Seminole Lake Gliderport for sale

Walt, I commend you for your understanding of this situation and the desire to keep SLG a fantastic soaring site for all to enjoy. Unfortunately this situation is volatile and a lot depends on international laws and courts. I have been at the ugly end of the international court battles for property. My involvement was zero, but I lost may dollars because I could not retrieve my personal property after the federal marshals lock up the said facilities and nothing was moved until the issue was settled. Trust me, this gets very ugly! We all can only hope that this situation can be resolved and move forward. Bob

Bob,
Apparently you have insight into the SLGP situation which I do not. If Mihai is as Rich seems to have suggested, walking free as a bird and managing his other businesses in Romania and if he is still the legal owner of record (which appears to be the case) of SLGP then the only obstacle to selling it would be finding a buyer with the cash. Chances of that anytime soon seem quite slim to me. It would appear to me that he has realized his chances of returning on any kind of visa to the USofA with a documented charge of a crime of moral turpitude is quite slim necessitating the sale of SLGP.

I still find it highly improbable that a guy who was essentially taken from the Caymens, in cuffs, kicking and screaming and in fear for his life upon his return to the Unitary Semi-Presidential Republic of Romania is not in the Bucharest Hilton, sleeping on a cold, hard floor, naked and chained to the wall. His position on the "secret police" seems to have been at least tacitly approved by the previous administration of Nicolae Ceausescu and we know what happened to old Nicolae.

It would seem that someone might have tried to portray himself as the Robin Hood of Romania, fighting for the return of property and money stolen from the Romanian peasants. Of course the Sheriff of Nottingham (Bucharest) would not allow this and BOOM. One hundred million Euros can go a long way if properly managed.

The fact is that we only know what we read online and what we are told and the trick is figuring out who is telling the truth. Who among us has not had things said about them which were not accurate if not outright lies?

Batton down the hatches down there Bob, looks like a big wind is acomin'.

Walt

and Ridge Soaring has been on the 'for sale' market for how long?
Seems to me you need to think of a plan to buy some of these
properties up and establish non profit clubs at them -maybe a 'culture
change' is required in the US.

Problem is real estate prices. In the old days you could buy a big enough piece of property for a small enough amount of money to run a soaring operation as a hobby business. Perhaps SSA should do more fundraising specifically for purchasing airports? Or spend the money lobbying the gov't to buy airports for our use(only half joking.) The Hanggliding/PG crowd spends a bunch of their resources securing real estate. They've also unfortunately had to go into the insurance business themselves, which is a terrible outcome, but I understand they didn't have much choice.

To whom it may concern,

I received a private message from someone tell me to SHUT UP. I also believe another poster was included in the same message. Somehow that message has been erased or deleted but I would just like to say that telling me to shut up is about as big a waste of time as trying to get a cat to play fetch.

I believe you referred to youself a "the busy body of soaring?" I will try very hard to reign in the unfiltered component of my personality but I would like to ask.....did we hold an election and make you Sheriff?

In the future if you don't like what I said be man enough to express your opinion in the open.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Currently a happy Helicopter Pilot.

On Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 8:11:28 AM UTC-4, wrote:

Walt, I commend you for your understanding of this situation and the desire to keep SLG a fantastic soaring site for all to enjoy. Unfortunately this situation is volatile and a lot depends on international laws and courts. I have been at the ugly end of the international court battles for property. My involvement was zero, but I lost may dollars because I could not retrieve my personal property after the federal marshals lock up the said facilities and nothing was moved until the issue was settled. Trust me, this gets very ugly! We all can only hope that this situation can be resolved and move forward. Bob

Bob,
Apparently you have insight into the SLGP situation which I do not. If Mihai is as Rich seems to have suggested, walking free as a bird and managing his other businesses in Romania and if he is still the legal owner of record (which appears to be the case) of SLGP then the only obstacle to selling it would be finding a buyer with the cash. Chances of that anytime soon seem quite slim to me. It would appear to me that he has realized his chances of returning on any kind of visa to the USofA with a documented charge of a crime of moral turpitude is quite slim necessitating the sale of SLGP.

I still find it highly improbable that a guy who was essentially taken from the Caymens, in cuffs, kicking and screaming and in fear for his life upon his return to the Unitary Semi-Presidential Republic of Romania is not in the Bucharest Hilton, sleeping on a cold, hard floor, naked and chained to the wall. His position on the "secret police" seems to have been at least tacitly approved by the previous administration of Nicolae Ceausescu and we know what happened to old Nicolae.

It would seem that someone might have tried to portray himself as the Robin Hood of Romania, fighting for the return of property and money stolen from the Romanian peasants. Of course the Sheriff of Nottingham (Bucharest) would not allow this and BOOM. One hundred million Euros can go a long way if properly managed.

The fact is that we only know what we read online and what we are told and the trick is figuring out who is telling the truth. Who among us has not had things said about them which were not accurate if not outright lies?

Batton down the hatches down there Bob, looks like a big wind is acomin'.

Walt

I would not call it insight, maybe experience would be a better word. Like I stated earlier, I lost good money because of a similar situation and I can tell you exactly how it happens.Candor or lack of seems to follow this situation almost from the beginning, but the facts are the facts.
Yes, we are working hard today trying to move airplanes to safer places and storing gliders in boxes. I did put Eileen's 24 along with my 27 in the boxes and secured them here at the ranch, FD25. I plan on moving the Yellow Gorilla and my new Towpecker tomorrow to a more secure location. Being only about 7-8 miles from the coastline makes for some very interesting storm situations. Back in 2004 I saw winds in excess of 125 here at my airport, this even looks bigger.
Hopefully I can stock up on water, food and enough rum to get us through this ordeal. Bob

On Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 4:33:53 PM UTC-4, Bob Youngblood wrote:
On Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 8:11:28 AM UTC-4, wrote:

Walt, I commend you for your understanding of this situation and the desire to keep SLG a fantastic soaring site for all to enjoy. Unfortunately this situation is volatile and a lot depends on international laws and courts. I have been at the ugly end of the international court battles for property. My involvement was zero, but I lost may dollars because I could not retrieve my personal property after the federal marshals lock up the said facilities and nothing was moved until the issue was settled. Trust me, this gets very ugly! We all can only hope that this situation can be resolved and move forward. Bob

Bob,
Apparently you have insight into the SLGP situation which I do not. If Mihai is as Rich seems to have suggested, walking free as a bird and managing his other businesses in Romania and if he is still the legal owner of record (which appears to be the case) of SLGP then the only obstacle to selling it would be finding a buyer with the cash. Chances of that anytime soon seem quite slim to me. It would appear to me that he has realized his chances of returning on any kind of visa to the USofA with a documented charge of a crime of moral turpitude is quite slim necessitating the sale of SLGP..

I still find it highly improbable that a guy who was essentially taken from the Caymens, in cuffs, kicking and screaming and in fear for his life upon his return to the Unitary Semi-Presidential Republic of Romania is not in the Bucharest Hilton, sleeping on a cold, hard floor, naked and chained to the wall. His position on the "secret police" seems to have been at least tacitly approved by the previous administration of Nicolae Ceausescu and we know what happened to old Nicolae.

It would seem that someone might have tried to portray himself as the Robin Hood of Romania, fighting for the return of property and money stolen from the Romanian peasants. Of course the Sheriff of Nottingham (Bucharest) would not allow this and BOOM. One hundred million Euros can go a long way if properly managed.

The fact is that we only know what we read online and what we are told and the trick is figuring out who is telling the truth. Who among us has not had things said about them which were not accurate if not outright lies?

Batton down the hatches down there Bob, looks like a big wind is acomin'.

Walt

I would not call it insight, maybe experience would be a better word. Like I stated earlier, I lost good money because of a similar situation and I can tell you exactly how it happens.Candor or lack of seems to follow this situation almost from the beginning, but the facts are the facts.
Yes, we are working hard today trying to move airplanes to safer places and storing gliders in boxes. I did put Eileen's 24 along with my 27 in the boxes and secured them here at the ranch, FD25. I plan on moving the Yellow Gorilla and my new Towpecker tomorrow to a more secure location. Being only about 7-8 miles from the coastline makes for some very interesting storm situations. Back in 2004 I saw winds in excess of 125 here at my airport, this even looks bigger.
Hopefully I can stock up on water, food and enough rum to get us through this ordeal. Bob

Good luck there Bob, my brother lives in Vero and just put a 150 MPH roof on his house, he has the shutters up too.

Walt

At 13:30 29 August 2019, wrote:

=20
and Ridge Soaring has been on the 'for sale' market for how
long?=20
Seems to me you need to think of a plan to buy some of
these=20
properties up and establish non profit clubs at them -maybe a
'culture=20
change' is required in the US.

Problem is real estate prices. In the old days you could buy a big
enough
=
piece of property for a small enough amount of money to run a
soaring
opera=
tion as a hobby business. Perhaps SSA should do more fundraising
specifica=
lly for purchasing airports? Or spend the money lobbying the
gov't to
bu=
y airports for our use(only half joking.) The Hanggliding/PG crowd
spends
=
a bunch of their resources securing real estate. They've also
unfortunatel=
y had to go into the insurance business themselves, which is a
terrible
out=
come, but I understand they didn't have much choice.

Real estate prices are also high in Europe yet clubs still manage to
purchase airfields.......

On Friday, August 30, 2019 at 1:15:04 AM UTC-5, Paul T wrote:
At 13:30 29 August 2019, wrote:

=20
and Ridge Soaring has been on the 'for sale' market for how
long?=20
Seems to me you need to think of a plan to buy some of
these=20
properties up and establish non profit clubs at them -maybe a
'culture=20
change' is required in the US.

Problem is real estate prices. In the old days you could buy a big
enough
=
piece of property for a small enough amount of money to run a
soaring
opera=
tion as a hobby business. Perhaps SSA should do more fundraising
specifica=
lly for purchasing airports? Or spend the money lobbying the
gov't to
bu=
y airports for our use(only half joking.) The Hanggliding/PG crowd
spends
=
a bunch of their resources securing real estate. They've also
unfortunatel=
y had to go into the insurance business themselves, which is a
terrible
out=
come, but I understand they didn't have much choice.

Real estate prices are also high in Europe yet clubs still manage to
purchase airfields.......

I thought In Europe, soaring was, sponsored by goverments.
In this case Sponsored means subsidized with money.
Is this still true?

On Friday, August 30, 2019 at 2:15:04 AM UTC-4, Paul T wrote:
At 13:30 29 August 2019, wrote:

=20
and Ridge Soaring has been on the 'for sale' market for how
long?=20
Seems to me you need to think of a plan to buy some of
these=20
properties up and establish non profit clubs at them -maybe a
'culture=20
change' is required in the US.

Problem is real estate prices. In the old days you could buy a big
enough
=
piece of property for a small enough amount of money to run a
soaring
opera=
tion as a hobby business. Perhaps SSA should do more fundraising
specifica=
lly for purchasing airports? Or spend the money lobbying the
gov't to
bu=
y airports for our use(only half joking.) The Hanggliding/PG crowd
spends
=
a bunch of their resources securing real estate. They've also
unfortunatel=
y had to go into the insurance business themselves, which is a
terrible
out=
come, but I understand they didn't have much choice.

Real estate prices are also high in Europe yet clubs still manage to
purchase airfields.......

Don't you guys have zoning laws that say once an airport or cheese shop or whatever the land use was it has to stay that way forever? Thus keeping prices for old airfields reasonable? Not cheap, reasonable. Some American clubs do buy their own airports but there is a difference between a few hundred thousand for a rural airport and a few million for the examples we have here.

At 13:09 30 August 2019, Scott Williams wrote:
I thought In Europe, soaring was, sponsored by goverments.
In this case Sponsored means subsidized with money.
Is this still true?

Oh I wish, I wish....

On Fri, 30 Aug 2019 06:09:07 -0700, Scott Williams wrote:

On Friday, August 30, 2019 at 1:15:04 AM UTC-5, Paul T wrote:
At 13:30 29 August 2019, wrote:

=20
and Ridge Soaring has been on the 'for sale' market for how
long?=20
Seems to me you need to think of a plan to buy some of
these=20
properties up and establish non profit clubs at them -maybe a
'culture=20
change' is required in the US.

Problem is real estate prices. In the old days you could buy a big
enough
=
piece of property for a small enough amount of money to run a
soaring
opera=
tion as a hobby business. Perhaps SSA should do more fundraising
specifica=
lly for purchasing airports? Or spend the money lobbying the
gov't to
bu=
y airports for our use(only half joking.) The Hanggliding/PG crowd
spends
=
a bunch of their resources securing real estate. They've also
unfortunatel=
y had to go into the insurance business themselves, which is a
terrible
out=
come, but I understand they didn't have much choice.

Real estate prices are also high in Europe yet clubs still manage to
purchase airfields.......

I thought In Europe, soaring was, sponsored by goverments. In this case
Sponsored means subsidized with money.
Is this still true?

In the UK there are Sports Council grants for equipment, but thats about
it apart from support from airminded charities and some BGA loan schemes.
IIRC gliding clubs are VAT exempt like other similar amateur sports clubs
and thats about the limit of UK Government support.

My club rents its airfield from a local farmer.

I don't know how the rest of Europe supports soaring.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org