Despite that Autumn is slowly creeping up in the Southern Hemisphere, conditions in Australia continue to surprise everyone. Allowing for record flights even late in the season.

On 08.03.2019 Ivelin Kalushkov managed to beat another of the Bulgarian National Records . The standard class record for speed over a 300 km FAI triangle of Todorka Radeva (95.36 km/h) was improved to 106.12 km/h. The new record is valid for standard, 15m and 18m class.

Flight statistics

4 kph short of the open class record from 1976 – the record there stays with Zhechko Stanchev

Flight was again done in the Lake Keepit region in Australia.

The plane was Schempp-Hirth Discus 2B with registration VH-NSO.

VH-NSO

The Flight was conducted without ballast in rather dynamic conditions.

First section of the flight is a 23 km straight from Lake Keepit to the town of Manilla. Second section is 102.6 km to the NW to a virtual point on mt.Kaputar. Third WP is 99.8 km SSW to the “Pines” area and a 77 km final stretch over the town of Gunnedah. Total route length optimized to 301.4 FAI triangle.

Conditions started rather late – start line has been crossed at 13:51. Fast cloud development has allowed for a convergence line ride to the NW, but strong headwind has reduced the average speed not allowing for the record to surpass the open class one.

Dry Australia

Unfortunately the drought in Australia has limited all club gliders in Keepit to fly without water ballast which has decreased the flight average speed additionally. 

Despite the drought however, the Australian flatlands keep surprising even the local pilots. Less than a week ago local pilots – Allan Barnes and Harry Medlicot made a surprising 1006 km in the two seater Arcus. Unusual achievement this late in the season.

And now we’re left to dream about new Bulgarian records during the season in the Northern Hemisphere.