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2-5-12
Yesterday, our club voted to merge with Birmingham Soaring Society. This merger will bring two nearby group of soaring pilots together to form a stronger and more prosperous organization. The two clubs will be base in Sylacauga and have the option to fly at The Flying X Ranch when they choice. More information on this merger to posted as the details are worked between the two clubs. This is really great news and win /win for both clubs.
Steve Wallace
another new member thanks to Aviation-Day (Jay Miller, top right & seated in the front seat the club's Blanik L-23)
Greetings from Uli and Henri Birmingham & Sylacauga Soaring gathering at SCD July 2010
Photo by Micheal Strength
2-7-10 Uli's Visit to Sylacauga Photo by Doug Mansfield
Although, the weather was terrible at Sylacauga, we did have a bright spot which everyone on hand enjoyed very much. German National Soaring Champion and member of the German National Team, Uli Schwenk visited us with his daughter Daniela and fellow soaring enthusiasts Eule Ulrike & Heiner Beutel. They where given a warm welcome by John & Doug Mansfield, Jason Holcombe, Robert Watson, and Steve Wallace along with a tour our facilities and equipment.
We than adjourned to a local restaurant for food & hot
drinks to ward off the cold. Our conversations with Uli ranged
from soaring differences between the US and Europe,
launching sailplanes, best equipment to use, flying
techniques and overall we simply found a delightful man full
of warmth and humor, who just happens to be one of the top
soaring pilots in the world.
Uli was kind enough to show us a short video of Grand
Prix style racing video on his lap top. Uli is very into the
promotion of the sport of soaring and has found that the
Grand Prix style of competition as seen on videos like
"Gladiators of the Sky" brings a lot of interest in soaring
from the pilot community and surprisingly from a larger
percentage of non pilots. This interest is generated by the
technology that allows people to follow the competition as
it progresses and than catch live finishes of the winners as
they scream in dumping water. (There's a lesson to be
learned in this comment.)
Elrike and Henri are both soaring pilots
who Uli characterized as his idol's for their work with
youth back home. They have recently moved from Germany to
our area to work at the Mercedes plant. It is our hope that
these charming and talented people will visit us again and
join the SSS in flying over Sylacauga and other turn points.
I think the odds are in our favor.
Uli will be competing in the US World Class Nationals (I
think) this year and hopefully we will have a chance to
visit with him again. I believe we are more likely
to see Daniela since she is handling most of the US
marketing & customer service for Jaxida Covers which are
made in their home town of Munsingen.
Steve Wallace
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