I find it refreshing that our (US) Executive Director not only sees
to the
office but does grunt work at contests, drives the launch car for the
local
club and gets a big kick out of flying a 1-26.

This says it all. While this thread threatened to degenerate into
a diatribe against the high costs of soaring and a paean to the 1-26
(worthy causes, both), the most significant thing to me is that the
SSA's top full-time executive joined the ranks of cross-country soaring
pilots.

I watched him do a great job helping to run the Standard Class
Nationals in Hobbs last summer. And this latest achievement provides
further hope that our SSA will have the enthusiastist's inside
understanding to be able to meet our sport's needs in the U.S.

Congratulations, Dennis!

Chip Bearden