More Seqautchie Records

[Flying Lobster]

This has been a banner year for soaring in the area. In addition to the numerous new site records for class 1 and class 5 records, the sailplane crowd have had some remarkable flights as well, as noted by the included post from Jim Finger. What's unusual about the two place trainer flight is that the conditions for the past few weeks have been rather mediocre compared to the spectacular ones we had through the summer. (Jasper is just on the other side of the river across from Lookout and is in Marion County)

"I know it's not hang gliders but.....

Last Thursday two pilots from Huntsville set a US National Record
for Multi-Place gliders starting at Jasper landing at Gadsden AL.
325 miles.

They were in a Blanik. For those not familiar, the Blanik is a
lower-performance metal glider used primarily for training. About
28/1 L/D. Definitely not a glass super ship. This particular ship
is the Huntsville Glider Club training glider based at the Moontown
Airport. They towed it from there and released it over Jasper.

Bill Elliott was in the backseat. He was just named to the US World
Team. Very Cool. Rand Baldwin was in the front seat. Rand set the
US National Record for Standard Class gliders in April of this year
from Marion County flying over 600 miles.

The OLC submission is interesting. See it under 11/15/07.

I'll enclose their pics from the flight... we're lucky to live in
such a fantastic flying spot.

Jim Finger"

marc