2017 Vintage Sailplane Association Glider Rally

2017 Vintage Sailplane Association (VSA) East Coast Sailplane meet Aug. 19 & 20th @ Massey Aerodrome

Good weather prevailed on Sat. & Sunday with temps in the mid to upper 80s. Sunday, with lower humidity, was cloudless so lift wasn’t as good as Sat. – but it was still there!

We’re left to blaming the Monday eclipse for keeping VSA members away. Thanks to Kristin Farry of Madison, VA for bringing her Schweizer SGS 1-26A & Gerry Wild of Lansdale, PA for bringing his Hütter 17.  Bob Dierker of Chestertown, MD gave about a dozen rides to visitors in his Schweizer 2-33 while Rusty Lowry provided the tows in Massey’s Cessna 182. Kristen Farry got a good ride on Sat. (+1.5 hours) but headed south to view the eclipse on Sunday (I hope it wasn’t cloudy wherever she went).

Gerry Wild prefers a slower tail wheel tow plane so we used the Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly on Sunday. Since the Hütter has only a skid (no wheel) it took a little rocking to break it loose initially but once it started to move it worked perfectly. Kristen Wild had poured a bucket of soapy water on the grass in front of the Hütter, the rope grew taut and the Dragonfly strained until the Hütter finally broke free, helped by the wing walker’s gentle persuasion. The Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly was designed and built solely as a hang glider tug but knowing that it was capable of towing the 400 lb. Bailey-Moyes Tempest glider (which does have a wheel), John suggested we give it a try and voilà it worked.

Gp. Capt. “Willy” Hackett, RAF, was back, he is stationed at Paxtuxent River for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office. We were glad to help him add new types to his log book. Rusty made the last flight of the weekend in his 1-23 after spending most of his time towing with the C182.

We’re open to suggestions to attract more participants – This year we provided good weather, good facilities, good equipment and friendly, interesting people. You know Massey has a great grass runway with open approaches surrounded mostly by farmland in case you’re caught out. Let’s not lose this event!

Massey’s Schweizer SGU 2-22 on tow.
Massey’s Cessna 182 tows our Schweizer SGU 2-22 on Sat.
Assembling Gerry Wild’s Hütter 17.
Gerry Wild’s Hütter 17 (Gp. Capt. “Willy” Hackett, RAF on right wing, Bob Dierker on left wing)
Gerry Wild’s Hütter 17 on tow behind the Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly.
Gerry Wild’s Hütter 17 on tow behind the Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly.
Bob Dierker orients Gp. Capt. “Willy” Hackett RAF, in Rusty’s Schweizer 1-23.
Rusty’s Schweizer 1-23 on tow behind Massey’s C182.
Bob Dierker conducting one of the many glider rides at the VSA meet.
Rusty pilots Massey’s C182 tow plane and Bob Dierker his 2-33 two place glider.