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A slim, graceful, long-winged craft arcs upward smoothly and steeply into the summer sky, accompanied by the faint whistle of air accelerating past its gleaming surfaces. All eyes are on the machine as it dwindles with each passing second, a surging aerial trout playing out yards of taut singing line. A tiny parachute blossoms gently and returns the shining nylon filament to earth. Someone hurries to pluck the blossom before it touches the ground and soon other sailplanes are on their way in a quest to find lift. Flying a pure sailplane requires a modicum of learned skill as having it gain altitude in the heat of a thermal is an art.

Along comes technology. Perhaps some of those sailplanes, accompanied by the quiet whirr of an electrically driven propeller, will leave the launchers hand bound for a predetermined altitude, at which time the motor will stop and the propeller will fold snugly against the fuselage, and where the pilots to will join the hunt for elusive lift.

After the launch, little sound or movement is evident among the small group of pilots who's gazes pierce the sky. Yet there is tension amongst them and knees tremble in anticipation, all are alert for the subtle lift of a wing that signals a bubble of warm, rising air. Now, a turn begins, and then a tightening of the turn and a sweep into the lift, the pilot curves his obedient ship upward, betraying his or her satisfaction by just a smile or noticeable relaxation. Minutes, or perhaps hours later, the sailplane reappears at a lower altitude and is electronically grooved to a perfect landing on the grass at the feet of its once-remote master. Such a scene is repeated thousands of times during the soaring season all over the world by men and woman of all ages and talents.

A call is given by the pilot, "Lads...mount up...I have crossed the starting line and heading on course!". The team of driver, observer, and pilot scramble into the back of a pickup or convertible and head out onto the cross country course. The variometer, plugged into the car radio or pilot headset, is wailing with the telemetry data sent back from the sailplane...telling the pilot to climb, climb until you cant see the tail anymore, and only the wings. Higher the sailplane goes, 300, 400, 600, 800 meters until it is a speck. The pilot is telling the driver to pick up speed, "Up 5 they say, then up 10, then down 5". They are out on the course chasing the glider, trying to get 10 kilometers down the road to the turn point. A command of stop the car is given periodically as the pilot getting low on altitude tries to find another thermal to take him higher, and higher, and hopefully back to the starting point. This is wind in your hair, sun in your face, and a challenge for all to take, a challenge they call cross country.

Another call is given in a different part of the earth. Here the wind is fierce and so is the pilot and his skills. The sailplane rises gently out of the hand and accelerates flying away from the mountain. A turn is given and the dance begins. Circles become smaller and the speed is increasing. A helper with a radar gun yells over the wind, "480mph, 490 mph, 497mph". A record is set, and all on the side of the mountain know and out on the groups...yes this is dynamic soaring at its best!

Now ask yourself...who are these people? What are they doing and why?

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen...to the League of Silent Flight!

 

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Here it is folks.
After much thought we think we have come up with a good schedule.

July 12-14 (Wed-Fri): F3H/XC @ Monroe Central School. CD - Wally 'by Golly' Adasczik - Entry fee $0.00

July 14-15 (Fri-Sat): F3RES @ AMA Site 5. CD - Jonathan Garber - Entry fee $20.00

July 16-17 (Sun-Mon): 444 Unlimited @ AMA Site 5. CD - Wally 'by Golly' Adasczik - Entry fee $20.00

July 18-19 (Tue-Wed): 463 ALES @ AMA Site 5. CD - Norm Poti - Entry fee $20.00
July 18-19 (Tue-Wed): 462 F3K @ AMA Site 4. CD - TBD - Entry fee $20.00

July 20–21 (Thur-Fri): 464 F5J @ AMA Site 5. CD - Jim McCarthy - Entry fee $30.00 ($10.00 team donation included)

July 22-23 (Sat-Sun): GPS Racing @ AMA Site 5. CD - John Marien - Entry fee $20.00
July 22-23 (Sat-Sun): "The Trifecta" @ AMA Site 4. CD - Jonathan Garber - Entry fee $20.00 per class

 

 

 

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The League of Silent Flight respectfully remembers those members of our community who have passed.
       
LSF # First Name Last Name Level
1 SCOTT CHRISTENSEN 2
3 RICK WALTERS 2
5 GERRY WOLFRAM 4
11 KEN WILLARD 4
12 MARSHALL WATSON 4
13 LES ANDERSON 4
14 SAM CRAWFORD 4
26 JOHN DONELSON 3
40 DON LILLIE 4
59 ART SLAGLE 4
60 DANIEL PRUSS 4
63 WALT A. GOOD 5
82 DON R. CLARK 5
84 DAVE BURT 1
91 LEE RENAUD 3
113 R.E. THACKER 3
118 BRAD ALLEN 2
129 JIM SIMPSON 4
131 JULIUS TOPF 4
135 B.P. DAVIDSON 2
150 DON DEWEY 1
166 SKIP SCHOW 5
193 E. HARRIS 3
242 DALE NUTTER 4
294 HOWARD SEARS 5
319 LARRY KRAMER 4
328 GEORGE LANDRETH 3
363 BILL HANNAH 2
384 BOB GERBIN 4
396 JERRY R. MRLIK 4
523 BUZZ AVERILL 4
534 TOM WILLIAMS 4
585 G. NEWTON JR. 3
592 JOHN L. HOOVER 5
595 DONALD R. GOUGHNOUR 5
748 GARY K. JAMES 3
769 LARRY NIEMAN 1
800 ROBERT A. STEELE 5
803 RAY HAYES 4
821 L.J. FOGEL 4
828 GEORGE LUCAS 4
900 JAKOB ARNEKLEIV 3
985 THOR MOLBACH 1
1052 JAMES N. PARRISH 3
1169 PAUL KELLEY 2
1227 WILLIAM MELESKE 5
1257 DAVE YERGIN 2
1265 MICHAEL K. GEE 1
1278 MILLARD LANDERS 4
1304 STEEN R. STEINBACK 4
1342 FRANK J. DANIK 4
1378 Norman I. Pfeifer 2
1402 JOHN L. MARTZ 4
1438 DAVID NEWMAN 2
1484 DAVID FREDRICKS 3
1674 ROBERT GRACEY 4
1707 ALLAN SCIDMORE 4
1960 E.H. PARKHURST 3
2022 WERNER KLEBERT 4
2089 RICHARD T. CROWLEY 4
2163 J. ROBERT BAUGHER 4
2187 H. HENDRY 4
2259 DWIGHT W. HOLLEY 5
2306 THOMAS D. CONELLY 4
2399 JOE BERTIN 4
2500 CECIL HAGA 1
2533 CHARLES W. BRANNON JR. 3
2649 FREDERICK GREGG 4
3064 JOHN HUMPHREYS 5
3119 EARLE N. LATIMER 5
3128 ROBERT A. CHAMPINE 5
3185 EDWIN WILSON 5
3293 ARTHUR FARIA 3
3548 ROBERT L. SUMMERS 4
3696 ROY WALTON 1
4018 LARRY JEFFERY 4
4172 R.J. MERCER 2
4383 FRODE LORVIK 1
4460 EDWARD C. WATERS 4
4525 DAVID HAERTEL 2
4752 ARTHUR L. CROKER 3
5076 RUSTY SHAW 4
5175 CARL MOHS 1
5265 FRANK A. FISH 4
5409 STAN KOCH 4
5451 EARL FREDRICKSON 3
5465 EUGENE SMYTHE 1
5481 RONALD HANSEN 2
5503 ROBERT A. CHAMPINE 5
5596 HARRY ROSE 2
5784 GLENN CLIFTON 3
5790 BARRY KURATH 5
5893 JOHN KNOY 4
5975 PHIL GIESEKING 2
6540 ROBERT GUMBERT 2
6718 CALVIN J POSTHUMA 5 (2)
6748 BJORN A. HAUG 2
6775 MIKE REMUS 5
6982 DON PESZNECKER 5
7098 MARK NAVARRE 3
7275 MIKE REED 2
7305 GORDON (Gordy) STAHL 5
8166 GORDON (Gordy) STAHL 2
7820 JOHN ERRICKSON 5
7943 CHRIS L BRUNDEGE 1
8138 ADAM QUENOZ 4
8292 MUSTAFA KOC 1
4525 HAERTEL DAVID 2
254 DAVE CORVEN 4
1163 FRITZ BIEN 4
944 GERALD R. ZEIGENFUSE 5
5005 STEWARD D. SWANSON 4
23 HARLEY MICHAELIS 4
283 FRED WEAVER 5V
7558 BILL GRENOBLE 4
960 STANLEY PFOST 4
5134 BILL SARGENT 4

4576

TOM 

COPP 3
6804

MARK 

CHILDS 1
7618

EUGENE  

HAYS 4
1849

JAMES  

SMITH 4
8141

HARVEY

JENKINS 1
533

DANNY 

TATUM 4
4299

GLENN

GOLD 4

 

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