Every one of us has proved competent enough in our lives that we have the time and resources to dedicate to a sport for which there is little practical benefit. I am continuously amazed by the diversity of our membership (and I'm not talking metal vs. fiberglass here); we have pilots, lawyers, businessmen, doctors, engineers, artists, students, retirees, and everything in between.

With our varying backgrounds come varying skills and interests. Some are directly applicable to our flying operations, and so we have instructors, tow pilots, etc. to support those operations. Some are less directly applicable to flight operations, but are just as essential to the health of the club-such as treasurer, newsletter editor, webmaster, etc. If we were all salaried employees, imagine how much a tow would cost!

My appeal is straightforward. If you have a skill or interest that is applicable to any of the club operations or activities, please let us know. If you have good organizational skills, we will ask you to lead some small one or two-day projects. If you have good mechanical skills, we will put you work on maintenance of the club assets (flying and non-flying). If you are good in social situations, we will ask you to organize regular cookouts and social events. The list goes on and on.

Please consider how you can make a contribution to the club. We surely can use the help.
-- Joe Parrish

A colleague of mine who lives in Carlsbad, California recently visited Torrey Pines. He isn't a pilot but a sea kayaker (commonly referred to as "Great White Bait"). Knowing I would love it, he bought me a copy of "Wind & Wings, the History of Soaring in San Diego" by Gary Fogel, PhD.ISBN 0-9670339-5-0. This is a fascinating 286 page book, profusely illustrated, covering the period of 1883 to 1950.

I really didn't have time to read this book but I thumbed through the pictures and set it on my worktable for a rainy day. By coincidence (are there any coincidences?) the next day, Anne Morrow Lindbergh died.

I had read a number of her books and years ago gave my wife an original 1938 edition of "Listen the Wind". After we read it, the book wound up on my office book shelf . The jacket is blue with metallic gold typography. Every time I came in and turned on the lights, the book would shine. It sort of became my reminder that I was not flying that day.

So I picked up my new book and turned to those pages devoted to the Lindberghs. At least I could start reading it there.

Charles and Anne Lindbergh were visiting San Diego in January 1930, when they both learned to soar from the legendary Hawley Bowlus. Bowlus was superintendent of the Ryan Aeronautical Company during the construction of "The Spirit of St. Louis" and became a close friend of Lindbergh's. Charles was awarded Glider License number 9 and Anne number 10. Seems one progressed through 3rd and 2nd classes to 1st class. While the author doesn't make this clear (in this chapter anyway) I judge their accomplishment was the equivalent of a modern "C" badge. Anne was the first woman in the U.S. to receive a First Class Glider license.

So this lovely lady with a lyrical gift, was one of us.

In her book "Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead" this last link to a pioneering spirit wrote: "Flying was a very tangible freedom. In those days, it was beauty, adventure, discovery-- ."

Still can be, if you pick the right vehicle!

Dynamic Duo of Daves

The Annual Safety Meeting was held on February 17. Anthony Smith from Dulles ATC presented a lively talk on the state of their operations in OUR airspace and if that didn't make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, perhaps you didn't hear this exchange: asked how gliders show up to ATC and TCAS, Mr. Smith said "Sstealth fighters are more visible to ATC."

If you were there then you know Dave Weaver, substituting for Jim Kellett, moderated and Dave Brunner presented the Emergency Response Plan. If you weren't there then you MUST view the video of the safety meeting so expertly filmed by Cecil B. Otis, complete a checkride and pay your 2001 Club dues before any DO will let you fly.

The video is available for viewing on the Club's TV in the hangar. Each member can also pick up one free copy of the videotape "Soaring-Your Sport for the New Millennium", and may purchase additional copies at a nominal price to be established (probably $4 - $5). Contact Bob collier for cost of additional copies.

Short tow ropes, long dialogs

The answer to discussions and questions pertaining to our club needs/desires to use short tow ropes in connection with aerial retrieves of land-out gliders is wisely covered in the current Operations Manual (Version 3.1) dated 12/1/2000, page 2-2, paragraph 2.2.12, last sentence which states:

<Aerial retrieves will be made from operating airports only.>
In my opinion, if the difference in length of rope makes or breaks a successful tow-out from such an airport, then the towpilot has probably violated the FAR that requires adequate flight planning to become informed on all factors affecting preparation for a safe operation-in this case, primarily runway length and surface, wind, density altitude and proficiency in the towplane/glider combination being used.

This club rule is wise in that it goes a very long way toward ensuring greater longevity of essential club assets, as well as our safety record. Trailering home a land-out glider from a non-airport landing seems like a very small overall inconvenience by comparison.
-- Jim McCulley

I've been sitting on the sidelines on this one but I think I'm through with this issue now. Jim is right about the OPS manual restriction. Why in the world would we try an aerotow retrieve out of anywhere but an airport? The only possible gain is the ability to regain use of the asset sooner. However, this does not even come close to balancing out the possible ramifications of flying out of an unimproved field. Please, don't anybody talk about evaluating the specific situation and then deciding if the field is ok. There is just no point to it. It is not worth the risk. Period. Now, as far as rope length is concerned, I thought we were through with that. I said a long time ago that we could fly with any length rope anybody wants to fly with. I know I can hack it. However the students will find it challenging. Some people think that's probably a good idea. I think the rope length issue should migrate to the misc. mail group.
-- Dave Weaver

Just for the record, if you lose sight of the towplane you are supposed to release immediately. Not in three seconds, not after moving out to the side, not after playing w/ the spoilers and stick. Immediately.

This is the standard to which we train our students and our tow pilots.
-- Joe Parrish

There appears to be considerable interest in holding the Cross-Country Course again this year. I am happy to do so as the skills needed to fly away from the airport will both increase your enjoyment of soaring and your overall piloting skills. DATES: There are no firm dates for the Course yet, but I would like to attend the Wave Camp in Petersburg and start after it concludes on March 18.

THE COURSE: As noted in the Newsletter, the course has four sessions of about 2.5 hours each. We cover Weather and Weather Prediction, How to Fly Cross-Country in Thermals, Ridge and Wave, Speed to Fly Theories, Navigation, Landing Out, Medical Factors and FAI Badge Rules. There will be a small charge (~$5.00) to cover xeroxing the handouts.

TIMES and PLACE: Workable times would seem to be a Saturday or Sunday morning at some place in Front Royal. Thus, possible times would be one day on the weekends of March 24, 31 (3/31 is iffy-I have to go to Florida this weekend), April 7 and 14. Another option would be to hold sessions on both Saturday and Sunday mornings on 2 consecutive weekends. If we start at roughly 8:30 AM, we are flying (or at least done with the talking) by 11 AM. A less attractive possibility would be to start at 6 PM after flying, but this is a bummer if it rains. Somehow, it is not totally depressing to drive to the airport in morning rain (it might clear up), but it is lots harder in the afternoon.

IMPORTANT DETAILS: We will need a place with a room to hold about 10-15 people, a projector and a screen (or a very white wall). One thing that worked well last time was a restaurant with a private room that served a breakfast buffet-the course participants ate, I talked and all was pretty good with the world. Suggestions and HELP in arranging the place would be GREATLY appreciated. Information to Return to Jim Garrison To begin, I would like to get a firm idea of how many of Skyline's members will attend the course. Even if you have already contacted me, could you please fill out the form below and return it to me. After I get a list of participants, we will work out the times for the sessions. Naturally, we cannot suit everyone's preferences, but we can try.

Send them by email to> jcg8w@virginia.edu or via regular mail to James C. Garrison, 715 Lochridge Lane, Earlysville, Virginia 22936. Please provide the following information-

Name ____________________________________
Address___________________________________
_________________________________________
Phone hm_______________
Wk ______________
Student, PPG, Instructor or Other ?______________
If Instructor, Special expertise ?________________
Pilot Certificate _____________________________
Bronze Badge ? _____________________________
FAI Badges ? _______________________________
Glider Hours ______________________________
Cross Country Experience _____________________
Other Information __________________________
Do You Wish to Teach Something (and What)
_________________________________________________

-- Jim Garrison

Blue Ridge Soaring Society, New Castle, Virginia, will host a meet for those who want to gain some cross-country and contest experience. This meet will be held annually on the weekend before Mother's Day, and will be a Sports Class contest. Scores will be handicapped, based on performance of the glider flown. Entrants need not have contest or extensive cross-country experience. The contest area will be over friendly terrain. Clubs are encouraged to fly in teams over the assigned courses. The primary goal is to provide cross-country experience with safety and fun. We will have experienced cross-country and contest pilots available as advisors. All novice pilots can be matched with an experienced pilot as a personal advisor/mentor.

The cost of the meet is $150 per entry. The entry fee will include one tow each contest day (three tows total), and three dinners for two. Additional tows will cost $25 each. Please register as soon as practical as the number of entrants is limited. The required $50 deposit is refundable until April 15th. Dinners are planned for the 3th, 4th and 5th, and hopefully the Towplane Tavern will be open for breakfast and lunch. On-field campsites and RV parking, a bathhouse, pavilion, grills and parking space are available for the asking. Bed and breakfasts are nearby-The Stebar's Inn, (540) 864-5715 and Cross Trails, (540) 384-8078. There are lots of hotels and motels on I-81 and in Salem and Roanoke.

Team flying will be separate entrants flying the same aircraft as other members of their group or club. The assigned courses will be short enough to allow two complete times around, with the pilots/teams switching off each day (you can draw straws, etc. to determine who goes first or second, or alternate on each day).

Further information is available at http://www.brss.net. Please write, email or call for an entry form or to discuss any questions you may have.
-- Gary L. Nabler, 196 Queens Knob, Wytheville, VA 24382 (540) 228-2729(hm) glnab@naxs.com

I wasn't really thinking cross-country when '289' was launched on Saturday, Feb. 17th. I was second to go, right after Shane. After havin g been successfully deposited on the ridge, I started southward along the ridge looking for Shane, but hadn't gotten very far when I ran into a pretty decent thermal which soon gave out, or perhaps I just fell out of it, I don't know which. The cloud patterns seemed to be streeting in bands with the wind, and I worked my way under one of them situated about half way between Signal Knob and Mt. Jackson, and went into the "penetrate-forward-until-you-encounter-thermal-then-take-it-until-you- lose-it" mode until I arrived at an altitude exactly 500 ft below cloud base. Still no Shane. "Geez, he must've landed out." Little did I know, as I found out later, that he was in wave somewhere above me and the clouds. By now I think I had been up for almost an hour.

Well, the day was still young, and the clouds were above six thousand although pretty widely spaced... for a 1-26. But what the heck, it looked from the cloud shadow like the first street to the north was just about over town (Front Royal). So, if I couldn't find any lift, I could land back at field. Everything worked out; we got into some good lift 5-600fpm right up to cloud base(minus 500'). This gave me courage to go for next street further north, and so on. Some of the between thermal glides were easy in that sink was only one to two hundred down (must been a little wave action effect there), but there were other places where we encountered ear-popping 1200' down. After all that work and time climbing, and it was gone in less than a minute. I thought at one point that I was going to have do a back-yard squat at Mt. Weather (Jim K's old field site)... down to about 2300' just west of it. But a fairly strong thermal showed up allowing the flight to continue. The path then pretty much went up the west side of Va route 7 past Jan Scott's field and across the Potomac at Point of Rocks where I got low again over an ever expanding cloud shadow from which I wasn't able to escape. Besides, mother nature by then was becoming extremely impatient; so, at a little after 3 o'clock, a nice 18-hole golf course showed up just south of US-340 at Mt. Zion Road just southwest of Frederick. Because of the fairly high wind I set up a landing sequence (as opposed to pattern) at fairly steep descent angle to fairway #7, as it turned out, and S-turned my way down to a very slow and soft 10-15yard landing ending up about 150 ft from three guys getting ready tee-off.

I got out and pulled the ship over to one side for them to play through, which they did, but on the way by, they all helped me push '289' over to gravel access road where where we could leave it. Fortunately the ground along side the road had an incline something like 10% such that we could quarter the tail into the wind with the wing closer to the wind down the incline. It seemed reasonably stable there, which turned out to be the case.

Shortly along came an elderly gentleman, Bob Capone, the golf course owner who was very, very nice, and he in turn introduced me to his granddaughter, Christina, a local college student, who also helped manage the caddy shop in her spare time. We rode around in style and comfort in a canvass-clad golf cart while waiting for my hard-working ever-gracious crew, who also had pulled ADO that day to show up, Lewis Martin.

He arrived at just about sundown, and together the three of us drove to the gravel road site and began the derigging process. Because it was so cold, we had to retreat to the car to get warm after removing one wing and placing it on the ground. Everything went along fairly smoothly until we tried to pick up that right wing which was left on the ground. Its trailing edge was facing almost directly into the wind, and just as we picked it up, in a flash a gust got under the wing and lifted it right out of our hands, spinning it about its main spar like a playing card. The tip caught Lewis right under his chin a good one. He looked a little dizzied, but quickly recovered. Lucky his jaw wasn't broken. The wing landed flat upside down... and luckily also undamaged. After some consultation, we decided to orient the wing's long dimension parallel to the wind while being careful to keep the edge into the wind tipped slightly downward during the move. This worked very well in that, although the wind was able to move it somewhat in our hands we could still maintain control.

All loaded up we thanked Christina very much, and were off to the Mill and a bite to eat with '289's driver footing the bill. The crew really earned his keep on this one.
-- Bob Collier

• The URL for Andrews AFB air show, 19 & 20 May 2001 is: http://www.andrews.af.mil/jsoh/
  -- Chris Williams

• Please change my email address to slrouse@bellatlantic.net
  -- Steve Rouse

• I've been reading the new book "Exploring the Monster, Mountain Lee Waves: the Aerial Elevator" and I came across the following account: 1939-Victor Saudek: "Mr. Wright, why did you return to to glider flying in 1911 after your airplane had been successful and proven itself in 1903?"

  Orville Wright: "Well, we have given several answers to different people to that question, that it was to experiment with stability and controls. But you know and we knew then, that it was more fun to fly gliders than it was to fly powered airplanes."
  -- Fred Mueller

• My 40 years of towing gliders and flying gliders has been a joy for me and we in the CAP group appreciate the assistance of your club in supporting our CAP program. We look forward to sharing our love for flying with Skyline and be instrumental in the education of the youth of America.
  -- Fred Hayman

• Please send any and all correspondence to my new, permanent home, pbarber@skylinesoaring.org
  -- Piet Barber

• Fly low for $3000-I am planning on selling my 1984 Porsche 944 sometime within the next month. If you are interested in owning such a machine, this is an excellent example with a completely documented service history. I purchased it new and have maintained it very well. It has been garaged at home and at work. The body has no dings or scratches and the paint is very good to excellent. The color is ruby red metallic (burgundy) and the interior is tan/grey with leather seats.Tires have 1-2 years tread left and the interior is excellent. About 130,000 miles.

  Best of all, it knows the way to Front Royal, Va and Petersburg, WVa by heart.

  If interested, please call me at Home (804) 978-1299 (after 8 PM) Work (804) 924-5618 jcg8w@virginia.edu
  -- Jim Garrison

• The club's website has been at http://skylinesoaring.org for some while. I've been busily changing lots of things about the way the old one at http://www.ssl.umd.edu/skyline/ was set up, and that's taking most of my time. I plan to be taking down the old webpages at the ssl.umd.edu site, and redirecting them to their counterparts at skylinesoaring.org.

  New stuff: The members' experiences at the SSA 2001 Convention is now available on the website. Go to the homepage, and the link is right there.

  Also, for club members who have Palm Pilots, I have set up a neat page for you. I've created a special Skyline Soaring to-go AvantGo channel, which can be accessed by visiting http://skylinesoaring.org/PDA/

  Included in the skyline soaring to-go content is the most recent newsletter, Upcoming Events, and most importantly, the Duty Roster.

  Feedback is welcome and encouraged. Please send website feedback to webmaster@skylinesoaring.org .
  -- Piet Barber

• And finally-in the spirit of President Parrish's call for volunteers. If we need someone to kick down a door, we can call on Tim James.