How About Story Time

Funny story about the time I sold my DG-101 but before I located my current glider. The scene is set with me now without a sailplane with a contest coming up.

It turned out that a good friend had just bought a nearly brand new DG-303 (like 10 hours on it) and had his current DG-300 for sale. So, being a standup guy, he offered my using his old DG-300. Great! Then before the contest time he sells the DG-300. What now? I timedly asked if I could borrow his DG-303. Remember this was a basically brand new glider and my friend HAD NEVER FLOWN IT! But "stand up guy says yes. Great! One caviet, "Whatever you do DON'T LAND IT OUT!" "OK, sure, no problem" I say and off I go to the contest.

The contest arrives and I am flying the practice day. What happens? I land out of course. Nice plowed farm's field, nice farmer and nice family (two young boys asking 100's of questions and the wife offering me home made cookies). Obligatory group picture later they depart. Everything is fine except that I can't seem to get the winglets off to put the glider away. My retrieve guy shows up and we struggle and struggle. I know we are doing everything right. 2 hours later its getting dark. Now what?

Can't put the wings in the trailer with the winglets still attached as the top of the wings face outward. Drive 2h with the top up? Not likely. We decide to flip the wings left and right in the trailer so the winglets face inward. That might work? Then, just as we are moving the wings into the trailer, the winglets fall off in our hands. WHAT?

Took me another two days to tell my friend about all these happenings all the while he is repeatedly texting me with, "How did it fly? Great? Wonderful? Huh? Huh? Hello?" [crickets]. On the phone his first question is, "Do I still have gear doors?"

The next day as I rig the ship I am trying to decide winglets or no winglets. Went with the winglets, never had an issue again, and never did figure out exactly what was going on.

Regional glider contest @ Dansville, NY....coming from SE heading home...got low...landed at Avoca....landed short, (ASW-27?)...,plenty of peeps onsite to get a 2 seater aero retrieved.....I landed, towplane coming in, I was ready, shoved back 100' or so....hooked up, off I went......
Later, looking at scores....I had a good day....sigh....went to Charlie Spratt and stated...."I landed @ Avoca.....I get a landing there....".....
Yes.....correct going to do....I still wouldn't have won the contest.....I was honest....still funny that I had a completion that day.....fun day none the less.....fastest aerotrieve I have ever had.....:-).....