Tethered Flight in the Time of COVID-19

In the age of COVID-19, many things are different from usual. This was also true for the Swiss Tethered Flight Aerobatics Championship, which took place on Sunday, June 28, in Untersiggenthal. But one thing remained the same: the pilots’ outstanding performances.

The Swiss Tethered Flight Championship (SM)—organized by the Breitenbach Model Flying Club—is seeing several changes this year:

• For the first time, it is being held in two stages. The SM in the Aerobatics category took place on Sunday, June 28. The SM in the Speed and Team Racing categories will be held during the international JURA CUP on September 19–20.
• For the first time, the SM competition on June 28 was the first tethered flight event of the year. This is because all previously planned tethered flight events had to be canceled due to the coronavirus.
• For the first time, a Swiss Championship competition was held at the Hard 2000 tethered flight facility in Untersiggenthal—rather than, as usual, at the Schwalbennest near Büsserach.
• For the first time, various safety measures and social distancing rules had to be observed at a Swiss Championship event.

But tethered glider pilots are used to being flexible. And so all the acrobatic pilots and their friends were looking forward to the delayed start of the season on June 28 and to seeing each other again after those long months,

which had to be spent primarily at home. Ten pilots participated in the Swiss Aerobatics Championship in Untersiggenthal. Each pilot completed three flights, each consisting of 15 aerobatic maneuvers. Despite the thunderstorm-prone weather, conditions were practically windless during all flights. This ensured a fair competition and allowed the pilots to showcase their best performances.

Although much about this Swiss Championship was new, one thing remained the same: In the end, the same three pilots stood on the winners’ podium as they did a year ago: Lauri Malila, Peter Germann, and Yves Sedlatchek. Heartfelt congratulations on this consistently excellent performance!

Ursi Borer