Jerry Nielsen died

[silverwings]

Jerry Nielsen was a previous chgpa member and hang glider pilot. He passed away yesterday from health complications from cancer and covid. I chose to post on this forum because it is seen more often.

[mchevalier]

Rich Heigel told me about Jerry but didn't mention the cancer. I remember going to Jerry's Christmas parties at that house on Prospect St.

[RichH]

Many of you don't know Jerry but he was a great pilot and a great friend. I will never forget the phone call I received in the 80s when Jerry decided to become the Capital Clubs President. He asked me to to be the Flight Chairman it took some convincing but I knew that anything Jerry did would be 1st class. We produced an award winning club magazine recognized by USHGA as the best club magazine in the country and our memberships soared. Jerry was also an incredible pilot I can remember a day that we were all reaching cloud base close to12,000ft ( no Im not exaggerating ) at High Rock and I believe a few I think made it a bit higher. I got slammed and had to land near Thurmont ( Great Lift / Great Sink) but Jerry went on to fly South of Baltimore in his Comet. I remember another day I believe it was at Daniels and Jerry and Paul McDermott got off of launch in the early summer when a Massive Thunderstorm moved in. Everyone there thought they were in serious trouble as a major downpour and thunderstorm with a gust from the storm moved though. I remember hiding under my glider and hearing the rain just pelt the living daylights out of my glider and putting my full weight on my control bar to try and stabilize it as the gusts moved through. Moments later the sun started to peak though and I tried calling Jerry on my CB radio only to hear him laughing that he had climbed in the front produced by the thunderstorm and he and Paul rode it out from above ( I do not Recommend) but they were ecstatic relaying the views and the heights they achieved. Jerry was a very optimistic guy and his love and energy for the sport of Hang Gliding was amazing. He was probably one of my most dear friends more a brother than a friend in the 80s when he and I and Paul Mcdermott and Rich Paculli were inseparable. Losing him and then hearing that Marilyn King passed recently has me remembering those initial days hang Gliding in this area ( Marilyn was part owner of Sport FLight a Glider Shop in Gaithersburg, Md and Sport Flight and Les in particular were really the catalyst for Hang Gliding in this area) I was so honored to work for Les and Marilyn as a Hang Glider Instructor and shop manager in the 80s. All of us and others ( John Middleton, Brad and Richard Hays and Danny Brotto, Joe Clements, Lester Billings, I could go on and on) .. all loved Jerry and are heart broken to see him leave us..