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Soaring APRIL-MAY, 1940 8 News FROM Clubs AND Members CALIFORNIA Bishop Rather belated and with our apologies we acknowledge and welcome Inyo-Mono Soaring Society of Bishop, California. President Robert Symons writes as follows: "We are now about half way through with the construction of the wings of a Bewlus Bay Albatross Kit. There are ten active members in the Club. We have yet not quite completed our incorporation proceedings. "Club Officers are: President, Robert F. Symons; Vie President, Morrel Austin; Sec'y-Treas., Hudson Joseph; 2nd Vice President, Fred Craig; Photographer-publicity, Emil Morhardt. "We are located in the Owens Valley, which runs northerly and southerly as is bounded on the west by the High Sierras, Mt. Whitney, etc., and on the east by the White Mountains, both ranges towering up to over 14,000 feet. The valley floor approximates 4,000 feet above sea level. We have in Inyo County, besides the highest peak in America (Mt. Whitney), Death Valley, 280 feet below sea level, the lowest down place in America, and towering above it—Telescope peak—about 12,000 feet high. "We are about 280 miles north of Los Angeles, and 200 miles south of Reno, Nevada. The Famous Three Flay Highway 395, Mexico to Canada runs through the valley.—Enough of that. "We plan to do our preliminary flying off of the Bishop airport, utilizing, if possible, with the aid of my 'sniffers,' Mr. and Mrs. Snif, the lusty thermals that abound the in the valley. As the season progresses, and we hope, our skill with it, we all are at least solo plane pilots, to inveigle some new converts to the sport of soaring; and with ours as the parent organization, furnish the new members with their needed guidance." Glendale Volmer Jenson writes in that he has retired his well known "Solvfuglen," constructed eight years ago in Seattle, Washington, by its owner. Over ninety advocates to the art of gliding have flown the ship during its colorful career up and down the Pacific Coast. The glider was also known as the Volmer Sailplane J-8 and was constructed entirely of [[image]] The "Solvfuglen" wood with fabric covering. I-beam spars were used in the wing construction while the fuselage was made up of longerons and struts with gussetted joints. In the entire eight years that the plane was in constant service, no flyer had received an injury in it until this last month when it was put into a spin at 500 feet, maintaining the spin until it hit the ground. The pilot was Byron Woods of Atlanta, Georgia, who had made numerous previous glider flights. From observations of those who witnessed the accident, the reason for it has been given that the pilot either fainted or "froze" the controls. Mr. Woods was rather seriously injured but is now recovering rapidly. He sustained a broken leg and elbow, and in spite of his injuries, is anxious to go on with his gliding activities as soon as his condition permits. The "Solvfuglen," which is Danish for Silver Bird, introduced many to the wonderful art of gliding and soaring. CONNECTICUT Connecticut Soaring Association A new group, the Connecticut Soaring Association, has been formed by glider enthusiasts in the vicinity of Hartford, Connecticut. While the group is but a single club as yet, their arm is to expand by helping other groups in the state organize clubs, thus building up a real association of clubs. The present membership roster includes: Morris Ertman, President; Cliff Pryor, Vice President; Leonard Dahl, Treasurer; Harold R. Skinner, Secretary; Al Pepin, Instructor; and members Bronis Ciak, William Ross, and Stanley Rozenwski. For those wishing to contact this group, the Secretary's address is 10 Thompson Street, Maple Hill, New Britain, Connecticut. ILLINOIS Chicago The Chicagoland pilots are discovering that the airbubbles in their territory are really terrific. Recently, Joe Steinhauser flew his Rhonsperber cross-country for 68 miles, reaching an altitude of 6,000 feet. Stan Corcoran, taking off a bit later, made 48 miles but bettered Joe altitude by a few hundred feet. There was a northeast wind blowing in off the lake but the airport is located inland about thirty miles. This allowed the air to warm up a bit and as a result, there were weak thermals which covered a wide area. Joe, on his second attempt form the winch, caught a thermal and was off. Stan followed but had a tough job holding on, for it seemed he was just a little too late for that thermal. However, by continued spiraling, Stan gained altitude and was last seen just below Joe as they both disappeared in the haze. Both pilots nearly froze at 6,000 feet and were glad to ease down to a lower altitude. Joe reported seeing birds flying at 6,000 feet while Stan reported seeing corn husks floating around at about the same altitude. Upon landing, both ships were mobbed by the natives. Stan fared much better than Joe for he had the assistance of the State Police since he had traffic tied up for a mile or so near his landing place. Joe had six holes in his craft and yelled himself hoarse trying to keep the crowd back. One farmer said he thought the ship was a large chicken hawk and was tempted to get his shot gun. Two days latter, Joe received letter from the farmer asking for $5.00 in order to cattle-proof his fence. Chicagoland Glider Council The extremely busy outlook for the coming year's activities was reason enough for the election of two new officers at the regular monthly Council meeting on March 27. Loyal Judson is the Council's new treasurer. His foundation in bookkeeping and accounting plus his often-demonstrated willingness to help, put him in position to function in this important office. Judson's address is 6919 Yale Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Art Hoffman was elected corresponding secretary. Detail work surrounding the writing and editing of the AIR BUBBLE brought a cry of "Help" from Bob Blaine, so Art will now handle the Council's correspondence and the planning of programs for our regular meetings. In addition to this, he is heading up a special committee to help in the formation of new clubs in the Chicagoland area. Art's experience in motorless flying activity dates back several years and includes some fine work with the Airhoppers Club in New York. The organization work will consist of informal get-togethers for those interested in new clubs and/or the purchase of equipment. INDIANA Purdue The Purdue Glider Club is enjoying one of its most prosperous and successful seasons this year with a membership of fifty men. February 27, this year, saw the arrival from Chet Decker in New Jersey of Captain Shelley Charles' "la Paloma"; transit was by trailer and the Baby Albatross' new loft was the Purdue University Airport. March 19, of this year, witnessed the setting up and first flights of our new metal fuselage two-place utility soarer previously heralded as the "Super Flying Boilermaker," now to be known as the "PGC-2." Laid out, jigged up, welded, and covered by the Club members under the supervision of President Craig Miller, it has come to be known locally as the most flown aircraft hanging at this field. On March 22, Miller (President Craig), apparently with the proverbial or otherwise "bats in his breeches" left the field here at 8:10 o'clock a.m., for an hour and 10 minutes of soaring in "la Paloma" to land seven miles away. Maximum altitude reached was about 3,500 feet or 2,500 feet above point of release.
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[[image: four people, one in the cockpit of plane and three standing beside the plane]]
