First soaring flight to exceed 1,000 kilometers

July 31, 1964.
On this date in soaring history, Al Parker makes the first soaring flight to exceed 1,000 kilometers.

Today is the 50th anniversary of Alvin H. Parker's remarkable 1,042 kilometer (647 mile) world record flight in 1964, the first-ever in the world to break the 1,000 kilometer mark. Flying his American-built Arlington Sisu1A sailplane, Parker soared from his hometown of Odessa, Texas, to Kimball, Nebraska.

That Sisu sailplane is on permanent display in the Smithsonian Air & Space Hazy Center near Dulles Airport, Virginia. A sister ship to the record breaking Sisu currently resides with Al's son Steve Parker in Marfa, Texas.

In the July 2014 issue of SOARING magazine, the original article by E. J. Reeves was reprinted in its entirety.

Steve, Diane Parker and I celebrated the anniversary with a hearty breakfast at our favorite diner in Marfa, "Buns 'n Roses."

Burt Compton
Marfa, Texas

Weather doesn't look good for trying to repeat the flight today. Dang. Would have been fun.

Steve Leonard

For many years, I enjoyed tales about Al Parker and the Odessa gang from Harry Miltner (he's the guy who built the motor Mosquito using a salvaged Pik-20E system).
I hope Diane and Steve would produce a book about Al in the style of that about Wally Scott.

On Saturday, August 2, 2014 1:12:15 PM UTC-5, Roy Clark, "B6" wrote:
For many years, I enjoyed tales about Al Parker and the Odessa gang from Harry Miltner (he's the guy who built the motor Mosquito using a salvaged Pik-20E system). I hope Diane and Steve would produce a book about Al in the style of that about Wally Scott.

Soaring Lore is made up of fact and enhanced fact. Let me see if I can "enhance" or maybe just not remember some correctly, as I wasn't there.

Bob Bowden told the tale of one of Al's retreives in which Al was surprised by his crew getting to his motel and waking him up in the middle of the night (3 or 4 AM, as I recall the story). They (pilot and crew) had agreed that crew would stop and spend the night somewhere in route. But, the crew was too young to be permitted to sign in as a guest at any motel along the route, so they just kept driving until they got there.

How about some more stories here?

Steve Leonard

I wasn't yet shaving when Al Parker made (t)his record-breaking flight.
Probably read about it in a glommed-onto "Soaring" mag soon after joining SSA
in 1972...wet behind the ears, comprehensively soaring-ignorant. In the
succeeding 42 years, I've undoubtedly re-read the article at least half a
dozen times, always with a changing, maybe even deepening, perspective. Most
recently, what struck me about the flight was how utterly unremarkable a day
it was for the time of year and area of the country. I say that having driven
most of the country over which the flight traversed, and - since 1976 - having
both lived near/SW of the flight's northern end and soared over much of the
same country between Hobbs and Kimball since 1976. I dare say that few of
today's soaring pilots would even give that sort of day a second glance, were
they (say) of a mind to bag a straight out diamond distance, much less 1000k.

I could be wrong in my assessment of the day, of course, but I'm sure I'm not
wrong in concluding that persistence is a good thing for soaring pilots!

Bob W.

On Monday, August 4, 2014 at 11:46:04 AM UTC-6, Steve Leonard wrote:
On Saturday, August 2, 2014 1:12:15 PM UTC-5, Roy Clark, "B6" wrote:
For many years, I enjoyed tales about Al Parker and the Odessa gang from Harry Miltner (he's the guy who built the motor Mosquito using a salvaged Pik-20E system). I hope Diane and Steve would produce a book about Al in the style of that about Wally Scott.

Soaring Lore is made up of fact and enhanced fact. Let me see if I can "enhance" or maybe just not remember some correctly, as I wasn't there.

Bob Bowden told the tale of one of Al's retreives in which Al was surprised by his crew getting to his motel and waking him up in the middle of the night (3 or 4 AM, as I recall the story). They (pilot and crew) had agreed that crew would stop and spend the night somewhere in route. But, the crew was too young to be permitted to sign in as a guest at any motel along the route, so they just kept driving until they got there.

How about some more stories here?

Steve Leonard

This is a little late, I realize but just need to let it out. Since I am a little older than steve. I remember when Al put home made rudder pedal extensions in the Schwietzer 222 so that steve could reach them. I got my first and second glider ride at the courtesy of Al Parker. I took my third today in Moriarity new mexico. As I plaxed my feet on the rudder pedals I found that rhey trembled just as they did over 50 years ago. (I wish I had remembered the 1000 km record flight flight last year and had done it then.) It was an awesome flight. My instructor who knew not hing of Al Parker, Wally Scott and Red Wright had so much fun that my 30 minute ride extended to over an hour, and we had to use the spoilers to get down for his next student, even with my inept technique on the controls. After many years of powered flight, It brought back the memory of that first birdlike flight over 50 years ago. I attempted to spark an interest in the History that Al and Wally ands Red were so much a part of, in this young man. I was on the airport the day Al left on his 1000 km record flight. I didn't recognize its signicigance then, so today I must express my congratulations for the accomplishment/post humously, and my gratitude for the experience that made today so very exciting; An experience that began 51 years ago. Thanks, Al.

On Thursday, July 31, 2014 at 10:43:17 AM UTC-5, Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas wrote:
July 31, 1964.
On this date in soaring history, Al Parker makes the first soaring flight to exceed 1,000 kilometers.

Today is the 50th anniversary of Alvin H. Parker's remarkable 1,042 kilometer (647 mile) world record flight in 1964, the first-ever in the world to break the 1,000 kilometer mark. Flying his American-built Arlington Sisu1A sailplane, Parker soared from his hometown of Odessa, Texas, to Kimball, Nebraska.

That Sisu sailplane is on permanent display in the Smithsonian Air & Space Hazy Center near Dulles Airport, Virginia. A sister ship to the record breaking Sisu currently resides with Al's son Steve Parker in Marfa, Texas.

In the July 2014 issue of SOARING magazine, the original article by E. J. Reeves was reprinted in its entirety.

Steve, Diane Parker and I celebrated the anniversary with a hearty breakfast at our favorite diner in Marfa, "Buns 'n Roses."

Burt Compton
Marfa, Texas

Hi Burt, do you have contact information(email, etc.) for Steve? He and I were fraternity brothers @ TCU and I'd love to say hello. Would love to catch up.

Thanks,

Jimmy Humphreys