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Burt Compton - Marfa
April 6th 06, 02:49 PM
April 2006

While glider training and checkrides continued through the winter at
Marfa in west Texas, April marks the start of our "mighty fine" soaring
season.

Bill Snead, John Byrd and Tom McKnight were flying their PW-5's here
last week practicing for the World Class (PW-5 sailplane) National
Contest at Marfa in June. Bill Snead has logged some of those flights
on the OLC.

April 8 - 15 Dick Johnson mentors our annual "Thermal & Wave Camp".
This year's fleet may exceed 30 sailplanes seeking altitude flights in
our Wave Window to 30,000' msl. Marfa (MRF) is about 5,000' msl (see
the El Paso sectional chart or WAC CH-23 for topography.) Our brisket
BBQ will be on Wednesday evening at my hangar, and our "movie night"
featuring videos of past Marfa soaring events (inlcuding "The Sun Ship
Game") will be shown at the Hotel Paisano ballroom on Thursday evening.

June 19 - 29 The World Class (PW-5) Nationals will mark the return of
a National Contest to Marfa, recalling the legendary decades of the
1960's and '70's when Marfa hosted several US Nationals and the 1970
World Soaring Contest - first ever held in the USA. While the 2006
Nationals will not see the 80 sailplane fleets of the old days, we will
have excellent soaring weather and a lot of fun.

Visiting sailplanes are welcome to take a tow (after the PW-5's have
launched if during the contest). Relive the Sun Ship Game movie
(filmed at Marfa during the 1969 Nationals) where George Moffat dueled
Wally Scott for the win. George returned to Marfa the following year
to win the World's.

Marfa is located on a high grassy plateau near the Davis Mountains,
between Carlsbad Caverns and Big Bend National Parks. Summer temps
are reasonable due to our high field elevation (5,000' msl). RV
camping available on the airport. Motel accommodations found at the
Chamber of Commerce website: www.marfacc.com

Glider training and checkrides for PVT/COM/CFI continue year-round.
Please contact us before visiting as we are a small soaring operation,
and hope to serve you well.

We'll show you a good time!

Burt & Kathie Compton
Marfa Gliders, west Texas
website: www.flygliders.com
email:

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