In February I attended the SSA Convention in Reno and I learned about the Let’s Go Gliding! campaign. This is an extraordinary initiative that can benefit the sport of soaring, especially if all it’s members (or at least the active ones) would get involved and really promote soaring and the campaign. During the convention everybody…
I am privileged, as are many others, to participate in several online groups that have a shared interest in soaring. A few months back, a discussion on the ASW-20 Yahoo group was initiated about the proper way to jettison the canopy in that particular model if a bailout was needed. The discussion went back and…
This is the second of two videos I made shot over two days of soaring a few weeks ago. Launching from Hurricane, Utah a few high performance sailplanes explored the low altitude soaring potential of several southern Utah parks and landmarks. This video shows us enjoying the amazing red rock cliffs and deep gulleys of…
The last blog of the year 2011 for Soaring Café. Good to hear our cooperation continues in 2012 as Bill and Rand seem to “be delighted to have me in the Soaring Café Team”! I love it as well and when you like it as readers too, it is all OK, as…the reader is the boss. Time to…
[Leo sent me a Merry Christmas email yesterday and I thought I would share it with our readers. — WE] Jonker Sailplanes has had a relatively good year with steady production of JS1 Revelations for customers worldwide, numerous JS1 pilots having contest success, and many fabulous OLC flights. The manufacturing year ended in mid-December with…
Here’s a five-minute video from the Discovery/Science channel that shows how a modern factory-built composite glider is made. The original was broadcast in April, 2010.
The smile on his face says it all. On his 14th birthday, Jesse Haggerty IV, completed his first solo flight. Jesse lives in Eufala, Al and has been flying with the Southern Eagles Soaring club located in LaGrange, GA. Jesse can’t wait until the Spring soaring season starts, so be can work on his badges…
www.soaring.eu More places in Africa welcome overseas guests to enjoy great soaring circumstances! From Potchefstroom in SA another great flight last week from well known pilot Oscar Goudriaan.Here is the news I received and share with you. “Oscar declared a 1000 km FAI triangle: Potchefstroom-Dealsville-Pomfret-Potchefstroom, and came close, landing out nears Klerksdorp some 60 km…
A friend suggested to me that I should write up a summary of my 2011 soaring season, so here it is: 12 contests total: Clermont, FL (Seniors): placed 4th overall – best I’ve ever done there Perry, SC (R5N): Landed out on 1st day, wound up 12th out of 19 Chilhowee, TN (Sports Class Nationals):…
A big event for the Vihlen Family this past Saturday, November 5th, as another Vihlen boy soloed a glider. 15 year old Preston Vihlen soloed on a beautiful day at Hawks Nest (4TN3), just east of Memphis. Preston’s instructor was Jim Slocum. After a warmup pattern tow, Jim hopped out of the vintage Schweizer 2-22…
