Flying low through the Defereggen Valley

October 21, 2020

Michael Sommerauer flew an FAI triangle over 296 km from the Grente in the summer. He vividly documented the flight in an educational video. While other pilots try to stay over the ridge as much as possible, Somi heats up the flanks in low flight. // Source: Youtube, Somi, screenshot The Austrian Michael Sommerauer, aka Somi, caused a sensation in the scene this summer with two 300 triangles from the Stoderzinken (Lu-Glidz reported). On another big flight, on July 5th from the Grente, he was denied the 3 in the hundred place, but only very narrowly. It was his first flight on this record-breaking spot. Somi documented the flight in a video that is well worth seeing. It not only shows impressive landscapes, but also provides a lot of information about Somi's very special flying style: often deep and close along the terrain, using the weak slope updrafts. The only really cranked up is before the larger terrain and valley jumps. Somi comments on the whole thing in a casual and calm explanatory way - just as if this form of flying were the simplest in the world. Whereby you should know that on that day other good XC pilots, who have more off-road experience with the typical Grente triangular routes, had their difficulties following Somi's high speed with a noticeable north wind and a low base. The video can be seen on Youtube. Note: In the upcoming episode # 42 of the Podz-Glidz podcast, Somi is a guest and tells how he went from an acro junkie to a very successful XC pilot.

This article has been translated for your convenience and was originally written in 독일어.