Soaring Convention: What was new, interesting, best?

"soarski" wrote in message
om...

BUT.......for us who could not make it to the Convention, could we have
some reports, stories.

Atlanta was the eighteenth or nineteenth SSA convention for my wife and me.
While I never fail to find something new and exciting in both the
presentations (this year, the "news" from Steve Northcraft and Bob Lacovara
were the most informative, with Mark Keene's marathan two session discussion
close in trail) and the exhibits (the prototype sport aviation certified
glider caught my eye), I've come to treasure even more the once-a-year
chance to hob nob and lift a glass with the luminaries of soaring that you'd
otherwise only read about.

The new film "A Fine Week of Soaring" was a particular surprise . . .
sitting in the room, when it was described as a "close look at a full week
of a contest" I whispered to my wife "I've seen too many boring videos of
competitions . . when the lights dim, I'm going to sneak out". Well, a
little over an hour later, I was still there, enthralled, and promptly
skipped out to buy two copies. Didn't hurt that sometimes, flying my own
glider down in the Shenandoah valley, I've "lurked" on frequency about a
hundred miles out while Karl talked some of his XC trainees around a course.
.. . the film visualized what I'd heard in the chit-chat. Very cool.

Enjoyed Dennis Wright's plain-talking membership meeting (where WAS
everyone?!?) and the dialog with the CAP Glider Program folks. It was
obvious that big things are a-brewin', new instruments and new gliders
notwithstanding . .

Jim Kellett, Resident Curmudgeon
Chief Flight Instructor, Skyline Soaring Club
Captain and CFI(G), Civil Air Patrol
Chairman, Classic Division, Vintage Sailplane Association
Webmaster, Open Cirrus Website
"If Flying Were the Language of Man, Soaring Would be its Poetry"

"Larry Pardue" wrote in message ...

BUT.......for us who could not make it to the Convention, could we have
some reports, stories. What gliders were on the floor, Talks, lectures,
items?

Thanks!

Dieter

I hadn't been to a convention for quite a few years and got a big kick out
of it.

The Charlie Spratt Roast, alone, was just about worth the price of
admission. After an all-star cast of roasters finished, Charlie himself got
up and repeated some of his stories to yelled prompts from the audience. We
got such classics as "Sailing at Hobbs" and "Blowing Up The Boat." I was
laughing so hard I could hardly get a breath. Can't wait for Charlie's
book, which is supposed to be out soon.

There was a slight scent in the air of shift of center of gravity from
Germany to Poland for glider manufacture. ...

Larry Pardue 2I

Have you seen the "Apis" from AMS-Flight??? How does it seem???

Miriano

There was a self launching version of the Apis (15M) on display at the Apis
Sailplanes Inc Booth.

It was a very nice looking machine with a very reasonable price. A friend who
flies an L-33 sat in it and felt the cockpit was very comfortable. It appears
they have done a nice job.

There is additional info on the web site if you have not seen it at
http://www.apisgliders.com/

John
John Earlywine
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Fort Wayne, IN