Perhaps my analogy was a little obtuse...

If Steve wants to spend a lot of money to buy performance...ie
flying solo around the world...how is that any different
then guys who use their fatter wallets to buy performance
in glider classes?

Hell, I don't think it is a stretch to say, as John
Shelton did....that glider racing has evolved so that
many who do it seem to be rich guys who seem to have
a lot of extra time. Yes, I know that is not universally
the case...but I could rattle off several examples.

Price out a new competitive glider in any of the major
racing classes....then add several free weeks every
summer to campaign it....not for the average working
stiff.

As far as his two-place records...I surely would not
be interested in how he obtained them for myself....but
I don't hear Terry complaining.





At 22:30 03 March 2005, wrote:
As far as I am concerned, until Steve does a solo flight
in a glider
for a record or for that matter a gold or diamond distance,
I will
still think of him as someone that has a ringer in
the cockpit while he
claims the record. Yes, what he did was great for the
sport of aviation
in regards to the around the world trip but the jury
is still out on
his glider flying.....
As for the Open Class competition pilot, maybe I am
wrong but I can't
ever remember seeing him listed on a regional/national/world
competition results page. Do you consider someone who
tries to break
world records a competition pilot or is it someone
who flies in
contests a competition pilot?
Brian

Stewart Kissel wrote:
Admittedly, I am not impressed by money or
'records'.

Okay, although you qualify as another lame anonymous
poster...I'll bite.

How do you differentiate him from...an Open Class
competition
pilot? Or do you?