Gone West - Ben Greene

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

For those that have not yet heard, Ben Greene passed away on Sunday, May 31. He was 91 years old. His funeral services will be Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown, North Carolina.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bladenjournal/obituary.aspx?n=benjamin-wayne-greene&pid=174982623

Ben was one of the true gentlemen of the sport of soaring. He was a US National Champion, represented the US in the World Soaring Championships, and held numerous US National and World Records at various times.

Steve Leonard

[Craig Funston]

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 11:38:21 AM UTC-7, Steve Leonard wrote:
> For those that have not yet heard, Ben Greene passed away on Sunday, May 31. He was 91 years old. His funeral services will be Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown, North Carolina.
>
> http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bladenjournal/obituary.aspx?n=benjamin-wayne-greene&pid=174982623
>
> Ben was one of the true gentlemen of the sport of soaring. He was a US National Champion, represented the US in the World Soaring Championships, and held numerous US National and World Records at various times.
>
> Steve Leonard

One of the legends of our sport. Condolences to Ben's family.

[Papa3[_2_]]

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 2:38:21 PM UTC-4, Steve Leonard wrote:
> For those that have not yet heard, Ben Greene passed away on Sunday, May 31. He was 91 years old. His funeral services will be Wednesday at 3:00 p..m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown, North Carolina.
>
> http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bladenjournal/obituary.aspx?n=benjamin-wayne-greene&pid=174982623
>
> Ben was one of the true gentlemen of the sport of soaring. He was a US National Champion, represented the US in the World Soaring Championships, and held numerous US National and World Records at various times.
>
> Steve Leonard

From the obituary, it's now obvious where his mechanical engineering expertise came from. A friend of mine owned a Ben Greene clamshell trailer that probably pre-dated Cobra and Komet. Filled with all sorts of need fittings and convenience items that have only more recently become standard. I think that trailer is still knocking around in the northeast.

P3

[[email protected]]

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 3:47:19 PM UTC-4, Papa3 wrote:
> On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 2:38:21 PM UTC-4, Steve Leonard wrote:
> > For those that have not yet heard, Ben Greene passed away on Sunday, May 31. He was 91 years old. His funeral services will be Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown, North Carolina.
> >
> > http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bladenjournal/obituary.aspx?n=benjamin-wayne-greene&pid=174982623
> >
> > Ben was one of the true gentlemen of the sport of soaring. He was a US National Champion, represented the US in the World Soaring Championships, and held numerous US National and World Records at various times.
> >
> > Steve Leonard
>
> From the obituary, it's now obvious where his mechanical engineering expertise came from. A friend of mine owned a Ben Greene clamshell trailer that probably pre-dated Cobra and Komet. Filled with all sorts of need fittings and convenience items that have only more recently become standard. I think that trailer is still knocking around in the northeast.
>
> P3

From what I heard Ben built a lot of those trailers. One of his Standard
Cirri was based at our field for a number of years -- there were entries
in the log where it was flown in Australia. Apparently he would buy a new
glider on a pretty regular basis and build a trailer for each one.
Even at 40+ years old it was a really nice trailer.

[Tony[_5_]]

Never met Ben but every single reference I've ever heard of him referred to him as a consummate Gentleman and all around nice guy. I'm sorry I never got to shake his hand.

Be sure to check out your Soaring Archive at a bookshelf near you or www.ssa.org and find the Feb. 1971 issue, page 10, The Big One.

[[email protected]]

Just to echo all that's been said before. Superb pilot. Articulate, wonderfully engaging, immaculately attired gentleman and all-around nice guy to world-class competitors and less accomplished types alike. And his innovative, exquisitely designed trailers and ground-handling devices presaged the Euro tilt-top/clamshell revolution by some years.

In our current world, it often seems that everything happens faster and is more transient than ever before. With the departure in the past few years of soaring icons such as Ben Greene, Dick Schreder, and A.J. Smith, it seems we are witnessing the passing into history of an era when a small handful of multi-talented personalities--several of whom are still among us--dominated U.S. soaring to an extent that is difficult to comprehend in today's fragmented competition arena.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
U.S.A.

[Papa3[_2_]]

On Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 3:15:17 PM UTC-4, Tony wrote:
> Never met Ben but every single reference I've ever heard of him referred to him as a consummate Gentleman and all around nice guy. I'm sorry I never got to shake his hand.
>
> Be sure to check out your Soaring Archive at a bookshelf near you or www.ssa.org and find the Feb. 1971 issue, page 10, The Big One.

Thanks for the reminder on that article. I'd read it once before, but man it's just as good the second time around.

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 8:52:19 PM UTC-5, Papa3 wrote:
> On Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 3:15:17 PM UTC-4, Tony wrote:
> > Never met Ben but every single reference I've ever heard of him referred to him as a consummate Gentleman and all around nice guy. I'm sorry I never got to shake his hand.
> >
> > Be sure to check out your Soaring Archive at a bookshelf near you or www.ssa.org and find the Feb. 1971 issue, page 10, The Big One.
>
> Thanks for the reminder on that article. I'd read it once before, but man it's just as good the second time around.

And the third, fourth, fifth...

P3, did that Ben Greene trailer by chance house a Concept 70?

Steve Leonard