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Director's corner / e-board

Thanks to these brave pilots, we on the surface could enjoy an exciting race on the screens wherever we are on the world.

The Coupe Aéronautique is approaching its end. 6 teams are still flying. All these teams have achieved a distance of more than 1.000 kms straight line from their launch-point in Geneva. One crew is watching the other. The US team Mark Sullivan / Cheryl White is in the lead. They are very close to the cost, almost at the Spanish/Portugese border, on final approach for Faro-airport? Who knows?

The teams now need to check their speed versus the remaining distanced to the ocean or consider a night landing. We cross our fingers for a safe ending to the race.

Though, we would not be surprised for teams to enter the fourth (4!!!) night.

The three teams in Algeria (FIN, AUT, BEL) had private accommodation / hotels close to their landing spots and will now start another challenge - to get the equipment (and themselves!) back home. All three embassies / consulats are deeply involved in supporting the teams. Thank you very much.

We want to specifically mention the people in the Algerian village of TAKSEBT. They were very supportive and gave the Austrian pilots a very warm welcome. Even the communication was easy, thanks to the interpreters Mouloud Siber (English) and Mohammed Zenia (German). Thank you very much. We very much appreciate this friendly support in Algeria.

The three German teams enjoyed their time on the islands (Menorca, Sardinia) and will take ferries back home today. Teams GER1 and GER 2 spent the last night with the Menorcan air traffic controllers who had provided them with a big support during approaching the island and also after landing. It appears to have been a mini-vacation for them.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused by the tracking-server. It is being moved to a stronger infrastructure this very moment to cope with the enormous traffic.

More than 1 million (1.000.000) hits so far!

The tracking should be back within the next hour! (published: 07.09.2009 13:30 local)

The Coupe continues to deliver very challenging stories.

Yesterday (sunday) four balloons had landed safely: GER2, GER1, FRA and GER3. During the early hours last night team GBR 1 had concluded its flight in the NE of Spain.

We very closely monitored the teams AUT, FIN and BEL who are just north of Algeria. Flying into Tunesia was their preferred option but then the track along the shoreline to the W / SW was chosen. Winds are slower than forecast but should pick up. Teams are in contact with Algerian CAA and we do our best through our sources to assist them. Teams keep on trying to reach winds into Marocco.

At this very moment, Team USA1 (Fricke/Cuneo) appears to be approaching their landing site in the SW of France.

Team USA2 (Sullivan/White) made a turn around the beautiful Baleraric islands. They are expected to head along the Spanish coast and will try to make landfall later today / tonight. It is not an easy task.

All the other teams (GBR1, FRA1, USA3, SUI 1, SUI2, SUI3) are in the area of Barcelona - Valencia and will also try to enter Spanish mainland during the final stages of the race.

All through the day, there were contacts with ATC-stations enroute. In fact, it is good that they were given our direct telephone numbers so to check any open question without any delay.

Now, as most teams are over the Mediterranean Sea, it is good to know how closely the pilots are observed by us as well by the various ATC stations. The technology of "live-tracking" is certainly adding a lot of safety to the race.

We had several contacts with Marseille Control Center after they were unable to contact all the teams which where flying South of Lyon. This issue was sorted out quickly. Teams are continuing their journey into a southwesterly direction. As expected the winds did pick up while flying near the Rhone-valley. Wind-speeds up to 90 kmh were reported to us. This effect will decrease once the Rhone-valley had been passed.

The  meteorological conditions do provide pilots with a range of options. As the entry into Italian airspace is prohibited during night, we do expect all pilots to fly fairly low so to stay West of the Alps.

Therefore, they will first fly into a south-westerly direction, passing the Rhone-Valley South of Lyon. During the morning hours teams might leave the French mainland on their way out onto the Mediterranean sea.

Those pilots who will try to benefit from the forecast winds (above 3000 m altitude) into the direction of Sardinia, might probably rise up to that altitude around sunrise.

The last briefing prior to take-off confirmed all the forecasts so far. Teams will be launching at 22:00 local time.

Download Meteo-Update.

Today's second briefing finished minutes ago. The forecast was confirmed. Launch-scenario, tracking estimation and outlook for tommorrow morning as well as all day sunday remain unchanged.

All is clear for a "GO" tonight.

Balloons have been prepared during the last hours and are on their position waiting for the inflation which is beginning any minute.

Geneva enjoys a wonderful cloudless day. It is a great day for a great race!

Download meteo-update (05.09.2009, 1430 loc).

A bright clear sky welcomed pilots and crews this morning on their way to the launchfield at Vessy. During the briefing at 10:00 local time the event director reported on the current and forecast meteo-situation.

The trajectories still do confirm a southerly heading. A high flight path at 4.000 m AMSL will take teams down into Korsika, Sardinia and even further. If decided to fly at medium altitude in the range of about 2500m AMSL, the heading might be Marseille down the Rhone-valley. The "Mistral" needs to be monitored closely. The lowest flying pattern will take teams into the south-westerly corner of France before they may decide to fly onto the Mediterranean Sea and later make landfall again in Spain. The race does promise some very interesting flights, where strategy will be a key-challenge next to the endurance needed by pilots flying high (using oxygen) and potentially over water.

The launch decison was made. It is a clear "go" for tonight's launch. Pilots will be launched tonight at about 22:00 local time.

Please follow this link to download the briefing-presentation.

The General Briefing was held by the event director Markus Haggeney. Extracts of the presentation are available for download here.

Download: General Briefing (04.09.2009, 1500 loc)

The Geneva-area is currently being affected by quite some showers and thunderstorms. This weather is going to move away to the East. It may be that some last few showers will only leave during friday afternoon.

The outlook for the weekend is very favourable. A High is going to develop to the NW of us. As a result, a slow "bise" with associated north-easterly air currents will be established here.

Trajectories for the planned launch-time (saturday night at about 2300 local time) do promise some very challenging scenarios.

At lower altitude ( below 1500 m AMSL) balloons will benefit from the "Bise" and later enter a northerly airstream down the Rhone-Valley.

In altitudes above FL 105 and up to FL 150 (3.000 - 4500 m AMSL) balloons may take a southerly heading. The high mountains of the Alps including Europes highest peak "Mont Blanc" needs to be considered.

All potential flight paths will sooner or later challenge the teams with some tough decisions as the Mediteranean Sea will become "part of the race".

We will monitor the situation.

The chances for a launch on saturday night currently is 90%.

Please follow this link to watch the teams flying across Europe. Data are going to be displayed after launch which is currently scheduled for Saturday 2200 local time.

The data are LIVE, i.e. we will show real position and altitude without any delay. The moment we pull the data, they are going to be displayed. The time-intervall may change during the race. This follows the decision of the International Ballooning Commission taken March 2009.

Link: http://www.satpro.org/gordon2009/gordon09.php

Just some few days remaining to prepare for your flight in the Coupe and travel to Geneva.

Please find following some brief statements answering your questions:

• Rules (approved on March 14, 2009)
  • Download
• ELT vs EPIRB
• Rule 4.1 on instruments reads "Emergency Locator Transmittor (EPIRB)"
• We will accept the standard ELT devices. There is no need to specifically invest into an EPIRB-device.
• Insurance (rule 2.9)
• We are able to arrange for additional coverage. Please let us know - the latest - before check-in, so that we can assist you.
• Assuming that your balloons all have an MTOM above 1000kg, for Third Liability the minimum is 3 Mio SDR (Special Drawing Rights) which is about 3.5 Mio Euro. Coverage must be valid for the entire competition area.
• Drawing of the Launch Sequence (Article 8 in the rules)
• The drawing of the launch sequence will be done during the General Briefing (changed: 03.09.2009).
• For the Official Reception in the Palais Eynard on Friday at 19 loc time: Dress code is formal.

Competitors of the 53. Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett are allowed to use the official logo for their own non-commercial purposes.

If you are unsure about the rights to use it, please contact the Geneva Tourist Office for approval.

Download the logo here.

• ATC Contact: National / Cross-Border / enroute established
• Meteo: On site meteo support discussed and currently being fine-tuned
• Hydrogen: Supplier selected by the local Swiss Organizer
• Hydrogen: Inflation procedures / access / safety issues are going to be adressed in a meeting probably during the last week of July
• Logger: Hardware / Sofware sorted out

Open items:

• ELT vs. EPERB, soon

Mission: Guide you through European Airspace to enjoy a long and enduring race. The Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett is also about demonstrating pilot skills and airmanship in one of the most congested airspaces in the world. We are here to serve you!

The following rules, procedures and guidelines will help all of us to achieve these objectives.

These are going to be published in due course and presented during the General Briefing.

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