SHENANDOAH VALLEY SOARING

SVS members will have an opportunity to fly one of our club ships, the 1-26, at another location during the two middle weekends of July. The site is New Castle; the weekends, announced by President Bud Klaser, are July 10-11 and July 17-18.

We previously discussed, at a membership meeting, the possibility of arranging an outing to New Castle and Bud has since received an invitation from the Blue Ridge Soaring Society to do so.

BRSS, Bud notes, has a beautiful 2400 ft grass runway located off Rt. 311 in the mountains west of Roanoke. Thermal, ridge, and wave flights are possible and the ridge is located within safe gliding distance of the runway.

The drive from Waynesboro should take about two hours. SVS members wishing to stay overnight may choose between motels located along I-81, a bed & breakfast located in the town of New Castle, or camping at the airport. The airport facilities include a club house, picnic area, RV area, and showers.

Bud said he will trailer the 1-26 Friday evening, July 9, and it will be available to all SVS members both weekends. SVS members may also bring their private ships as well. Watch your e-mail for updates.

SVS members voted at the May 8 membership meeting to be the host for the annual DuPont Regatta this year, and it is scheduled for September 17, 18, & 19. More details later.

Sunday, May 30, looked like a good day to do something exciting, so I left for the field, Eagles Nest, and to see what I could get into.

Only about 3 members were around at 1:30. Since the owners of a 1949 Schweizer 1-23 asked me sometime ago to fly their machine to check a possible problem in flying straight through the air, I decided this would be a good day. Unwrapping the canopy cover and a preflight in-spection uncovered no problems, so at 1:40, I was airborne behind the Pawnee.

Although I had their permission I felt a bit like I was stealing the ship. But if I went for a common good, they would be happy. And the common good I announced just before take-off: I was on my way to get the Boomerang trophy! This trophy was established by Blue Ridge Soaring Society in 1969 at NCI, or New Castle International, 80 miles from Eagles Nest. It encourages XC-flying, someone has to go and get it wherever it ends up. It travels around Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina etc. But now, it was at the place of origin and we had been talking about getting it long before today. If anyone was going to get it, it was me who had a last chance before heading to Colorado and it would make the owners of the 1-23 happy if I did it in their vintage machine.

Releasing over Waynesboro I immediately headed South, but found myself down to 3800 feet over Sherando, 8 miles away. Soon I got up to 6500 and went for the mountains of the Blue Ridge. Clouds ahead were looking promising so I pushed the stick forward and traveled at 60-70 mph. The aerodynamics of the old ship made it want to go into a right turn, due to some repair of the right wing at one time or another but, it was nothing serious. I continued on at a bit of a slow pace but, my altitude was constantly improving, getting up to 7500 feet in strong thermals and part of the time I could just fly straight and maintain altitude.

Soon I was over Buena Vista on the Western Edge of the Blue Ridge, 40 miles from home. And the guys at home had thought I was just kidding, but I just love to head the nose of a sailplane away from the field and go for new adventures. Another ten miles down the road I arrived over Glasgow, (not the one in Scotland!) and now it was best to head to the Western edge of the Shenandoah Valley, approximately 15 miles wide here. Starting with 7500 feet in hand, for some time there were no thermals but, getting close to a ridge about 3000 feet high, I expected to get back up as soon as I reached the ridge but, my altimeter kept unwinding, only barely coming to a reversal as I passed the ridge at some 4300 feet.

Finally pushing my way towards Springwood gliderport, the best thermal of the flight gave me more than 8000 feet and also the incentive to go on to NCI. Now there was only 15 miles or so to go but, most of that was over unlandable terrain. I figured I could always go back to Springwood. Around 4 PM in the distance I could make out a town, which probably was New Castle but, I would not bet on it, as this was my first trip to this area.

On the West side of the mountain ridge was a creek flowing towards the town and the field where I would get the trophy. Already, I was thanking the Dear Lord that I made it, as I was still at 6500 feet and had discovered the gliderport with the trailers parked in a neat row. Wow, I felt elated in the old 1-23, the same type machine which Joe Lincoln had so successfully flown in his gliding career (see "Flying for Diamonds") in the late 50's and early 60's.

Soon I found myself over the field where quite a bit of activity was going on. I flew straight over the field and switched to 123.3 to announce my arrival. At the same time I asked: "Y'all still have that Boomerang down there?" And guess what, they said: "No, a fellow from Tennessee came and got it just two weeks ago".

So that was that. All that trouble for nothing, well not really, the most important was that I had made it and, everyone at NCI had a chance to admire the 50 year old ship. I figured the trophy was secondary. After all, the trophy had accomplished its purpose: Encouraging XC flying.

It was also my last and final fling here in Virginia as we will be hooking up to my Twin Astir next Thursday and heading for Colorado: a new place to fly and enjoy the mystique of Soaring!

To all my Soaring Friends, all the best and fly safely.

Among actions at the May 8 membership meeting, SVS members elected the following officers and board members for the current year: President Bud Klaser; Vice President Bruce Burkholder; Secretary Gordon Aylor; Treasurer Bob Lock; Newsletter, Bev Orndorff. Board members (in addition to the officers) are: Jeanne Tillery, Dave Miller, Jim Garrison, and Glen McInturff.

DATE	TOW PILOT	COMMENTS
Jul 3	Larry Burruss
Jul 4	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Jul 10	Bud Klaser
Jul 11	Bud Klaser
Jul 17	Larry Burruss
Jul 18	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Jul 24	Larry Burruss
Jul 25	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Jul 31	Larry Burruss
Aug 1	Bud Klaser
Aug 7	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Aug 8	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Aug 14	Larry Burruss
Aug 15	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Aug 21	Bud Klaser
Aug 22	Bud Klaser
Aug 28	Larry Burruss
Aug 29	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Sep 4	Bud Klaser
Sep 5	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Sep 11	Larry Burruss
Sep 12	Bud Klaser
Sep 18	Larry Burruss
Sep 19	Bob Lock	after 12:30 p.m.
Sep 25	Larry Burruss
Sep 26	Bud Klaser