On May 25, 9:04*am, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:
Ed Replogle's Barographs are wonderful. *They tick, they look cool,
feel good . . . *the smooth machined drum for the trace paper . . .
the little fingertip handle as you carry it to the sailplane. *I keep
two Replogle barographs ready for altitude flights at Marfa in
southwest Texas. *Visiting pilots may borrow one as a backup to their
logger.

Preparing the barograph follows a time-honored and traditional
protocol that is deliberate and in sequence. *For luck, we always wind
the clock spring (very slowly and gently) with a US quarter coin from
North Carolina, the issue with the 1903 Wright airplane (motorglider)
on it. *The increasing tension of the spring as you wind it and the
sound of the clockworks ticking matches your anticipation of a
"personal-best" soaring flight. *The barograph comes to life, and it
has a heartbeat.

On my shelf in my hangar I display a vintage smoke foil mechanical
barograph given to my father Fritz Compton by Wolf Hirth (the German
soaring pioneer) after WWII. *Dad used it for his soaring badges and
his Bendix trophy flights beginning in 1948. *I used it for my Silver
Badge flights decades ago. *Tradition.

You can still have your barograph calibrated in the USA. *I use Joe
Trinkwalder in Tonawanda, NY, who calibrates each Ed Replogle
barograph with great care and reverence for his late friend "Rep".
Contact info is in "Soaring" magazine classified ad section under
Instruments, along with other calibration labs.

Here is Ed's Obit: * Ed ("Rep") Replogle, an engineer and inventor
whose career as a pilot spanned nearly seven decades, died on February
17, 2002 in Buffalo, NY.

Born in 1916 in Columbus, OH, Rep soloed in 1932 in a Gypsy Moth
biplane. His soaring career began in a Franklin Utility at a glider
club at the University of Michigan, where he graduated with a degree
in Aeronautical Engineering in 1938. His distinguished engineering
career included stints with Budd, Kaiser Fleetwing, Bellanca and Bell
Aircraft; finishing up as an independent inventor with over 20 patents
to his credit.

Rep's record as a competitive soaring pilot included wins the 1-26
(Region 1 1968, 21st Wright Memorial), standard (Region 1 1974, Region
6 South 1988) and 15 meter (Region 4 1983, Region 6 1983) classes.
Nonetheless, he is probably best known in soaring circles for his
Replogle Barograph, which has sold over 3000 units since its
introduction in 1965. * * Rep is survived by his wife June, and sons
Doug and Ron.

Ed Replogle's heartbeat continues as clockwork ticks in his
barographs . . .

Burt
Marfa, west Texas
USA

He also invented the inertia reel seatbelt.
An Amazing guy I was lucky enough to know.
UH