At the end of my vacation, I could finally look forward to the long-awaited delivery of my Antares. When she rolled onto our airfield in the trailer on Friday, August 6, she was rigged in no time and rose for her first flight in her new home. Since then, in just 20 flights, I have had several flying experiences that would not have been possible without the Antares concept, but which are certainly part of every aviator’s dream.
- So I was spontaneously able to climb into my rigged Antares every day in an extremely warm and gusty weather condition without any help and still experience beautiful flights when the thermals started late.
- In unfavorable conditions (headwind), but with the safety of an engine, I flew from the north into the Harz mountains and circled over the Brocken. I was particularly impressed with the glide characteristics of the Antares on the return flight. With a departure altitude of 1700 m, I arrived in direct flight at our airfield 100 km away at 600 m altitude.
- Flying is possible even if two winches and the trolling machine fail. At best, you start with a guilty conscience.
- During a cross-country flight with 700 m base and predicted thunderstorms in the afternoon, the final approach then also took place in heavy rain. At an altitude of 200m, I decided to stop the engine just before the field. This is possible at this low altitude, because you lose no more than 20m. No one else was flying overland that day.
- The last flights took place in good weather, however, with torn weak thermals and 400 to 500 m base; thus weather for extended airfield rounds from Ka 8 to Ls 8. With the Antares one flies also on such days away from the airfield, visits glider pilots on other airfields, simply looks at the landscape from low height or observes cranes with their federation flight to the south.
The only problem I have with the Antares lies in the reactions of some club mates, which are incomprehensible to me. I still enjoy the Antares, even if not everyone can share this joy with me. Next year I am aiming for big flights and I am still grateful to Mr. Lange for making this concept a reality.