I completed my Gold Badge at Val Air in the late 80s in my ASW-19b. What
a thrill it was for a flat-lander from Dallas to fly so high! I also
recall the sight-seeing flights flying low along the tracks as the
tourist train chugged along on its way to or from Silverton. He would
make a low observation pass on the grass strip, pull up and turn base to
final over the river, and and roll up to the launch point for the next
excited tourist.Â* I also recall an angry hawk stooping at my canopy,
talons outstretched.Â* He stopped at about mid wing, but that was a
picture I'll not forget!

I was so sad to hear that Val Air had closed.Â* Too bad there was nobody
available to step up, buy the operation, and keep it alive.

On 5/23/2018 8:07 AM, wrote:
On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 10:22:22 PM UTC-5, Renny wrote:
On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 9:03:37 PM UTC-6, AS wrote:
On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 9:08:34 PM UTC-4, Roy B. wrote:
Flew there with my old Phoebus for a week in 1983 - just after the Hobbs WGC where I helped out. I remember they had a L-13 Blanik that was tied out on ropes that ran through stacked auto tires. Dropped the rope into the tire stack and I reached in for it without looking or thinking. That was when a Boston boy heard his first rattlesnake in anger. I was still running 20 minutes later . . .

It was a good place to fly with nice people. I think there was a tourist train that went by the field from time to time. Sad that it is gone.

ROY
ROY,

the tourist train was (still is?) the Durango narrow gauge steam rail line and the owner of the field (forgot his name) would time it's arrival and buzz the train with the Blanik. Good advertising!

Uli
'AS'
Uli,
His name was LaVern St.Clair. LaVern and his wife Beverly owned Val Air for many years and they were great folks. Giving rides was their bread and butter, but long before the OLC came into being, folks from the Albuquerque Soaring Club would have an annual tip to Durango to fly at their airport. I flew there in the early 80's and they were always very friendly and it was always a great experience to fly in the San Juan Mountains. Yes, indeed the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge RR, which went right by the runway, was often buzzed by LaVern's gliders and also by visiting pilots! It was a great place to soar and now it sadly is another gliderport lost forever......Thx - Renny
LaVern was a terrific ride pilot. My teenage son and I enjoyed breath-taking flights from this field in the 90s. LaVern was very laid back and although I was a stranger to him, he let me conduct the entire flight in his Blanik. It was a terrific introduction to mountain flying for this flat-lander from Chicago.

--
Dan, 5J