posted Feb 9th, 2025 - The NSL News reported on January 31st that a new pursuit of FAI 8-way bronze medals could once again begin in Germany, where Operation Adler and Airbus Oceanside Illertissen prepare to battle for the status of the country's national champions and the national team. Operation Adler won the bronze medals for Germany at the 26th FAI World Formation Skydiving Championships, while Airbus 8-way would have done the same, according to the performance level of both teams.

The 8-way update from Germany covered the personnel changes in both lineups, including one of the Airbus team members (Thomas Spielvogel) switching sides. Airbus 8-way started early with indoor training, while Operation Adler will launch their 2025 season a few months later.

The German indoor championships are scheduled for the beginning of March, and Airbus 8-way have launched their preparations and posted their first scores of the year. Operation Adler will only be back later in 8-way outdoor action, as the German indoor championships do not include 8-way competition this year. However, they are still Germany's reigning 8-way indoor champions, while they have no plans to represent the country at the 8-way competition of the FAI Indoor World Championship at Paraclete XP. The last FAI indoor world champions in 8-way, Paraclete XP8, received their gold medals at Weembi Lille 2019, where the 16-foot flying chamber could accommodate the 8-way competition. No German 8-way team participated in this event.

Hurricane Factory Cup 2025			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		21,N,9		4,A,1		2,6,7		F,E,B,12		O,16,L,8		5,Q,11		22,D,14		G,J,15,3		H,10,18		17,13,20		Total	Avg
1	QRF XONR8	FR	17	-2	35		20		24		23		21		18		29		20		21		228	22.8
2	Airbus Oceanside Illertissen	DE	15		22	-3	17		21		21		18		18		20	-4	17		20		189	18.9
3	Unagi	DE	17		28	-1	17		19	-1	19		16	-2	14	-1	23		16	-1	17		186	18.6
4	Crazy Weasel	DE	13		20		16		17		18		12		15		18		16		15		160	16.0
5	New Weasel	DE	13		17		16		17		17		14		15		17		14		13		153	15.3
6	JFS8	DE	13		19		15		17		17		14		10		18		15		13		151	15.1
7	Banther Panthers	UK	8		19		14		16		14		12		13		18		14		11		139	13.9
8	Bloody Foreigners	DE	12		12		11		15		13		11		13		17		12		13		129	12.9
9	Ate Lazy Cats	DE	11		16		10		9		10		9		11		11		8		9		104	10.4

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QRF XONR8 - Airbus Oceanside Illertissen at the Hurricane Factory Cup 2025

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The Hurricane Factory Berlin Cup last weekend included 8-way competition. In fact, the participation in 8-way was significantly larger compared to the 4-way competition. Airbus 8-way used the opportunity for competition practice with the new lineup before the next showdown with Operation Adler, probably at the German outdoor championship in the summer.

The new Airbus lineup started off just shortly behind the scoring level where the previous lineup was two months later last year. The 2024 lineup was already well trained at that time, after a year together, while the new lineup just started this year. The 2025 lineup was not even complete yet. Uli Sehrbrock, who trained and competed with Airbus 8-way between 2018 and 2021, was back in 8-way action, after missing the FAI bronze medals in Eloy 2022.

However, DFV President Henning Stumpp was not available for the indoor competition right next to the Berlin International Airport, and coach Damien Sorlin filled the slot for the event. The other seven Airbus member, including Uli Sehrbrock, collected their first competition experiences together. Damien Sorlin's Veloce QRF founding partner, Martial Ferre, was at the competition site, as well, and he won the 8-way event with his new signature lineup, QRF XONR8, far ahead of Airbus 8-way. XONR8 are specialized in 8-way indoor competition, while Airbus 8-way has been primarily an outdoor team in the past.

German Indoor Nationals 2024			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		K,P,18,E		B,2,3		J,G,22,13		15,6,C		N,D,M,19		4,O,8		17,1,21		L,5,H,16		A,12,9		7,14,F		Total	Avg
1	Veloce QRF 2	FR	24		23	-1	19		27		19		22		23		25		21		21		224	22.4
2	Operation Adler	DE	24		22		20		24		19		19		21		23		20		18		210	21.0
3	Airbus 8-way Oceanside Illertissen	DE	16	-4	20	-1	21		24		16	-3	20		23		23	-1	20	-1	18		201	20.1
4	Crazy Weasel	DE	18		18		17		20		16		12	-3	17		20		16		11	-1	165	16.5
5	Berlin 8 Way	DE	13		12	-1	11		14		11	-1	11		12		14		11		12		121	12.1
6	Coriolis	DE	12		13		11		16		10	-1	9	-1	12		14		11		9	-1	117	11.7
7	Trick 9	DE	11		14		11	-1	13		14		10	-1	11		7	-4	11		12		114	11.4

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Operation Adler - Airbus Oceanside Illertissen at the German Indoor Nationals 2024

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