Hutch Hutchins?

Hi all,

I'm looking for any information I can find about a sailplane pilot
named (I think) Hutch Hutchins. Last I heard, he flew in Southern
California, and he once owned a Ventus. Is he still around? Where did
he fly? I'm trying to track down a piece of soaring lore that he was
allegedly involved in. Anything you can tell me would be helpful.

Thanks, Bob K.

www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

Thanks to all who emailed! Apparently I had the name wrong, it is
actually "Hutchinson." The part I'm still trying to track down is,
what happened to the Ventus. I know what some people say the answer
is, and I'm trying to figure out what is real and what is legend.

Thanks, Bob K.

On Dec 1, 10:54*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
Hi all,

I'm looking for any information I can find about a sailplane pilot
named (I think) Hutch Hutchins. Last I heard, he flew in Southern
California, and he once owned a Ventus. Is he still around? Where did
he fly? I'm trying to track down a piece of soaring lore that he was
allegedly involved in. Anything you can tell me would be helpful.

Thanks, Bob K.
/hp-24

Aw, come on, what's the legend?

It's snowing here, time for a good story.

-Evan Ludeman / T8

On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:
Aw, come on, what's the legend?

It's snowing here, time for a good story.

Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins
about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer
around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So
I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.

Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the
Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere
in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-
structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a
plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that
appeared in about 1990.

What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough
institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom
of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and
plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually
there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the
molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this
work was done by people from outside the soaring world.

So, anybody?

Thanks, Bob K.

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:

Aw, come on, what's the legend?



It's snowing here, time for a good story.



Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins

about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer

around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So

I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.



Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the

Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere

in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-

structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a

plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that

appeared in about 1990.



What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough

institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom

of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and

plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually

there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the

molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this

work was done by people from outside the soaring world.



So, anybody?



Thanks, Bob K.

Argh. I was hoping for a fun story. That's not a fun story.

T8

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 9:25:36 AM UTC-8, Evan Ludeman wrote:
On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:



Aw, come on, what's the legend?







It's snowing here, time for a good story.







Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins



about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer



around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So



I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.







Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the



Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere



in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-



structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a



plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that



appeared in about 1990.







What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough



institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom



of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and



plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually



there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the



molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this



work was done by people from outside the soaring world.







So, anybody?







Thanks, Bob K.



Argh. I was hoping for a fun story. That's not a fun story.



T8

Bob,

I think it's a fun story. Waiting for the gripping conclusion..

Craig

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 1:25:01 PM UTC-5, Craig Funston wrote:
On Sunday, December 2, 2012 9:25:36 AM UTC-8, Evan Ludeman wrote:

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:



On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:







Aw, come on, what's the legend?















It's snowing here, time for a good story.















Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins







about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer







around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So







I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.















Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the







Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere







in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-







structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a







plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that







appeared in about 1990.















What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough







institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom







of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and







plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually







there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the







molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this







work was done by people from outside the soaring world.















So, anybody?















Thanks, Bob K.







Argh. I was hoping for a fun story. That's not a fun story.







T8



Bob,



I think it's a fun story. Waiting for the gripping conclusion..



Craig

I guess you don't have friends in the Tor Jensen fan club?

It's a nightmare story for some.

T8

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 10:54:39 PM UTC-8, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
Hi all,



I'm looking for any information I can find about a sailplane pilot

named (I think) Hutch Hutchins. Last I heard, he flew in Southern

California, and he once owned a Ventus. Is he still around? Where did

he fly? I'm trying to track down a piece of soaring lore that he was

allegedly involved in. Anything you can tell me would be helpful.



Thanks, Bob K.



www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24

Hutch was seen thermalling soooo low that he was casting a shadow about 5PM, it is believed that he thermalled right into the ground! Nobody knows, not even Hutch who doesn't remember anything after breakfast due to a severe case of dehydration. The ship was bought for salvage and Hutch wasn't involved with the Amecican Spirit projrct.

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 11:52:54 AM UTC-8, Evan Ludeman wrote:
On Sunday, December 2, 2012 1:25:01 PM UTC-5, Craig Funston wrote:

On Sunday, December 2, 2012 9:25:36 AM UTC-8, Evan Ludeman wrote:



On Sunday, December 2, 2012 12:14:06 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:







On Dec 2, 8:49*am, Evan Ludeman wrote:















Aw, come on, what's the legend?































It's snowing here, time for a good story.































Okay, I'll give. However, first a note of caution: The tale begins















about thirty years ago, and many of the principals in it are no longer















around to set the record straight or to defend their version of it. So















I'd prefer to proceed with some caution.































Here's the short version: Legend has it that in the 1980s one of the















Hutchinson brothers crashed an early Ventus in the mountains somewhere















in Southern California. The wreckage changed hands, and after non-















structural repairs to restore the exterior contours, was used as a















plug to pull a set of molds for a certain composite sailplane kit that















appeared in about 1990.































What I am trying to do is try to figure out if there is enough















institutional memory within the Soaring community to get to the bottom















of the case at hand. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence, and















plenty of unsupported assertion. But is there anybody who was actually















there, who helped retrieve the wreckage, and repair it, and make the















molds? The information I have so far suggests that the bulk of this















work was done by people from outside the soaring world.































So, anybody?































Thanks, Bob K.















Argh. I was hoping for a fun story. That's not a fun story.















T8







Bob,







I think it's a fun story. Waiting for the gripping conclusion..







Craig



I guess you don't have friends in the Tor Jensen fan club?



It's a nightmare story for some.



T8

Evan,

Thanks for the lead in on that one. I was mercifully uninvolved in the "nightmare" Apologies to those involved for my lack of tact.

Craig

On Dec 2, 2:32*pm, JJ Sinclair wrote:

...The ship was bought for salvage and Hutch
wasn't involved with the [American Spirit project].

Thanks, JJ! Do you remember what year that was, or where the accident
happened? I didn't figure that Hutch was involved in the kit, but I'm
trying to track back through the Ventus and see if I can uncover a
firm (or at least plausible) link between it and the molds.

Bob K.