Gone West... Bill Seed

On Monday, June 19, 2017 at 9:20:20 AM UTC-7, Steve Leonard wrote:
The soaring community lost a colorful character on June 3, 2017, when Bill Seed passed away at his beloved Sunflower Aerodrome and Gliderport near Hutchinson, Kansas. He was 73 years old.


I first met Bill nearly 20 years ago, when I went out to Tonopah for the first time with my new DG-303. Over dinner before my first flight there, I mentioned that I didn't yet have any badge legs, as I'd been thwarted multiple times by incorrectly positioned turn point photos or faulty barograph set up, and decided it wasn't worth the trouble. Since I had a shiny new GPS-NAV, he persuaded me to give a try the next day, told me his milk run task (Tonopah, Eureka, Austin, Goldfield, and return), and agreed to be my observer. Next day, he helped me assemble, made sure I got the declaration right, helped me pack up enough food and water, then ran my wing. 5 hours later I was back with 326 miles and all of my badge legs except Diamond altitude, which he grudgingly signed off on. Then, he said that was pretty damn slow, I should ballast up the next day. So, next day I filled up, and flew the same task, this time in under 4 hours, which he considered to be an adequate performance.

I ran into him a few more times at Tonopah and at conventions here and there. It was always a pleasure hearing his stories, particularly late at night at TPH. RIP

Marc

On Monday, June 19, 2017 at 7:30:17 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, June 19, 2017 at 9:20:20 AM UTC-7, Steve Leonard wrote:
The soaring community lost a colorful character on June 3, 2017, when Bill Seed passed away at his beloved Sunflower Aerodrome and Gliderport near Hutchinson, Kansas. He was 73 years old.


I first met Bill nearly 20 years ago, when I went out to Tonopah for the first time with my new DG-303. Over dinner before my first flight there, I mentioned that I didn't yet have any badge legs, as I'd been thwarted multiple times by incorrectly positioned turn point photos or faulty barograph set up, and decided it wasn't worth the trouble. Since I had a shiny new GPS-NAV, he persuaded me to give a try the next day, told me his milk run task (Tonopah, Eureka, Austin, Goldfield, and return), and agreed to be my observer. Next day, he helped me assemble, made sure I got the declaration right, helped me pack up enough food and water, then ran my wing. 5 hours later I was back with 326 miles and all of my badge legs except Diamond altitude, which he grudgingly signed off on. Then, he said that was pretty damn slow, I should ballast up the next day. So, next day I filled up, and flew the same task, this time in under 4 hours, which he considered to be an adequate performance.

I ran into him a few more times at Tonopah and at conventions here and there. It was always a pleasure hearing his stories, particularly late at night at TPH. RIP

Marc

Like Marc, met Bill at Tonopah in the 90s. What a character!
Rest at cloudbase,
Jim

On July 18, 1991, Bill and I attempted a 750K O&R from TPH to Wells, NV and return - he in his DG600 and I in my ASW-20B. The day overdeveloped and we ended up landing at Eureka on the way back.

I fully agreed with him on the possibilities of the great basin, having flown a 1000K triangle from IYK to Dayton Valley, Warm Springs and return the year before.

He certainly was a character and that clipped wing ASW-17 was cool!

5Z

On Monday, June 19, 2017 at 9:12:43 PM UTC-7, JS wrote:
Like Marc, met Bill at Tonopah in the 90s. What a character!
Rest at cloudbase,
Jim