Vintage Sailplanes at Elmira, Aug 20-27

Folks, If you haven't made plans yet - one of the premier international
events in soaring is just a few days away, and here in the USA!

The International Vintage Sailplane Meet (IVSM) is held every five
years in the USA, on historic Harris Hill near Elmira, NY. This is
the site of our National Soaring Museum (NSM), and where US soaring and
the Soaring Society of America began to get organized in the early
1930's. Everyone should make the pilgrimage to the "American
Wasserkuppe", and this is the perfect occasion. Our National Soaring
Musem had been expanded and the displays of historic sailplanes and
artifacts are unique. Gaze upon an actual Minimoa, Bowlus, Franklin,
LK, Sisu and more! Learn about the founders of American soaring such
as Eaton, Klemperer, Barnaby, Barringer, DuPont, and of course, the
Schweizers. The NSM is open year-round, and the wonderful museum staff
are very aware of the importance of the NSM as the archive of the SSA.
Director Peter Smith is the son of soaring legend Stan Smith, so our
museum is in excellent hands. For info on IVSM and the NSM go to
www.soaringmuseum.org


The Harris Hill site itself offers an exciting takeoff - you aerotow
off the hill and you are suddenly on the ridge - above the Chemung
River Valley. All the legends of soaring have flown here and you can
as well, with the Harris Hill Soaring Club.

The US Vintage Sailplane Association (VSA) is cohosting this event, and
this group of enthusiasts is responsible for restoring many of the
vintage sailplanes in the USA. They are also one of the nicest bunch
of people you would ever meet. Raul Blacksten, the VSA historian and
editor of "Bungee Cord", the club's magazine, is a typical example of
these knowledgable keepers of American soaring history. To join VSA
and for more info on their annual vintage sailplane events in the USA
go to www.vintagesailplane.org

The famous Schweizer Soaring School and factory is down in the Chemung
Valley below Harris Hill, on the Elmira - Corning Regional Airport
(ELM). You can fly commercial airline into ELM or fly your own
airplane (airplanes are restricted on the private Harris Hill
Gliderport). You can also fly airlines into Buffalo, Syracuse or
Scranton (PA).

I spent many summers in the 1950's and '60's crewing for my Dad, Fritz
Compton, as he flew his modified LK-10A sailplane in the National
Contests at Harris Hill. I still get a thrill when I drive up the
tree-lined road, then into the sunshine on top of this beautiful
soaring site. I know many people share these memories, and you should
as well. The next IVSM will be in the USA in 2010. Don't wait that
long to visit our National Soaring Museum!

Burt Compton
Marfa, Texas
www.flygliders.com

On Wednesday, August 24th on Harris Hill at IVSM there will be a "fly
market" to sell / buy vintage glider memorabilia, books, postcards,
etc. I'll be bringing a rare 1932 Robert Kronfeld book to sell, along
with some old sailplane postcards from my collection.

I'll probably buy more than I sell. Should be fun! Be there! For
more info on the Int'l. Vintage Sailplane Meet AUG 20-27, 2006:
www.soaringmuseum.org

Burt Compton
Marfa, TX

The correct dates for IVSM at Harris Hill, NY are August 20-27, 2005.
(Not 2006.) IT STARTS NEXT WEEKEND!

Burt Compton
Marfa, far west Texas
"Where yesterday's USA Today arrives tomorrow"

I'll be at Elmira next Wed. for the Fly Market. I'll be bringing a large
amount of Vintage Sailplane ephemera from the 20's to 40's. (European Meet
Reports, Company Brochures, Photos,etc. I plan on letting the Museum
Curator look at the stuff 1st to see if there is anything they want for
their library.
Regards;
Tom Heitzman
www.stuffinder.com

International Vintage Sailplane Meet (IVSM) Elmira, NY
Sunday, August 21, 2005

Today I flew off of historic Harris Hill in Bill Batesole's SGS 1-26,
serial number 003. (It was flown by Bernie Carris in the 1955 US
National Contest.) I found cloudbases to 7,000' and the Harris Hill
ridge was workable.

But best of all was sharing the sky with a Slingsby Kirby Kite, a
Bowlus Baby Albatross, a Frankfort Cinema, a SGS 1-21, a Focke-Wulf
Kranich, an EoN Olympia II, Schleichers Ka-2b, Ka-6, Ka-7, Ka-8 and
many more. Most are covered in fabric over wood or steel-tube,
painted or trimmed in yellow, blue, red, green, burgundy - just like
the color photos and postcards of the old days. If you don't know what
these vintage sailplanes represent, you are missing a huge part of
soaring history, and how our modern sailplanes evolved. Thanks to all
who restore and keep these wonderful sailplanes flying.

So I feel like I'm in a Twilight Zone TV episode, five decades back in
time. It will happen to me all this week at IVSM. A Swiss Moswey III
is promised to appear. (It's easy to recognize: Delicate fuselage,
gull-winged, yellow with red trim and a Swiss cross on the round
rudder. Stunningly beautiful.)

The people are here as well. Alan Patching from Australia sat at our
table at supper. Lew Hull at 88 is the probably the oldest pilot, but
many of these vintage glider enthusiasts are relatively young - many
own gliders older than themselves! Several second and third
generation soaring kids are here - now in our fifties. We share our
memories of Harris Hill when we attending the 1950's contests with our
parents. Special memories. Sacred ground.

Museum Director Peter Smith (son of soaring legend Stan Smith) and the
excellent NSM staff have our National Soaring Museum in fine shape.
For more info see www.soaringmuseum.org
Your $ contributions are welcome to help maintain this archive of
soaring.

Reporting from my time-warp on historic Harris Hill,

Burt Compton

Also notable and very special was a flight made during the opening
ceremonies by Liz Schwenkler and Virginia Schweizer.
Ginny as the most notable early lady competition pilot-Women's National
Champion in the early 50's, and Liz, the highest ranking US woman our
sport today.
50 years of women's National Champions on that flight.
One of many special moments on Harris Hill this week.
UH