Hutch Hutchins?

Hi all,

I'm looking for any information I can find about a sailplane pilot
named (I think) Hutch Hutchins. Last I heard, he flew in Southern
California, and he once owned a Ventus. Is he still around? Where did
he fly? I'm trying to track down a piece of soaring lore that he was
allegedly involved in. Anything you can tell me would be helpful.

Thanks, Bob K.

www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

Thanks to all who emailed! Apparently I had the name wrong, it is
actually "Hutchinson." The part I'm still trying to track down is,
what happened to the Ventus. I know what some people say the answer
is, and I'm trying to figure out what is real and what is legend.

Thanks, Bob K.

On Dec 1, 10:54*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
Hi all,

I'm looking for any information I can find about a sailplane pilot
named (I think) Hutch Hutchins. Last I heard, he flew in Southern
California, and he once owned a Ventus. Is he still around? Where did
he fly? I'm trying to track down a piece of soaring lore that he was
allegedly involved in. Anything you can tell me would be helpful.

Thanks, Bob K.
/hp-24

Aw, come on, what's the legend?

It's snowing here, time for a good story.

-Evan Ludeman / T8

On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:
Aw, come on, what's the legend?

It's snowing here, time for a good story.

Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins
about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer
around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So
I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.

Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the
Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere
in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-
structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a
plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that
appeared in about 1990.

What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough
institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom
of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and
plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually
there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the
molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this
work was done by people from outside the soaring world.

So, anybody?

Thanks, Bob K.

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:

Aw, come on, what's the legend?



It's snowing here, time for a good story.



Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins

about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer

around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So

I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.



Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the

Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere

in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-

structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a

plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that

appeared in about 1990.



What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough

institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom

of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and

plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually

there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the

molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this

work was done by people from outside the soaring world.



So, anybody?



Thanks, Bob K.

Argh. I was hoping for a fun story. That's not a fun story.

T8

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 9:25:36 AM UTC-8, Evan Ludeman wrote:
On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:



Aw, come on, what's the legend?







It's snowing here, time for a good story.







Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins



about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer



around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So



I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.







Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the



Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere



in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-



structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a



plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that



appeared in about 1990.







What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough



institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom



of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and



plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually



there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the



molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this



work was done by people from outside the soaring world.







So, anybody?







Thanks, Bob K.



Argh. I was hoping for a fun story. That's not a fun story.



T8

Bob,

I think it's a fun story. Waiting for the gripping conclusion..

Craig

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
... was used as a
plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that
appeared in about 1990.

That wouldn't be the same crew that:
- didn't understand the torque loads the SH offset spar
design resolves through the root rib,
- didn't do any proof-load tests prior delivering kits
- had unfortunate results for these and other reasons ?

I wouldn't expect anybody involved to admit it,
at least not prior to many beers...

See ya, Dave

Is that why there's a very nice looking example in the Southwest Soaring
Museum in Moriarty, NM?

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/705037.html


"Dave Nadler" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
... was used as a
plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that
appeared in about 1990.

That wouldn't be the same crew that:
- didn't understand the torque loads the SH offset spar
design resolves through the root rib,
- didn't do any proof-load tests prior delivering kits
- had unfortunate results for these and other reasons ?

I wouldn't expect anybody involved to admit it,
at least not prior to many beers...

See ya, Dave

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 10:54:39 PM UTC-8, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
Hi all,



I'm looking for any information I can find about a sailplane pilot

named (I think) Hutch Hutchins. Last I heard, he flew in Southern

California, and he once owned a Ventus. Is he still around? Where did

he fly? I'm trying to track down a piece of soaring lore that he was

allegedly involved in. Anything you can tell me would be helpful.



Thanks, Bob K.



www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

Hutch was seen thermalling soooo low that he was casting a shadow about 5PM, it is believed that he thermalled right into the ground! Nobody knows, not even Hutch who doesn't remember anything after breakfast due to a severe case of dehydration. The ship was bought for salvage and Hutch wasn't involved with the Amecican Spirit projrct.

On Dec 2, 2:32*pm, JJ Sinclair wrote:

...The ship was bought for salvage and Hutch
wasn't involved with the [American Spirit project].

Thanks, JJ! Do you remember what year that was, or where the accident
happened? I didn't figure that Hutch was involved in the kit, but I'm
trying to track back through the Ventus and see if I can uncover a
firm (or at least plausible) link between it and the molds.

Bob K.