Ever wondered what makes a soaring pilot?
For me it started when I was kid around 11-years old building balsa wood RC gliders. I was thinking it would be cool to return to my roots and build a retro kit today more than four decades later. He is my short video:
https://youtu.be/0rCN3jGQvyM
Oscar
Ever wondered what makes a soaring pilot?I saw my first glider contest at Harris Hill in 1955. I flew a model glider in the kids contest that was part of the nationals. I wanted to be a glider pilot from then on while building models and learning about aviation, especially soaring. My mom
For me it started when I was kid around 11-years old building balsa wood RC gliders. I was thinking it would be cool to return to my roots and build a retro kit today more than four decades later. He is my short video:
https://youtu.be/0rCN3jGQvyM
Oscar
50 year anniversary this month for me. Life membership a year later. Installment plan…4 easy payments …$50.Tough to compete with UH and others on this topic.
Soloed in a 2-22 with a pellet variometer. After 5 lessons in a Cub they made me chief tow pilot (nobody wanted to tow).
A classmate offered to take me for a ride in a 2-33 on a perfect day. It was all I needed. His daddy bought him a Diamant. At the time a most spectacular glider.
R
Ever wondered what makes a soaring pilot?
For me it started when I was kid around 11-years old building balsa wood RC gliders. I was thinking it would be cool to return to my roots and build a retro kit today more than four decades later. He is my short video:
https://youtu.be/0rCN3jGQvyM
Oscar
On Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 5:27:46 AM UTC-8, Glider Pilot wrote:
Ever wondered what makes a soaring pilot?
For me it started when I was kid around 11-years old building balsa wood RC gliders. I was thinking it would be cool to return to my roots and build a retro kit today more than four decades later. He is my short video:
https://youtu.be/0rCN3jGQvyM
OscarNice slope, where is that?
On Monday, February 6, 2023 at 1:06:17 PM UTC-5, R wrote:Scotty Bingham and I had Std Cirrus's and flew almost every day. Eileen was part of the sky diving group at the gliderport and later began flying gliders out at Kendall Gliderport.
50 year anniversary this month for me. Life membership a year later. Installment plan…4 easy payments …$50.
Soloed in a 2-22 with a pellet variometer. After 5 lessons in a Cub they made me chief tow pilot (nobody wanted to tow).
A classmate offered to take me for a ride in a 2-33 on a perfect day. It was all I needed. His daddy bought him a Diamant. At the time a most spectacular glider.
ROk R. you're just a youngster! Bill Harris was probably your instructor, and Maggie was making hot dogs in the crockpot at Kendall Gliderport.
Let me throw a name out there and see how many people remember Paul Crowell, AKA Pablo and Fritz Sebek. Now I know Burt knows them both, so we will not count his vote. Fritz gave me my first glider ride and from that day on I was a hooked glider guy.
Henry, most people would not believe how much fun we had back in the good days in Miami. OBTPAnd I forgot to add. we did not have motorgliders!
50 year anniversary this month for me. Life membership a year later. Installment plan…4 easy payments …$50.Ok R. you're just a youngster! Bill Harris was probably your instructor, and Maggie was making hot dogs in the crockpot at Kendall Gliderport.
Soloed in a 2-22 with a pellet variometer. After 5 lessons in a Cub they made me chief tow pilot (nobody wanted to tow).
A classmate offered to take me for a ride in a 2-33 on a perfect day. It was all I needed. His daddy bought him a Diamant. At the time a most spectacular glider.
R
On Monday, February 6, 2023 at 5:30:51 PM UTC-5, youngbl...@gmail.com wrote:Scotty Bingham and I had Std Cirrus's and flew almost every day. Eileen was part of the sky diving group at the gliderport and later began flying gliders out at Kendall Gliderport.
On Monday, February 6, 2023 at 1:06:17 PM UTC-5, R wrote:
50 year anniversary this month for me. Life membership a year later. Installment plan…4 easy payments …$50.Ok R. you're just a youngster! Bill Harris was probably your instructor, and Maggie was making hot dogs in the crockpot at Kendall Gliderport.
Soloed in a 2-22 with a pellet variometer. After 5 lessons in a Cub they made me chief tow pilot (nobody wanted to tow).
A classmate offered to take me for a ride in a 2-33 on a perfect day. It was all I needed. His daddy bought him a Diamant. At the time a most spectacular glider.
R
Let me throw a name out there and see how many people remember Paul Crowell, AKA Pablo and Fritz Sebek. Now I know Burt knows them both, so we will not count his vote. Fritz gave me my first glider ride and from that day on I was a hooked glider guy.
Henry, most people would not believe how much fun we had back in the good days in Miami. OBTPAnd I forgot to add. we did not have motorgliders!
Ever wondered what makes a soaring pilot?
For me it started when I was kid around 11-years old building balsa wood RC gliders. I was thinking it would be cool to return to my roots and build a retro kit today more than four decades later. He is my short video:
https://youtu.be/0rCN3jGQvyM
Oscar
Returning from a business trip in Australia, my brother invited me toScotty Bingham and I had Std Cirrus's and flew almost every day. Eileen was part of the sky diving group at the gliderport and later began flying gliders out at Kendall Gliderport.
spend some time with him in Hawaii to fly a glider. I asked what good
is an airplane without an engine but, loving to fly, I accepted the invitation.
We went to Dillingham where I met Elmer Udd and, after a conversation
about my flight experience, he let me fly the brand new Grob-103 from
brake release to final roll out! Next day, I returned and on my 5th
flight, soloed in a 2-33. Returning to Texas, I joined TSA and the SSA
and went right to a Commercial add-on.
I got my winch training on a subsequent trip to Australia and began a journey of ever increasing performance. I started my Silver Badge and
won first place in the TSA Labor Dan lap races, Sports Class, in my
first glider, a Glasflugel Mosquito and finished in my second, an ASW-19b.
I completed my Gold Badge in the -19b and then completed my Diamond
Badge in my third glider, an LS-6a, a wonderful ship! I flew two
contests in the LS-6 finishing in the middle of the pack in one and dead last in the other. Since then, I've just flown for fun in a second
LS-6, a borrowed Mosquito, a LAK-17a, and finally, in my Stemme.
I haven't stopped flying powered aircraft, either, and just passed my
50th anniversary of my first solo as a USAF student pilot.
Dan
5J
On 2/6/23 15:56, youngbl...@gmail.com wrote:
On Monday, February 6, 2023 at 5:30:51 PM UTC-5, youngbl...@gmail.com wrote:
On Monday, February 6, 2023 at 1:06:17 PM UTC-5, R wrote:
50 year anniversary this month for me. Life membership a year later. Installment plan…4 easy payments …$50.Ok R. you're just a youngster! Bill Harris was probably your instructor, and Maggie was making hot dogs in the crockpot at Kendall Gliderport.
Soloed in a 2-22 with a pellet variometer. After 5 lessons in a Cub they made me chief tow pilot (nobody wanted to tow).
A classmate offered to take me for a ride in a 2-33 on a perfect day. It was all I needed. His daddy bought him a Diamant. At the time a most spectacular glider.
R
Let me throw a name out there and see how many people remember Paul Crowell, AKA Pablo and Fritz Sebek. Now I know Burt knows them both, so we will not count his vote. Fritz gave me my first glider ride and from that day on I was a hooked glider guy.
Henry, most people would not believe how much fun we had back in the good days in Miami. OBTPAnd I forgot to add. we did not have motorgliders!
Ever wondered what makes a soaring pilot?
For me it started when I was kid around 11-years old building balsa wood RC gliders. I was thinking it would be cool to return to my roots and build a retro kit today more than four decades later. He is my short video:
https://youtu.be/0rCN3jGQvyM
Oscar
In 1970, as a newly minted and married 2nd Lt USAF civil engineering, I was sent to the eastern front, RAF Upper Heyford. Our off base housing was in Stratton Audley which just happened to be right next to the RAF gliding center of Bicester. As Iwalked out the first morning after arriving, I saw ships being winched into the air and thought "That looks interesting!!" As a member of a NATO force I could join the RAF gliding center where flight costs were literally pennies. 60 or so flights in the
David Martin
BV
Great story, Jim! Tell us about that land out in the 1-26.long-winged aircraft, circling overhead. Interesting, no engine, a glider! Then it got smaller and smaller, obviously gaining altitude.... Mind blown. How could this be? That evening, I excitedly told my dad about this (he soloed a Cub in the 30's, never
Dan
5J
On 2/7/23 13:17, J6 aka Airport Bum wrote:
Very cool video, Oscar! Here's my story:
So, it was 1966, a hot lazy summer day north of Canton, Ohio, and my 11-year-old self was laying in the grass on big hill in the cow pasture behind our house. Daydreaming and admiring the puffy clouds, you know. Suddenly I noticed a red and white
currently operating out of Wadsworth Airport, west of Akron. The red and white glider was a K-8. I stayed all day watching, so long that I got in trouble because I got home so late.The next day I got permission to ride my bike to Martin Field, 3 miles or so, furthest from home I'd ever ridden at that time. Yep, gliders were flying there. The club was "Freedom's Soaring Thunderbirds", now called "Soaring Thunderbirds" and
activity between WW I and WW II, complete with pictures, wish I could remember the name of the book. I would occasionally see a glider in the air, and would ride my bike over to Martin Field to watch them flying.The next weekend my dad took me over there, and they put me in the front seat of a Blanik (along with a load of lead) and I took a ride. Mind blown again.....
I immediately shifted my interest from slot cars to model airplanes, specifically RC gliders. Built a bunch of 'em. I read every single book on aviation that I could find in the Canton Public Library. I remember one in particular was about gliding
asking the pilot how it could be controlled with such a strange tail, and he showed and explained to me the mixing function, I was amazed. I am sure that his patient time with me was a seed of my fascination with the stability and control of aircraft,One weekend a year or so after my first sighting there was a WHOLE BUNCH of gliders flying - a contest! Amazing variety of gliders, but I was attracted to one in particular, it had a V tail and a beautiful streamlined nose, an SHK or SH-1. I remember
of NC, and I slope soared my RC gliders on Jockey's Ridge there. There I saw hang gliders (1972 or so, don't fly higher than you are willing to fall!) and caught the bug. I ordered a kit from Sky Sports, a LARK (Low Aspect Ratio Kite), a standard RogalloHaha, 12 or so years after meeting this guy, my first sailplane was - an SHK!
Anyway, the club moved to a different airport before I was old enough to start training, sigh. But I flew my RC gliders, never got that good at it but had lots of fun, even did some thermal soaring occasionally! And we vacationed on the Outer Banks
though before I realized that schoolwork and girls (or, at least the efforts trying to meet them...) would not allow me the time (nor did I have the money) to learn to fly sailplanes just then. My instructor for those few flights was an Aerodynamics GradAs a freshman at Purdue University's School of Aeronautical Engineering, I found out that a club called the Lafayette Soaring Society was operating east of the campus, I checked it out, they trained in a 2-22, and I joined up. Only took a few flights
ex-pat aero engineers/glider pilots who came over in the '60's when the British aeronautic industry had some major cutbacks and Boeing was full bore designing the 727 and 737 etc. Passed my check ride 7 months after starting. Gained notoriety in the clubI reverted back to hang gliding through my college years. Numerous weekend trips to Indian Dunes, Michigan, when I could take time off from schoolwork. Some good flying, maybe more so some good partying on the beach, haha.
When I graduated in 1977, I got a job at Boeing in Seattle, and finally had the money to learn to fly sailplanes. Joined the Boeing Employee's Soaring Club, and got some GREAT training. British style operation, the core of club was a group of British
and east of the Mississippi. My 500k was an FAI triangle out of Peach State Gliderport, there were a half dozen of us flying it that day (separately, not together as a gaggle), the first time any 500k triangles were ever flown in Georgia I believe. WaveGave up the hang gliding around 1981, to concentrate on sailplane flying. To this day, I miss the hang gliding, wish I had had the time and energy to do both.
Over the 46 years since I started, I have had to take a few long breaks from the sport, for career reasons, but I always came back. So I'm only around 2000 hours, but they have all been interesting.... I got all my Diamonds south of the Mason-Dixon
Thanks for this opportunity to share how I got into soaring.
Cheers,
Jim J6
On Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 7:27:46 AM UTC-6, Glider Pilot wrote:
Ever wondered what makes a soaring pilot?
For me it started when I was kid around 11-years old building balsa wood RC gliders. I was thinking it would be cool to return to my roots and build a retro kit today more than four decades later. He is my short video:
https://youtu.be/0rCN3jGQvyM
Oscar
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