Exceptional Soaring Conditions Produce Five U.S. Glider Record Claims
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Robert N. (Bob) Harvey, 77, of Massapequa Park, NY, flying his 1983 Rolladen-Schneider LS-4a single-place glider, flew 942 km (585 mi). Bob set one previous U.S. National Record for free out and return distance in 1997, and was believed to be the oldest U.S. glider pilot to have made a U.S. national record flight performance in a glider. Bob is also a member of the Long Island Soaring Association.

Goetz (Pipa) Bramesfeld, 34, of Bellefonte, PA, flying a Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus single-place glider, flew to Mountain Grove, VA, but landed out in a field near Cumberland, MD on the return trip. His total OLC distance was 566 km (352 mi), for 577 points with handicap. Pipa is a graduate student and instructor at Penn State University, and is a member of the Penn State Soaring Club.

Rolf Hegele of Spring Valley, OH completed all 3 FAI Silver Badge legs (50 km distance, 1000 m gain of height, 5 hours duration), then continued to fly for an unofficial 400 km. Rolf is also a member of the Caesar Creek Soaring Club.

Wednesday's flights also included flights by the following Canadians: Charles Peterson of Toronto, ON, did 550 km for his personal best ever flight; Larry Springford of Kincardine, ON, flew 415 km, Jorge Stieber of Plattsville, ON, flew 600 km and Andre Pepin, of St Lambert, PQ, flew 625 km, all first flights of the year for these pilots. Joerg received 555 OLC points, making his the best flight by a Canadian this year. Joerg flew his Rolladen-Schneider LS-8 single-place glider, and is a member of the SOSA Gliding Club of Southern Ontario, Canada.

Doug, Tom, Jim and Pipa have claimed their flights in the name of the "Ridge Soaring Irregulars" club on the OLC. These four flights moved the Ridge Soaring Irregulars into second place in the OLC U.S. Club Championship.

All flights originated from Ridge Soaring Gliderport, Julian, PA (near State College) and the long flights ranged to the Bath County/Hot Springs, VA area.

All but one flight returned to Ridge Soaring. All record claims must be submitted to the Soaring Society of America and approved by the National Aeronautic Association. OLC Flight claims are automatically scored by computer using GPS data from an on-board data logger.

Tom Knauff & Doris Grove founded ridge Soaring Gliderport in Julian, PA in 1975. Ridge Soaring is world famous for ridge, thermal and wave soaring with many national and world records set during the spring and fall months. Best soaring conditions are March through mid June and Mid September through mid December.

Thomas Knauff
Ridge Soaring Gliderport
3523 South Eagle Valley Rd
Julian, Pa 16844
(814) 355 2483
Fax (814) 355 2633
tknauff@earthlink.net www.eglider.org