Crappy Gliders Rejoice!

wrote:
Gunnar wrote:

I feel the need to go down wind. Maybe later this week, before things
start getting weaker. I would just like to make it to McCook where I
saw my first glider.


Gunnar

Man McCook was quite the hotbed back in the day so I hear. It's the
freeking middle of knowhere from any other perspective. Ah, the high
plains... They call to me with their high cloudbases and dryline
tornados...

I met Fred Herr here in Ames Iowa a couple years ago. He apparently
started or ran the Owl Canyon site back in the 60s and was a long time
front range DPE. I expect you knew him perhaps. Anyway, he told me a
story of starting in the wave early AM over Boulder, making it into
thermals in eastern CO and being carried by a T-storm all the way to
Hastings NE in a K6. That's one awesome downwind dash!

I'm hoping Gorden Boetger or another of the new age wave pioneers will
make it all the way to Iowa someday. Hell, you could do it and so
could Bob W. Screw it, who needs to make a living after all. You are
dead a long time!

MM
Fred built Owl Canyon, then Waverly West Soaring Ranch, after moving it
east from Waverly. Fred stills flies frequently at 79 or perhaps now
80. He had a nice flight in the CSA LS-4a a few days back. He still
takes the occassional winch launch also. He spoke of his three
diamonds in his K-6CR at last year's Colorado Governor's Seminar.

Fred's life story is very interesting.

Gunnar was my predecessor, once removed, as SSA Colorado governor, and
a good example of how to do it.

Frank Whiteley

Frank Whiteley wrote:
Fred built Owl Canyon, then Waverly West Soaring Ranch, after moving it
east from Waverly. Fred stills flies frequently at 79 or perhaps now
80. He had a nice flight in the CSA LS-4a a few days back. He still
takes the occassional winch launch also. He spoke of his three
diamonds in his K-6CR at last year's Colorado Governor's Seminar.

Fred's life story is very interesting.

Gunnar was my predecessor, once removed, as SSA Colorado governor, and
a good example of how to do it.

Frank Whiteley

I'm glad to hear that Fred is still flying! I heard he had a car wreck
and sold his Libelle which would suggest that flying days are over
especially at his age. If you see him tell him hi from the Woodstock
guy in Iowa.

He sent me a draft of his life story which was indeed very interesting.
I think he was drafted into ME-109s at the age of 17 and survived a
crash landing after being shot down. Apparently that was the easy part
of surviving the Nazi's and the end of the war.

MM

wrote:
Frank Whiteley wrote:
Fred built Owl Canyon, then Waverly West Soaring Ranch, after moving it
east from Waverly. Fred stills flies frequently at 79 or perhaps now
80. He had a nice flight in the CSA LS-4a a few days back. He still
takes the occassional winch launch also. He spoke of his three
diamonds in his K-6CR at last year's Colorado Governor's Seminar.

Fred's life story is very interesting.

Gunnar was my predecessor, once removed, as SSA Colorado governor, and
a good example of how to do it.

Frank Whiteley

I'm glad to hear that Fred is still flying! I heard he had a car wreck
and sold his Libelle which would suggest that flying days are over
especially at his age. If you see him tell him hi from the Woodstock
guy in Iowa.

He sent me a draft of his life story which was indeed very interesting.
I think he was drafted into ME-109s at the age of 17 and survived a
crash landing after being shot down. Apparently that was the easy part
of surviving the Nazi's and the end of the war.

MM

I shall. As a result of the car accident (rear-ended at high speed),
he had several discs fused and lost feeling in his hands for several
months. He regained the feeling and mobility after several months of
physical therapy. He was grounded again last year for a few months
while being fitted with a pacemaker. He may have been a bit hasty in
selling the Libelle, but he's been enjoying the LS-4a and still flies
the G-103 regularly.

Haven't seen the draft, but he started gliders at 14 and by 16 had
amassed 250hrs, mostly on short winch flights. I believe he first flew
an ME while still 16. I know Dennis Wright took a copy of his Diamonds
talk back to Hobbs and I supplied some scans of images, so we may see
an article in Soaring one of these days.

Fred also made a number of scale models of gliders, some of which I
turned into OLC trophies for Colorado.

Frank