This year, 2015, the VGC vintage glider rally was held at Terlet, the Dutch National Gliding Centre, which began operating in 1924. It sits between the towns of Arnhem and Aleldorm.
The dates were the usual ones: from 27 July to 6 August.
The weather was mixed, but with more days of sun and thermals than of rain.
54 gliders and around 300 people took part, including pilots, companions and visitors. Among them, Josep Ollé arrived on the 31st during the briefing, but with the bad luck that it was the rainiest day of the meeting.
As always, most of those attending stayed at the campsite set up for the occasion.
Two J-3 light aircraft and four winch lines were used for launching, the winch being the preferred take-off method for most pilots. As an illustrative example, on 2 August there were 69 winch launches and 31 by aircraft.
On another note, this edition saw the first accident in which a glider was destroyed, following an out-of-field landing: a Baby-III. Fortunately the pilot, in this case a woman, walked away unharmed.
It is also worth noting that, in addition to the winch and aircraft launches, a series of take-offs of a Grasshopper, similar to the SG-38, were carried out by car using a 200 m cable.
The photos are a good sample of all the activity at the event.
Text and photos: José Ignacio García Colomo, member of the Club de Vol a Vela Igualada-Òdena
For more photos, click here.
