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ELMIRA STAR-GAZETTE, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1930. 
PAGE THREE.

Glider Contest Opens With Thrilling Flights

[[left side]]
Wolf Hirth Aloft Nearly Hour Guided to Airport by Bonfire; O'Meara Lands Glider on Goal

[[right side]]
Scenes and Personages at Opening of National Glider Meet in Elmira

[[images]]
Events and prominent people at the opening of the National Glider Contests are graphically pictured above as caught by The Star-Gazette camera. At the upper left is shown Wolf Hirth's glider as it appeared in flight over South Mountain. Mr. Hirth in the cockpit of the craft is shown in the oval inset. Donald F.

[[left side]]
German Expert's Evening Flight is Outstanding Feature on First Day of Two Week's Program - Rises to Great Height After Take-off From South Mountain
-Only 50 Feet From Goal Flag in Night Landing
-Fickle Weather Delays Start-Notables Here.
             ____________________
               By Floyd T. King
      Anxious eyes searched the heavens in the vicinity of the Elmira Airport last night as a restless crowd waited for Wolf Hirth, German gliding expert entered in the national glider contests, to put in his appearance.
      When the intrepid flyer finally brought his motorless craft down to a difficult landing in the eerie light of bonfires, flares and automobile headlights, he was given a thunderous greeting by the spectators who feared he had been lost in the hills or compelled to make a forced landing.
      His flight was the highspot of the opening day of the meet, which is to continue for two weeks. The flights here, with the possibility of new records being created are attracting the attention of aviation enthusiasts all over the United States and in several foreign countries, notably Germany.
Flies Large Glider.
    Hirth flying the largest glider in the meet, took off from South Mountain at 6:06 p.m. as an entrant in the placement event. Once aloft, however, he found soaring conditions ideal and instead of headings for the marker in the center of the airport turned west toward Mount Zoar.
    After circling for altitude three times he winged about and flew over the take-off field several feet in the air. He swung in a great circle to Mt.Zoar an repeated his altitude-gaining flight maneuvers, returning to the take-off plot each time at a greater height.
    As night fell he remained over the hills to the west of Elmira up the river valley where he was in sight of the airport which at that time has been lighted by auto
each car admission and turned the money over to him
    Sherman P. Voorhees, chairman of the executive committee, introduced Manager Walker to the crowd at Field No. 3. Mr.Waked explained that inasmuch [[in as much]] as this was a series of contests for the purpose of making records, and not an entertainment feature, gliders would not take off until the wind was of the required intensity and moving in the proper direction He then introduced a number of the aviators who would participate.
           
           Radio Weather Reports
    The Elmira Radio Amateurs' Association had a portable receiving apparatus on the field and furnished weather reports ever half-hour. When these continued to be discouraging, Manager Walker gave up hope of trying for a soaring record, and ordered the group to South Mountain for the placement event.
    L.F. Ross of the Cleveland Pneu-

              No Set Program;
              Weather Governs
                  ______
    Wind conditions govern gliding, and no set program of events can be announced for the two-weeks' national meet which opened here Sunday.
    This was emphasized today by Donald F. Walker, manager, in response to numerous inquiries as to when the pilots might e expected to take to the air.
    "We are absolutely dependent upon wind conditions, and flights cannot be announced in advance," he said.

 Planes Arrive At Port During Glider Contest
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    The largest number of airplanes to visit Elmira Airport over a week-end in several months landed at the local field Saturday and Sunday.
    Elevn [[Eleven]] pilots, flying as many different makes of planes signed the log during the two days. Two or three flyers came here for the National Glider contests.
    The pilots and their ships are as follows: "Sam" Bishop of Mansfield, a Waso; "Al" Brooks of Newark, N.J., Wasp powered Stinson; Wesley Harvey of Scranton, Command-Aire; Wolf Hirth of Germany, flew here from Syracuse in a Klemm, made in Germany; Lieutenant Harold Mull of Cortland, Buhl; Lieutenant T.E. Hanrahan of Selfridge Field, Mich., Curtiss P-1; W.B. Moore of Harrisburg