Blanik Fun Meet 1998

An All-Blanik Fun Meet was held at New Castle, Virginia, in June 1998. From Thursday June 18 to Sunday June 21, twenty four pilots from nine States competed in a soaring contest flying in sailplanes of the same make, commonly known in America as "Blaniks". The all-metal gliders were made by the Czech aircraft manufacturer LET. In the two-place class, pilots competed in the L-13 and L 23 models and in the single-place pilots flew in the L 33 Solo.

The event was organized by the Blue Ridge Soaring Society, an 80-member club of whom 33 participated as pilots or in the various support functions. The Meet would not have been possible without their dedicated work as volunteers contributing time and skill.

The importance of the meet was endorsed by the three-day presence of famous soaring pilots Ed Byars from North Carolina and Karl Striedick from Pennsylvania, who acted as advisors. From Washington State came Vitek Siroky, the president of Blanik America, Inc., the exclusive distributor of LET sailplanes in North America, and sponsor of the event.

The purpose of the Meet was to measure pilots' skills flying identical aircraft. The tasking was geared to the pilots' level of cross-country soaring experience. For some, the flights at the Blanik Meet were their very first ones away from a home base. While only one day of the three-day gathering permitted sending pilots out on a course, opportunities to soar were available every day from Wednesday through Sunday. The one day which did result in a contest task was very well worth it.

Thanks to a high pressure weather system, the famous ridges of the Appalachian Mountain Range "came alive" on Saturday. A northwesterly wind of fifteen to twenty knots at the mountain tops blew steadily from early dawn of June 20 through late in the afternoon, creating strong ridge lift and also wave. Additionally, cumulus clouds marked thermal lift. The cloud bases rose eventually to seven thousand feet. Visibility was superb for tens of miles - unusual for this time of the year, as was the ridge wind.

Some contestants arrived as early as Wednesday to get used to the local topography. The gliderport is located on a private farm with a 2,000' x 300' grass north-south runway, sloping slightly to the north. Toward its northern end, the club has two hangars and a covered concession area with tables. Breakfasts and pilot briefings were held there. Farther north, nestled under the sycamore and wild walnut trees is a campground, fire pit, another large covered seating area and a house complete with a lounge, kitchen, bedrooms and other amenities, available to BRSS members and guests. Winding around the gliderport is Craig Creek, deep enough in places to allow refreshing swimming.

Ten practice flights were flown by participants on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, the first official contest day, a thunderstorm soaked the area and the task was scrubbed. Clouds cleared in late afternoon and some two-hour flights were made. In the evening a dinner reception was provided by the hosts, the Frantz's at their elegant new home overlooking the runway and the valley. The Frantz's are the owners of the farm and BRSS' founding members. The magic of the evening was heightened by thousands of flashing fire flies floating all around.

The morning of Saturday dawned dry with a steady north-northwesterly wind, from just the right direction for the local ridges. Already prior to the 9:30 am pilots' briefing, Karl Striedick, one of the ridge-soaring legends, was heard commenting: ..."What are we doing still sitting here on the ground?". At the briefing, the Contest Manager B.B. Brown welcomed the participating pilots and volunteers, and introduced the speakers. Contest Director David Cole explained the rules. Karl Striedick gave specific advice on ridge soaring, and Ed Byars followed with flying safety issues. Roland Monette covered the weather.

Crews and pilots gridded all the sailplanes on the southern end of the runway and at noon the task was declared: a 79-mile quadrangle to the SW of New Castle along the ridge immediately west of the gliderport. The gliders were launched in quick succession by well-coordinated line runners and two towpilots. Shortly afterwards the first gliders called the gate to start.

While some of the contestants elected to use thermals, others dove straight for the ridge and skimmed the trees along the first 27 mile long leg to a gap in the ridge where a major highway crosses it, called Newport. One of the pilots even got in the wave to 7,000' when the cloud bases were at 6,000' at 1:30 pm. The ride from the ridge gap back to the second turnpoint (a sheep shed on top of the ridge near the start gate) took a bit longer against the quartering headwind. The next leg took the contestants half way back south along the same ridge towards the gap where a critical transition had to be made to an upwind ridge and out over the middle of the next valley to a farm in Maggie. From there the last leg headed straight back for the finish gate at New Castle.

Less than an hour and a half after the start, the first contestants zoomed through the finish gate. Shortly thereafter, however, calls were heard being relayed from several outlanding pilots. One L-13 landed near the gap, an L33 and L23 at Maggie, and one L33 just five miles short from home. Ground crews were dispatched and soon the ships were back at the gliderport, all of them undamaged. One of the gliders could even be aerotowed back, thanks to the farmer at Maggie who started mowing the grass as soon as the glider landed on his field. The farmer even called his neighbor to bring a power rake.

TASK (both classes): New Castle - Newport - Sheep Shed - Maggie - New Castle. 79.0 miles

As all gliders were back at the field by mid-afternoon, a second wave of contestants could be sent out, reusing some of the gliders. Unfortunately for one of the contestants, his second flight, this time around the course didn't count, as relights were not allowed in the contest.

Altogether the Blaniks and Solos flew over 1,000 cross-country miles. The last plane landed by seven o'clock, while BRSS volunteers started to serve lasagna, salads, refreshments and desserts. A bon fire was lit, and the pilots and their crews - young and old, shared the camaraderie and sang to the tunes of two guitars and a banjo late into the evening.

The next day's briefing was devoted to advice on cross-country flying by Ed Byars, and to hints on glider trailering by Vitek Siroky. The weatherman's news was only partially encouraging - light lift with encroaching overcast. All gliders were gridded at noon, one L33 sniffer was sent out. He managed to stay up but could not gain the required 500 feet above the release point. The day was scrubbed. While everyone was still gathered on the grid, Vitek Siroky handed out to all the participants on behalf of his firm and of the factory, award certificates, miniature L33 and L23 glider jewelry pins, and pens with LET insignias. The runnerups received LET hats and gold pen sets. The winners in each class received trophies made of Bohemian crystal.

A few contestants elected to launch on Sunday, however, the thickenning overcast shortened their flights. This was, understandably, a disappointing end to the contest, but only momentarily. The participants gained new experience, friends, and the confidence to venture out to do more exciting cross-countries in their Blaniks and Solos.

The Blanik Fun Meet was a great success due to the generous contribution and efforts of many volunteers. Special thanks go to Ed Byars from North Carolina and Karl Striedick from Pennsylvania (advisors), Lanier and Thecla Frantz (hosts), B.B. Brown (contest manager), David Cole (competition director and scorer), John Molumphy (operations), Roland Monette (weather), Doug and Cathy Mitchell (meals), Virginia McWhorter (retrieve phone), Glen Maxwell and Dirk Elber (gate), Cole Frantz, Fred Roselle, and Scott Alexander (flight line), Bob Gilhooly, Jim Woltz, Tommy Frantz, and John Molumphy (tow pilots), Janey Keene, Jennifer Mulligan, and Charlotte Naber (Saturday supper), Steve and Paula Devinney (film processing), Kelly Naber (junior social director), and BRSS members acting as flying advisors or contestants; Dan Cole, Roland Monette, Jim Cole, Gary Naber, Bill McWhorter, Leonard Walker, Al Tyler, Penn Smith, and David Cole. Additional thanks go to Al Tyler for loaning his L33 to enable the sponsor, Vitek Siroky, to fly the course the contestants flew.

What about the next Blanik Fun Meet? Plans are to hold the Meet in close proximity to the home bases of Blanik owners and operators (so that minimum overland glider transport is required), at a club or school with the sufficient and willing manpower to ensure that the next Meet will again be a success.

Turn to the pages of SOARING Magazine and to the web pages of Blanik America, Inc. for future announcements!

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