Galetto awarded with the Lilienthal Gliding Medal

Giorgio Galetto from Italy was yesterday awarded with the Lilienthal Gliding Medal at the 2012 FAI Awards Ceremony.

When asked about his reaction to the award, Giorgio said:

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32nd FAI World Gliding Championships in Uvalde, USA

Have a look at the pictures on Flickr !

2012 Provence Glide

2012 Provence Glide, preparation event for the 2013 European Gliding Championships, was held recently, concurrently with France’s 15m National Championship at Vinon-sur-Verdon in south east France. As well as French contenders and foreign pilots hoping to be selected next year, there were a number of well-known names getting in some practice before setting off for next month’s World Gliding Championships, in Uvalde, Texas, USA.

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“Flying start”, British Army Gliding Team!

Three of the British Army Gliding Team’s pilots have made a flying start to the 2012 season in Sisteron, France. Veteran of three tours in Afghanistan, Cpl Lee Davidson, while yet to complete his 50km distance flight towards his FAI Silver Badge, flew a number of 300km and a 500km flight in the French Alps, a steep learning curve as he did up to 50% of the flying in the DG1000, mentored by both Lt. Col. Jamie Sage and Major Allan Tribe.

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The first two gliding international competitions in Europe !

 The gliding season is nearly to start in Europe with the first two international events that will take place in the same period, in Germany with the 2012 Teutorace and in Italy with the Trofeo Città di Torino, now in its fortieth edition.

Follow these two exciting competitions that will start on Easter Sunday (April 7th) !

• FAI Gliding Events Calendar

Dates from the competition diary in London’s Olympic Year 2012

Gliding is not yet an Olympic sport but there is plenty for enthusiasts of all levels to look forward to in this Olympic Year, 2012, even if the temporary London area no-fly zones will affect some British glider pilots during their short summer season!

A new FAI Sailplane Grand Prix series begins with qualifying events in Romania, from 29th April, South Africa, September 28th, Australia in November and Chile in December, offering a great variety of conditions and scenery across the world to challenge the best of the best pilots in competition today.

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Making an early start in South America

Pilots kept indoors by the northern hemisphere winter can at least enjoy following the first big international of the year, the Continental event combining the 3rd FAI South American Gliding Championship and the 59th Argentine national championships, opening in Adolfo Gonzalez Chavez, in the province of Buenos Aires, this Saturday 7th January. See www.wgc2012.com.ar.

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Congratulations to Rieti's newest glider pilots

Italy's mythical Rieti airfield, home of the World Championships 1985 and 2008 and the annual Mediterranean Cup competition, is working hard training a new generation of glider pilots, some as young as 17.

27th and 28th December saw the final group of Rieti's 2011 entry of 19 new pilots achieve their Italian "brevetto", a gliding licence awarded only after tough flying tests and examination by ENAC (government aviation) inspectors. Several more student pilots hope to receive the coveted brevetto in the next few weeks. So congratulations to Stefano Bianchetti, chief instructor at the Aeroclub di Rieti "Alberto Bianchetti"(his renowned father), his dedicated and highly experienced volunteer instructors, and to all their fledglings, wishing them a long, successful and safe flying career in Italy's glorious skies. Three pilots have also successfully completed PPL training.

Pictured from left: Examiner Commandante Ermanno Ronchetti, Examiner Commandante Stefano Bianchetti, successful students Roberta Silveri, Alessandro Crociani and Paolo Marveggio.

Venues for the 2012/2013 FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Qualifying events

The calendar for the SGP Qualifying Series for 2012-2013 has been set:

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