On Jul 5, 4:27 am, Jim Beckman <jamesbeck...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> At 18:49 04 July 2008, chip.bear...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
>
>
>
> > The most frustrating--to me--
> >event was where a cadet pilot was ordered to turn back and land at an
> >air****t along with a large number of non-finishers even though,
> >apparently, he could have completed the task. Whether that was known
> >at the time or only in hindsight, I don't know, nor do I know the
> >qualifications of the individual who gave that order.
>
> Most likely the person who gave the order had the only
> qualification that really matters in that situation: rank.
>
> >They're flying state-of-the-art gliders that are very
> >expensive--especially in terms of tax payers' dollars.
>
> But relative to the other tax payer financed machines
> that the AF flies (and occasionally wrecks) those gliders
> are practically free.
>
> No doubt the AF operates under restrictions we don't
> realize, and they won't tell us about. Avoiding damage
> of any kind is probably more of a Public Relations ploy
> than any consideration of expense. Also a CYA
> maneuver for whoever commands the glider program.
>
> Back in the day (not so long ago) when the AF cadets
> flew 1-26s, I flew in a 1-26 Champion****ps hosted by
> the AF Academy in Colorado Springs. The cadets were
> hugely impressive guys. As I recall, their officers also
> flew some of the contest tasks. And none of them seemed
> averse to the occasional landout. Each of their 1-26s had
> a little row of emblems below the canopy rail, where a
> fighter of 65 years ago might have painted swastikas
> to tally shootdowns. In the case of the 1-26s, they were
> little Holstein cows. The implication was obvious.
>
> One of the real old-timers in 1-26 racing is Vern Hutchison,
> who was in submarines during WWII. I well remember one
> late afternoon after the flying when the keg was tapped
> and Vern was surrounded by a group of cadets, hanging
> on his every word as he told his tales of submarine
> combat.
>
> [BTW, that contest was one the rare, perhaps unique,
> glider meets that started with a low pass down the
> contest runway by a formation of four f-16s, just for
> us. We appreciated the gesture.]
>
> Jim Beckman
According to the Contest Manager at Region 11, Noelle Mayes, they had
a vehicle accident and withdrew. no one was hurt.
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