[Leica] IMG: After Dinner, at the Airport

[Jim Nichols]

Hi Douglas,

That launch system sounds like a lot of fun, but with a potential 
collision if the cable should break.  I had one glider ride, many years 
ago, but it was an airplane tow.

The sailplanes now being produced are a far cry from the gliders I first 
encountered in the late 1940s.  The materials are much lighter, and the 
finishes are so smooth that they appear very delicate.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 6/7/2015 4:13 PM, Douglas Barry wrote:
> Nice looking sailplane or glider as we call them over here. I used to 
> glide back in the late 60s/early 70s when there were no towed lifts in 
> Baldonnell aerodrome. We were at on one end of the runway with a wire 
> running to the back of an old stripped V8 - a chassis with seats - via 
> a pulley at the other end. At a signal, the V8 would move towards us, 
> pulling the wire through the pulley. The wire would tighten and we'd 
> be pulled towards him. Gradually speed was built up and we would climb 
> sufficiently high enough to release the cable. At that stage the V8 
> would accelerate hard to maintain strain on the wire and stop it 
> kinking - a small drogue chute helped. Slowing was fun at the end of 
> the runway.
>
> Douglas
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Nichols" 
> <jhnichols at lighttube.net>
> To: "LUG at Leica-Users.org" <lug at leica-users.org>; "Olympus Camera 
> Discussion" <olympus at thomasclausen.net>
> Sent: Sunday, June 07, 2015 3:16 AM
> Subject: [Leica] IMG: After Dinner, at the Airport
>
>
>> It was a beautiful day, so I decided to see what the late day 
>> activity might be at the airport.  While attending a ball game, I had 
>> seen a Cessna towing a sailplane overhead.  It seems the Civil Air 
>> Patrol had some checkout activity going on.  I walked onto the ramp 
>> as the sailplane was returning to the hangar.
>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Two-Place+Sailplane+Rolling+Home.jpg.html 
>>
>>
>> This sailplane has a snug, two-place cockpit beneath the hinged canopy.
>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Tandem+Cockpit.jpg.html
>>
>> I walked out to take a look at a visiting CAP Maule aircraft from 
>> Alabama. I had never seen a Maule in CAP colors.
>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/CAP+Maule.jpg.html
>>
>> The CAP recently purchased a group of new Cessna 172s, and there was 
>> one of these on the ramp.  The new landing/taxi light caught my eye.
>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/New+Cessna+172+Landing+Light.jpg.html 
>>
>>
>> This airplane smelled new all over.  Even the alternator behind the 
>> cooling air inlet was shiny, with no bug spatter.
>>
>> All with the Fuji X-E1 and 27mm Pancake lens.
>>
>> Comments and critiques welcomed.
>>
>> -- 
>> Jim Nichols
>> Tullahoma, TN USA
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>