant to be the "New Mexico" (the state) border where Guadalupe Peak is located, southwest of Carlsbad Caverns. Tilo verbally described it as "Guacamole Peak". I played along, understanding what he meant and knowing that his English is much better than my German! Guadalupe Peak is now forever known as Guacamole Peak, so adjust your Marfa turnpoint data bases in honor of our friends who made some fabulous flights at Marfa in August, 2012.
http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0...2&news=798#798

The soaring fun continues year-round at Marfa, Texas, USA. Glider and tow pilot training, FAA checkrides, currency and proficiency flying and aerotows by advance appointment.