How About Story Time

[uncl...@ix.netcom.com]

Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
I'll go first.-

During the regional at Harris Hill in 2013 I was flying K21 with grandson Calvin Mampe, Rachel Conklin, and her sister Michelle. All 3 had flown multiple contests with me before, 2 having done so before they were old enough to solo.
Half way through the contest, my wife Dianne had a terrible fall and ended up hospitalized with some very serious injuries. All 3 of the juniors had good flights with me earlier in the contest so I told them to just keep on flying.
On Friday, Calvin and Rachel flew but decided to abandon the task part way around the course due to rain. They did not want to land out and take the ship apart in the rain. Smart!
The next day Rachel and Michelle flew together. About 4:00 I was in the ICU with Dianne when Calvin called. When I answered, he simply said “K21 four miles”. Our 2 young ladies had flown the course for a reasonable score. To my knowledge, this is the first time two young sisters had ever flown in competition. We had a seriously great group hug that night. This may be my best ever moment as a supporter of youth soaring.
Following up- Michelle is now an A&P working for Textron and just finished her first restoration, a 1-26E. Rachel is instructing at Flight Safety and soon will have all the requirements for her ATP.

UH

[Mike N.]

OK I have one that may be interesting because it is somewhat unusual.
I started glider training December 13th, 1996. I had been wanting to learn to fly for many years after watching gliders take off and land at Fremont glider club in CA. Which was close to the Fremont drag strip. I lived in the area and would go to the glider port just to watch take offs and landings, thinking it was cool how the gliders dumped their water ballast on approach. At the time I did not have the money to take flying lessons, but I always had the interest.

So in December 1996 I decided I could afford to start taking some lessons. I had heard about Minden NV which was about 3 hours from where I lived and made the appointment with Soar Minden, Tony Sabino's soaring center, for my 1st lesson and drove up.

Arriving at Soar Minden they confirmed I wanted to take lessons and not just get a ride, and I was assigned an instructor and we did some ground school then went out to get in one of the Grob 103's they had. I was asked how much time I had and if I'd like to do a regular one hour lesson, or take an extended flight. I said, let's do the extended flight. My instructor Mike, then told me to get in the glider and wait for a few minutes.

A few minutes later, over comes this older gentleman who introduced himself as Hod. He said I was to get an oxygen briefing as conditions were good for wave flying. "Wave?" I thought "what the heck is wave?" He stated he had done wave flights in the area to over 30k feet on a few occasions, and proceeded to give me a very thorough briefing on the use of diluter demand oxygen systems. I was thinking, "wow this is going to be cool".

So to make a long story shorter, we get on tow, instructor lets me fly the tow after we are stabilized, and we pull the release around 3400 ft AGL.

I'm doing OK so he has me fly some turns and gets me headed toward the mountain west of the airport, where we start getting good lift. He takes over and shows me how to turn figure 8's and stay in the lift line after which he lets me take over.

We end up flying to 22,600 feet in the wave that day. My first flight ever. At the time I did not realize what a rare event that was. I do remember calling in to Reno approach to open the wave window, which he had shown me on a sectional during our pre-flight. It was very cool looking down on jet liners on approach to Reno from CA and seeing them divert around our window.
Also I'll always remember how smooth the lift was. It was quite the flight.

We ended the flight getting by descending into the very heavy sink right next to the mountain at Heavenly Valley ski resort. My instructor buzzed the skiers on the slope at what had to be around 500 ft AGL as we pushed east away from the mountain heading towards the airport.

Very cool, and embedded in my memory forever. And I suffer from C.R.S.

Mike

[uneekc...@gmail.com]

Yep Mike that first flight set the hook deep!! The “mike” that was going to fly with you must have been “mountain mike”, he was quite s character when I was flying out of there.
Dan

[uneekc...@gmail.com]

Fantastic UH, now that the living definition of “goid parenting”.
Dan

[Frank Whiteley]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 6:39:24 PM UTC-6, uneekc...@gmail.com wrote:
> Yep Mike that first flight set the hook deep!! The “mike” that was going to fly with you must have been “mountain mike”, he was quite s character when I was flying out of there.
> Dan

More of a character than Hod Taylor?

Frank

[Dan Marotta]

Dick Johnson once told me that my ASW-19 (my second ship) was the
prettiest one he'd ever seen.

--
Dan, 5J

[uneekc...@gmail.com]

I remember Dick and his big 602 at a minden contest. That big mutha was ugly, all rough sanded ( better for laminar flow, he would be out sanding wings every morning. Ugly yes, but she sure did scoot!
Dan

[uneekc...@gmail.com]

Correction 604

[Mike C]

4 miles. Nice story!

[uneekc...@gmail.com]

I remember one time when I was a kid flying out of minden, a couple of us guys decided to fly down to bishop where a regional was happening. Great day, we got down onto the whites mid day and fell in with a bunch of the racers who were heading back south on a leg of the task.

I was flying a pilatus b4, not exactly a speedy bird and remember flying along with walt cannon, karl streideck, my bro, and mike adams. I was able to hang in with them for awhile but they eventually all ran away.

That evening at bishop we were all together and I was telling them that “wow I never flew so fast xc!”, I was so impressed with nyself, when walt turned to us guys and said rather non chalantly, “ gee guys .... wasn’t that leg along the whites really slow today?” They all heartily agreed. Bubble burst.
P

Dan

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

The Kindness of Strangers

I was in North Carolina driving back from the Cordele Nationals in 1985 pulling my Komet trailer with a mini motorhome. Tough to see the trailer behind us. A tricked-out, good-ole-boy van pulled up in the left lane and the passenger rolled the window down. I rolled my eyes and shouted "it's a glider!" but they started gesturing more frantically.

There was smoke pouring off both brakes. The front mount where the tongue inserts into the trailer had failed where it was welded to the steel tubing frame. The rear mount had held but the trailer had settled down, actuating the overrun brake.

They pulled off ahead of us and the driver walked back to help. He was pretty savvy about cars a mechanical things. He was late to dinner but he even took me to the local Walmart to pick up some wheel bearing grease. On the way back, I gave him the speech about gliders.

"Yeah," he said. "I got a ride in one a few weeks ago. I think it was called...a Grobee? I've got the pictures right here."

He had gone for a ride in a Grob two-seater at a nearby operation and liked it a lot. I repacked the wheel bearings, then lifted the trailer front end back up and chained the front of the tongue mount to the cross member. With someone standing at the rear door of the motor home watching the chained connection carefully, we limped on into my brother's in-laws' house an hour or so away that night. The next morning, a friend of theirs made a new front attachment by heating and bending a very large bolt into a U shape. Stronger than new.

And the driver of the van? He refused to accept anything that night so when I got home, I signed him up for an SSA membership and bought him a copy of "The Joy of Soaring". I don't whether he renewed or not but I had to do something. I figured having the magazine come in every month would remind him how grateful I was throughout the year.

This wasn't my idea. Another pilot had told me that's what he does. We're all ambassadors for our sport in this country and need to think about how we're perceived by others.

Chip Bearden
JB

[cliff...@gmail.com]

Very cool Chip! Ideas for the future! Providing we have one :)

[Bob Youngblood]

Not soaring related but aviation and history come together. The day was October 27 1942, that day probably doesn't mean anything, except to a 96 year old sailor named Joe Miller. Joe was an aircraft mechanic aboard the USS Hornet CV-8 and may be one of the two or three remaining alive men who was there as Jimmy Doolittle executed the raid on Tokyo. Joe, worked on his aircraft and other aircraft that were used in the raid.
The reason that I mention this is because I have an autographed picture of the raiders on the deck of the Hornet prior to departure. I have scanned this pic and did a high resolution scan and Joe will be signing this print this week. After so thought about what I wanted him to write on the print I have decided that he will start by entering the current date, his name, US Navy, USS Hornet CV-9, 1942, sunk 10-27-1942, "I Was There", signature Joe Miller. Any other ideas ? After completed I will hang in my man cave and toast a drink or two. Bob

[Jim Kellett]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:

> Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
> I'll go first.-

Back in the seventies, I landed out in my 1-23 on what turned out to be a prison farm! I was soon approached by a couple of concerned armed guards. After explaining, and calling for a towplane that soon landed near me, I talked one of them into running my wing as we took off, the inmates all hanging on a chain link fence watching us fly away!

[uncl...@ix.netcom.com]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:

Another story. I hope some more folks share.
At the SSA convention a few years ago I was catching up with my friend and fellow glider restorer Walter Cannon. He asked what I was working on. I told him that a couple of juniors and I were restoring 1-26 serial number 2 so it could go to IVSM later in the summer.
Walter sort of gulped and I saw a tear in his eye. Ha asked if it was N91894. It is. He told me that back in 1954 he was learning to fly gliders at the Schweizer Soaring School, 002 was the first single seat glider he got to fly. It turns out he was the first young person to fly it.
Fast forward to the 2016 IVSM. Walter was there flying one of his ships. We decided that he really needed to fly 002 again. He did and came back with a big smile. We got some good photos.
We have asked a lot of folks and have not found anyone that can claim to have flown the same glider 62 years apart.
If we are lucky maybe he will be able to make it 66 years this summer.
Special ship - Special guy.
More stories- we need some smiles.
UH

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

> Another story. I hope some more folks share.
> At the SSA convention a few years ago I was catching up with my friend and fellow glider restorer Walter Cannon. He asked what I was working on. I told him that a couple of juniors and I were restoring 1-26 serial number 2 so it could go to IVSM later in the summer.
> Walter sort of gulped and I saw a tear in his eye. Ha asked if it was N91894. It is. He told me that back in 1954 he was learning to fly gliders at the Schweizer Soaring School, 002 was the first single seat glider he got to fly. It turns out he was the first young person to fly it.
> Fast forward to the 2016 IVSM. Walter was there flying one of his ships. We decided that he really needed to fly 002 again. He did and came back with a big smile. We got some good photos.
> We have asked a lot of folks and have not found anyone that can claim to have flown the same glider 62 years apart.
> If we are lucky maybe he will be able to make it 66 years this summer.
> Special ship - Special guy.
> More stories- we need some smiles.
> UH

It's interesting what we remember. My father got into soaring around 1960. Within a few years, he and a partner bought an inactive 1-23B out of a barn in Maine and painted it, put in new instruments, etc. He loved that glider and flew it for several years, eventually getting his Gold Distance/Diamond Goal in it in Ohio. The registration number was N91880, 14 numbers before 1-26 002. My understanding is that Schweizer had blocks of N numbers that they assigned as they built gliders so I'll occasionally see one on a 1-23 or 1-26 that I recognize from "the old days".

The 1-23B was a long-wing, thinner-skin one-off built, IIRC, for the World Championships in Spain in 1952. I recall the N91880 number because in those days, not everyone had a contest # and my dad used the last three digits of the registration #, 880, as his competition ID. It wasn't until around 1965 or 1966 that he acquired "JB" when John Baird generously offered it to him. I sort of took over JB when I started flying our 201 Libelle in 1970 and have been campaigning it ever since. I occasionally wonder who will end up with it when I stand down.

Unlike contest #s, registration #s usually stay with the glider. Not always, though: N707JB first appeared on my father's Diamant, then we moved it to the Libelle in 1970 along with JB, then transferred both #s to our LS-3 in 1978. I transferred both, again, to the ASW 24 that I've been flying since 1992.

Chip Bearden
JB

[uneekc...@gmail.com]

Chip
Speaking of N numbers, I picked up a sgs2-22 a few years ago as a restoration project. This particular bird had an interesting history. She went right from the schweizer factory over to the school and was actually used as the test bed to check out the then new swept tail used on latter —26’s and the 2-33.

The interesting part is her N number that she came with from the factory, N694U. Think about it lol😄

[Bruce]

I also have an unique tail number story. When I bought my used Stemme the tail number was not quite reflective of my personality, so I changed it. It would have fit a few people on this group thou. It was N3FU.🖕🏻. Think about that!! Not sure how the FAA let that one thru.

Bruce

[Bob Youngblood]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:

Well I will go back to the mid 70's when I was flying with the renegades from Miami, it was such a fine group of guys. We were sitting around the table at the side door when war stories began to come from some of the older gentlemen. First it was Lou Salvatore, who told stories of being a waist gunner on a B17 and flying deep into Germany on many harrowing missions. Then it was another guy named Bennie Flowers, who was one of the if not the best glider pilot that I ever knew. Bennie told his story about training glider tow pilots in a C 47 with the AAC. Paul, "Pablo Crowell", told of being a very young B 29 commander and flying into Japan to drop bombs, Pablo said that the briefer's never told the truth about the Japanese not having any fuel, they were shooting the hell out of us as we dropped from 5 thousand feet.
Then the spokesman became Paul Lowman, a very soft spoken guy who had an LS-3. One of the guys asked Paul did you fly in the military, the reply was yes. Paul told the group that he did not fly in the AAC, he flew for the RAF, he then replied that he flew Spitfires in the Battle Of Britain. They was not much said after that! What a great group of guys to have been a part of my early glider days. E9, Bennie, Pablo, Fritz, Walter, and many more, Thanks, Bob

[marshal...@gmail.com]

The story goes, more or less, together Ben Greene and Charlie Spratt went to see the movie "Midway" which was showing in one of those new fangled "surround sound theaters". When it was over, they were walking back to the car and Ben turned to Charlie and said "you know, I fought in that battle and I can promise you it was not that loud".

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:

[Nick Kennedy]

SEX DRUGS AND ROCK N ROLL

So one Saturday morning, back in say 2003, I'm in the backseat of our ASK 21 here in Telluride Colorado giving hour rides. Jeff Campbell is the towpilot this day.
A couple of times a year in Colorado we can get these very strong thermic conditions, very strong with no OD. This was one of those days. We started at 9 am and things were fine when at noon this couple appears for the 12 oclock and 1 Pm ride. This women was striking, looked like Dolly Parton only bigger, everywhere. I take her husband up and it is getting too rough, like 15-17 knots up and down, but not much wind. So we land I decide to shut it down. I tell this gal this and she is so deflated, telling me how she had looked forward to this day for so long. She asks me why we can't go? It's not raining and the winds are light on the ground. I talk to Jeff, who knows how strong it is, and he says what the hell lets go. She impresses on me that she is a bit of a dare devil and is not afraid of rough air.
She was Sooo sexy, Huge blonde hair, Huge boobs, wearing a thin cotton dress, like the gal in Cool Hand Luke,she was from Atlanta a real southern bombshell.
So we push the K-21 out to the runway and I wonder if she will even fit in the front, shes like 6'1" maybe 200+ but beautiful.Bright red lipstick too. So I help her in and she just fits and I'm putting her belts on looking down what looks to me to be the Grand Canyon, she knows I'm having a total perve on her and shes just laughing and I'm thinking about what it would be like spending a couple of days with her in a Cabo condo drinking and doing some LSD, wouldn't that be fun?? I get her a couple of sick sacks but don't dwell on that issue. I shut her canopy and get in back and belt in and realize her hair is so big it fills the whole front view!
Campbell takes out the slack and off we go in out C 150/180 with a density altitude on the sign showing 12, 450'.
On the downwind departure leg we fly into this mile long thermal going up like 1700. Campbell does 2 reversal turns in it and I'm off at 12,000. I ask her if she wants to go high or cruise the ridges and she says she would like to do both please. So I head to the ski area and I swear to god I never did a 360 and I get us up to 17k in about 15 minutes flying straight and doing some 180's.
We have this cirque about 20 miles long that goes clear around Telluride that is spectacular, So I find some strong sink, did I mention it is really really rough?, and get down on the cirque, fly the whole thing and go into land.
She gets out and is just beyond herself and hands me a 200 dollar tip and asks me to split it with the tow pilot.
I still think about that ride.

[Dan Marotta]

I've given some memorable rides, but nothing to compare to that! Are
sure that you didn't just have some of that LSD and dream up the rest? 
Dreams, either way...

Anyway...

At the end of a typically good day out of Black Forest, Tom Serkowski in
has ASW-20, I think it was a b model, had stiff wings, and I in my LS-6a
met over the front range around Cheeseman Reservoir.  Time to go home
and one or the other of us asked if there was anything else to do.  I
think it was I who asked the question and Tom's answer was something
like, "Let's race to the top of Pike's Peak."

Well, we had glide to Black forest, but not to the Peak but, what the
hell.  We headed south.  The lift was good and we were able to pretty
much maintain our altitude, hitting the north buttress of Pike's Peak
just about at ridge level, maybe 10,000'.

We were on the west side of the ridge and the wind was blowing
perpendicular to it.  Ridge lift was good.  We were gaining altitude at
the same rate as the terrain was rising and going fast!  We could see
cars on the road up the Peak stopping to watch as we flashed past.

My heart was pounding and my breathing was deep and fast.  This was my
first real experience with ridge flying other than a couple of flights
on the North Shore of Oahu which is nowhere near the same. As we reached
the top of the mountain at 14,115' MSL, we each did a pull up and, IIRC,
turned in opposite directions.  I don't recall which one of us got there
first and I don't really care.  I had so much adrenaline pumping through
me that my hands were shaking and I told Tom that I couldn't take any
more and was heading home.  I think he hung around the Peak for a little
bit to have some more fun.  Maybe he could join in and give his side of
the story.

As I took up a heading towards Black Forest, I noticed a bunch of
tourists at the visitor center on top of the mountain.  I opened my side
window and let out a loud whistle and saw faces and cameras rise to the
occasion.  I did a steep turn circling the visitor center and a plunge
down the sheer face on the northeast side with a pull out about a
thousand feet below and an easy glide home.  My heart was still pounding
when I got there.

Then there's the story about the red headed Irish lass, but that's for
another time...

--
Dan, 5J

[Scott Williams]

About 1996 or 1997 I was taking some primary instruction from Al Lambert with the Soaring Sooners out of David J. Peary airport in Goldsby Oklahoma, Just doing some pattern tows in the Clubs 2-33. Typical short flights and I was green enough to be struggling some. Oklahoma summers can be quite hot, and I remember after the two tows I could afford that day, I was kinda' done.
After the rollout, as Al and I prepared to push the 2-33 back to the hangar, Hank Clyburne, "handle bar Hank" walked out and Said to Al and Me, "That's enough sweating, Let me show you what Soaring is really about"
With that said, Hank told be to get back in the front seat and the tow was on him. He climbed in and Told me to relax and just watch. The tow was typical, But hank held on until we towed into a nice 4 knot thermal. As Hank released and centered the thermal the vario increased to 7-8 knots. As Hank circled and the glider gained several thousand feet the air temperature dramatically cooled.
We flew for about an hour, never getting too far from the field or low.
During the entire flight Hank was narrating what he was doing and sharing some of his extensive knowledge of the History of Soaring.
You see, Hank was the son of Marschall Clyburne and Hank was involved with Soaring his entire life, even being a teenager present in Marfa in 1968.
Hanks easygoing enthusiasm for all things Soaring 'set the hook' for me in a big way.
I will always be grateful that Hank took the time to share this sport with me.

Thanks Hank!
Scott

[Charlie Papa]

Well this isn't my story, but talk about an Experience Flight gone wrong:
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32131240/french-dassault-fighter-jet-joyride/

[AS]

I was giving a commercial ride to an older gentleman who said that he used to fly power planes a long time ago and had also taken a scenic glider ride somewhere else before. Since our tow-plane was out of commission, we had to shift to our winch and I tried to explain to him how this works but it didn't seem to 'compute' with him.
The launch was as expected: hard acceleration, steep climb and about 30 seconds later, we released at around 1,600ft. He collected himself and said 'Wow - that was fast - and I didn't even see the tow-plane!'

One other time, I was giving a ride in a 2-33 to a retired airline captain in the front seat. It was a really rough day with some cross-wind and I worked hard to do a smooth landing. Upon roll-out, he said 'Ha - nothing to it! These gliders do land themselves!'

Uli
'AS'

[markm...@gmail.com]

One of our beloved Instructors was famous for giving flight reviews and criticizing any and all less-than-perfect performances. He was also noted for following through on all control movements, to the point that the "alleged" PIC sometimes had to fight for the stick. On one BFR in a 2-33, the "reviewee" folded his arms and put his feet flat on the floor for the entire flight and landing. The Instructor proceeded to give advice and criticism on every maneuver, and also said that the landing was not up to Private Pilot standards. But he passed the "victim" anyway. Nothing more was said.

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

My sister, Diane, was/is one of the world's best crews (that's an applause line). My father was one of the world's best instructors. Diane was pretty young and had a bit of a confidence problem early on. She didn't always want to keep the controls when things got stressful. My father had a technique for that. Sitting in the back seat of the 2-33, he would rest his hands lightly on the student's shoulders, saying: "It's your airplane."

Diane wasn't having any of that, though. She would reach up and brush his hands away, then plop her own hands on her shoulders, saying, "Oh, no, it's your airplane".

After my father died, Diane decided to fulfill one of his dreams and resumed her lessons at another glider operation, soloing successfully not long after. I knew it wasn't her thing but I was very proud of her--and still am.

Chip Bearden
JB

[Dan Marotta]

I've got two stories:

We were winching our 2-33 at Black Forest, I in the front seat and Karen
Serkowski (Tom's wife) in the back.  Karen was performing the landing
so, as we approached the crowd on the ground, I raised both hands so
they would know.  Next time around, I was doing the landing and Karen
was holding her hands in the air.  As we got on short final, I saw that
the whole crowd was holding their hands up in the air, so I took the
stick between my knees and held my hands up, too.  The 2-33 really can
land itself!

For the other story, I was asked to give a demo flight to a retired
Swedish airline pilot.  He was practically blind with glaucoma and told
me so.  Still, after gaining some altitude in the L-13, I offered him
the stick.  He declined, saying that he couldn't see to fly.  I told him
to fly and I would talk him through it.  As we flew, I would give him
suggestions to pull up a bit or turn left/roll out, and then I would
describe what I was seeing.  The smile on his face was wonderful!

He returned annually for a couple of years and always asked to fly with
me.  He also sent me cards every Christmas.  And then the cards
stopped.  I guess he flew west.  I was so glad to have given him the
experience that he so obviously missed.

--
Dan, 5J

[Nick Kennedy]

MIS COMUNICATION

Jeff Campbell in his LS4 CO and I in my ASW 20 XS arrive back in Telluride after a Western Colorado cross country tour. When coming back in from somewhere else we always come in high as there is no safe place to land from any direction for say 20-30 miles.
Campbell is circling down directly over the field at about 11.5 and I'm above him at 12.5 when a transmission comes over the unicom freq:
"Telluride unicom and area traffic Piper Aerostar is 9 miles east inbound for landing, decending though 15k". Now the Piper Aerostar is one speedy piston twin, one of the fastest if not the fastest, so I key up my mic and transmit: "Inbound Piper twin to Telluride, Two gliders circling over the airport for landing please say ground speed". He reply's" Telluride gilder, Piper Aerostar 468AA shows a ground speed of 260 knots. I decide for Jeff and I to let him go on in first since we were in no hurry and it will take us a few minutes to land and push our ships off. I transmit" Piper Aerostar 468AA why don't you go on in first, it will be easier all around" Piper Aerostar: " Thank you Glider we will keep the speed up and head in" I spot him about 4 miles to my east and keep a eye on him as I'm hanging in some zero sink. About a minute later: "Telluride Glider have you in sight" Now hes on a trajectory to pass by me pretty close, slightly above and I'm guessing about 6-800 feet to my north. And hes hauling.
When he gets about half a mile away he slightly turns towards me and lowers his nose a little, I think he's setting me up for a high speed haircut.
Now I'm a card carrying member of the buzz the sh*t out of any and everything club, so I think he is too and I watch as he rip's by me at my height about 150' away.
Nice buzz I think to myself. But a little odd as I could clearly see his face and he never looked at me or waved.
He pulls the power off and circles into land and sticks a short landing, good job.
Campbell lands and pulls off. I land and pull off and the Aerostar is close by on the ramp and I see he's got his wife and two little kids like 4 and 6 unloading bags.
I walk over and greet him and say " That was a nice buzz job there!"
He takes a step back and looks a little offended. He says " What are you talking about I was AT LEAST 1000' above you!
He never saw me- it turned out, He saw only Jeff and thought there was only one glider in the area.

[5Z]

Dan, I do remember your comments after we had done a bit of grazing on the SW face of Pike Peak. That was a fun flight.

Back in September 1994, Dan volunteered to fly a Pawnee, and I a L-23 from Westcliffe, CO to Creede, CO for an annual BFSS "Fall Colors" weekend. I ended up giving 21 rides over the 3 days we were there. I took turns with several other ride pilots, so the glider was quite busy. The fun part, though, was the tow...

Early Friday morning, Dan drove by my home in Colorado Springs, picked me up and we drove to Wescliffe. Neither plane had a radio, but we each had a handheld, so we were set. The plan was for me to drop into low tow if I needed to communicate. Dan would then put the radio up to his ear and try to hear my call over the engine noise in the cockpit :-)

It's just 75 miles from Silver West airport to Mineral County, but there's a couple little ridges to cross. Takeoff at 8290 MSL and head SW to Mosca Pass at only 9740 MSL. We actually turned short, as the climb rate in the morning was quite good. Crossing the San Luis Valley, we continued to climb slowly, since the terrain going into Creede is 12K or higher. Mineral County is at 8680 MSL, so not much elevation change between takeoff and landing. San Luis valley is flat desert with some farms and scattered duster strips, so I always had a safe place to go in case of a rope break.

As we're climbing through 11K, maybe 12K, and nearing the tiger country east of Creede I notice a hint of black smoke coming from the towplane! A minute later, i decide it's time to tell Dan. So I drop to low tow and wait for his call. Took a couple tries, but the message finally got through. A minute or two later, the smoke stops :-)

Dan had forgotten to lean the mixture as we were climbing, not something done on most tows, since it's only set it at takeoff. During the tow, running a bit rich for a few minutes is fine. But on a long, high tow....

Sure got Dan's attention, since his landing options pretty limited in the mountains. Me, I had glide to Creede :-)

Tom 5Z

[Dennis vreeken]

Practice jokes . I was instructing and a ride pilot for a few years . We had a tow pilot an ex spitfire RAF older gent. He liked to walk on the airport picking golf ball near the 10 th tee box . He had collected a garbage pail full . I drilled a hole into a ball and inserted a 2 ft piece of rebar. We took it out to that area and beat it into the ground. The next day we watched him scrounging balls through binoculars and saw him struggling to pick up said ball . He looked up and gave us the bird . Never laughed so hard

[Nick Kennedy]

5Z
When you guys gave those rides in Creede, what did you do for fuel?
Do you remember?
Its NLA these days
Nick
T

[Dan Marotta]

I had forgotten that one, Tom.  How embarrassing!

As I recall, after you got my attention, what I heard over the radio was
something like, "Dan, you're trailing smoke!"  That really got my
attention!  We had just crossed into the eastern slopes of the San Juan
mountains and there was no place to land.  My first thought was to turn
back towards the valley, but a quick look in the cockpit got my
attention on the mixture lever.

I did 54 tows that week with a bucket brigade and about 8 or 9 5-gallon
gas cans hauling Super Premium car gas from Creede to the airport.

Wasn't that the weekend trip that we learned the legend of Charlie
PeePee...?

--
Dan, 5J

[Dan Marotta]

Nick,

We had an auto gas STC for our 235 hp Pawnee.  Under then current
Colorado law, any fuel not used for the highways got a tax refund so car
gas was really cheap compared to avgas.  I never noticed any difference
in performance, either.

And, to add to my previous post about Creede:  There was a very nice
lady there who owned a bed and breakfast situated at 10,000' MSL in the
mountains to the north of the airport.  She let me stay the three-day
weekend in exchange for a free glider ride.

Dan

--
Dan, 5J

[Dan Daly]

When I was a member of High Flights Soaring Club (Meadowlake) 2001-6, we took 3x55 gal drums of ethanol-free MOGAS with us, a wobble pump for the 180hp SuperCub.

[john firth]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
> I'll go first.-
>
> During the regional at Harris Hill in 2013 I was flying K21 with grandson Calvin Mampe, Rachel Conklin, and her sister Michelle. All 3 had flown multiple contests with me before, 2 having done so before they were old enough to solo.
> Half way through the contest, my wife Dianne had a terrible fall and ended up hospitalized with some very serious injuries. All 3 of the juniors had good flights with me earlier in the contest so I told them to just keep on flying.
> On Friday, Calvin and Rachel flew but decided to abandon the task part way around the course due to rain. They did not want to land out and take the ship apart in the rain. Smart!
> The next day Rachel and Michelle flew together. About 4:00 I was in the ICU with Dianne when Calvin called. When I answered, he simply said “K21 four miles”. Our 2 young ladies had flown the course for a reasonable score. To my knowledge, this is the first time two young sisters had ever flown in competition. We had a seriously great group hug that night. This may be my best ever moment as a supporter of youth soaring.
> Following up- Michelle is now an A&P working for Textron and just finished her first restoration, a 1-26E. Rachel is instructing at Flight Safety and soon will have all the requirements for her ATP.
>
> UH

Not really to compare with some of these great stories, but years ago
I owned an RHJ 8 ( HP 14 2S) and used it to fly my friends.

I took the teenage son of a friend; He had done some simulator time
on his dad's computer; after we released in good soaring conditions
I asked him I he wanted to try, not expecting too much.
He immediately showed he had a grasp of flying. I put us in a thermal
and talked him round and we climbed. (It was quite a well behaved glider)
Ten miles from the airport, I asked him to take us home, and he knew where to go! Talked him round the circuit, and only took over on short final;
Quite remarkable talent.

The only other first glider flight competence was an ex RCAF maritime patrol
pilot; gave him the usual pretakeoff briefing on the Grob handling, and
on tow at 500 ft, I asked him to try it, expecting the usual exciting wild
gyrations; not abit of it; After a few small overshoots, he nailed it; I
only took control again at about 20 feet. (Landing)
John Firth

[zulus...@gmail.com]

I had met Dr. Sam when Ellen and I had flown to the Tri-cities airport in 1966 in order to visit some friends of hers. I had my SSA handbook with me which listed members by state. I looked to see who might be in the area and came across Dr. Sam's info. Although it was a Sunday, I gave him a call and introduced myself. He asked where I was and I told him the airport. His response was that he would be out to meet me within the hour. It was a bit after noon when he arrived and we visited a bit all the while discussing glider flying. He said that he had a Ka-6 and would I help him put it together. Well of course, said I.
Once assembled, he asked me if I had ever flown one to which I replied the highest performance ship I had flown up to that point was a 1-26. Sam offered me his Ka-6 to fly. I was somewhat taken aback and asked him if he was sure he willing to let me to fly his bird. He was indeed, so after a cockpit check and a brief drill on local flying, he said he would tow me aloft and that I was to stay up as long and conditions and my posterior would permit which I did. Dr. Sam Huddleston was generous to a fault and is a classic example of the kind of individuals who are attracted to the sport of soaring.
Getting back to Strawberry Hill and the Phoebus, after rigging it, Dr. Sam asked if I would like to fly yet another of his sailplanes. Well dear reader, you know how that question was answered.
Dr. Sam proceeded with the cockpit check out. Among the things mentioned was that the tow release was attached to the landing gear. I was so enamored with all the fancy instruments (no COSIM vario to be found) that I hardly noticed the whistling noise as a great deal of what the good doctor was telling me was going in one ear and out the other.
Off I went. The Phoebus seemed to have no bad habits. As I towed through two thousand feet I decided to retract the landing gear which seemed to be a bit stiff. After gear up...time to release. I pulled the knob which dribbled out of the console about three inches and dangled there. I was still on tow. Well this is embarrassing, so I tugged on the release, all to no avail. As I pondered the problem, the light slowly illuminated. I was glad to know that I was alone in the cockpit with no one there to see my blush of embarrassment. I lowered the gear and the release cable with attached knob retracted its self into the instrument panel and so when I reached three thousand feet and pulled the release device, it worked. Nice going dumy!

[zulus...@gmail.com]

[Dan Marotta]

I was new to Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, hired in as Chief
Systems Engineer on a classified program.  Within a couple of weeks of
starting with the company I was informed that the Chairman and CEO of
Lockheed (all of Lockheed), Dr. Dan Tellep, was coming to Denver to
visit our lab and that I was to give him a tour of our facilities.

During the briefing, I noticed that he was staring intently at me,
though lower than my eyes.  When the meeting broke up and I was to begin
the tour, he said to me, "Nice Lennie".  I was taken aback.  I had
attached my Gold Badge with a single Diamond to a tie clip and that was
what he was looking at.  But that broke the ice.

We talked soaring for a while and he told me that he had a Libelle back
in California.  I allowed that I had an ASW-19 and he was welcome to
take it up.  He told me in a soft voice that "the suits" wouldn't let
him do that.  Too bad.  When I got home that evening I looked in my copy
of the SSA member handbook and was surprised to see his name, address,
and home phone number.

Who'da thunk it?

--
Dan, 5J

[Airport Bum]

In the late ‘80’s I was lIving in Southern California doing stability and control design/test on the Lockheed YF-22, prototype for the F-22. And in my spare time soaring the Sierras out of the usual places. I had to take a months-long hiatus from soaring during flight testing, so I wasn’t at the glider port for this one, but one Monday night late 1990 I got a phone call from a Libelle-flying friend, “I met someone you might know this past weekend at Tehachapi...”. My friend told me this nice friendly guy showed up, hung around all morning helping people rig, pushing gliders, running wings etc. When this guy helped my friend rig his Libelle, he said “I have one of these, haven’t flown it for years, too busy. I am looking forward to retirement in a few years, then I should have time to get back into it.” Normal situation, normal guy. My friend said that that this guy mentioned he worked at Lockheed. Maybe I might know him? “His name was Dan, last name begins with a T, maybe Tulip? Heard of him?” Haha, Dan Tellep, then CEO of Lockheed. Nobody at the glider port there had a clue, apparently.

Lockheed California Company and the Skunk Works has had a number of really good soaring pilots among its ranks, most famous of course being Henry Combs, whose soaring achievements were well known and highly respected among many of my fellow Lockheed engineers, pilots and non-pilots alike. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Combs

Cheers,
Jim J6

[Dan Marotta]

Thanks for that, Jim.  I thought he was a really nice guy and you've
confirmed it.

--
Dan, 5J

[PMSC Member]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.

I wrote one for our club newsletter, back in 2012.
https://flypmsc.blogspot.com/2012/06/thrill-ride.html

Rick Sheppe

[Dan Marotta]

Nice story about a very interesting man!

--
Dan, 5J

[Dan Marotta]

'Nother story since Tom Serkowski has made many record flights and
leeching is always high on some people's lists...

I arrived one day at Fremont County Airport in Canon City, CO to find
Tom prepping his ASW-20 for, I believe, a World 100 km triangle Record
attempt.  Tom told me that his plan was to work upwind to the start
point and then use the Sangre de Christo mountains and fly the second
leg in wave lift followed by a mad downwind dash to the finish.  I told
him I'd tag along in my LS-6a just for fun.

And it was fun and, for me, a learning experience.  I followed Tom,
observing his glider.  When he went down relative to me, I would turn
slightly away.  When he went up, I'd fall in behind.  I did that for the
whole flight, even needing my dive brakes in the wave to stay below
18,000' MSL.

Of course, taking advantage that way had me quite a bit higher than Tom
when it was time to make the dash for the finish line.  At that time I
pushed it over and either finished ahead of him or, at least, with a
higher speed.  What a hoot it was!

I think Tom achieved the record that day and I had a lot of fun.

Dan

[Nick Kennedy]

GETTING HIGH IN PAROWAN UTAH
I had been to a couple of the Marfa spring wave camps sponsored by Dick Johnson in the early 2000's so I knew what a Shear Wave was/is. Got to 23k+ in my 1958 Ka6CR. Great fun, some good story's from those meets.

Fast forward to a few years later in a early Region 9 contest in Parowan Ut.
Flying my aSW 20 XS.
Due to a 1st day navigation error I was about last on the score sheet.
We take off on this kinda windy blue day, Top of the start is around 10k.
Well I climb up super high for no real reason, waiting for the start gate to open. I'm up over 17k in the blue, when my thermal peters out and I bump into what I recognize from Marfa is a shear wave. I want to exploit this thing so I think real quick and turn off my logger, and slowly s-turn my way up to over 22k and drift way back to the NE. Then someone comes over the radio and says " Hey isn't that a glider super high about 15 miles NE? Jeez I was spotted. I pulled my hat low over my eyes.
The start gate was going to open in about 15 minutes so I lowered my gear and flaps and opened the dive brakes and descended down to 10k to get a start.
After that, the rest of the day I felt so low.
I like getting up over 20k, the air is so nice and crisp up there.
Nick
T

[Frank Whiteley]

Tom was in his ASH-26E
https://www.fai.org/record/7983?type=node&id=24461

Frank Whiteley

[Dan Marotta]

A couple of questions:

Was the wave aligned so that you could use it to make great speed on course?
Would it have taken too long to climb back up to 17,500' after the start
to make it useful?

Great story by the way!

--
Dan, 5J

[Waveguru]

Sorry this is so long. Many years ago I owned an open Jantar and loved it. It had a tube plumbed thru the hull under the seat for your pissing convenience. I hooked it up and used it for a season, but then read in Soaring that with this type of arrangement, the pee would stick to the hull, and run back into the gear well and corrode stuff. I did a thorough inspection of my gear, and sure enough, it has started to corrode. I removed it, bead blasted it, powder coated it, and put it back in. The article also said that if you attach the piss tube to the gear door it would get the offending fluid away from the glider and it would solve the problem. In addition it said to put a T in the line so that you could blow out the pee so that it wouldn't freeze in the wave flights. I installed the new system with the T and tested it out on the ground with the glider in the cradle, and it worked great. Time for the test flight. Of course I waited until I REALLY had to pee. I lowered the gear and let'er rip. Instead of the pee going out the exit tube, it came blasting out the blow tube, gushing all over me! And as you all know, it's really hard to stop peeing once you get going, so I pinched the tube, and while I was trying to stop, the catheter condom blew up like a water balloon! I stuck the blow tube out the vent window, spraying pee all down the side of the fuselage. I was puzzled as to why it worked in the test, but not now. I figured that there was some kind of temporary plug, and that maybe I could blow it clear. I wiped the tube off and blew hard on into it, which just blew the condom up like a balloon again. Frustrated, and not thinking, I pulled the tube out of my mouth, and the pressure blasted the remaining pee all over me, and right into my mouth! My initial reaction was disgust, but my second one was gee, that isn't actually that bad... Back in the barn I found that when I sat in the seat, it crushed the tube running back to the gear. I eventually switched to a 2 liter bag which is much easier because I don't have to put the gear down and can pee in crowded thermals without getting it on my competitors.

Boggs

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

Sorry, I think I forgot to mention in my write up a many years ago that I put a spacer between the seat pan and the belly to prevent squeezing the tube.

But I have had the water balloon experience--when I used the tube in sub-freezing conditions and it froze. Fortunately, the blockage melted because I was running out of control. That's when I added the blowout tube--with a plug on the end. A little valve would be better but I was worried I'd get it confused with my drinking water tube. If what you're saying is true (I'll take your word for it), no big deal.

Chip Bearden
JB

[Dave Nadler]

Chip and Gary, obviously you need to upgrade to a Mark VIII:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJJb_ufo8A
PS: UH didn't believe it until I showed him...

[India November]

On Sunday, April 19, 2020 at 8:59:57 PM UTC-4, Waveguru wrote:
> Sorry this is so long. Many years ago I owned an open Jantar and loved it. It had a tube plumbed thru the hull under the seat for your pissing convenience. I hooked it up and used it for a season, but then read in Soaring that with this type of arrangement, the pee would stick to the hull, and run back into the gear well and corrode stuff. I did a thorough inspection of my gear, and sure enough, it has started to corrode. I removed it, bead blasted it, powder coated it, and put it back in. The article also said that if you attach the piss tube to the gear door it would get the offending fluid away from the glider and it would solve the problem. In addition it said to put a T in the line so that you could blow out the pee so that it wouldn't freeze in the wave flights. I installed the new system with the T and tested it out on the ground with the glider in the cradle, and it worked great. Time for the test flight. Of course I waited until I REALLY had to pee. I lowered the gear and let'er rip. Instead of the pee going out the exit tube, it came blasting out the blow tube, gushing all over me! And as you all know, it's really hard to stop peeing once you get going, so I pinched the tube, and while I was trying to stop, the catheter condom blew up like a water balloon! I stuck the blow tube out the vent window, spraying pee all down the side of the fuselage. I was puzzled as to why it worked in the test, but not now. I figured that there was some kind of temporary plug, and that maybe I could blow it clear. I wiped the tube off and blew hard on into it, which just blew the condom up like a balloon again. Frustrated, and not thinking, I pulled the tube out of my mouth, and the pressure blasted the remaining pee all over me, and right into my mouth! My initial reaction was disgust, but my second one was gee, that isn't actually that bad... Back in the barn I found that when I sat in the seat, it crushed the tube running back to the gear. I eventually switched to a 2 liter bag which is much easier because I don't have to put the gear down and can pee in crowded thermals without getting it on my competitors.
>
> Boggs

Where do you put the 2-litre bag--behind your seat?

Curious for myself.
Ian IN

[cliff...@gmail.com]

most of the guys who use the bag, lay it beside there leg or strap it to there calf.

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

YO,

I'd seen your Mark VIII video before. I'm waiting for the Mark IX you promised: a tube feeding a holding tank at the glider's CG. A level-sensing switch empties it at the appropriate time by closing a valve on the input side, pressurizing the tank using compressed air from a companion tank (charged on the ground or, in version IXa, by a small onboard 12v air compressor), and opening a valve to the discharge tube leading all the way back thru the fuselage to a tube that extends (a la Mark VIII) horizontally until it's aft of the rudder. Then, with an abundance of caution, it flushes the entire system each time with 50 cc of water from a connector to the water ballast system. I heard you had to make some adjustments after the air compressor accidentally pressurized your left water ballast tank and partially separated the wing skin from the spar. How could you have known that would happen? I agree a $2.99 check valve should fix that in the future. Teething problems like this are part of every great technological advance

Sign me up when it's ready. What good is technology if we don't use it? Besides, I'm tired of pilots complaining every time they see my wheel come down in a thermal.

Chip Bearden
JB

[Dan Marotta]

My late friend, Renny Rozzoni, always carried a couple of bottles of a
sports drink when he flew.  After finishing one bottle, he would use it
as a pee reservoir.  After a certain incident, he never again carried
yellow Gator Aid, only red and blue...

--
Dan, 5J

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

Yep, I usually get "fruit punch" (sorta red) for Gatorade.....so I don't mix bottles.....BTW, earlier Gatorade had a "wide mouth" top, also a full US quart, not the new smaller capacity.....easier to "refill"....good for long road trips as well...
Quart sized+ ziplock baggies were also useful.....never tried external catheter or similar...

[Waveguru]

The nice thing about a condom and leg bag on the floor is that you hook it up ahead of time and so when it comes time to pee, there is nothing to fiddle with.

Boggs

[Dave Nadler]

http://www.nadler.com/public/1995_Flying_the_Monerai.html

[uncl...@ix.netcom.com]

On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 4:05:39 PM UTC-4, Waveguru wrote:
> The nice thing about a condom and leg bag on the floor is that you hook it up ahead of time and so when it comes time to pee, there is nothing to fiddle with.
>
> Boggs

So back on story track.
Some years ago we were flying in the Club Class WGC at Musbach in Germany.
It was not so nice a day, still raining, when Christian told us to grid for a 5:00 launch.
Days last late in the summer we're told.
Off we go, flying across to the Alb where we go by the entire German Open Class nationals field sitting in lawn chairs to watch the show. This was easy because we were at their height. Gradually reality happened and we all landed out not very far from each other.
I called Dianne and told her I was in Geisingen and pick me up near the church.
We got together just fine and had the Hornet in the box in quick time just as the sun was setting, now about 8:30 or so.
Pulling out of the field I mentioned to our other crew (the glider owner, Benno) that the trailer did not look right. Sure enough, we had a broken torsion bar on the axle. We're 120k from home and need to be ready to fly the next day.
Benno then called our friend Helge, who happened to be with the open guys at Klippeneck. Helge said he would see what he could do. Less than 30 minute later Helge said he had found a guy with Hornet who told him to go to his shop, put his glider in the shop, and take the trailer. Bring it back when you are done.
At a little after 10:30 we had moved out Hornet into the borrowed trailer and headed back to base. We flew the next day, 400k or so.
While I was flying, Benno got to find a new axle and fit it to his trailer.
It's amazing the generosity we see in our soaring family.
UH

[Martin Gregorie]

Nice story!

IME the same happens on a lot of individual, and especially aviation-
related sports. Not fill-size flying, but my mind creeps back to the
early 90s, when the French Free Flight event at Poitou used to be huge,
with 130-135 entrants in F1A being the norm. Come flyoff time, there were
a large number of people with full scores, whittled down to two of us
Brits in the first few flyoffs. We were travelling together fore the
trip. I n the last two flyoff rounds just the two of us were left. In
both, we found good air, launched and then jumped into the same car to
head off downwind to get the toys back. Mike Fantham (WC in 1993),
finally got the best air and maxed. I didn't find such good air and
dropped the flight for second. That was one of the most enjoyable events
I've flown.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

[markm...@gmail.com]

OK- this kind of ties in to the 18 meter gliders need their own records and class thread.

One of our (former) pilots at Moriarty was known for running down his batteries, because they were connected to his radio and PTT switch. I mean, this guy's Tail Letters should have been "TMI." Everything he saw, experienced or imagined went out on 123.3. One day he blasted out. "I just had a DISASTER in my cockpit! My catheter just popped off, and now I got pee all over everything!"

Naturally, everybody in radio range was having catheter problems as we laughed our asses off.

A couple of hours later, I found myself getting a bit low, but with a bailout runway (barely) in reach. Our intrepid urine-soaked hero pulled into my weak-ass 200 fpm bugfart a few hundred feet below me. It finally got to about 400 fpm and we climbed to 10,000 MSL (3,800 AGL). I keyed the mic and said, "Another circle and I'll be ready to head home."

He replied, "Ha! With these 18 meter tips, I can already make it back.. Easy!"

I said, "Lucky you. You got 18 meters. But my catheter doesn't fall off."

[5Z]

On Saturday, April 18, 2020 at 3:53:17 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
> I arrived one day at Fremont County Airport in Canon City, CO to find
> Tom prepping his ASW-20 for, I believe, a World 100 km triangle Record
> attempt.

Hey Dan, looks like you conflated two flights :-)

My world record was indeed flown from Fremont County, but several years after our pair flight....

For quite a few years, I'd been studying the wave off the Sangre de Cristo in the Wet Valley above Westcliffe, CO. First in my ASW-20, then the ASH-26E. So our flight was one of many tests of how to best work the conditions.

In November 2003, I was at Fremont County airport doing an annual on the '26E with my AI. We did most of the work on Saturday and put it all back together in Sunday morning. Since the ship was assembled at the end of the annual, flying it home to BFSS at Kelly Airpark seemed like a good idea.

I noticed lennies in the Wet Valley, so declared my most recent tweak to the 100km triangle I'd come up with.

Wind was dead calm on the ground. Motoring toward Westcliffe, I passed through the inversion at around 10K and was suddenly pushing into a 40+ knot headwind. Soon, I connected with the secondary wave near my planned start point. I shut down the engine and did some exploring to make sense of the lift area.

Somewhere around 14K or so (need to dig up the IGC file - working from memory here), I made the start and set on 120KIAS with arms firmly locked on the stick. Cruising crosswind in the secondary and climbing, I approach downwind of the first turn. So I turn into the wind, still doing 120, and press on in the sink until connecting with the primary. A sort crosswind run to reach the first turn and a huge wingover from 120 down to 60 or so, then dive back to 120 and blast on to the next turn. This leg is all lift.

I do another wingover at the second turn, making sure I don't hit 18K. The last leg is a little difficult due to a few rotor wisps getting in the way, so I have to maneuver to stay in the clear. The finish point is still in the lift zone.

Since the first lap took less than 30 minutes, I go around again, now that I know what to expect. Second time was a bit faster, 243.4 kph or 151.2 mph! A month later, Horacio Miranda does 249 kph in Argentina.

While I'm doing this, my wife is driving back north to Kelly Airpark with the trailer.

After crossing the finish line, I slow down and climb to 17K+ and then hop wave to wave back to Kelly Airpark.

5Z

[dmt...@gmail.com]

Long time stalker, first time poster.
My first story is about how thankful I am for Hank Nixon and Diane Black's generosity. I apologizing for not thanking you ~40 years later is IMHO better than not at all. I haven't had anything to deal with soaring for a long time, but so many of my best memories have to deal with soaring and contests. First things first. My dad (Mike Teter; MJ) was a member of the Harris Hill Soaring Society (HHSC). I got to go to many contests and had the great fortune of being a "spotter" for Charlie Spratt back at the first 15-Meter Nationals at Bryan, OH back in 1976(?). I have good memories of working the gate at Region 5 in Chester (despite constantly having teenager fights with my dad during the contests). I spent my teenage years as a junior member of the HHSC (IMHO, one of the best opportunities on the planet). I flew ok, but wasn't anything special. My memory/story is that right before the start of 10th grade, several of the HHSC juniors and some of the grownups took some ships (2-33/1-26) out to Middletown Soaring Club for an excursion. We all had a great time (sorry for the food poisoning puking in your basement due to some bad Pizza Hut pizza). I didn't know it at the time, but my parents had decided to separate... I don't know the details, but Hank and Diane let me stay with them for a week or so rather than deal with the drama. Diane drove me home in one of her fun cars (I want to say it was a Rover instead of a Jag). I'm now 54-years old. Ex-spook. PhD. Had a lot of fun, but still. I remember Hank and Diane doing something very kind and I appreciate it. Thank you.
Eventually, I ended up in NM doing nuclear weapons work, but I never felt that Moriarty (despite being 5 miles from my ranch) was a good place for kids (unlike HHSC). I also got to be one of Charlie Spratt's kids. That was great, although if I could, I wish I could tell Charlie that I'm sorry for being a pain in the ass. Cheers.

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 11:40:32 AM UTC-7, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.

> I'll go first.-
>
> During the regional at Harris Hill in 2013 I was flying K21 with grandson Calvin Mampe, Rachel Conklin, and her sister Michelle. All 3 had flown multiple contests with me before, 2 having done so before they were old enough to solo.
> Half way through the contest, my wife Dianne had a terrible fall and ended up hospitalized with some very serious injuries. All 3 of the juniors had good flights with me earlier in the contest so I told them to just keep on flying.
> On Friday, Calvin and Rachel flew but decided to abandon the task part way around the course due to rain. They did not want to land out and take the ship apart in the rain. Smart!
> The next day Rachel and Michelle flew together. About 4:00 I was in the ICU with Dianne when Calvin called. When I answered, he simply said “K21 four miles”. Our 2 young ladies had flown the course for a reasonable score. To my knowledge, this is the first time two young sisters had ever flown in competition. We had a seriously great group hug that night. This may be my best ever moment as a supporter of youth soaring.
> Following up- Michelle is now an A&P working for Textron and just finished her first restoration, a 1-26E. Rachel is instructing at Flight Safety and soon will have all the requirements for her ATP.
>
> UH

[dmt...@gmail.com]

Sorry for the typos. Booze. I'd also like to add that I remember and appreciate all of the time that I spent with getting flight instruction (FI)and playing chess with Dave Welles, FI and general pointing me in a positive direction by John "Corky" Gill, and playing chess with Judge Hal Lattimore. Also, thanks to Herbie Mozer for my first joint in a hot tub. (p.s. the CIA knows). :)

[Michael Opitz]

>Sorry for the typos. Booze. I'd also like to add that I remember and

>apprec=

>iate all of the time that I spent with getting flight instruction (FI)and

>p=

>laying chess with Dave Welles, FI and general pointing me in a
positive

>dir=

>ection by John "Corky" Gill, and playing chess with Judge Hal
Lattimore.

>Al=

>so, thanks to Herbie Mozer for my first joint in a hot tub. (p.s. the CIA

>k=
>nows). :)
>

How about when your father thought that he would slay the 1970
Standard Nationals competition with his secret Corning IR scope to
see thermals with. He sneaked it into his 1-23 before take-off on
one contest day, having never tried it before. Once he got off tow,
he tried to raise it to look for thermals, only to find that it was so
long that it hit the canopy to where he could only see his instrument
panel through the scope. Busted.......but he joked about it later.
He was a nice guy...

RO

[Dan Marotta]

That come from the life style poly?

On 4/24/2020 9:09 PM, dmt...@gmail.com wrote:
> Also, thanks to Herbie Mozer for my first joint in a hot tub. (p.s. the CIA knows).:)

--
Dan, 5J

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

If nothing else...since I was crew and other stuff back then....WTF you saying????

I was normally crew back then, heard many things...can't say I ever heard what you're proposing...

Yes, sitting back in the back for weather briefing, weather God was stating "good day" while his comment was drowned out by rain on tin roof...

Sigh....

[Eric Greenwell]

Nick Kennedy wrote on 4/18/2020 4:12 PM:
> GETTING HIGH IN PAROWAN UTAH
> I had been to a couple of the Marfa spring wave camps sponsored by Dick Johnson in the early 2000's so I knew what a Shear Wave was/is. Got to 23k+ in my 1958 Ka6CR. Great fun, some good story's from those meets.
>

> Fast forward to a few years later in a early Region 9 contest in Parowan Ut..

> Flying my aSW 20 XS.
> Due to a 1st day navigation error I was about last on the score sheet.
> We take off on this kinda windy blue day, Top of the start is around 10k.
> Well I climb up super high for no real reason, waiting for the start gate to open. I'm up over 17k in the blue, when my thermal peters out and I bump into what I recognize from Marfa is a shear wave. I want to exploit this thing so I think real quick and turn off my logger, and slowly s-turn my way up to over 22k and drift way back to the NE. Then someone comes over the radio and says " Hey isn't that a glider super high about 15 miles NE? Jeez I was spotted. I pulled my hat low over my eyes.
> The start gate was going to open in about 15 minutes so I lowered my gear and flaps and opened the dive brakes and descended down to 10k to get a start.
> After that, the rest of the day I felt so low.
> I like getting up over 20k, the air is so nice and crisp up there.
> Nick
> T
>

How do you recognize a shear wave, compared to the usual mountain lee wave?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorgliders/publications/download-the-guide-1

[Nick Kennedy]

Eric
Good Morning
Like I said I went to 2 of Dick Johnson's camps at Marfa to fly the Shear Wave.
I got about 10 flights in there.
Others please chime in here as I don't really understand these waves, but here is what I know.
They Are Not classic Mt. lee Waves.
Marfa tends to be pretty breezy/ windy in the spring.
At the first pilot meeting Dick asked who had never been here before and after the usual, do this, don't do that, don't crash,pick up your trash talk he had a meeting for us newbies.
He told us to thermal up as high as we could and then instead of putting the nose down and speeding off, keep the nose up and sniff around and try to transition into the shear wave. It is a area that moves about 1/2 the wind speed and is variable from 1-3 knots up. He explained it was caused by a wind shift. Like say in Marfa the wind at 12k might be 270 @ 28, then just above the wind might be say 230 @ 35. I don't understand how but this bounce occurs in Marfa but you S Turn and 360 in this area going up to stay in it, and you can get pretty high. You slowly drift downwind while climbing. And its smooth.
Like I said I don't really understand it- even now, but its there on a regular enough basis to have camps.
Dick and his wife were great and very helpful to me at these camps!
When he saw my Ka6CR he knew it was not the highest performing ship in the fleet so he pulled out my map and marked some places to put it down NE of Marfa if I came up short, which I did one day, which is another story for Story Time.

[Tango Whisky]

I had a similar thing in Norther Germany (which is as flat as flat can get).
Wind shear at a little less than cloudbase (with well developed streets) created a wave with the Cu clouds as obstacles, and I was able to climb 2000 ft above cloud base.

[sgs...@gmail.com]

This has also been experienced in extreme South Florida, appx. 90 degree windshift at top of convection. I don't think there are secondary, tertiary - perhaps not "wave", but laminar flow over the top of the intruding mixed layer?

[john firth]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
> I'll go first.-
>
> During the regional at Harris Hill in 2013 I was flying K21 with grandson Calvin Mampe, Rachel Conklin, and her sister Michelle. All 3 had flown multiple contests with me before, 2 having done so before they were old enough to solo.
> Half way through the contest, my wife Dianne had a terrible fall and ended up hospitalized with some very serious injuries. All 3 of the juniors had good flights with me earlier in the contest so I told them to just keep on flying.
> On Friday, Calvin and Rachel flew but decided to abandon the task part way around the course due to rain. They did not want to land out and take the ship apart in the rain. Smart!
> The next day Rachel and Michelle flew together. About 4:00 I was in the ICU with Dianne when Calvin called. When I answered, he simply said “K21 four miles”. Our 2 young ladies had flown the course for a reasonable score. To my knowledge, this is the first time two young sisters had ever flown in competition. We had a seriously great group hug that night. This may be my best ever moment as a supporter of youth soaring.
> Following up- Michelle is now an A&P working for Textron and just finished her first restoration, a 1-26E. Rachel is instructing at Flight Safety and soon will have all the requirements for her ATP.
>
> UH

This is often called "thermal wave" as it seems to need thermals to
get it going; it used to be a fairly frequent occurence in Eastern Canada
in the '70s and 80s.
In 1977 on a day with cloud streets at 7000 ft, I transitioned into
weak wave at cloudbase. It got better high up and I was still climbing 2kts
at 16K; the Cu had become lennies stretching as far as one could see.
I published a paper with the met. details at the 1978 Ostiv conf..

Despite regular flying in the last 20 years, I have not encountered
any thermal wave since! Climate change?

John Firth

[jpg...@gmail.com]

I don't think that shear wave is necessarily dependent on thermals below it. I have seen otherwise inexplicable clearly delineated shear wave in the early mornings over flat central South Africa long before the thermals got going. This upper wave system persisted after the thermals started but the base of it, and top of the thermals, were above the 14500ft (10,000 agl) airspace limit.

[WB]

My first flight instructor, Ed Gaddy, frequently described thermal wave. Since Ed told me about it, I have always looked for it. It is there more often than we think. I have encountered usable wave-like lift that goes above cloudbase most years and have seen it nearly every place that I have soared in the U.S. Best case was in Eastern North Carolina in 1987. I was flying an SGS-123D. Wind out of the East on the ground, brisk, maybe 15 knots. Gorgeous cloud streets forming. Textbook lenticular clouds on top of each cu. Climbed up to cloudbase at 5000'. Explored out away from the upwind edge of the cloud, about 90 degrees to the wind direction below cloudbase, and found weak, smooth lift, flew back and forth climbing slowly, lift gradually increased to a whole 2 knots. Eventually made it to 8000' several hundred feet below the leading edge of the lennies. Was able to fly along the top of the streets for miles. A couple seasons ago, at a GTA event, I was able to climb my H301 about 1000' above cloudbase. Two towering cu's merged at their bottoms and tops to form one big cloud with a tunnel through it. Flew through that mile long tunnel in zero sink. That was fun, but exceedingly weird. Kinda like a surfer in the tube.

[Dave Nadler]

On Friday, May 1, 2020 at 2:15:18 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
> This is often called "thermal wave"...

https://www.ssa.org/Contests?show=blog&id=4169

[Bruce Friesen]

Thank you, Dave, for that write-up.

On the Canadian prairies, the clue to thermal wave is a shift in cloud orientation. Takes a bit of wind, so typically a day with well defined streets up and down the wind. Abruptly, over a period of only half an hour or so, the skyscape changes - perhaps all of it, perhaps only one large area - to bands of cloud across the wind. Time to go wave hunting! Pressing forward into wind at cloud base, as others have said.

Sometimes, rather dramatic lennies cap the cu, but not always, and not the first clue.

Cheers, Bruce

[sgs...@gmail.com]

I have seen lennies over tcu and cb countless times - but never any indication of secondary, tertiary wave action. Only reason I'm not calling it "wave"...

[Dave Nadler]

Often there's a blue wave in back of a cu that pushes into a
higher wind-speed at top of inversion. Decades ago Ingo Renner
taught me to look for that, as the cap cloud on the cu shows
essentially ridge lift, but the rebound (wave) can go much higher.
So while you can get above the cloud in front of it,
you can get much higher downwind.

Hope I explained that OK,
Best Regards, Dave

[Steve Bralla]

Anyone who has driven on washboard dirt roads has experienced shear wave. The car tires moving in a different direction from the stationary dirt road. That makes the washboard bumps in the road. Not that I understand it. I also saw this in a wave tank with salt and fresh water as a the the lighter water passed over the lower heavier water. *Don Altman, SIO grad student, Hydro Lab, 1983. Wonder where he is today.)
Steve

[lynn]

> Way back about 1980 I was approached by my glider friend, Chris Lomax, asking if I could help him retrieve a Libelle piloted by Joe Robertson. Seems he landed out about 10 miles from Ephrata in a dirt field. Well, since he did not have a car with a tow hook could I use my car to retrieve him? I said show me his trailer and we will be there in no time. We located the trailer (one of those homebuilt boxy aluminum types) and proceeded at near light speed toward the west. We took a couple of wrong turns on dirt roads which were dead ends, but no worry, I just backed the trailer into the sage brush and dirt and continued on the way. Soon we spotted Joe standing next to the road and we pulled up with smiles on our proud faces having made it in record time. Only problem was it wasn't Joe's trailer AND it was occupied with another Libelle. This story was kept hush, hush for awhile as the owner of the other Libelle was a very picky pilot who always kept everything he owned very clean. We spent considerable time later cleaning his trailer to a nice shine. Never
heard him complaining about dust and dirt inside so it must have been sealed well. Lynn Wyman

[Nick Kennedy]

Thanks to all those who threw in there 2 cents about Shear Waves.

I've experienced almost all the described different Thermal, thermal induced waves etc. Cu induced waves..
But these are NOT the Shear waves that develop in Marfa Tx.

The Marfa Shear Waves are localized areas that develop, that move about 1/2 the wind speed and can go pretty High, up into the mid and high 20's. And very slow climbs, like often 1-2 knots, took hours to get high.
I was hoping a couple of Texas Pilots who understand these things were going to chime in with some sort of real explanation.

At one of these meets, I spoke with Jim Crisp, RIP, during a party at his motorhome. I remember asking him about these Shear waves; he would just smile and say
"Who knows? Aren't they wonderful? Let me get you another drink!"

[sgs...@gmail.com]

Are you referring to the dry convergence, Marfa and Elsinore are known for it. Could also trigger the wave-like lift above.

[Bob Gibbons]

On Fri, 1 May 2020 11:15:16 -0700 (PDT), john firth
<johnf...@gmail.com> wrote:

> text deleted on shear waves

>
>Despite regular flying in the last 20 years, I have not encountered
>any thermal wave since! Climate change?
>
>John Firth

I think shear waves are just a prevalent as always, but we are flying
different ships than we were 40-50 years ago.

Here in N Texas in the 70's I could climb in shear waves in my Ka6E
probably 8-10 times per year. Later in my PIK-20, maybe only once or
twice a year could I find them.

Now in a Ventus cT I find them only once every few years. Higher wing
loading makes find the small initial surges more difficult to detect.

My experience has always been max alt about 500-1000 ft over the
cumulus tops.

[Nick Kennedy]

SGS
No these Marfa Shear Waves have nothing to do with the Dry Line.
Or Cu.
As I recall we were almost always in the blue, and at the top of the Thermal, you would keep the nose up and poke around looking for this subtle bump, you'd know it when you found it. It went smooth and these areas were say, roughly, 1/2 mile by 1/2 mile. You would have to slowly drift with it and S turn and /or slowly 360 to stay in them. And these areas would drift at about 1/2 the wind speed.
It was pretty windy when we were doing all this.
They are differential wind direction induced.
They were easy to stay in, but it was windy during all this and you'd drift quite a ways downwind. In my Ka6 CR I'd have to leap frog forward to keep the airport in glide.
Fun times in Marfa.
We got to go see the "Marfa Lights" too which are really cool.
Goggle those things.
They had/ have grandstands set up next to the interstate to hang out on and watch, they are a trip to see in person.
Nick
T

[moshe....@gmail.com]

No cu, but you did say "thermal". With the air too dry to form cu, you can climb higher, rather than being limited by cloudbase. That may give you a better chance of reaching the altitude where the wind shifts (above the inversion) forming the "wave". But the thermals are needed, as they poke up into the inversion so the (relative) wind has something to bump up against. Also the half-wind-speed drift is characteristic of thermals (and that's a whole 'nuther topic to argue over - at what speed do thermals drift).

It does seem that I used to find these sort of things more often in 1-26's and later HP-14, and less often in recent years even though my glider's wing loading is not very high (AC4, 7psf).

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

Two years ago at the Std. Nats at TSA, I went thru mile after mile of sink getting to the second turn in the blue. Mitch Hudson helpfully had his ADS-B indicating a decent climb. It was a long glide but I went for it and rolled into a turbulent thermal at something over 1,000 ft. AGL. It was work but I was finally breathing a sigh of relief and getting ready to leave when I realized the thermal wasn't rough anymore. It was smoother. A lot smoother.


I shouldn't have stayed because it wasn't that great but I tracked back and forth in classic wave lift, watching the flatlands around Dallas, and picked up another few thousand feet over the thermal tops that day. It was still going up when I turned downwind. I went through another area of sink, another weak up section, then more sink. When I turned crosswind for the final leg, I was more focused on not getting caught flying in the down cycle of whatever was going on than I was pushing to go fast. Apparently no one else had problems with falling out of the sky nor did they have the chance to climb up high like I did.


We had a laugh the next morning hearing Walt Rogers, met man and daily winner, describe how he looked up at one point and saw my glider above 9,000, several thousand feet ABOVE his forecast for max for the day. Anguished, he briefly imagined that everyone else was romping around at that altitude before reality set in. :)


Chip Bearden
JB

[Nick Kennedy]

VAL AIR DURANGO COLORADO FIELD CHECK FLIGHT

I go down to Val Air to fly my Asw 20 and I was kinda surprised that they tell me I'm going to have to take a field check flight first.
I had actually interviewed with owners Bev and LaVerne St. Clair about being a commercial ride pilot for them, as I has giving rides and towing at the time in Telluride.
They said everyone had to have a field check and I think, OK, probably not a bad idea as Val Air looked a little challenging, Barb wire fences to take your head off, tall trees on the approach to miss, hangers to hit, the Animas river right there that you could really blow it and go into, etc etc and it's in a fairly narrow valley.
So I rig and go up to see Bev in the kiosk to get a field check.
LaVerne is going to be my instructor. We get in the Blanik L 23 and I ask him what are we going to do? Oh normal stuff he says, stalls, slow flight coordination exercises. As the slack comes out he says " Your Airplane"
Off we go and everything looks pretty good when at about 6-700 AGL, LaVerne yells " THERES THE TRAIN! LET GO! I'll TAKE IT"
The Durango -Silverton tourist steam train was coming by and LaVerne pushes over into a zero G dive and gets in 2 passes next to the train, below powerline height, at redline, which I was keeping a eye on.
He does a low level 180 and lines up to land in a full performance slip. He asks me if I'd like to land it. I decline and he lands short so we don't have to push back too far.
"How did I do I ask?" Your OK he says.
I doubt that flight lasted 2.5 minutes.
Later when I'm paying my bill I ask Bev if I have to pay for that checkout.
She asks if I learned anything?
I said, Sure did! Don't hit the train!
She waived the checkout fee, sweet gal she is.
Nick
T

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

LOL.....I won't name site...but decades ago I was at a club site (I was a member of) and wanted to take my son on a flight in club -21....
I was informed I needed a quorum of onsite staff and then a check ride (since I hadn't done prior written approval...fine...).
I received the quorum, then set up the check ride.
I reviewed the ship papers as well as operating manual....strapped in....maybe 300' AGL.....bang...."rope break".....turn and land....comment from back was...."don't bang the front wheel, it splits the fuselage seam...".
I was signed off (to the eyeball rolling of my check pilot) to use the club 2 seater. Yes, my son and I had a fun local XC flight...
:-)
Sometimes, "when in Rome....".....

[WB]

Back in 1982, I took the checkride for my glider ticket at an East coast soaring site, now moved to a different location and run by different folks. Was told to pre-flight the 2-33. Found that one of the elevator hinge pins was a rusty nail. Didn't think too much of (or about) that. The examiner finally showed up (names withheld out of respect for the dead) and off we went. I flew the tow, no problem there. Upon release, the examiner said "I got it" and proceeded to take over and give me a very nice lesson in thermalling. After 15 minutes or so, tells me to get back on the controls and close my eyes. He said he would put the ship in an attitude and when he said to open my eyes, I was to recover to straight and level. I felt the nose come up and what I thought was a bank to the left. Of course, it was a spin entry. Just as the glider started shaking in a stall and he put in full left rudder, the instrument panel (held on by one dzus fastener and the scat tube) fell off in my lap. Now I'm holding the panel up with my left hand and he's telling me to open my eyes and recover the aircraft. It worked out OK since a 2-33 will recover from a spin pretty much on it's own anyway. The examiner took over again and flew for another 30 minutes before having me land and stop right by his car. I passed.

A few months later I stopped by the same soaring site on a Sunday afternoon. There is that same 2-33, on a normal looking downwind for landing, then the glider drops into a steep dive and then pulls up into two consecutive loops. Coming out of the second loop it goes straight into a short final approach and lands. Things were different then...

[markm...@gmail.com]

I think this "Story Time" thread is one of the most entertaining things I've seen on RAS. I hope it keeps going! This isn't a soaring story per se, but it's pretty amusing.

One of Sundance Aviation's tow pilots in Moriarty was renowned for his quick and sardonic wit. He told us of an occasion (shortly after the establishment of the TSA as a result of 9/11) when he ferried an airplane to San Francisco, CA. He flew back commercially on an airline. While going through the new "security" check (before the days of X-Raying the carry-on and taking off your shoes, he ran into a particularly snotty Asian female TSA agent who was VERY impressed with the uniform epaulets. Hers, not his.

She was digging through his flight bag (his only baggage) and pulled out his handheld radio, headset, charts and all the rest of the detritus that makes an airplane fly (according to the FAA) when she came upon his portable Garmin GPS.

Obviously perplexed with the device, she demanded, "WAAT DEES!?"

Without missing a beat, he replied, "It's a vacuum-actuated water-inducted overhead fiber duster."

She looked at it again. Looked at him (all innocent and compliant). Looked at it again and snapped, "No turn on in airplane!" He adopted a pleading expression and said, "But, but, I have allergies!"

She relented, and quietly said, "Well...OK.)

The guy behind him in the TSA line who watched the entire episode was another pilot and was absolutely convulsed with laughter and was almost choking himself trying to stifle it because at that time, you NEVER laughed around an annoyed TSA agent, lest you become a candidate for a random cavity search.

Ever since then one of our catch phrases at Moriarty when seeing an unfamiliar piece of equipment is, "WAAT DEES!?)

[herbk...@gmail.com]

Story from back in Germany at our glider club: We had a contract with a local brewery that gave us a lot of money upfront for committing to buying exclusively their very good Pilsener beer. It was delivered by the pallet load and kept under lock. Our "beer currency" meant that ANY good or bad deed at the club cost you a case with 20 bottles. Sometimes we managed to have 5-6 cases brought out at the end of a flying day. We often had a hard time getting through all that Freibier. It pains me to admit that there was no age limit to who could partake, we probably created quite a few youth-alcoholics.
Herb

[uncl...@ix.netcom.com]

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
> I'll go first.-
>

Another story:
I started out as a child. I saw gliders at Harris Hill when we flew a kids contest as part of the Nationals in 1955.
Fast forward to out of college and finally flying gliders.
I bought a 1-26D during my second real year of soaring and set out to do my badges. I had literally dreamed of that first real cross country flight for most of my life. Visions of a long distance flight landing late in the day, and all that stuff.
Time for my first distance flight.
The appointed day comes. It is a beautiful day. I prepare and take my tow about noon. I proceeded to notch the barogram to the ground in record time. No give up- lets try again. New record for barograph notch time.
Obviously it was not the time for me to make the flight, so I went about doing some training flights with my sister. We had no problems soaring with ease.
This, of course, proves that the heaviest object known to a glider pilot is a barograph on a badge flight.
About 4:00 I decided to take a tow and at least do my altitude leg.
Having given up all hope of cross country, I managed to notch without falling down and gained about 4000 feet in short order.
A cloud street beckoned to the north east as far as I could see so I turned and headed over toward the Hudson river. I don't think I circled until I got to the river. There I climbed to cloud base and made the glide to a single cloud a few miles past the river. I topped that and made a straight glide landing at Danbury airport, a little over 50 miles from home, but good enough for Silver distance.
After anticipating this flight for much of my life, it was so easy and such a non event that it still is one of the greatest letdowns of my life.
The sense of adventure has remained and there have been lots of rewarding flights since.
UH

[Michael Opitz]

At 20:16 12 May 2020, uncl...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
>On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4,
uncl...@ix.netcom.com

>wrote=

>:
>> Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some
stories of

>=

>our experiences.
>> I'll go first.-

>>=20

>Another story:
>I started out as a child. I saw gliders at Harris Hill when we flew a
kids

>=

>contest as part of the Nationals in 1955.
>Fast forward to out of college and finally flying gliders.
>I bought a 1-26D during my second real year of soaring and set
out to do

>my=

> badges. I had literally dreamed of that first real cross country
flight

>fo=

>r most of my life. Visions of a long distance flight landing late in
the

>da=

>y, and all that stuff.
>Time for my first distance flight.
>The appointed day comes. It is a beautiful day. I prepare and take
my tow

>a=

>bout noon. I proceeded to notch the barogram to the ground in
record time.

>=

>No give up- lets try again. New record for barograph notch time.
>Obviously it was not the time for me to make the flight, so I went
about

>do=

>ing some training flights with my sister. We had no problems
soaring with

>e=

>ase.
>This, of course, proves that the heaviest object known to a glider
pilot

>is=
> a barograph on a badge flight. =20

>About 4:00 I decided to take a tow and at least do my altitude leg.
>Having given up all hope of cross country, I managed to notch
without

>falli=

>ng down and gained about 4000 feet in short order.
>A cloud street beckoned to the north east as far as I could see so I

>turned=

> and headed over toward the Hudson river. I don't think I circled
until I

>g=

>ot to the river. There I climbed to cloud base and made the glide to
a

>sing=

>le cloud a few miles past the river. I topped that and made a
straight

>glid=

>e landing at Danbury airport, a little over 50 miles from home, but
good

>en=

>ough for Silver distance.
>After anticipating this flight for much of my life, it was so easy and

>such=

> a non event that it still is one of the greatest letdowns of my life.
>The sense of adventure has remained and there have been lots of
rewarding

>f=
>lights since.
>UH
>

My Silver distance was done in a 1-26 after someone else had
finished their 5 hour flight in that glider that same day. It was at
our club's annual summer encampment to Wurtsboro. It took 2
evening thermals and a landing in a farmer's field 31.7 miles South
along the ridge back in 1966...

RO

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

Like most "old timers" on this newsgroup, I got my Silver Distance in a 1-26. I needed it to fly in the 1-26 Championships (then called the North Americans) at our airport in Richmond, IN in 1969. I'd flown in three contests with a handful of XC flights but none met the requirements of 50 km straight out.

So the day before the contest opened, I took off headed north and came to earth 49 miles away in Portland, IN. I was worried that I wouldn't have time to send in the documentation.

About half way through the contest, I finally mentioned it to an official. "Oh," they laughed, "You've flown a contest before. That's good enough."

FWIW, In that 7-day contest, I had 9 flights over 4 flying days--including 3 on one day when I relit; relaunched and landed out, then rushed back on the trailer for a relight; and launched again.

I had never completed a task when we launched on the last day. When the contest was over, I still hadn't, having slid to a halt about a mile short of the finish. Only 2 days were scorable. It was a no contest but they went ahead and scored all 4 days anyway so they could hand out some trophies.

In a way, that early contest captured so much of what has been frustrating about soaring over the years: wx that turns bad just as the contest begins; frequent landouts; lots of effort and expense for very few contest days; and coming frustratingly short of a goal. It's amazing to me that I'm still involved 50+ years later since not much has changed. :)

Chip Bearden
JB

[johnsin...@yahoo.com]

I rented my LS-6 to a member of the British team that competed in the 1990 Per-worlds held at Minden, Nv. I believe the pilot that flew my bird was Martin Wells. It was a package deal for use of the bird and a crew (Pat & me). We enjoyed being around some of the worlds best pilots and I told the British team a little about the local area and what to expect flying each days task.
After about 5 days flying, Martin asked if he could have the wing tape replaced on his ship. I replied, Martin, that’s lucky tape, it has served you well for 5 days.......if you replace it, you’ll surely land out! Don’t you know anything about Soaring? He chuckled and said he wasn’t suspicious and wanted new tape anyway !

You guessed it...........I changed the tape and Martin landed out the next day!
Cheers,
JJ

[sgs...@gmail.com]

The Fonz reused his tape religiously and his chops were often busted over it. He said something like " You guys can bust my balls all you want, but you don't get it - this is my lucky tape".

In his honor I reuse my tape at least once, wrap it around my spray can of lithium grease when disassembling. Quite handy actually, and eco-friendly!

[chip.b...@gmail.com]

OK, I need to get out in front of the "reuse of tape" thing before I get hammered here. :) I've taken too much grief from other pilots over the years, and not just from the ones who "helpfully" removed my tape during derigging and balled it up, eliciting an agonized groan from me.

I've been reusing tape since at least the mid 70s. I buy fairly inexpensive white electrical tape and apply it new early in the season: nothing special except I use two pieces per wing panel, one on top and one on the bottom so the strips are of manageable size. Thereafter, I peel the tape off, then lay it down flat on the interior of the Cobra trailer sidewall. MUCH easier than wrapping it around a beer can or putting it back on a roll of tape. Nearly everyone wants to smooth it down very lightly so as not to wear out the adhesive.

Wrong. On every brand I've used, the trick is to smooth it down almost as firmly as you would on the wing/tail. The main places the adhesive can get tired are in the inch or two at each end where your fingers touch it. That's also where lightly applied tape flips up and attracts dust.

It's usually good for a dozen flights at least. It stretches, so over time I'll snip off an inch or two from each end (thereby solving the problem of weak adhesive). Really hot weather (Uvalde, Cordele) are a little tougher on it, I'll admit; it may "creep" a little more than brand new tape. Colder weather affects the adhesive, too, but if I'm careful, it doesn't lift up.

How much money do I save? I have no idea. I use less than one small roll each season so by the time I go to stock up again, I've forgotten what I paid last time.

It's eco friendly. And honestly, I think my taping goes a bit faster: all the strips are pre-cut. Just peel them off and stick them on, no cutting required.

The select club of pilots who reuse tape already know this stuff. The rest of you can scoff. :)

Chip Bearden
JB

[cliff...@gmail.com]

Our late instructor, AC Goodwin, would use tbe same tape on our Standard cirrus for an entire year and it was stored outside. When I joined, I gave him a 10 roll pack of white electrical tape to use. When he went west 10 years later, helping his wife clean up some stuff I got 9 of those rolls back:) You really cant teach old dogs new tricks! 😂😂

CH