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[[top right header]] 3. Klaas Goudrian of South Africa has claimed the Class D.1 (single seat) gliding record for Speed Over a 100 Kilometer Triangular Course on November 22nd at 108.7 MPH. This performance will replace the record of 102.7 MPH held by Kenneth Brieglieb of Adelanto, California. — — — Aeromodeller, A. Pereversev, of the USSR, has claimed a new world record for Speed With a Control Line Model Airplane at 186.4 MPH, bettering the existing record of 170 MPH held by McDonald Lauderdale of the United States. Lauderdales's record had stood since 1963. — — — The final standings of the 1975-76 National Collegiate Parachuting Championships at the Jump West Paracenter, Star, Idaho, were concluded on November 30, 1975 with James Salisbury, a student at Florida Technological University, taking top honors, finishing first in Advanced Style and second in Advanced Accuracy. The University of Montana took first in Relative Work with 2nd spot going to the U.S Air Force Academy . Ninety-three collegiate parachuters from some 30 schools competed. — — — The Wright Brothers were not the only ones that launched a dynasty on December 17th. On that day -- December 17th, 32 years later in 1935, the Douglas DC-3 also made its first flight. Though airborne for only one hour and 40 minutes on its aerial debut, that first DC-3 initiated a flying career that has made it the best known (and one of the most dependable) airplanes in aviation history. 10,655 military or civilian versions of the DC-3 were built by the time the last order had been filed by Douglas in 1945. Each passing year more of the old "Gooney Birds" are taken out of service, though it is still estimated some 3000 are still actively flying throughout the world. The DC-3 saga includes many tales about its accomplishments at home and abroad, in combat and in weather, plus stories of the almost incredible number of flight hours logged by some of the most durable aircraft ever built. However, there is one DC-3 which was built in 1939 and had been flying for North Central Airlines since 1965 that has logged more time than any other aircraft in the history of aviation -- 83,032 hours and 52 minutes . In its 36-year history old N21728 had worn out 550 main gear tires, 25,000 spark plugs, and scores of pilots. The world's high-time aircraft has recently been retired to the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Mich. for a well earned rest. — — — A 13-cent stamp, which will be placed on sale March 18, 1976, salutes commercial aviation in connection with the 50th anniversary year of the first contract airmail flights. The stamp features the airplane which flew the first contract airmail flight on February 15, 1926 - The Ford Pullman, an all-metal monoplane, plus the Laird Swallow [[note: was a WACO signed statement by C.J. Brukuer]], a biplane operated by Varney Airlines which inaugurated its first contract flight on April 6, 1926. The Ford Pullman's route was from Dearborn, Michigan to Cleveland, Ohio and return as well as between Detroit and Chicago. The Swallow flew between Pasco, Washington and Elke, Nevada via Bose, Idaho. — — — [[note: Geo. E. "Beeck" Weaver Test Pilot - Co-designer]]
