League of
Silent Flight

Rob Glover

Huntsville AL,

has shirt, likely needs shoes!!!

Pat Martin

LSF #3351 Level I

Pat got the flying bug at a very early age by riding around in his Dad’s Super Cub at the age of four before graduating to U-control models. For the past 37 years he has held his Commercial Bush-pilot Flight instructor position in Alaska. Pat says, “I fell in love with flying RC soaring models the day I rolled into my first thermal and it just kept climbing and climbing…”. He built a Sailair in 1978 and winch from spare parts while at Homestead, Alaska. He is active in local club contests and currently has an AVA, Super AVA, Supra, Blaster Photon II and Organic 2.5 SE in his hanger. Pat will work to promote the LSF cause in his local club and hope to make it to the LSF NATS someday.

Merrill Brady

Merrill has been promoting the LSF, for years, more data to come..

Address: P.O. Box 39098, Downey CA 90239
Phone: (562)-927-2583

Phil Lutz

LSF Level III
1729 E Pine Ave #4
El Segundo, CA 90245-4456
(310) 640-9927

Phil Lutz has been flying RC aircraft for about five years, starting with glow powered planes before transitioning to slope soaring and now thermal duration TD.

His current hanger contains a 3 meter Topaz, 3.35 meter Moebius (see photo) and XP 4.5; 2 meter Allegro-Lite and a 3 meter EZ Bubble Dancer will soon joint his fleet.

Phil has been a member of the El Dorado Club for the past three years and looks forward to expanding and promoting LSF in the Southern California area. He has completed LSF Level III and looks forward to completing Level IV in the very near future.

Lutz is married with a 19 year old son (Richard). Phil holds the position of Vice President of Technology for a Financial Services Firm located in Los Angles with HQ in New York.

Rev. 5/4/06

Bruce Allport

LSF #7687

Radio control flight has fascinated me for as long as I can remember, and after enjoying control line and free flight, I was finally able to try R/C power in the late fifties with a little success. Inactive till the mid seventies, a friend gave me a foam fuselage, built-up wing Schleicher K-10 kit he had given up on. When the instructor looped it off the top of the first high-start launch I was hooked. It was kind of heavy and fast for a trainer, but I slowly learned between crashes. Then came two children to absorb all my free time. 

I built a Paragon about 1979 but still had very little time to fly until the turn of the century (2000) when I began to get out to the field more regularly. Only then did that Paragon and I approach anything resembling competent flight, proudly achieving LSF Level II. Then my beautiful new AVA arrived, carrying me to Level III and hopefully beyond.

The idea of the five soaring achievement milestones promoted by LSF, where pilots compete with themselves for advancement, has great appeal. Everyone can win and grow at their own pace, and progress begins with the very first task!

As I continue to strive for my own advancement, I hope to encourage new aspirants to begin their growth in LSF and encourage long time soaring members whose flying skills may have plateaued, to begin to grow again. 

• Name of your local soaring club: San Fernando Valley Silent Flyers, http://www.rcsoaring.com/sfvsf/
• Favorite aspect of soaring: Building, Flying, TD, Competition
• What major soaring events have you attended:  Visalia
• Favorite sailplanes: Paragon, AVA
• Family Information: Married 39 years, two kids 28 & 24.
• Occupation: Architect with WET Design, the world’s premiere fountain designers http://www.wetdesign.com/

Address: 6103 Ensign Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91606
Phone: (D)818.769.6200 x354 (E)818.769.5771

Larry Taylor

Personal data

Address:
Phone:

Dr. Danny C. Williams

LSF Level III

15880 Kingswood Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

(H) 303-903-2291

Dr. Dan Williams started his love affair with soaring with a Thermic C in a land far, far away (1962) in a place called Azusa, CA.  (That first Thermic C sailplane still hangs in his workshop).  He started regularly flying R/C gliders In Southern California in 1977 and was exposed to full-scale soaring and his first ride back in 1968 (Crystal Air Glider Port). 

Dr. Dan primarily flew slope until he was introduced to the LSF program.  He started to do a little TD with the Silent Wings Association in Southern California and was actively working on his LSF tasks.  He finished LSF Level II and almost finished Level III before taking a 9 year break in 1981 to attend Chiropractic College.  He resumed flying again in 2000. 

Dr. Dan is now very active in TD competition, and flying just about anything he can get his hands on.  He enjoys the building process, flying TD, soaring competition, slope, scale, aero tow, HLG, park flyers, IMMAC, pattern, pylon and helicopters!  What’s left?!?

He was President for three years with the Rocky Mountain Soaring Association, a current member of the Pikes Peak Soaring Society and also the Silent Wing Soaring Society in California. 

Dr. Dan says, “I really enjoy helping people get into the LSF while working on my own LSF tasks.” 

Name of your local soaring club? 

• http://www.rmsadenver.com

What major soaring events do you attend when able? 

• NATS, Visalia, SW Classic and Polecat Challenge.  I also want to get back and fly some OVSS events, and then head the other way and fly some SC2 events also. 

Name a couple of your favorite sailplanes:

• The ICON, Ah the ICON, Then again there is the ICON, and finally my favorite is the ICON.

Occupation:

• Chiropractor

Rev: 4/1/06

****

Bill Groft

Personal Data.

119B Sandy Drive Newark, DE 19713
302-451-1088

Jim MacLean

The IRKS were founded in 1969 and have been in continuous operation ever since. It is mainly a power club but a number of us have been fanning the coals of sailplane flying and our club events usually draw about 25 to fly. We own a winch and retriever which I usually care for. Club membership is nearly 300.

I learned to fly radio control back in the days of escapements and B batteries (1959). Lots of lawns got mowed to buy equipment especially my first transistor receiver! That was a great day when the weight of batteries took a big drop. College interrupted flying for a while and, when I returned, proportional control had arrived! I flew pattern and sport for five years until full-scale became affordable. Flying lasted until wife, house, kids took over and I was grounded. In 1990 I was reintroduced to model flying and have been very active since. Pattern, sport, combat etc. kept me interested until some friends showed me the ropes with a sailplane and I got my first max in a contest. Now I fly mostly sailplanes and try to promote the same love of silent flight to any friend who shows interest. I have met many kind, helpful and very skillful people flying sailplanes and had a lot of fun at the various central Florida contests. I have almost completed Level 4. If you are close to Melbourne FL, let's chase some thermals together.

Personal Data.

James R. MacLean, 2112 Parsons Ave. Melbourne, FL 32901
Phone: 321 727 3646

Joe Foster

Like many of us, Joe got his start in this hobby by building models airplanes as a kid. Joe remembers the fun of chewing Ambroid glue from his finger while wasting time in school wishing he was flying. He has built a number of kits including the perennial favorites as the Sig Riser 2M w/spoilers and a modified Gentle Lady w/spoilers which he calls his Spoiled Lady.

Joe flies in Northwest Florida (NWF) , home to many really great soaring fields and has agreed to be a LSF coordinator for a small but active group of soaring enthusiasts from several NWF clubs. Some of the fields are large enough to pursue Level III/IV goal and return task on the field.

Visitors to the area are invited to contact Joe for assistance in finding places to fly and scheduled contests and events.

LSF #7980

Ron Kukral

I started flying gliders 20 + years ago. I always enjoyed the soaring birds, and gliders looked like a fun way to get in the air cheaply (A Gentle Lady was less than $20 then). Living in Madison, IN. at the time, with no clubs around, I taught my self how to fly. The guys in SOAR will attest to the fact that I had a fool for a teacher and should have flunked out of flight school. In the early days I was a victim of the 1 in 10 rule. For every one minute in the air I spent 10 minutes repairing. I can still remember my first thermal. My Dad and I were out flying on a Sunday morning. I kept circling and circling, not losing any altitude as I was prone to do. I looked at my Dad and said "Something's wrong, the plane won't come down, what do I do?"

My soaring ability and enjoyment really took off (sorry for the pun) when I moved to the Chicago area. I met Dan Pruss at the Toledo Show, and he put me in touch with the guys in SOAR.

SOAR uses three different fields for fun flying, with our central field used for contests. On any given weekend you can always find someone flying at one of the fields. Whenever two SOAR members start flying at the same time, there is an impromptu contest: all up last down, F3J with winches, landing for dollars, you name it.

SOAR is a competitive club, and the challenge is to keep up with the pack or get left on the ground, so to speak. The help and encouragement of the club (and fear of getting left behind) has really improved my skill. I am working on my LSF Level IV, needing only my goal and return to be able to send the voucher in. Being part of SOAR and the LSF has increased my enjoyment of the hobby along with my skill level. Besides, the LSF bunch, and SOAR are a great group of friends and fun to be around.

Address: 524 Wellington Ct, New Lenox, IL 60451
Phone:815-462-0275

Frank Baldwin

506 NE 6th Street Ankeny, IA 50021
515-963-7748

Frank holding plane

David Smith

1998 Spirit of Soaring

VERSAILLES, KY
Phone: 859-879-2147

Edwin Wilson

2002-2004 LSF Vice President;

Contest Director Louisville "Mid South";

Keeper of the "LSF Stuff"

Address: 5308 Sprucewood Dr; Louisville, KY 40291
Phone:502-239-3150

West Michigan Soaring Society ( WMSS )

Cal Posthuma

Cal has been soaring since 1976, after a friend let him fly his sailplane. From that point on, Cal says he was hooked for life! From that humble start, Cal has made his mark in the soaring world by completing the LSF requirements for Level V not once, but TWICE! He first finished Level V in 1984. Then he completed Level V a second time in 2002 and is now working on completing the Level V tasks a third time! This man knows how to fly!

Cal enjoys flying, TD, and soaring competition where ever it takes him. He is a regular contestant at the AMA/LSF NATS, Mid-south and Michigan Soaring League contest circuit. His all-time favorite sailplanes are the Artemis and Duck 2-M. Cal has been married for seven years to Deb. He is a retired school teacher.

Address: 13430 60th Ave
Coopersville, MI 49404
Phone: 616-997-1905
http://www.ALTELCO.NET/~calplsf/index.html

Minnesota RC Soaring Society

Augie McKibben

I’ve been building models and flying some on and off for most of my life. I left the sport of RC soaring for about fifteen years only to come back to it in 2001. I’ve tried power, helicopters, cars and boats, all of which are interesting, but I have found that I really only love RC soaring.

I’m currently working on my LSF Level IV tasks and contest requirements and hope to have Level IV completed by the end of the 2006 flying season.

A couple of seasons ago I built a Harley Michaelis’ Genie. I love this glider! While I really enjoy building, I wanted to get into full house gliders. Harley’s design allows me to do both. I am now building a Genie Pro which should be ready to fly this spring.

I’ve been past President of the Minnesota RC Soaring Society, AMA Contest CD and look forward to supporting the LSF program as a new Club Coordinator. The LSF/AMA NATS are something I really look forward to each July and definitely is the highlight of my summer activities!

Good lift!

Augie McKibben
LSF Level III
Minnesota

No Club

Jim Crook

Personal Data.

Address:
Phone:

Ray DiNoble

Began soaring with the Greater Detroit Soaring & Hiking Society in the late 1970's. Completed LSF Level IV tasks in Michigan. Retired from Ford Motor Company (Engineering Manager) in 1997 and moved to Las Vegas Nevada. Joined the Las Vegas Soaring Club. Club membership 35 - 40 members. Accomplishments in Las Vegas: Two years as Newsletter editor, volunteered as LSF Club Coordinator (1998), Safety Officer and Flight Instructor. Contest travels include California and Arizona.

LSF 4096, Level IV
Phone: (702) 254-7911

Bob Crane

Bob Crane has been active in model aviation for over 50 years and has been flying sailplanes since 1970. His past favorite sailplane models include the Graupner Cirrus, Amigo, Craft-Air SD 100 and Mirage. His current favorites are the Super Ava, Bubble Dancer, 2M Allegro-E and Bass Flyer.

Bob began his LSF involvement back in 1970. He learned to fly as a member of the Tidewater Model Soaring Society in Norfolk, VA and currently belongs to the Sussex County Thermal Sniffers, a sailplane/electric club. Club members fly at a sod farms located in Pine Island, NY.

Bob says, “I am looking forward to working with my fellow club members to encourage and mentor them in the LSF program.”

LSF 186

Down East Soaring Society

Dick Proseus

I began flying R/C in 1960 and sailplanes about 1975. Most of my early soaring experiences took place with the Rocket City RC club in Huntsville, AL. They helped me hone my contest skills. Even after these many years I continue to learn and find new facets of the hobby to enjoy. It has given me may friends up and down the East coast. The achievement programs are a good way to give direction to one's soaring activities. I completed level V of the LSF program in 1993, the Diamond level of the Canadian Soaring Society program in 1997, and the Great Lakes HLG Wings program in 1997. My most recent activity has been in aerotowing. I am currently helping to build a tow plane so activity can occur more often in the Wilson, NC area.

Address: 905 Lakeside Drive, Wilson, NC 27896
Phone: 336-599-9266 (W) 252-291-8598 (H)

John Measamer

Tom Nagle

Tom is LSF II (for Life, he says) and has been flying RC Sailplanes for about the last 10 years. He writes a column for RC Soaring Digest and has been MOSS Secretary/Treasurer for the last several years.

Tom became the MOSS LSF Coordinator when Jim Deck cornered him at the Toledo show, wrestled him to the ground and forcibly wrapped him in an LSF T-shirt.

904 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215

Phones
Days: 614.224.8339
Evenings: 614.294.6722

Joseph A. Hochadel

I've been flying RC for about 7 years and sailplanes for past 3 years. My primary interests are now thermal duration and slope soaring. I think that the LSF program is great and I encourage all that I meet to get involved.

4201 Sunbeam Ave.
Beavercreek, OH 45440

Phone: (937)431-0760

Robert C. Gumbert (Bob)

LSF 6450

Address: 429 Valley View Drive, Monroeville, PA 15146-1207
Phone: (412) 372-0573

Denny Maize

- I'm President of the world famous BAR/CSS (Broken Arrow R/C Soaring Squadron) We are an AMA and ESL club and always have new guys who never quite seem to get around to sending for the paperwork, etc. Maybe if I can stick it in their hand it will get them moving. Owner of Polecat Areoworks, one super dude as well.

Address: RD #1 BOX 768., Landisburg, PA 17040
Phone: (717) 789-0146

Steel City Soarers

Reece Brock

Here I sit at a contest in Cincinnati, as usual having a good time with good friends. Let me help you on your road to soaring. I live and work in the Pittsburgh area, and support a number of clubs in the local area.

Address: 903 Dale Road.
Bradfordwoods, PA 15015

Phone: (724) 935-3863

Herb Rindfleisch

LOVES Ice Cream !

Address: 106 INGLEWOOD CIRCLE; TULLAHOMA, TN 37388

Dan Ahearn

LSF 7897

After a few brief trials with RC soaring over the years, a Christmas present brought me back into the hobby a few years ago. I spend a few months plowing aimlessly through the skies of North Texas and managed to hook a few thermals and have been hooked ever since. I'd never flown with anyone much less been to a contest, so after reading about all the activity on the Internet, I headed out to my first contest at SLNT.

It was a humbling experience when I showed up with my little Spirit Elite that Fall day, but I had a blast and the guys in the club, many of whom have over 30 years of experience, were very helpful. I soon found myself looking forward to our contest schedule and a year later my quiver includes the XP-4, Sapphire, Artemis and a newly ordered Ava.

New to LSF as well, I've found the program structure an excellent means to work on the fundamentals.

2704 Hillside Drive
Highland Village, TX 75077
Phone: 469.585.0686

Steve Pepper

LSF 7326

I am a member of the Texas Chief's Model Airplane Club of Haskell, Texas. I have been a modeler for about 10 years, beginning in my early 40's. Starting in RC power and evolving more and more into TD sailplanes.

I have completed Level 4 LSF. I have enjoyed traveling and meeting other modelers competeing in 2 NAT's, several trips to Dallas for the TNT, and one trip to Visalia.

Biggest complaint? "Business interfering with pleasure."

Box 241
Knox City, Texas 79529
Phone: 940-658-3458

Allan McKay

LSF 3540

I have flown for over fifty-two years, my first good radio was a brick (Kraft). My first sailplane was an OLY II and I sold it after three years to move up to a Sailaire. I am now on my third and love this lazy plane. I also fly an Artimus an excellent open class ship that can help me achieve Level V.

I will promote the LSF program vigorously as this is the best way to get pilots over the fear of flying in competition and promote the sport of sailplaning.

4317 Bennion Rd
Taylorsville UT 84119
Phone: 801-968-1711

Percy Pierce

Personal Data:

Address: 1828 Pitchkettle RD; Suffolk, VA 23434
Phone:

Skip Schow

The attached picture is all I have > handy, taken when I was working with one of the USMA (I graduated "59) teams at the recent AIAA college competition at Pax River NAS. The aircraft is electric powered, but at least I'm wearing an LSF t-shirt.

Address: 8170 Electric Ave, Vienna, VA 22182
Phone: (703) 698-7422 (leave msg)

Doug Russell

LSF# 7745, Level I

"I've been flying R/C for over 12 years. I started in gas, but now mostly gliders. I still own 1 gas (tow) plane. I got into slope gliders first about 3 years ago and got hooked. I now have several slope planes from foam to scale, HL gliders, and thermal duration ships. I did say HOOKED? The picture shows me just before tow in a Schweizer 262 in the Las Vegas desert."

Address: (NONE)
Phone: 534-2677

Loren Steel

LSF# 7804, Level I

"Although I am relatively new to R/C soaring, my heart has been in it since the day, as an eleven year old, I watched my all-balsa hand launch glider get lost behind the biggest thunderhead imaginable. In the 40-something years since then, various factors of life prevented my return to soaring… until I discovered the Seattle Area Soaring Society (SASS).

A number of SASS members have helped me enjoy R/C soaring much more than I would if I tried it on my own. In particular, I am grateful to have a mentor/coach who taught me to build and fly sailplanes and has become a very good friend. As a soaring neophyte it is clear to me that association with seasoned pilots is the only way to improve my skills as a pilot and as a builder. The LSF Soaring Accomplishments Program offers a well recognized structure for flying skills improvement and seems to be the right fit for people like me as well as the more seasoned pilots.

A bad day of flying is better than… almost anything else. Sharing it with others magnifies its enjoyment."

Address: 11804 NE 103rd Place, Kirkland, WA 98033
Phone: (425) 827-7583

Steve Meyer

Level IV

Steve Meyer is a familiar face at the AMA/LSF Soaring Nationals each year and a welcome addition to the LSF program as a Club Coordinator.

Back in 1986 he built and flew a Wanderer 2M and attained LSF Level I with that model. In fact, Steve still has that model and flew it in the 2006 NATS but retired that model and is now on display in the rafters of his shop.

Other favorite models have been the Erasure X-Treme, Airtronics Legend, and a molded Emerald which he took top honors at the well known 2000 Mid South soaring competition and first in Hand Launch piloting a Logic. Steve also flew a SBXC to complete his LSF Level V cross country task at the 2006 NATS Cross Country event.

Steve is also a capable hand launch pilot and has owned and flown such models as Orbiter 2, Monarch D, Logic, X-Terminator and XP-3.

He has participated in every NATS since 1999 and was official LSF scorekeeper at NATS from 2001-2004. Currently he has officially completed LSF Level IV and working on Level V tasks. Steve needs only to complete his 8 hr slope and three contest wins to finish LSF Level V!

He has lived in Lake County Illinois for 44 years and now resides in Racine Wisconsin.

Porter Dalton

LSF #551 Level III

Porter Dalton has been flying sailplanes since the early 70’s and enjoys soaring with other club members from the Big Horn Basin R/C Flyers. Porter is currently LSF Level III with just a couple more tasks to complete before completing Level IV.

Porter likes to kit build during the cold, windy Wyoming winters and maintains a fleet of sailplanes which includes a Sagitta 900, Bird of Time, Mirage, 2M Sig Riser and a nice looking Astro Jeff (right).

Gudmund Thompson

I have been involved in RC soaring since 1994, when, after a winter of racing electric RC cars, I decided to explore the world of RC flight.  I started with the soaring discipline because the powered models that I had seen were noisy and temperamental. 

A 100-inch Riser and a 2-meter Spirit were my first models and they helped me complete LSF levels I and II.  Level III was completed after I designed and built a thermal duration model that I called Thumb-Lift and level IV is now only the goal and return short of completion because of a pair of molded models (a Hera and an El Camino).

In the past few years I have become involved in organizing a local aero-tow group and my models now include a rather-large tug, a 4-meter Tandem Falke and a 3.75-meter Fox.  I have also started to explore fascinating worlds of indoor flying and RC helicopters.

The League of Silent Flight has been instrumental in my development as a pilot and instructor.  The tasks and competitions have sharpened my skills, emphasized safety and introduced me to an interesting group of individuals.  I would not be the flyer I am today without the program.

Name of your local soaring club:

• Thermal Duration – Ottawa Remote Control Club -  http://www.ottawarcclub.ca
• Aero-Tow – Arnprior Radio Control Club – http://www.arccclub.com  

Favorite aspect of soaring: Building, Flying, TD, Competition, Aero Tow

Major soaring events attended: Canadian Nationals

Name of your favorite sailplanes: Hera & Fox

Gudmund Thompson
6727 Notre Dame Street
Orleans Ontario K1C 1H2
Canada

Paul Logan

I am 59, been Soaring on and off for 30+ years. Was one of the first in NZ to start with LSF and am now at level 3 - with only the Slope duration to do to complete Level 4. Interested in just about all forms of aeromodelling with a current binge on CL Stunt. In Soaring I tend to fly Thermal Duration events - don't have the hardware for F3J or F3B. I am a Life Member of the NZMAA and the Christchurch Model Aero Club and am a founding member of the NZ Aeromodelling Hall of Fame. Have placed 2nd and 3rd at World FF Champs in F1A (Nordic A2) and 4th in Wakefield and was awarded the FAI Alphonse Penaud Diploma about 10 years back.

Paul Logan

1183 Blythe Road, RD3 Cheviot 8271,New Zealand
Ph. +64 3 319 8315 Fax. +64 3 319 8324

Lennart Andersson

I am 54 years old and have been a model flyer almost all of my life. I am married and have two children, one girl and one boy and I work as an electrician in a mine in south Sweden.

In the beginning, I was about 10 years old, it was freeflight and control-line models. Around 1975 I started with RC-soaring and I have been flying sailplanes all the time since then. I think that some time around 1978-79 I came in contact with LSF and started to fly for level 1. I have LSF member number 3448 and I am almost ready with level 4.

Almost all of my time as a soaring pilot I have been at a lot of competitions, between 10-20 competitions per year. I have been Swedish Champion two times ( 1981 and 2003 ). I fly HLG, DLG, thermal soarers, F3J-soarers, F3F-models and Scale models. I am also active in the local Model club where I live.

In Sweden we started with RC-soaring around 1970 and the interest for it has been up and down. For the moment I think that it is on its way up again. There are many "Sunday flyers", but also a lot of competition flyers in F3B, F3J, F3K, and also Scale, both slope and aerotowing. I hope that I can get people interested in the LSF, I think that there is a interest to fly with a "goal".

Lennart Andersson

Hasthagevagen 6
Hammar Orebro Ian S-696 74
Sweden

Telephone: 0046-583 770 625
Fax: 0046-583 770 007