IWednesday, May 12, 2021 at 1:06:53 PM UTC-7, NEW YEARS RESOLUTION 2010 MOCIUNPICTURES wrote:
On Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 4:55:53 PM UTC-7, wrote:
It’s been 50 years now since I soloed in gliders at Black Forest, Co in 1971. I have logged over 5000 hours, mostly racing. Only flew one time last year due to Covid-19, but this year I found myself dreading the work involved with hooking up the trailer, driving an hour and a half, assembling, cleaning and taping the bird then flying for maybe 3 hours, followed by disassembly, then driving another hour and a half back home! The energy to do all this was needed just to flying that day!
Last year there were 4 pilots in our club that were over 85, two have quit and another died on his third flight in a new electric sailplane..............that leaves me? I have decided it’s time to hang it up!
Thanks for all the good memories over the years, mostly racing sailplanes.
Pat & JJ Sinclair
JJ, respectfully, are you confusing the ground work with the flying? I'm also getting older, and find the ground work an increasing burden, but still feel ok to fly. I'm going back to power flying a rental (turn up, fly, go home) and am looking to join a 2-seat glider partnership... with younger pilots who appreciate someone to share the financial burden.


I have always said that I planned to keep flying as long as I was making good decisions and my health held out. After my family had “ the talk” with me, I made a brutally honest assessment at my recent flying. My landings were getting worse, not better! I landed in a dry lake that wasn’t all that dry! It looked completely dry from the air and my landing on the edge was fine, but then I called for an aero-retrieve! The Pawnee rolled to a stop beside my ship and then sank up to its axles in “not so dry”, mud! Getting both ships out of there took a gang of people and several 4 wheel drive vehicles, most of the next day! All caused by a very bad call on my part. Did I mention that I no longer have sharp vision in my left eye? It’s time for me to hang it up, good memories and no regrets!
JJ