Mike Abernathy

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Mike Abernathy in his Stemme Motorglider, Moriarty Airport.x

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Mike Abernathy is the Martin Scorsese of the Albuquerque glider community. He is a talented pilot, photographer, filmmaker and an avid fly fisherman and hiker. Most of the Moriarty pilots would agree that the best soaring photos they own of themselves are the ones that Mike has shot. Mike is also working closely with his nephew, Matt Murray, to produce a spectacular documentary on soaring.

Mike’s talents are as diverse as his background. He grew up in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California.

Mike is a software engineer by profession. He worked as a Manager and Principal Engineer at Rockwell International for 15 years. Then he started his own company, Rapid Imaging Software, Inc. Mike works and lives with his business partner, Carolyn Galceran, his wife.

I have flown with Mike once and witnessed his enthusiasm for the sport. He made me feel like I was a child seeing the world for the first time. His approach to flying is that of a pilot who enjoys the sport the way a hiker enjoys nature. He seems to appreciate not only the art of flying but also the incredible scenery that is only available from high above the earth.

“If soaring is an intellectual sport then Mike Abernathy should be at the top of the heap.” – Mitch Hudson

How and when did you get interested in aviation?

I was born with it. As a 5 year old all I did was draw airplanes. I wanted to fly since day zero. I was in my mid forties when I realized that it was achievable.

What type of planes have you flown?

S 2-33, G103, G102, Discus CS, T6 Texan Radial Engined warbird, Stemme S10VT.

What type of gliders do you presently own?

Discus CS, Stemme motorglider

What advice can you give pilots about purchasing a motorglider?

Honestly ask yourself before purchase – do I have the discipline to fly a motorglider safely. Am I able to not get low and bet on the engine starting? An MG pilot should never gamble on an engine start without a landing option. If you can handle that, then ask yourself if you can handle the complexity of motorgliders, without loosing the joy of soaring.

What are the pros and cons of owning a motorglider?

Cons: Complexity and cost are significant.

Pros: You can fly to anyplace and from anyplace with the right motorglider. So it has many of the benefits of owning a regular power plane. Because of the disintegrating infrastructure of soaring (fewer glider operations every year) a motorglider greatly facilitates soaring safaris. I am doing everything I can to support glider operations like Rick Kohler’s Sundance Aviation, but for long cross country flights, a motorglider helps. Also, you can fly yourself to areas of lift when it is too far or too high for the tow plane so you have few experiences with “falling out.” You can launch between other pilot’s tows (a big plus in 90 degree weather) and, if you are inclined, you can scout lift (under power) for your non motor friends. With an engine restart (even if you have had to land) a lot of the hassle of landing out is removed.

Are you a competitive pilot?

No. The only person I compete with is me. I want to get better and better. Racing is of zero interest. I enjoy the companionship of flying with other pilots, but not competition. Like all glider pilots, I race the sun, competing with the weather to go further and further.

What is it about flying gliders that you enjoy most?

Freedom. In a glider you are free in an indescribable way. A non- pilot lives in 2D. A power pilot lives in 2.5D because they are limited by their motor. But the glider pilot lives in a dimension which they cannot imagine they really live in 3D+. This freedom is for me often a spiritual experience. The cross-country soaring pilot lives in harmony with nature, and that is a powerful communion.

I also believe that soaring is a life-long commitment to learning. Flying is an activity that challenges you to get better and better for your whole life. So you will find yourself staying in shape, exercising, watching your weight, and generally taking care of yourself. You will find yourself reading books about how to be a better soaring pilot. You will find that every year of experience counts, so you will listen to the experiences of your friends to learn from them. You will relive your own flying experiences trying to glean every morsel of education from them.

I am inspired by a man named John Muratore, a NASA innovator who created the X38. He said that our society needs to explore in order to grow, and that without that our society would stagnate. I strongly believe that for these same reasons soaring is good for our society. It gives people an opportunity to learn and grow and to see our world in a whole new way. It is energy efficient and intensely engaging, challenging and fun. It is not too much to say that becoming a good soaring pilot will make you a better person overall, because it requires personal excellence at some levels.

Soaring is the safest and most affordable way to fly, but more important it is also the most fun because the challenges never end. For a power pilot, once the landing and take off and other mechanics are mastered, the learning curve flattens out while more air time is accumulated. As a power pilot once said to me “I have about 400 hours – but really it is like the same hour just repeated 400 times over.” With soaring, the evidence is clear that learning to read the sky is a lifelong quest. I am fortunate to have guys like Billy Hill, Mark Mocho, Jim Cumiford, Tim Feager, Rick Kohler, Brian Resor, and other great glider pilots who share their experiences with me, as this helps one become a better pilot.

What is your most memorable flight?

September 11, 2004. I declared an out and return to San Luis, CO and back. I was joined traveling north by Mark Mocho, Billy Hill, Howard Banks, and Al Whitesel. We all went different ways at different speeds but basically went up the Sangre De Cristos. It was my first declared 500km flight and moment of profound pride and a day of unbelievable natural beauty. It was such fun. Just the memory of days like that will get you through a lot of ground-bound days of winter. Cloud bases at 20000 feet plus and 10 kt thermals. Absolutely awe-inspiring. Below us the mountains were changing color with the season so they were green, yellow, orange and red.

Your hangar is often the hang-out for several glider pilots after a long day of soaring. What is one of the funniest stories you have heard during the "pilot cocktail hour"?

It is a great blessing to have the companionship of so many skilled, yet giftedly-humorous, pilot friends visiting our hangar. Billy Hill and Mark Mocho have made me laugh so hard that I lost my breath many times. It is hard to pick which story is best.

One afternoon we were all flying an “iffy” day and Billy had gotten low and radioed that he would have to land-out at Mountainair. Mark Mocho couldn’t resist ribbing him, even at such a tender moment. “You should thermal above your ego!” Mark suggested. As I drove off to pick up Billy, I saw that Mark himself had been forced to land-out at Estancia! The next time Mark was at the hangar with us I asked him what happened to him after such hubris.

He just looked at me and said “Those whom the gods would land-out, they first make proud.” This is a variation of a very ancient Greek proverb. I still laugh about that, and I still believe it is true.

Jim Cumiford

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Jim Cumiford in his ASW 27-B on the runway in Moriarty, New Mexico.

Jim Cumiford could be best described as an overgrown Teddy Bear. He is a tall drink of water that walks with a rolling gate, (hence the Teddy Bear reference). He’s easy going and ready to lend a helping hand which might include driving to retrieve a fellow pilot who was not able to make it back to the airport of origin.x

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Jim can be found at the Moriarty airport most weekends. He is usually one of the first to bring his sailplane down to the staging area in order to be one of the first airborne when conditions permit.

As a kid growing up in Chula Vista, CA he built and flew small model airplanes (U-Control) and occasionally would send them off on a "free flight". He was known to sit and watch general aviation planes coming and going from Brown Field airport for hours. x

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He started flying gliders in December, 1975 with Pegasus Aviation. Pegasus was located at the old Coronado airport in north Albuquerque.

He has been a member of Albuquerque Soaring Club since 1995 and served on the board four consecutive years, the last as "Y2k president". Jim met his wife Leslie in 1999 at the glider club while she was learning how to fly.

When did you get interested in aviation?

I guess I've been interested in aviation since my first memories. I earned my TWA Wings at the very young age of 4-weeks flying from San Diego to Albuquerque.

My first real memory of flying was around the age of 5-6 in my grandfather's Luscombe. He kept the old bird at the "TWA Airport" located near the intersection of Route 66 (Central Ave) and Coors Road (if my recollection serves me right the old TWA airport was moved to the Sunport and closed to build a drive-in theater).

Were you ever a military pilot?

As a young high school student (near the end of the Vietnam era) my draft lottery ticket was next to be drawn. I had high hopes of becoming a fighter pilot so I tried to enlist with the Navy but the physical revealed color vision trouble (red & green deficient) which meant no flying or aviation anything back then. Instead, the Navy tried to sell me on subs as a sonar technician. The offer didn't sound very appealing and while I was considering it the Vietnam war was ended and so did the draft.

Did you start with gliders or power planes?

Technically I started flying with my grandfather and friends in power planes and have since logged something over 40-hours of motorized instruction time.

My instructor at Cutter Aviation once told me to quit shooting holes in the sky and go take the written exam so he could recommend the check ride but at the time I had a girl friend that took up most of my time and all of my money. I never made it back to the field to finish up my single engine rating but I still intended to do so someday.

Where did you learn how to fly gliders and who taught you?

I learned to fly gliders at Pegasus Aviation which operated from a dirt cross-wind runway. My instructor, Mike Keller would sit in the back seat crunching his corn nuts while I ridged soared the rugged Sandia Crest range.

The first glider I flew was the Schweitzer 2-32, a three seat glider able to carry two small passengers in the rear seat. x

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During my first solo in a glider the Piper Super Cub tow plane experienced a serious power loss just as we cleared the end of the runway, which is just at the top of the cottonwood trees on the revers edge airport.

We occasionally soared over Coronado in mountain wave generated from the volcano mesa plateau (uplifted from the shallow Rio Puerco valley). x

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On days when the soaring weather didn't cooperate Mike would take me up in his Stearman PT-13 biplane.

I arrived one day for glider instruction in the Schweitzer 2-32 only to find a "closed" sign in the office window which ended my career before I could solo.

When did you get back into soaring?

I began soaring again in 1982 with Gregg & Glad Lill at the Mid Valley Airport south of Las Lunas along the river.

After a short flight and four hours of grinding around in the sky, I struggled to answer questions I was never prepared for but in the end Al Santilli signed me off. That was a very special day in October 1983. I've never flown a 2-33 since.

Do you fly in soaring competitions?

I flew in my first regional contest in 2000. I actually won the first day of my first contest; the entire pack landed out that day and I landed out the furthest ;-)

Do you consider yourself competitive?

I've been involved in competitive sports a good part my life; motocross & desert racing, shooting, softball, now soaring.

I don't feel any of the competitive pressures or stress associate with soaring competition that I once felt in the other sports. Soaring is enough of a physiological and mental challenge in itself without being judged against the other pilots.

When you are flying a glider in a contest it feels just like soaring back home only there are a lot more gliders in the air with you and less radio chatter. All of the same rules still apply.

Mostly the competitiveness occurs on the ground which may involve:
· your ground crew
· preparing yourself physically and mentally
· staging and griding
· knowing the task area such as where the best lift might be found
· where not to land out
· task planning and so on.

You can usually find most of the pilots gathered around the score keeper’s office at the end of a long task waiting on the day’s results to be posted. This is where the real racing is done! You'll hear beer drinking liars (like me) telling stories like; “Gear down I made a low save over Death Valley when I spotted a hawk circling low on the ridge.” or “I would have won the day but there was a mountain in the way on final glide; and did you see that 18-knot thermal?”

What kind of glider do you own?

I sold my Ventus-A to my partner and purchased an ASW-27B in December 2006. The previous owner, Ray Gimmey (7V), had won the 15-meter nationals that summer so I knew the ship was capable...Ray certainly is.

I bought the 27 because I like to go far and fast and so does this glider!

What is your most memorable flight?

They are all memorable but I suppose the best are the ones with long fast high cruises along our powerful New Mexico cloud streets.

Billy Hill and I made a really nice 700-800 km flight this year in convergence lift to Culebra Peak, Colorado. Brian Resor later analyzed the flight and told us we had flown well over 300 miles without making a single climbing turn. We turned in OLC speeds near 100 mph that day. That was pretty cool!

The year before during a Taos event the whole bunch of us made long flights in convergence lift along the beautiful Sangre de Cristo range across the border into Colorado and back a few times. I was flying a borrowed LS-4 and I think all of us struggled to stay below 18000 feet. We still talk about that day.

Then there are the retrieves when a pilot lands away from the home airport (Howard Banks). They’re fun too!

Have you ever flown with eagles?

Yes. Majestic birds of prey, feathered warriors, and they don't seem the least bit frightened by our size. I might also consider soaring with hawks and eagles a sacred moment.

What do you like about soaring?

· The graceful freedom
· mental challenge
· the excitement
· the surge of energy in a strong thermal
· speeding along at cloud base or just above the trees along a ridge.

In a sense soaring is a spiritual experience me....the clouds are like angels guiding the way. I might be a bit of an adrenaline junky too. Traffic conditions permitting; a fast low finish can be an exciting and graceful end to a long task.

Mitch Hudson

xxxxxxxxxMitch flying his Discus on a "blue day"

Mitch standing next to his Discus
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Mitch Hudson is a member of the Albuquerque Soaring Club. He has not spent a lot of time in Moriarty the past few years due to logistics. His service in the Air Force required him to live in Texas and he recently was transferred to Oklahoma.

Despite not being able to be here very often, everyone knows him. He has an outgoing, charismatic personality and a down-to-earth demeanor that attracts people. Mitch is a kind-hearted soul who is extremely generous. He has been known to lend his Discus sailplane to several young pilots for competitions or training.

How did you get interested in aviation?

Like most kids of my generation, I watched the movie "Top Gun" and was fascinated by it. I just knew that's what I wanted to do. To date myself, I was about 13 when Top Gun was released. I told my parents that I wanted to learn to fly. They, of course were looking for anything to help their hyperactive, dyslexic kid who was not doing too well in school and did not have many friends.

I happened to live in the downwind pattern of the local airfield in Indiana where gliders flew. We had about an acre yard, and it was tradition that when Dad and I got done cutting the grass, we would strip down and jump in the pool naked. Inevitably, we would hear the "Creak, groan, creak" of the 1-26 flying overhead right about the time we chose to do this.

At any rate, I found that I was not old enough to fly power planes yet, but could fly gliders. So as a 14th birthday present, I went out to the airport and started to learn how to fly!

Does anyone else in your family fly?

My mother and my father both went out and learned to fly with me. We all learned to fly together as a family thing. My grandfather also took me for my first airplane ride.

What events prompted your enlistment in the Air Force?

The gliders did not help out much with my school, as a matter of fact in High School I missed MORE school because of them... But hanging out at the glider port was always much more educational than any school could ever be, I think. At any rate, with my blistering 1.7 High School GPA, college just wasn't in the cards, so I joined the Air Force, as this allowed me to be around airplanes, even if I was not flying them.

I wanted to be a Jet Engine mechanic and stationed in New Mexico (because I knew of the great soaring here) but ended up a ground support equipment mechanic in Florida. Go figure! Some people dream of being stationed on the beach and I was miserable.

I got out of the USAF after my first four years and went back home to Indiana where I ran a custom hay bailing company and tried a year of school at Purdue. I quickly got sick of not having any money, so I went in to see if I could go back into the USAF. Sure enough, they were in desperate need of people at that point, AND had a slot out in Albuquerque. I asked "Where do I sign"? And I was back on active duty. The rest is history, I think... I finished college and am now a commissioned navigator on AWACS planes at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma.

What type of planes have you flown?

I love to fly and will go up in anything that I am able to anytime I am able to.

I have flown all kinds of sailplanes, from a Discus II to an open cockpit primary trainer.

I have flown all kinds of power planes from a T-6 Texan II Military trainer to a 1937 Waco Bi-Plane. I have even have an hour logged in both helicopters and the Goodyear Blimp.

If you could purchase any plane in the world, which one would you choose?

I'd have to go with a brand-new LS-8-18 sailplane.

You started flying at a young age, did you have any mentors?

I have had many mentors, and continue to do so. I believe there is always something to learn in flying, and always someone who can teach you. If you think you are too good to have a mentor, you're doomed to fail in this game.

How have the mentors in your life helped you?

I went from a shy, introverted only child to the outgoing guy you see today. I was raised by guys at the glider port and continue to learn a lot from them today. My social formative years were spent with Farmers and Doctors, Mechanics and Airline Pilots and everything in-between. All who shared a common love of flying... I would not be close to the person I am today with the accomplishments I have made without the "Fly daddies" who helped me get here.

What type of glider do you own and why did you purchase that particular glider?

I own a Discus fiberglass racing sailplane.

I flew a 1-26 (Kind of the go-kart of racing sailplanes) for many years. Then Jim Miller let me take his Nimbus II for a flight. After I was able to run up to the mountains without even thinking about it, I just knew I had to have a "Glass slipper" instead of my old metal and fabric 1-26.

I got a great deal on this Discus and could not pass it up, even though I couldn't afford it. When I was enlisted, paying for it took about 1/3 of my monthly pay check, so I ate a lot of Mac and Cheese and made a lot of cut-backs so I could have that beautiful glider.

As Mark Mocho says "You can live in a glider trailer, but you can't fly a house". I have adopted this phrase as my personal mantra.

What type of power plane do you own and why did you purchase that plane?

I have a 1946 Cessna 120. I bought it because I wanted a tail dragger that was easy to maintain. There is nothing that can break on that plane that I cannot fix, and I enjoy flying it quite a bit.

What is your most memorable flight in a glider? / in a power plane?

In a Glider, I'd have to say it would be a combination of any flight in the Discus that I took over the Mountains. Running up to Colorado and turning around is like viewing the world from an easy chair...Nothing is wrong down there, and it's just gorgeous! *Sigh* I can't describe it the way I want, but anyone who has been there knows what I'm talking about.

Power planes are a means of transportation. It's flying and I love it, but it's all about the same. I'd have to say it was a flight in the 120 down through the mountains in TN with the fall colors, and a great friend and one of my mentors flying with me. That was by far one of my most enjoyable flights.

Have you ever participated in a glider competition?

When I started flying gliders I always said "Ill be moving on to power as soon as I am old enough". I said this for most of the summer until one day, on of my glider daddies came whistling down above our ops tent in Indiana at about 10 feet dumping water and at redline. He pulled up into the pattern, finishing up a successful race day. I said "I want to do that" and was never the same again. I didn't learn to fly power for another 14 years. I was addicted to gliders!!

I have flown in many competitions and they are what I live for. They are very stressful but very rewarding at the same time.

Deor Jenson

Deor Jenson flying his old LS-4 over hwy I-40 between Cedar Crest and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Deor Jenson is a part-time glider pilot instructor and tow pilot for Sundance Aviation in Moriarty, New Mexico. During the soaring season he lives in New Mexico and winters in Arizona.

On meeting Deor I walked away with the thought that this is an incredibly nice person. His speech and mannerisms convey that of a kind and gentle soul. This is not what you would expect from someone who spent most of their career as military fighter pilot. The stereotypical image of an arrogant, aggressive, hot-shot pilot doesn’t fly here (pun intended).

Deor began his career as a charter pilot and flight instructor to help pay for college and family expenses. After graduation, he entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant and attended pilot training, also known as "the week of 52 years." There he flew the T-37, T-38, A-7D, AT-38B and A-10. After he retired from the Air Force he worked full-time for Rick Kohler at Sundance Aviation.

Deor’s other interests have been bicycle road racing and time trials. He participated in the US Cycling Federation Masters National Championship in 1987.


How did you get interested in aviation?

I can't remember not being interested in flying. However, I can point to something specific that turned me toward a career focused on aviation. The year was 1968. I was serving in North Carolina as a missionary for the LDS Church. I became acquainted with some of the Air Force fighter pilots that were assigned to Seymour-Johnson AFB. These guys were extremely enthusiastic about their "work" and were constantly telling exciting flying stories.

When I learned that it might be possible - even for me -to fly fighters for the Air Force, I decided to pursue the goal when I returned home from my mission. College and AFROTC lead to my career in the Air Force.

You fly both power planes and gliders, what did you learn first?

My first flight training was in a Piper Cherokee 140 in 1969. I didn't earn glider ratings until 1973.

Does anyone else in your family fly?

My younger brother got his private airplane license before I started flying. He now has a "real" job and hasn't flown for quite a few years.

If you could purchase any plane, what one would you choose and why?

The first thing that came to mind was some sort of fighter like a P-51 or F-5E. But, to be honest, my 59 year old body is past the point where high sustained "G" is a good idea. Besides, flying sailplanes has been the most satisfying recreational flying I've ever done. I'd pick an ASH-26E sailplane.

What type of glider do you own?

I've had a DG-400 for a little over a year and a Standard Libelle (my second Libelle) for about a month.

Why did you purchase those particular gliders?

The DG-400 is a motorglider. That makes it very convenient on busy soaring days when a dozen other gliders are in line for a tow. I simply extend the engine, take off under my own power and find a thermal, shut down the engine and go soaring. I can also fly from airfields where a towplane is not available.

I purchased the Libelle as a winter project and also because it's such a pleasant glider to fly. The Libelle is a good value - reasonable performance and not terribly expensive.

You are both a tow pilot and an glider pilot instructor, which job do you like better?

I enjoy the variety of both jobs. It's rewarding to help a student develop safe aviation skills and attitudes and to catch the soaring bug. I also love it when Rick at Sundance asks me on a busy day to climb into one of his towplanes and help get our waiting glider pilots into the sky.

What is your most memorable flight in a glider?

It was a Veterans Day Monday on Oahu.

All the military restricted airspace was cold because of the holiday. I took a tow in my Libelle out of Dillingham Airfield (northwest tip of the island) to the nearby ridge and released at 700 feet in good ridge lift.

I gradually worked east along the ridge climbing up to the 4000 foot summit of Mount Kaala and then crossed the normally hot and hazardous mortar firing range just west of the Army's Schofield Barracks. With the restricted airspace now available, I continued south along the eastern crest of the Waiane Mountains.

The trade winds provided good ridge lift and a street of big black-bottom clouds indicated nice thermal lift.

It occurred to me that my flight path covered the same route as the Japanese attack some 60 years earlier. Soon I had a fantastic view of Peal Harbor, Hickam AFB, Honolulu, and the famous Diamond Head. What a spectacular sight! I could see a steady stream of airliners and military jets flying over the beautiful south shore of Oahu on final approach to Honolulu International.

I continued downtown to the edge of the Class B airspace before starting the return trip to Dillingham. What an enjoyable flight!

What is your most memorable flight in a power plane?

Since three-fourths of my flying time is in powered planes, I've had lots of memorable flights in aircraft with burnable ballast. It's hard to pick just one but I certainly have lots of stories to tell.


What advice do you have for new pilots?

Keep your priorities straight. In order, this is what they should be:

1. Maintain aircraft control.
2. Never hit anything in the air or allow anything in the air to hit you.
3. Never hit the ground or anything attached to the ground.
4. Always be in a position from which you can make a safe landing.


What advice do you have for new glider instructors?

Be kind and patient. Figure out how the particular student learns best and teach in such a way that you meet the students needs.

If you want to learn how to fly gliders check out Sundance Aviation.

Mark Mocho

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Mark Mocho in his Centrair Pegase 101A in front of his hanger, Moriarty Airportx

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Mark Mocho is a main character at Moriarty Airport. You can find him there almost every day of the week. He owns two hangars, one sailplane and a small business at the airport. He is known for his generosity and quick humor. Most of the pilots out there know that if something is broken, Mark can probably fix it. x

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Mark manufactures custom glider trailers. The precision of his designs and final products shows that he takes pride in his work. x

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When Mark is not busy designing something or helping someone make a repair, he can be found flying his sailplane. He is a member of the Albuquerque Soaring Club and races in the Online Contest (OLC) which is a world wide, all year soaring contest. Members are judged by both distance and average speed.

How did you get interested in aviation?

My father had a Beechcraft Bonanza, so I was introduced to looking at the world from the air at a young age. I loved going flying- anytime, anywhere. Dad used to wake me up early in the morning and we’d have breakfast together and then head for the airport. We would take an early flight and then he would drop me off at school. This was a great way to start the day, and I was definitely hooked. I built a ton of model airplanes while growing up. Flying lessons were not really an option because of my age and the fact that I wasn’t tall enough to multi-task- I could either reach the rudder pedals or see over the instrument panel, but not both. I didn’t start growing until after I graduated from high school, and then I didn’t have money for lessons.

What did you fly first, hang gliders or sailplanes?

Hang gliders came first for me, in the early days of the sport (1973). It was pretty dangerous because of the terribly unsafe equipment back then and the lack of experienced instructors. You basically learned from the guy who learned last week. It was a lot of fun, but looking back, I am kind of surprised that I survived those first few years. As the years passed, the equipment improved exponentially and I got more experienced without killing myself or having any serious injuries. That came later. I damaged knee ligaments and had to have surgery a couple of times, but I kept flying. After 28 years and over 2,500 hours in the air (mostly over the Sandia Mountains), I finally had to quit because my knees were giving me trouble. I still miss it, but I really like sailplanes now. I started with Rick at Sundance in 1999, got my license in 2000 and bought my first sailplane in August, 2000. Now, in November, 2007, I have about 1,100 hours.

What are the main differences between the two sports?

Performance is way better in sailplanes as far as speed and glide ratio (lift over drag), but a hang glider can often outclimb a sailplane in a thermal because of the much smaller circling radius- you can stay in the strongest part of the thermal. Sailplanes make very wide circles by comparison, so you don’t spend as much time in the core of the lift. But once you get to the top of the lift and head out on a glide, a sailplane just runs away at two or three times the speed and glide ratio. Another big difference is the cost. When I quit, top of the line hang gliding gear could total well over $15,000. At the same period, top quality sailplanes could reach over $100,000. They do hold their value better than hang gliders, though. A two or three year old hang glider is probably only worth half the original price.

What kind of adjustments did you need to apply to thermalling in a sailplane compared to a hang glider?

The biggest difference is learning what to do with your feet. Hang gliders are controlled by shifting your weight, and therefore the center of gravity of the glider, by using your arms and shoulder muscles- it is pretty physically demanding. Your feet don’t do anything except on takeoff or landing. In a sailplane, learning to coordinate the stick (pitch and roll) with the rudder pedals (yaw) takes some doing. It can be like learning to ride a bicycle, and you don’t want to know how long it took me to learn that! Other than the control input, the principles are just about the same.

What kind of advice can you give new pilots about thermalling?

The best advice for developing thermalling skill or any other necessary flying skill comes from flying a lot. Nobody can really teach you how to thermal just by talking about it or drawing diagrams- you have to go out and DO it. Thermals are pretty much all different from the “classic” toroid/vortex ring shown in drawings. You know- the “doughnut” shape in all the books. If you want a graphic example, just watch cigarette smoke in calm air. It looks just like the example- until you wave your hand at it. The disturbance caused by wind just trashes the nice regular curling upward flow and makes it look like a mess. This is assuming you can find cigarette smoke anywhere indoors these days. I like to say that if we could see what the air is really doing, we would probably be too scared to fly in it.

Have you ever flown power planes?

Like I said before, I flew with my dad, and ever since, I have rarely passed up a chance to climb into someone’s airplane for a ride. I don’t have a power license, and to tell the truth, I don’t have much desire to get one. It is still expensive, and I would rather throw the money up in the air and chase it around with my sailplane.

Does anyone else in your family fly?

No. I have three brothers and two sisters, and none of them has any inclination towards flight. My older brother and I split the cost of my first hang glider ($450), but he gave it up after maybe two weeks. Head bonking was pretty common back then, and maybe he had some sense knocked into him. I, on the other hand, have been able to avoid that.

What is your most memorable flight in a sailplane?

I think it was one of my first 500 km flights, in September of 2004. Several of us took off from Moriarty and flew up to Colorado and back. I turned at Culebra Peak, just over the border in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, over 250 km from the airport, and just about flew straight back without turning hardly at all. I think I made my last thermal turn north of Taos and had a 100 mile straight glide home. It took two and a half hours to get to Culebra and only an hour and a half to get back. That was great! Five hundred kilometers in four hours! It was a LOT faster and farther than I had ever gone before, but the best part was getting to do the flight in the company of several of my buddies from Moriarty. We didn’t see each other very much during the flight, but we were having a great time talking on the radio, giving condition and position reports. There was also some good-natured joking going on, which really made the experience enjoyable.

What kind of glider do you own? Why did you purchase that specific type of glider?

I have a Centrair Pegase 101A. It is actually my second one. I bought the first from a local pilot who gave me a great deal, primarily because the condition of the gel-coat surface wasn’t the best. However, I also suspect he fire-saled it to me because his brand new glider was about to be delivered and he subconsciously wanted to avoid wifely comments about having two sailplanes at one time. I bought the second one because it is in better condition and has better equipment, such as the flight computer, tinted canopy and a nicer trailer. I also like it because it has fairly good performance, it is really easy to fly and I think it is a very pretty glider.

You own a business at the airport, what kind of business is it and what exactly do you make?

My business, MM Fabrication LLC, started out when George Applebay asked me to build a custom aluminum sailplane trailer. The design is a pretty common one, but it takes some thought and decent fabricating skills to come out right. George liked it, and contracted for two more. He also sent me some other customers and it just sort of took off from there. I’ve built about 35 or so over the last seven years. I also branched out into things like glider tow bars, wing wheels and one-person assembly aids. I am also a dealer for Mountain High oxygen systems. Right now, though, a new opportunity has arisen through one of my flying buddies. I hope to be producing a tactically deployable multi-screen computer display. We think it will work well coupled with several Ground Control Systems in use by the military for operating UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). I personally think this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as marketing, though. There are many other uses for an easily transportable multi-screen display, such as trade shows and even the video gaming market.

For more information on the products that Mark manufactures contact MM Fabrication at : http://www.mmfabrication.com/

Ron Crawford

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Ron Crawford

Upper photo, providing tows for Sundance Aviation in the Pawnee.

Lower photo, playing his bagpipes in the hanger at Sundance Aviation.x

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Ron Crawford is a tow pilot at Sundance Aviation in Moriarty, New Mexico. On a slow weekday you can find him in the hangar playing his bagpipes. He is a member of the band, Order of the Thistle Pipes & Drums.

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Ron’s background is very diverse. He has worked in the Military, Aerospace, Agricultural Aviation, Part 135 Charter, Tow Pilot for Southwest Soaring and Calistoga Soaring , Broadcast Engineering and as a Computer IT Analyst. x

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How did you get into aviation? x

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I learned to fly sailplanes in 1967 when I joined the Arizona Soaring Club. I added a power rating to my Private license and then used the G.I. Bill to complete my Commercial ratings. x

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Why did you start playing the bagpipes? x

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I've loved the bagpipes since I was seven years old and when I crossed paths with an instructor. x

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I felt it was time to do it.What is Scottish Rite, Order of the Thistle? x

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The Scottish Rite is an extension of the Masonic Lodge. The Order of the Thistle is an Honor Guard and sponsor group within the Scottish Rite that sponsors our pipe & drum band. Our band is the "Order of the Thistle Pipes & Drums". I'm currently the Pipe Major of the band. We have both women and men that are pipers and drummers, as well as young people. We meet for practice in the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple on Tuesday evenings at 6:30PM. We teach piping and drumming to beginners and you do not have to be a Mason to join the band. x

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Do you play any other instruments? x

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Yes, I play the Guitar, Bass Guitar, and the French Horn. Also, I love to play the Native American Flute. x

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What is your educational background? x

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Electronics, Aviation and Music. x

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Did you serve in the military? x

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Yes, Naval Aviation. I was aircrew, a Morse code radio operator on the WV-2 Super Constellation, and ASW technician/radio operator on the P5M-2 Marlin seaplane.x

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What kinds of planes have you flown? x

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Sailplanes, many types of single-engine aircraft, several multi-engine aircraft. Mainly, I flew the Piper Pawnee, Cessna AG-Truck, Callair A9-B & B1, Grumman AG-Cat, and Thrush Commander spray planes. Most of my flying time though, is in the Air-Tractor AT-301/R-1340. x

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What is your most memorable flight? x

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Flying a Grumman AG Cat cross country... It was a lot like barnstorming. Also, flying for six and a half hours in my home built BJ-1 Duster sailplane at Caddo Mills, Texas. Still my best soaring flight.x

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What do you like about being a tow pilot? x

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Providing a service for other pilots to enjoy their sport of soaring. It also satisfies my need to fly.x

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Have you ever had to release a glider from tow? x

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Not yet.x

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Have you ever not been able to release? x

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No.x

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If you could purchase any plane you wanted, which one would it be and why? x

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I'm a hopeless "aviation" romantic and would purchase a Stearman PT-13A with a R-985 power plant, painted in U.S. Army colors, cause I love flying Bi-wing open cockpit aircraft. Would love to share that experience with others.x

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What advice can you give new pilots? x

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Your new "License" is just a license to learn. Humility should come to you if you fly long enough, as experience is gained by surviving your mistakes. Flying is less forgiving and no place for a "Cowboy" or "Cowgirl". Be safe... "Ego will kill you", as my first employer in the Ag business reminded me. I've never forgotten those words. Stay current and get proper training before executing extreme maneuvers, etc. Respect the privilege of flying, and then enjoy it!

To learn more about the Scottish Rite go to: http://www.scottishrite.org/

For glider flights or lessons go to: http://www.soarsundance.com/

Jon Held

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Jon Held doing a roll from the backseat of a Grob.

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Jon Held was born and raised in San Diego, near the ocean. He was introduced to glider flying at the age of ten when he attended a glider meet at Torrey Pines Glider Port, just north of La Jolla, California. He has worked as an instructor for Sundance Aviation in Moriarty, New Mexico.

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Presently he is working parttime giving glider rides at Warner Springs Glider Port in California. He also has a photography business with his girlfriend, Jenna Close. x

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How did you get involved in flying?x

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When I was about ten I attended a glider meet at Torrey Pines Glider Port just north of La Jolla, CA. I remember the thrill of watching the winch launches. x

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I did not fly until I moved to Boulder Colorado and in 1986. A friend gave me a gift certificate for a glider flight over the mountains there. It was great! x

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Then for the next four years I would watch these gliders silently drift over my house. But they weren't exactly silent. Some of them would emit this etherial moan. Finally the call was too great and I went out to the airport and began taking lessons. x

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Rick Kohler was my instructor.x

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Does anyone else in your family fly?

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Flight is not a family trait. Though my father was a competitive javelin thrower. x

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Do you fly both power planes and sailplanes? If so, which did you fly first?x

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Now that I think of it, I did take a ride in a Cessna low wing with my best friend Clark when I was fourteen. So powered flight was first. His dad flew us from Montgomery Field in San Diego to San Jose. And Clark and I spent many hours "flying" in planes we built from cardboard boxes. x

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Gliding ultimately proved to be a more captivating experience for me. Clark went on to become an airline pilot. I did get a Sea Plane rating in 2006 in Seattle. I have about 1 hour solo in a floatplane. I do not have a license for a plane with wheels. x

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What made you decide to teach flying?x

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As my girlfriend and I were driving to Seattle, where she was to attend Photography school, I suddenly announced that I wanted to fly gliders for a living. We had just barely moved into our apartment when I took off back to Colorado to fly as a commercial pilot for Val-Air in Durango for the summer. x

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It was such terribly good fun that I chose to fly for another summer. But I had made the decision too late and Val-Air had already hired all the pilots it needed for that summer. x

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I recalled that Rick Kohler once said that If I had my instructors rating he would hire me. I got my rating in Vermont at Sugarbush Soaring while we were visiting my girlfriends parents. Rick hired me the next week.x

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So, in essence, it was by default that I got my instructors rating, but it was a completely natural thing. I had been teaching juggling for all my life.x

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What do you like about teaching?

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There is much frustration and satisfaction in teaching. Moments of realization, epiphany, joy, stubbornness, and terror. I like all those things. And I like the student-teacher relationship. Anyone who gets in my airplane has to trust and respect me or they wouldn't be there.

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What don't you like about teaching? x

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The only thing I don't like about teaching is when I think I have personally failed a student in some way.

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What is your most memorable flight?

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The number one most memorable flight was on a strong wave day, meaning there were severe conditions and strong winds. I did not allow enough spare altitude as I came back to the field. I was entirely too low. My butt was spared by an unexpected area of strong lift, giving me the requisite altitude to land safely. I won't ever forget that. I was unprepared to take the necessary emergency action in the situation I was in. Meaning I was not prepared to make an unusual pattern or a landout. x

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In Durango I gave a ride to an 86 year old woman who had never before been in any kind of plane. This was her first flight experience. By the end of the hour she was flying the plane by herself. x

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In Moriarty I had a Bald Eagle come and fly a circle with me just a few feet above the wing. It was inside of my wingspan, less than 10 feet away.

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In Boulder I was at 16,000 feet and I saw a horizontal tornado. It looked exactly like a waterspout, about 400-500 feet long and about 30 feet in diameter. It was the rotor from a standing wave downwind of the Rocky Mountains..

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What did you do before you became a flight instructor?

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I have been a performing juggler for all of my employed career. I started out on the streets of Boulder, Colorado passing the hat and juggling torches and machetes and the like. Eventually I toured the world with a group known as Airjazz. We did lots of international arts festivals, international television and we were on the Tonight Showin 1984.

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How does your past profession compare to your new profession?x

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They both involve precision motor skills, and although it might seem dangerous to juggle torches, flight has a greater potential for disaster. x

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Instructing juggling is easier because we don’t have to teach all the safety issues. When you’re learning to juggle you can just go for it without consequences.

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In addition to flight instruction you also have a business with your girlfriend Jenna. What kind of business is it? x

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We have started a commercial photography enterprise. We specialize in corporate and industrial photography with a focus on alternative energy. This is a new but growing market, and something of a personal interest. And wind turbine blades are just like giant glider wings. x

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P2 Photography
Jon Held and Jenna Close

http://www.p2photography.net/