At 04:45 23 August 2009, Mike Bamberg wrote:
I've known Thierry Thys since the late 60's flying with BASA. I
remember a flight at the 1970 Wave camp where he completed what was at
that time the 3rd longest flight in history, landing at dusk with the
runway at Minden lit up by car headlights.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Mike Bamberg

Thanks for that memory, Mike. I never met Thierry in person, but we
talked on the phone, exchanged letters and e-mails, and I eventually
bought a sailplane from him. I don't remember if it was that year (1970)
or a couple later, that he flew a BS1 from Minden to Winslow, Arizona.
Only a very brief write-up in SOARING about it where he said he had been
"a bit slow, but that will be rectified next time."

He seemed like he did things for his own adventures, but seemed willing to
talk about them one on one with others, if you just asked. He told me of
several of his flights and some of his aviation adventures. My Dad had
the opprtunity to meet him at a Stemme gathering in Moriarty. Too bad he
wasn't aware that he was talking with the man that sold me my BS1.
Probably could have gotten more flying tales from his past.

Rest in Peace, Thierry.

Steve Leonard