Winter Gliding

John Jr. and I had flown several very enjoyable slope soaring flights out of Stead (former AFB) north of Reno, on Peterson ridge (about 10 miles west).. After the Stead glider operation closed, we thought the Pine Nut mountains should work when a west wind was blowing. Bad plan, especially in a Puchacz! On a gloomy Winters day, we towed east into the Pine Nut Mountains, but found little slope lift over the foothills and I was reluctant to go 15 miles downwind in an unknown ship on a questionable slope Soaring day! We soon abandoned the slope soaring idea and turned west into an estimated 10 knot wind. This was well before anyone had fancy computers that told one if they had the altitude to make Minden? It became obvious, we weren’t going to make it and I told son John to head for a little sandy strip about 5 miles east of Minden! Arriving there with maybe 500 feet, john made a tear-drop left pattern and touched down with a perfect first off-field landing!

We called for an aero tow and then started shoving the bird to the east end of the 1000 foot sandy strip! Pawnee landed and stopped rather quickly due to the sandy conditions. The Pawnee driver surveyed the situation, short sandy runway, heavy bird, no headwind..............and said, “here’s the deal, the parachutes come out and only one of you are getting back in�! I offered to stay, but John insisted he stay............I think he had seen enough of the Puchacz!
So, I towed back, tied the bird down and then jumped in the pickup and headed east looking for son John. Shortly, found a kid with two parachutes over his shoulders, walking in the dessert!

Good memories,
JJ