Soaring magazine is the official journal of the Soaring Society
of America. The Soaring Society of America (SSA) is a nonprofit
organization. The purpose of the Society is to foster and promote all
phases of soaring. The SSA is a division of the National Aeronautic
Association (NAA), the U.S. National Aero Club, which represents
the U.S. in the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the
world sport aviation body comprised of all national aero clubs. NAA
has delegated to the SSA the supervision of FAI related soaring
activities, as follows: Record attempts, competitions, FAI Badges,
and selection of the United States Team for the World Gliding
Championships.
PUBLICATIONS STAFF
Publisher, Denise Layton
Editor, Eric Bick
Advertising, Melinda Hughes
Art Director, Kevin D. O’Brien
Assistant Editor, Brienna Bick
Contributors: Rollin Hasness, W.G. Hill, Melinda Hughes, Mark,
Hyatt, Karly Siroky, Christina Larson, Scott Manley, Michael Mar-
shall, Dale Masters, Ian McFall, Steve Platt, Ron Ridenour, Garret
Willat, Jack Wyman, David Hart, Duane Sprague, Jack Wilson.
Offices: SSA Business Office and Soaring magazine Business and
Editorial: P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88241-2100. (575) 392-1177.
SSA Fax: (575) 392-8154. Soaring Advertising E-mail:
[email protected], Soaring Editorial E-Mail: [email protected],
SSA Info: [email protected]. SSA internet address: http://www.ssa.org
CONTRIBUTION OF MATERIAL; COP YRIGHT;
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Material published in Soaring magazine is contributed by indi viduals
for the enjoyment of soaring enthusiasts. Material expected to be
returned must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed return
envelope. Manuscripts accepted for publication are subject to edition
necessary to adapt the material to the space requirements and the
standards of the magazine. Soaring magazine is not responsible for
lost or damaged photographs, artwork or manuscripts. Cover and
full contents of Soaring magazine are fully protected by copyright,
©2019 The Soaring Society of America, Inc. (SSA). Nothing may
be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission of the
publisher. It is condition of submission to and acceptance by Soaring
magazine that all material submitted for consideration and/or
publication (including photographs and text), whether submitted as
a result of a request by the SSA or not, is submitted on the basis that
the SSA has the right, without payment or compensation, to repro-
duce and sell or distribute freely, and to authorize third parties who
are engaged in the dissemination of information relating to the sport
of soaring to reproduce and sell or distribute freely, such material. By
submitting such material to the SSA for consideration and/or publi-
cation the submitter represents that he holds the right to grant release
of copyright in respect of such material. If the submitted material
is clearly identified (in the case of material in electronic, Identified
in the filename) with the name of its creator suitable attribution
of its source will be given. The SSA and Soaring magazine assume
no responsibility for the opinions expressed or statements made in
articles published, which remain the responsibility of the contribut-
ing author and should be independently evaluated by the reader as the
accuracy and correctness.
MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
Membership in the SSA is open to any person. Membership
categories are: FULL MEMBERS $75 per year, ASSOCIATE MEM-
BERS $62 per year, FAMILY MEMBERS $45 per year, YOUTH
MEMBERS $42 per year, and LIFE MEMBERS $1,875.00 per year.
Soaring subscription price: U.S. only libraries and institutions $52 per
year, Foreign Subscriptions (Pay in U.S. funds only) $59 per year.
POSTAL INFORMATION
Soaring magazine (USPS #499-920) is published monthly by The
Soaring Society of America, Inc., 5425 W. Jack Gomez Blvd, Hobbs,
NM 88240. Periodicals Postage Paid at Hobbs, NM 88240-9998 and
at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to Soaring, c/o SSA, P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88241-2100.
Paid circulation of the July issue was 9,230.
Copyright ©2019 The Soaring Society of America, Inc.
Printing by Ovid Bell Press – Fulton, MO
MADE IN THE U.S.A.and MOTORGLIDING MAGAZINEI
nteresting summer through June. Our trip to Zimbabwe and South
Africa was spectacular. We did two safaris, not soarfaris. Great time,
got the big five, magnificent seven, and more. Upon returning, enough
matters had piled up that I cancelled going to Parowan this summer
with the Auxiliary-powered Sailplane Association. There is always next
year, and Moriarty isn’t too shabby a place to soar (see W. G. Hill’s
“OLC” article this month).
We need calendar quality photos for the SSA 2020 Calendar. Don’t
delay if you have a great shot. We’ll be starting this month (August) to
make our selection. General guidelines are landscape format, resolution
in the 2 MB and higher range. If your photos don’t meet these guide-
lines, send them anyway if they are good. We do run a few photos at
the end of the calendar which are portrait and landscape format with
resolution in the 500 KB range.
In our (semi) regular departments, Steve Platt quizzes us on ther-
maling. What is the best bank angle? How does it depend on the
glider you’re flying? Ride along with Steve’s explanations. And Chris
Larson talks about getting spin training, and what a “gut feeling”
means in this context.
In “Contest Corner,” Michael Marshall discusses 5 lessons learned
from the Region 5 North contest at Perry International Airport in South
Carolina. Mike got some great mentoring and, from that, lessons learned.
I find Scott Manley’s “Teaching Soaring” very interesting this month,
particularly his comments on instruction with simulators vs gliders. I
think Scott is providing quite a bit of food for thought as to instruc-
tional approaches. I also expect that not all instructors are going to
agree with him, so I’m open to a discussion on what he says.
In Features, we have two reminiscences, one by Duane Sprague on
being a CFI-G, and one by W. G. Hill on being a tow pilot. Good to
get perspectives from those who help make our sport possible.
We have a short article on an open canopy incident. We recently
had such an event at Moriarty with the need for a replacement canopy.
This is expensive, and easily preventable. Which leads me to “Soaring
Stories” by Dale Masters. Garrett Willat has also hit on the topic in
prior “XC Tips” which is use the checklist – which is also related to this
month’s Soaring Safety Foundation article on “Normalization of Devi-
ance – Part 2.” Too many accidents and/or incidents occur due to skip-
ping the checklist because of getting away with it the last time.
David Hart provides an article on record flying/setting in terms of
state records. He’s really laying down a challenge to all of us to get out
and fly some specific tasks. This is the time to start planning such at-
tempts for next season.
On the flying front, I got my first 500 km flight, and over 100 kph
(OLC measurement). Getting out of glide range from the home airport
has never been easy for me, even though I’ve had 300 km flights meet-
ing that criterion. Watching the arrival distance to home on the flight
computer go negative is an awesome feeling. I followed that up with a
4 hour, 400+ km flight at even higher average speed, and way beyond
glide range to Moriarty – just to show it wasn’t a fluke, and I’m develop-
ing a little different mindset.
So, at last, I feel like I’m again progressing as a glider pilot. However
you fly, whatever you fly, hope to see you up there.
2 Soaring s !UGUST s WWWSSAORGFLIGHT LINES
BY ERIC BICK
EDITOR