Famous people in soaring

On Sep 4, 11:33*am, Richard Kennedy wrote:
On Friday, August 31, 2012 2:07:59 AM UTC-4, Ramy wrote:
While Neil Armstrong was one of the most famous glider pilots, he wasn't the only one.

Other famous people who where also glider pilots which I recall:

John Denver

Christopher Reeve (Superman)

Sully (Hudson landing pilot)

Others?

Ramy (just signing my name, not claiming to be famous ;-)

Richard Bach (author)
Jimmy Webb (songwriter)

Paul Bikle, Director of the NASA Flight Research Center among other
notable achievements.

On Friday, August 31, 2012 2:09:50 PM UTC-5, Mike C wrote:
"Steve McQueen is shown flying a glider in the original Thomas Crown movie, didnt realize he may have actually flying it himself."



He wasn't.


On Friday, August 31, 2012 12:34:00 PM UTC-6, Ramy wrote:

On Friday, August 31, 2012 6:45:05 AM UTC-7, Chris Nicholas wrote:



Steve McQueen.















And one who is likely to be infamous when AF447 legal cases go to court – Bonin, the FO who allegedly held the airliner into a stall all the way from FL375 to hitting the sea, 228 souls all lost.















Chris N







Steve McQueen is shown flying a glider in the original Thomas Crown movie, didnt realize he may have actually flying it himself.







I didnt see any reference before to 447 FO Bonin as a glider pilot. This is very disappointing. You would expect a glider pilot to be even more aware of how not to stall a plane...







Ramy

However, Tom Knauff did fly in the re-make of the "Thomas Crown Affair" (but wasn't on camera). Does that make Tom a famous glider pilot? ;-)

And who did fly the glider in the original "Thomas Crown Affair"? He would be famous for the same reason as Tom! ;;--))

How about...the Wright Brothers?

Looks like someone got you beat on the definitive (and editable) list of "Notable Glider Pilots".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._glider_pilots

Ramy wrote:
While Neil Armstrong was one of the most famous glider pilots, he
wasn't the only one. Other famous people who where also glider pilots
which I recall: John Denver
Christopher Reeve (Superman)
Sully (Hudson landing pilot)

Others?

Susan Oliver, who played the character "Vina" in the "Star Trek" pilot
episode, had acquired a glider rating (as well as a number of other pilot
ratings.) See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Oliver

Some scenes of her from the Star Trek pilot episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F5pAFhByU8

Here's a video that appears to show her in her Aero Commander 200 that she
used to fly the Atlantic in an attempt to become the first woman to fly
solo from New York to Moscow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM77SEPJQFA

Her book, if you can get a hold of a copy, is an interesting read with
plenty of material that most pilots can relate to. No glider content in it,
though.

On Aug 31, 1:09*pm, Mike C wrote:
"Steve McQueen is shown flying a glider in the original Thomas Crown movie, didnt realize he may have actually flying it himself."

He wasn't.







Also, Wernher von Braun.






On Friday, August 31, 2012 12:34:00 PM UTC-6, Ramy wrote:
On Friday, August 31, 2012 6:45:05 AM UTC-7, Chris Nicholas wrote:

Steve McQueen.

And one who is likely to be infamous when AF447 legal cases go to court – Bonin, the FO who allegedly held the airliner into a stall all the way from FL375 to hitting the sea, 228 souls all lost.

Chris N

Steve McQueen is shown flying a glider in the original Thomas Crown movie, didnt realize he may have actually flying it himself.

I didnt see any reference before to 447 FO Bonin as a glider pilot. This is very disappointing. You would expect a glider pilot to be even more aware of how not to stall a plane...

Ramy

Correct - found this reference at http://www.german-way.com/famous-wernher-von-braun.html

In 1931, von Braun began learning to fly gliders, taking private lessons in Grunau, Silesia. He later became a skilled pilot, eventually flying everything from fighters to helicopters, but his goal of one day flying in space eluded him.

Would be interesting to know if von Braun did fly gliders in the US.

GM

On 9/16/2012 6:06 AM, wrote:
Correct - found this reference at
http://www.german-way.com/famous-wernher-von-braun.html

In 1931, von Braun began learning to fly gliders, taking private lessons
in Grunau, Silesia. He later became a skilled pilot, eventually flying
everything from fighters to helicopters, but his goal of one day flying
in space eluded him.

Would be interesting to know if von Braun did fly gliders in the US.

GM

He very definitely did, as a (guest? I don't know) member of the Cumberland
Soaring Group in (at least) the early 1970s.

As a recent college grad, during my student instruction one morning (the '73
season), there was a flurry of activity among some of the more senior club
members around an older - unfamiliar to me - man (who appeared to be anywhere
from 45-65 years of age from my distance). Fuzzy memory says he eventually was
packed into another member's Libelle for a launch. Further instruction
activities on my part precluded my maintaining further daily awareness of his
day's soaring success.

Prior to my day's instruction, I was told by the chief instructor the man was
Wernher von Braun who liked to come out "as anonymously as possible"
(presumably to enjoy both soaring and the anonymity). I was also informed he
had a daughter who also participated at some level in soaring, but I don't
recall her being there that day.

That was the only time I saw him at the field.

Bob W.

Mel Torme'.
Jazz singer, arranger, author of the only biography of Buddy Rich.
As a booking agent in Florida, I would meet him backstage after concerts in Miami to talk gliders, much to the frustration of the silver haired ladies who wanted to talk about the old days. His manager would have to practically drag him onto the bus before we were finished talking about soaring. Amazing musician and singer.

I know he did. In the summer of, I think, 1970 he was at Schweizer Soaring School where he was checked out by my father.

On Sunday, September 16, 2012 6:06:24 AM UTC-6, (unknown) wrote:
Correct - found this reference at http://www.german-way.com/famous-wernher-von-braun.html



In 1931, von Braun began learning to fly gliders, taking private lessons in Grunau, Silesia. He later became a skilled pilot, eventually flying everything from fighters to helicopters, but his goal of one day flying in space eluded him.



Would be interesting to know if von Braun did fly gliders in the US.



GM