How About Story Time

The story goes, more or less, together Ben Green and Charlie Spratt went to see the movie "Midway" which was showing in one of those new fangled "surround sound theaters". When it was over they were walking back to the car and Ben turned to Charlie and said "you know, I fought in that battle and I can promise you it was not that loud".

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
I'll go first.-

During the regional at Harris Hill in 2013 I was flying K21 with grandson Calvin Mampe, Rachel Conklin, and her sister Michelle. All 3 had flown multiple contests with me before, 2 having done so before they were old enough to solo.
Half way through the contest, my wife Dianne had a terrible fall and ended up hospitalized with some very serious injuries. All 3 of the juniors had good flights with me earlier in the contest so I told them to just keep on flying.
On Friday, Calvin and Rachel flew but decided to abandon the task part way around the course due to rain. They did not want to land out and take the ship apart in the rain. Smart!
The next day Rachel and Michelle flew together. About 4:00 I was in the ICU with Dianne when Calvin called. When I answered, he simply said “K21 four miles�. Our 2 young ladies had flown the course for a reasonable score. To my knowledge, this is the first time two young sisters had ever flown in competition. We had a seriously great group hug that night. This may be my best ever moment as a supporter of youth soaring.
Following up- Michelle is now an A&P working for Textron and just finished her first restoration, a 1-26E. Rachel is instructing at Flight Safety and soon will have all the requirements for her ATP.

UH

The story goes, more or less, together Ben Greene and Charlie Spratt went to see the movie "Midway" which was showing in one of those new fangled "surround sound theaters". When it was over, they were walking back to the car and Ben turned to Charlie and said "you know, I fought in that battle and I can promise you it was not that loud".

On Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 2:40:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
I'll go first.-

SEX DRUGS AND ROCK N ROLL

So one Saturday morning, back in say 2003, I'm in the backseat of our ASK 21 here in Telluride Colorado giving hour rides. Jeff Campbell is the towpilot this day.
A couple of times a year in Colorado we can get these very strong thermic conditions, very strong with no OD. This was one of those days. We started at 9 am and things were fine when at noon this couple appears for the 12 oclock and 1 Pm ride. This women was striking, looked like Dolly Parton only bigger, everywhere. I take her husband up and it is getting too rough, like 15-17 knots up and down, but not much wind. So we land I decide to shut it down. I tell this gal this and she is so deflated, telling me how she had looked forward to this day for so long. She asks me why we can't go? It's not raining and the winds are light on the ground. I talk to Jeff, who knows how strong it is, and he says what the hell lets go. She impresses on me that she is a bit of a dare devil and is not afraid of rough air.
She was Sooo sexy, Huge blonde hair, Huge boobs, wearing a thin cotton dress, like the gal in Cool Hand Luke,she was from Atlanta a real southern bombshell.
So we push the K-21 out to the runway and I wonder if she will even fit in the front, shes like 6'1" maybe 200+ but beautiful.Bright red lipstick too. So I help her in and she just fits and I'm putting her belts on looking down what looks to me to be the Grand Canyon, she knows I'm having a total perve on her and shes just laughing and I'm thinking about what it would be like spending a couple of days with her in a Cabo condo drinking and doing some LSD, wouldn't that be fun?? I get her a couple of sick sacks but don't dwell on that issue. I shut her canopy and get in back and belt in and realize her hair is so big it fills the whole front view!
Campbell takes out the slack and off we go in out C 150/180 with a density altitude on the sign showing 12, 450'.
On the downwind departure leg we fly into this mile long thermal going up like 1700. Campbell does 2 reversal turns in it and I'm off at 12,000. I ask her if she wants to go high or cruise the ridges and she says she would like to do both please. So I head to the ski area and I swear to god I never did a 360 and I get us up to 17k in about 15 minutes flying straight and doing some 180's.
We have this cirque about 20 miles long that goes clear around Telluride that is spectacular, So I find some strong sink, did I mention it is really really rough?, and get down on the cirque, fly the whole thing and go into land.
She gets out and is just beyond herself and hands me a 200 dollar tip and asks me to split it with the tow pilot.
I still think about that ride.

I've given some memorable rides, but nothing to compare to that! Are
sure that you didn't just have some of that LSD and dream up the rest?Â*
Dreams, either way...

Anyway...

At the end of a typically good day out of Black Forest, Tom Serkowski in
has ASW-20, I think it was a b model, had stiff wings, and I in my LS-6a
met over the front range around Cheeseman Reservoir.Â* Time to go home
and one or the other of us asked if there was anything else to do.Â* I
think it was I who asked the question and Tom's answer was something
like, "Let's race to the top of Pike's Peak."

Well, we had glide to Black forest, but not to the Peak but, what the
hell.Â* We headed south.Â* The lift was good and we were able to pretty
much maintain our altitude, hitting the north buttress of Pike's Peak
just about at ridge level, maybe 10,000'.

We were on the west side of the ridge and the wind was blowing
perpendicular to it.Â* Ridge lift was good.Â* We were gaining altitude at
the same rate as the terrain was rising and going fast!Â* We could see
cars on the road up the Peak stopping to watch as we flashed past.

My heart was pounding and my breathing was deep and fast.Â* This was my
first real experience with ridge flying other than a couple of flights
on the North Shore of Oahu which is nowhere near the same. As we reached
the top of the mountain at 14,115' MSL, we each did a pull up and, IIRC,
turned in opposite directions.Â* I don't recall which one of us got there
first and I don't really care.Â* I had so much adrenaline pumping through
me that my hands were shaking and I told Tom that I couldn't take any
more and was heading home.Â* I think he hung around the Peak for a little
bit to have some more fun.Â* Maybe he could join in and give his side of
the story.

As I took up a heading towards Black Forest, I noticed a bunch of
tourists at the visitor center on top of the mountain.Â* I opened my side
window and let out a loud whistle and saw faces and cameras rise to the
occasion.Â* I did a steep turn circling the visitor center and a plunge
down the sheer face on the northeast side with a pull out about a
thousand feet below and an easy glide home.Â* My heart was still pounding
when I got there.

Then there's the story about the red headed Irish lass, but that's for
another time...

On 4/12/2020 4:45 PM, Nick Kennedy wrote:
SEX DRUGS AND ROCK N ROLL

So one Saturday morning, back in say 2003, I'm in the backseat of our ASK 21 here in Telluride Colorado giving hour rides. Jeff Campbell is the towpilot this day.
A couple of times a year in Colorado we can get these very strong thermic conditions, very strong with no OD. This was one of those days. We started at 9 am and things were fine when at noon this couple appears for the 12 oclock and 1 Pm ride. This women was striking, looked like Dolly Parton only bigger, everywhere. I take her husband up and it is getting too rough, like 15-17 knots up and down, but not much wind. So we land I decide to shut it down. I tell this gal this and she is so deflated, telling me how she had looked forward to this day for so long. She asks me why we can't go? It's not raining and the winds are light on the ground. I talk to Jeff, who knows how strong it is, and he says what the hell lets go. She impresses on me that she is a bit of a dare devil and is not afraid of rough air.
She was Sooo sexy, Huge blonde hair, Huge boobs, wearing a thin cotton dress, like the gal in Cool Hand Luke,she was from Atlanta a real southern bombshell.
So we push the K-21 out to the runway and I wonder if she will even fit in the front, shes like 6'1" maybe 200+ but beautiful.Bright red lipstick too. So I help her in and she just fits and I'm putting her belts on looking down what looks to me to be the Grand Canyon, she knows I'm having a total perve on her and shes just laughing and I'm thinking about what it would be like spending a couple of days with her in a Cabo condo drinking and doing some LSD, wouldn't that be fun?? I get her a couple of sick sacks but don't dwell on that issue. I shut her canopy and get in back and belt in and realize her hair is so big it fills the whole front view!
Campbell takes out the slack and off we go in out C 150/180 with a density altitude on the sign showing 12, 450'.
On the downwind departure leg we fly into this mile long thermal going up like 1700. Campbell does 2 reversal turns in it and I'm off at 12,000. I ask her if she wants to go high or cruise the ridges and she says she would like to do both please. So I head to the ski area and I swear to god I never did a 360 and I get us up to 17k in about 15 minutes flying straight and doing some 180's.
We have this cirque about 20 miles long that goes clear around Telluride that is spectacular, So I find some strong sink, did I mention it is really really rough?, and get down on the cirque, fly the whole thing and go into land.
She gets out and is just beyond herself and hands me a 200 dollar tip and asks me to split it with the tow pilot.
I still think about that ride.

--
Dan, 5J

About 1996 or 1997 I was taking some primary instruction from Al Lambert with the Soaring Sooners out of David J. Peary airport in Goldsby Oklahoma, Just doing some pattern tows in the Clubs 2-33. Typical short flights and I was green enough to be struggling some. Oklahoma summers can be quite hot, and I remember after the two tows I could afford that day, I was kinda' done.
After the rollout, as Al and I prepared to push the 2-33 back to the hangar, Hank Clyburne, "handle bar Hank" walked out and Said to Al and Me, "That's enough sweating, Let me show you what Soaring is really about"
With that said, Hank told be to get back in the front seat and the tow was on him. He climbed in and Told me to relax and just watch. The tow was typical, But hank held on until we towed into a nice 4 knot thermal. As Hank released and centered the thermal the vario increased to 7-8 knots. As Hank circled and the glider gained several thousand feet the air temperature dramatically cooled.
We flew for about an hour, never getting too far from the field or low.
During the entire flight Hank was narrating what he was doing and sharing some of his extensive knowledge of the History of Soaring.
You see, Hank was the son of Marschall Clyburne and Hank was involved with Soaring his entire life, even being a teenager present in Marfa in 1968.
Hanks easygoing enthusiasm for all things Soaring 'set the hook' for me in a big way.
I will always be grateful that Hank took the time to share this sport with me.

Thanks Hank!
Scott

On Saturday, 4 April 2020 14:40:32 UTC-4, wrote:
Maybe this is a good opportunity for some of us to share some stories of our experiences.
I'll go first.-

During the regional at Harris Hill in 2013 I was flying K21 with grandson Calvin Mampe, Rachel Conklin, and her sister Michelle. All 3 had flown multiple contests with me before, 2 having done so before they were old enough to solo.
Half way through the contest, my wife Dianne had a terrible fall and ended up hospitalized with some very serious injuries. All 3 of the juniors had good flights with me earlier in the contest so I told them to just keep on flying.
On Friday, Calvin and Rachel flew but decided to abandon the task part way around the course due to rain. They did not want to land out and take the ship apart in the rain. Smart!
The next day Rachel and Michelle flew together. About 4:00 I was in the ICU with Dianne when Calvin called. When I answered, he simply said “K21 four miles�. Our 2 young ladies had flown the course for a reasonable score. To my knowledge, this is the first time two young sisters had ever flown in competition. We had a seriously great group hug that night. This may be my best ever moment as a supporter of youth soaring.
Following up- Michelle is now an A&P working for Textron and just finished her first restoration, a 1-26E. Rachel is instructing at Flight Safety and soon will have all the requirements for her ATP.

UH

Well this isn't my story, but talk about an Experience Flight gone wrong:
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3...r-jet-joyride/

I was giving a commercial ride to an older gentleman who said that he used to fly power planes a long time ago and had also taken a scenic glider ride somewhere else before. Since our tow-plane was out of commission, we had to shift to our winch and I tried to explain to him how this works but it didn't seem to 'compute' with him.
The launch was as expected: hard acceleration, steep climb and about 30 seconds later, we released at around 1,600ft. He collected himself and said 'Wow - that was fast - and I didn't even see the tow-plane!'

One other time, I was giving a ride in a 2-33 to a retired airline captain in the front seat. It was a really rough day with some cross-wind and I worked hard to do a smooth landing. Upon roll-out, he said 'Ha - nothing to it! These gliders do land themselves!'

Uli
'AS'

One of our beloved Instructors was famous for giving flight reviews and criticizing any and all less-than-perfect performances. He was also noted for following through on all control movements, to the point that the "alleged" PIC sometimes had to fight for the stick. On one BFR in a 2-33, the "reviewee" folded his arms and put his feet flat on the floor for the entire flight and landing. The Instructor proceeded to give advice and criticism on every maneuver, and also said that the landing was not up to Private Pilot standards. But he passed the "victim" anyway. Nothing more was said.

My sister, Diane, was/is one of the world's best crews (that's an applause line). My father was one of the world's best instructors. Diane was pretty young and had a bit of a confidence problem early on. She didn't always want to keep the controls when things got stressful. My father had a technique for that. Sitting in the back seat of the 2-33, he would rest his hands lightly on the student's shoulders, saying: "It's your airplane."

Diane wasn't having any of that, though. She would reach up and brush his hands away, then plop her own hands on her shoulders, saying, "Oh, no, it's your airplane".

After my father died, Diane decided to fulfill one of his dreams and resumed her lessons at another glider operation, soloing successfully not long after. I knew it wasn't her thing but I was very proud of her--and still am.

Chip Bearden
JB

I've got two stories:

We were winching our 2-33 at Black Forest, I in the front seat and Karen
Serkowski (Tom's wife) in the back.Â* Karen was performing the landing
so, as we approached the crowd on the ground, I raised both hands so
they would know.Â* Next time around, I was doing the landing and Karen
was holding her hands in the air.Â* As we got on short final, I saw that
the whole crowd was holding their hands up in the air, so I took the
stick between my knees and held my hands up, too.Â* The 2-33 really can
land itself!

For the other story, I was asked to give a demo flight to a retired
Swedish airline pilot.Â* He was practically blind with glaucoma and told
me so.Â* Still, after gaining some altitude in the L-13, I offered him
the stick.Â* He declined, saying that he couldn't see to fly.Â* I told him
to fly and I would talk him through it.Â* As we flew, I would give him
suggestions to pull up a bit or turn left/roll out, and then I would
describe what I was seeing.Â* The smile on his face was wonderful!

He returned annually for a couple of years and always asked to fly with
me.Â* He also sent me cards every Christmas.Â* And then the cards
stopped.Â* I guess he flew west.Â* I was so glad to have given him the
experience that he so obviously missed.

On 4/15/2020 9:28 AM, wrote:
My sister, Diane, was/is one of the world's best crews (that's an applause line). My father was one of the world's best instructors. Diane was pretty young and had a bit of a confidence problem early on. She didn't always want to keep the controls when things got stressful. My father had a technique for that. Sitting in the back seat of the 2-33, he would rest his hands lightly on the student's shoulders, saying: "It's your airplane."

Diane wasn't having any of that, though. She would reach up and brush his hands away, then plop her own hands on her shoulders, saying, "Oh, no, it's your airplane".

After my father died, Diane decided to fulfill one of his dreams and resumed her lessons at another glider operation, soloing successfully not long after. I knew it wasn't her thing but I was very proud of her--and still am.

Chip Bearden
JB

--
Dan, 5J