Farewell Karl Kretschmer

http://designtekk.com/photos/Karl-KK.jpg

My father-in-law, Karl Kretschmer, passed away peacefully this evening after a number of years of declining health.

Karl was 91 years old and had a wonderful life flying around the world as a career Pan AM flight engineer – he actually lived the golden age of aviation.

Many of you older pilots in the soaring community probably remember Karl when he was campaigning his then state-of-the art LS-1 (the original ‘KK’) at Region I and II meets.

Karl was also a very active member of Aero Club Albatross for decades … and always hand-crafted the ACA ‘Blue Max’ award for the best member soaring achievement of the season.

Karl will be missed by his family … and everyone in the soaring community who ever knew this kind and helpful man.

Godspeed KiloKilo

At 10:01 18 August 2016, wrote:
http://designtekk.com/photos/Karl-KK.jpg

My father-in-law, Karl Kretschmer, passed away peacefully this
evening
afte=
r a number of years of declining health.

Karl was 91 years old and had a wonderful life flying around the
world as
a=
career Pan AM flight engineer =E2=80=93 he actually lived the
golden age
o=
f aviation.

Many of you older pilots in the soaring community probably
remember Karl
wh=
en he was campaigning his then state-of-the art LS-1 (the original
=E2=80=
=98KK=E2=80=99) at Region I and II meets.

Karl was also a very active member of Aero Club Albatross for
decades =E2=
=80=A6 and always hand-crafted the ACA =E2=80=98Blue
Max=E2=80=99 award
for=
the best member soaring achievement of the season.

Karl will be missed by his family =E2=80=A6 and everyone in the
soaring
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munity who ever knew this kind and helpful man.

Godspeed KiloKilo

My sympathies. He was a real nice guy. I have great memories of
him, Denny, and Bob flying their Ka-8 at Mt. Washington in the late
1960's....

On Thursday, August 18, 2016 at 6:01:56 AM UTC-4, wrote:
http://designtekk.com/photos/Karl-KK.jpg

My father-in-law, Karl Kretschmer, passed away peacefully this evening after a number of years of declining health.

Karl was 91 years old and had a wonderful life flying around the world as a career Pan AM flight engineer – he actually lived the golden age of aviation.

Many of you older pilots in the soaring community probably remember Karl when he was campaigning his then state-of-the art LS-1 (the original ‘KK’) at Region I and II meets.

Karl was also a very active member of Aero Club Albatross for decades … and always hand-crafted the ACA ‘Blue Max’ award for the best member soaring achievement of the season.

Karl will be missed by his family … and everyone in the soaring community who ever knew this kind and helpful man.

Godspeed KiloKilo

My favorite KK memory comes from the late 70's at Fairfield. Karl landed in a very nice big field after a not so long flight. As he was standing there getting ready to organize his retrieve, the farmer rolled up with his tractor. The farmer then proceeded to toss Karl a tow rope, with a connector ring on it. They towed the glider to the farmer's driveway.
Next, the farmer took Karl into his garage and over to a refrigerator where he tapped a fresh keg of beer on the spot.
Karl thought he was in Heaven.
Now he is.
Good Finish KK
UH

My Blue Max is among my most treasured possessions. We'll miss you Karl.

P3

Sorry to hear, condolences to his family and friends. I had great fun with him and the rest of the ACA group starting in the mid 70's as crew for "UH" then doing my own flying with the group.
"Good finish KK", say Hi to Charlie Spratt and others.

IIRC, I met Karl at a Region 1 contest in Springfield, VT back in 1995, when he was crewing for son-in-law Ken. The soaring was good but it was almost unbearably hot and my daughters, who were 18 months old, were a handful for my then wife, Tanya, and mother-in-law, Ivanka. I recall the latter really enjoyed chatting with Karl that week. I can't say they felt the same way about soaring (it wasn't a great contest for the crews, much less one on babysitting duty) but they shared some affinity for the German language, which Ivanka had spoken as a translator in Bulgaria before the fall of the Iron Curtain. She ended up having a great time at the contest, partly due to the pleasant hours conversing with Karl. Condolences to Ken and Karen.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"

In 1969 Karl organanized the first contest I flew in, "The Little Guys Contest" at Blairstown, and his masterpiece trophy - a one off Wilga towing a SHK- has been proudly hanging on my office wall since.

Good finish KK - 1000 point life for sure!

Funeral home details ...

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