Extract from Craig Morgan's Turkey PWC event Day 6 blog. Links and comments added
Luc (Ozone designer of the Ozone R11) took off and joined the scramble. Moments later a gasp went up and I span round to see Luc’s R11 collapse asymmetrically cravat and stall. It rotated and plummeted from 50 metres up and Luke piled in. Eventually he emerged, ok and walked himself back with assistance from the services. He took off again but the symbolism had already been created as Frankenstein had attacked its creator.
Luc is in hospital with a compressed fracture of the vertebra.
Pilots are hopping mad and a petition against the task is gaining momentum. I haven’t signed it for personal reasons. But the reality is clear. This competition will sign the death contract of Open Class gliders and competition organisers must be held accountable to their cavalier attitudes to pilots safety.
I really enjoyed the competition until today and will leave now with mixed feelings. Turkish hospitality has been second to none. But, honestly, I am personally very disappointed to have lost this competition in controversial circumstances.
And what about the two- liners? As a comp pilot it’s hard not to fall in love with the hardest racing wing any of us have ever flown. You ask any nutter if they’d like to have a spin in a Ferrari?
Luc will be reticent I’m sure. But the sum total of seven reserves, two tree landings and at least two pile ins (not all R11s) is a hard record to defend post Piedrahita.
Luc (Ozone designer of the Ozone R11) took off and joined the scramble. Moments later a gasp went up and I span round to see Luc’s R11 collapse asymmetrically cravat and stall. It rotated and plummeted from 50 metres up and Luke piled in. Eventually he emerged, ok and walked himself back with assistance from the services. He took off again but the symbolism had already been created as Frankenstein had attacked its creator.
Luc is in hospital with a compressed fracture of the vertebra.
Pilots are hopping mad and a petition against the task is gaining momentum. I haven’t signed it for personal reasons. But the reality is clear. This competition will sign the death contract of Open Class gliders and competition organisers must be held accountable to their cavalier attitudes to pilots safety.
I really enjoyed the competition until today and will leave now with mixed feelings. Turkish hospitality has been second to none. But, honestly, I am personally very disappointed to have lost this competition in controversial circumstances.
And what about the two- liners? As a comp pilot it’s hard not to fall in love with the hardest racing wing any of us have ever flown. You ask any nutter if they’d like to have a spin in a Ferrari?
Luc will be reticent I’m sure. But the sum total of seven reserves, two tree landings and at least two pile ins (not all R11s) is a hard record to defend post Piedrahita.
Photo: Ozone Website
