As the last wisps of fog cleared—IGG Eisbären Fly to Schmerlat

Whenever Don Attilio invites people to the Schmerlat in Schaffhausen, a few people always show up. But after Sabine and Tomris, the sun had to come out again—and that’s exactly what 40 pilots were hoping for. On Saturday morning, it was still cold and foggy, but the sun was already peeking through here and there, and we were curious to see how the day would unfold.

The briefing is at 10:00 a.m. By now, everyone knows that Don means business, and everyone was there on time. Don’s instructions were clear: Takeoff is westbound, pilots line up in the pilot box, and the “hike” is north of the runway—or, if you don’t comply, head home!

Soon the first pilots were in the air, and they quickly realized that the last patches of fog were not only low-lying but also quite opaque, and at some point every glider emerged again—even if not always where we’d hoped.

The power-tow team was almost fully present and efficiently launched the many gliders into the air. Patrick Trauffer, too, with his large glider weighing nearly 30 kg, was swiftly lifted into the air. It circled majestically, as befits an oversized beginner’s model. The landing in slow motion—smooth as butter and, of course, right at his feet—was one of a kind!

The weather kept getting better and warmer, so Don called out

Already at lunch, which we shared with the Schaffhausen Gliding Club. They were busy renovating the kiosk in their hangar.

After lunch, Thomas Hofmann took off in his massive Piper. It was a spectacular sight in flight, and the sound of that two-cylinder boxer engine was incredible; everyone was taking photos and filming.

This event—even the members of the gliding club put their work on hold. The weather kept getting better, and soon it was pleasantly warm. Everyone had a great time, and flying continued well into the late afternoon. Thanks to the spacious grounds at the airfield, things never got hectic, neither on the ground nor in the air. Thanks to Don Attilio for organizing this first highlight of the season and to the Schaffhausen Gliding Club, which always supports us so generously.