Short cuts

Chip Bearden wrote:

Wait...those aren't allowed anymore. Living in the past. How many on this group recall those "exciting" dashes back to the contest, throwing the glider together as fast as possible, and relaunching, hoping to do better the second time? The rapid assembly was sometimes made easier by taking some shortcuts in the derigging process at the landout site. We once hauled our 1-26 back without installing the spar hold down bolts on the trailer by parking someone in the back of the station wagon to to make sure the wings didn't slide off the trailer during the 10 mile drive back to the contest site. A long time ago.

Chip Bearden

Heck, I heard someone didn't even bother to de-rig their 1-26, but just auto towed it back to the contest site. Power lines added excitement. Had to release and fly around corners, then land, hook back up and go again. Long rope? Long enough to let you go high enough to clear the on-coming trucks!

Gone are the days. Thank goodness!

Steve Leonard