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

x

x

x

x

x

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

x

x

x

x

x

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

x

Ron Crawford

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

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

x

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.

x

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

x

How did you get into aviation? x

x

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

x

Why did you start playing the bagpipes? x

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

Do you play any other instruments? x

x

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

x

What is your educational background? x

x

Electronics, Aviation and Music. x

x

Did you serve in the military? x

x

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

x

What kinds of planes have you flown? x

x

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

x

What is your most memorable flight? x

x

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

x

What do you like about being a tow pilot? x

x

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

x

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

x

Not yet.x

x

Have you ever not been able to release? x

x

No.x

x

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

x

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

x

What advice can you give new pilots? x

x

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

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

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

x

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.

x

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

x

How did you get involved in flying?x

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

Rick Kohler was my instructor.x

x

Does anyone else in your family fly?

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

What made you decide to teach flying?x

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

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

x

What do you like about teaching?

x

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.

x

x

What don't you like about teaching? x

x

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

x

x

What is your most memorable flight?

x

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

x

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

x

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.

x

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..

x

What did you do before you became a flight instructor?

x

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.

x

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

x

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

x

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.

x

>I

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

x

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

x

P2 Photography
Jon Held and Jenna Close

http://www.p2photography.net/

Bill Hill - Teacher, mentor, cross-country guru

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Bill Hill attaching my tow rope on runway 26, Moriarty, New Mexico

x

x

Bill Hill was one of my first glider pilot instructors at Sundance Aviation in Moriarty. Our first lesson started with me asking him not to have a heart attack because I did not know how to land the glider yet. He retaliated by waiting for me to make a mistake in the air and responding by screaming "Oh my god, we are going to die! We are going to die!" x

x

Bill has never let me succumb to my own fears. Later in my lessons when I would ask him for help in the sky he would pretend to not hear me. He knew when I really needed help and forced me to think for myself. It is because of him that I continued in this sport. x

x

When did you start teaching glider flying?x

x

I started teaching in 1963 at the Ft. Rucker Glider Club in Headland, Alabama.x

x

Have you taught how to fly power planes also?x

x

Yes, I started teaching in motorized aircraft in 1966.x

x

What do you enjoy better?x

x

I enjoy them both the same because in each case there are different challenges.x

x

You taught glider flying to one of the Blue Angels once, what was that like?x

x

He was one of the most adept students on tow because he had an in depth knowledge and innate ability to fly in formation. But, because he flew jets he had forgotten what rudder pedals were for. Once I reminded him of the function of the rudder pedals and gave him a little practice he picked it up very quickly.x

x

What was your best experience with a glider student?x

x

The best experience was taking a student who was very abrupt and hand-fisted, and over the course of two hours teaching her finesse and how to fly to glider smoothly. x

x

What was your worst experience with a glider student?x

x

Having a student get far enough out of position on tow that the tow rope looped back and wrapped itself around the step of the glider.x

x

How did you get out of that?x

x

Kicked the glider into an abrupt skid to the left to allow the rope to uncoil itself from the step. It was pretty exciting.x

x

Have you ever motivated someone to become a glider pilot?x

x

Yes, I gave someone an introductory flight once from Moriarty. We release at 1,500 feet above the ground, then climbed in rotor lift to about 11,500 feet above ground level. Then we proceeded westbound to the Sandia Crest. We then got into the primary portion of the mountain wave and again climbed to just below to the base of class A airspace (18,000 MSL). From there we flew south to the eastside of the Monzano mountains, then turned eastbound back to Moriarty. We flew about 50 miles in the course of an hour.

He was so impressed that he joined the glider club the next day and went on to become a pilot. He eventually purchased a single place high performance glider which he flew on cross country flights.x

x

What advice do you have for new instructors?x

x

One of the most important things for a new instructor to convey to a student is "Who is flying the glider?" The prudent instructor will tell the student when he has the flight controls by stating, "I have the flight controls." The student will be taught to respond, " You have the flight controls." And the reverse is true when the flight instructor returns the flight controls to the student. By starting the student off in this manner it is clear who is in control of the aircraft. x

x

How do you know when a student has what it takes to be a pilot?x

x

Flying a glider, or for that matter any aircraft, is nothing more than a skill set involving hand-eye coordination. Very few people are so uncoordinated that they cannot learn how to do this. What separates those who will go on to solo from those who will not is the ability to overcome whatever reservations the individual may have about flying. x

x

What is the utmost importance is that the student demonstrate a willingness to exercise common sense and good judgment. x

x

In New Mexico you can learn how to fly gliders at http://www.soarsundance.com/.

Jeremy Patton

xxxxx

x

x

x

x

xx

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

xx

Jeremy Patton in the Grob at Sundance Aviation, Moriarty, New Mexico

Jeremy Patton grew up in Moriarty, New Mexico. He learned how to fly gliders while working as a line boy for Rick Kohler at Sundance Aviation. He spent the entire summer of 2007 at Sundance Aviation learning everything he possibly could about gliders and glider pilots. Presently he is taking time off to study at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM).

What got you started flying gliders?

I had been formally introduced to sailplanes when I had my interview with Rick back in March (2007). As a kid I had seen sailplanes being towed, yet never truly understood the concept of soaring until getting the job as Line Boy. So... I began flying soon after getting the job.

Have you ever flown power planes?

Yes, but only a couple times. Once with EAA Young
Eagles when I was a young lad of 11 yrs., and the other with Rick in the Maule.

Does anyone else in your family fly?

Yeah airlines here and there. I have a couple uncles who own a Piper Cherokee that's about it.

How did you find out about the job at Sundance Aviation?

One simple phone call. I was working at Buford Steakhouse waiting and bussing tables when I decided that I didn't like that job. So what did I do you ask? I looked for a new job. Now if you are familiar with Moriarty, you know that there are maybe few jobs that pay well and are actually fun. "Which ones?" you ask, well I'll leave the guessing to you to give Moriarty the benefit of the doubt, for I only know of one; working at the airport.

What did you like about working as a line boy?

Everything for the most part. I enjoy meeting new people. I enjoy listening to all the stories, tall tales,etc. ha. I loath slow days, especially when I'm moody. Gah, I need something to do, Im depressed, ugh. ha. I learned a lot of new things, met cool people, met un-cool people, and got to FLY!

You managed Sundance for a few weeks while the owner was on vacation, what was that like?

Well, it was great experience for me. Looks good on a resume.

Would you ever want to own a glider operation?

That is a difficult endeavor to pursue. I wouldn't want to own my own glider op, but would possibly go into a partnership. Maybe someday perhaps.

What is your most memorable flight?

Out of all the flights I have in gliders, which isn't saying much, the most memorable is my first flight with Jim Harkins. "Jet Jockey" as I call him, annoyed me to a degree in which made me want to jump out of the plane when flying with him. If only I had a parachute. ha. He picked on every little flaw, making me practice whatever it was until I got it right, or- "good enough". I was so frustrated I wanted to clean his clock. And of all the days I could've flown with him, that was the day I soloed. After 5 grueling flights with the motor-mouthed fighter pilot know-it-all, I soloed. June 12, 2007. He dumped cold water on me when I got back haha.

Despite all of the mean things I said about Mr. Harkins, I love the guy. I learned so much that day, and in the months that followed, I grew to appreciate his overly-analytical approach to instruction as I witnessed men come to Sundance men, and during their time with Jim turn to putty, then leave men with better habits, haha. Jim's great.

Do you plan to buy a glider one day? If so which one would you buy?

Heck yes! When I'm wealthy enough to purchase one. I would like an ASW-20. better yet an ASW-27. That's the ultimate for me. I like the old school Labelles as well. oooh, You want to know what I really want though? That's right, an F4U supercorsair. * drool*

If you want to learn more about flying gliders contact Sundance Aviation
http://www.soarsundance.com/

Richard Kohler

Rick Kohler, President of Sundance Aviation, Moriarty, New Mexico

Rick Kohler grew up in an aviation family. His Uncle Ray was a captain for American Airlines and both his Aunt Emmy and Uncle Charles were a private pilots. Rick’s father was also an aviation enthusiast and took him to several air shows. As a child Rick would drive his mother crazy by running around all the time with models and toy airplanes. Rick was introduced to gliders by Tom Holloran, friend of Rick’s father who was a glider pilot. Tom owned a farm with an airstrip and provided Rick with several rides.

Rick took his first flying lesson at age 16. An injury and afterwards college forced him to take a break from his aviation activities. He earned his undergraduate degree in 1974 in English Literature. Then went back in 1975 – 77 and studied voice and Opera at the University of Cincinnati College conservatory of music. During his music career Rick performed with the Cincinnati Opera chorus.

Today Rick runs a successful glider operation in Moriarty, New Mexico. He owns a Schweitzer 2-33, two Grobs, an LS-4, a Pawnee and a Callair. He also shares a Maule with his girlfriend Aimee. Aimee and Rick take their vacations in the Maule and recently went to Michigan to obtain their seaplane ratings.

Hours: Total time in power planes, 2,500 hours. Gliders, over 10,000 hours.

You are both a power pilot and a glider pilot. What did you fly first?

I started with power planes. My first lesson was in a Citabria. I soloed in a Piper-Cub. I went on to get my glider rating in 1980 and my instructor rating in 1986. I started flying gliders at Caesar Creek Soaring Club in Waynesville, OH.

What made you decide to become a full time glider instructor?

In 1982 I went to work as an aircraft tech. Did that for a year. Then took a sales job for four years, 1983 – 88. I hated sales. I had been doing gratis instruction for the soaring club. Then I answered an ad as an instructor for Estrella sailport in Maricopa, AZ. I was there for a year then I went to Bolder, Colorado for five years and worked for Cloud Base Soaring Inc. From there I came to Moriarty and started Sundance Aviation in April 1994.

Have you ever flown with difficult students?

I had one guy in Arizona who was a licensed glider pilot and he wanted fly a high performance glider. I don’t think he was in full possession of his marbles. In fact, I don’t think he had enough marbles to play jacks. He was disoriented and was obviously confused. Who ever signed him off on his check ride did the aviation community a huge disservice. I had to keep taking over the controls, he got disoriented and couldn't find the runway.

He was flying a ridiculously long downwind and I told him to make a right turn, we were a mile and a half out at 500 or 600 feet above the ground. He opened the air brakes all the way at which point I said, "I am taking the controls." He replied, "No Rick, I am making this landing." He was a pretty big guy and would not let go of the controls. I asked him for the controls three times and three times he refused. Every time I tried to take the controls he would push the nose down more and open the dive brakes more.

Finally I told him, "If you don’t kill us on this landing I am going to kill you when we get on the ground." At which point he relinquished the controls. I dove it into ground effect to get it over the fence and we just barely made the runway, rolled out and stopped a little bit short. After we got out of the glider, he said, "Wow, I am really glad you took it I really learned a lot." My response was, "I don’t care if you learned anything I will never fly with you again. Do yourself and everyone a favor and find another hobby."

Another time I had a Japanese student with whom I was practicing stalls. He became terrified. He held the stick close to his chest and wouldn't let go. I ended up having to tap him on the back of his head to get him to release. He threw up his hands and started yelling stuff in Japanese. He was so scared he never came back.

What was your most memorable flight?

My very first flight as an employee with the chief pilot at Estrella. It was a really good soaring day. There was great lift. We got as high as 12,000 feet at one point. We were soaring over the Estrella ridge and after a couple of stalls and what not my instructor said. "OK, show me some spins. So I did a spin entry to the left and recovered after about half a turn. Then I did the same thing to the right.

Then in a fairly thick Hungarian accent he said, "Now I will show you how to make the glider really spin." And he did, except that after about ¾ of the first turn the glider went completely flat. We were not wearing parachutes. The first thing he did was to use all the standard spin recovery techniques. Rudder opposite the rotation and full forward stick, nothing. Then he tried opening the dive breaks which in the Grob have a nose down pitching tendency, nothing. Then he removed his shoulder straps and leaned his body forward, nothing, and then he said release your belts and come forward. I was ahead of him and was already on my way into the front cockpit, nothing. It stayed flat for about another 4 or 5 turns. We had lost about 4,000 feet at this point.

Finally he put everything into the spin, stick all the way forward and to the left and full left rudder. At that point the nose began to pitch down and come back up again. With each rotation you heard a big swish. After about two rotations of pitching up and down again we recovered. He was a very skilled pilot, he got us in and he got us out.

Upon landing and walking back into the operations office he made the following authoritative announcement, "We will no longer spin the Grobs!" That was the most scared I have every been in an airplane.

What is your most memorable land-out?

It was July 7th, 1992 when I made my first attempt at the 500 K diamond distance flight. The route was from Boulder to Eleven Mile Reservoir (which is just west of Colorado Springs) then on to Laramie and back to Boulder. It was a good flight but I just didn't make it.

What happened during that first attempt?

I had turned Laramie and was on my way back to Boulder. It was around 6:30pm. I was at about 15,000 feet MSL when I left Laramie and the cloud base was about 20,000 feet. There were plenty of clouds and I was about 20 miles from the mountains. However, I did not find one thermal between Laramie and the mountains. I ended up landing in a cow pasture at between 8,500 and 9,000 feet about five miles NE of Red Feather, CO.

How was the landing?

I ended up coming in too fast and touched down about 1/3 of the way into the cow pasture which was about 800 to 1000 feet long. I got on the brake, which lived up to it's reputation of being a suggestion of stopping rather than an actual device used to stop the glider. I went through the field, bounced across the county road on the only point on that road for 100 feet on either side that the shoulder was shallow enough not to damage the glider. I ended up rolling 20 feet up an embankment. I was amazed that the glider actually stopped and didn't roll back down the embankment. None of this was skill but pure dumb luck. I got out, walked to the top of the embankment and saw a 600 foot shear drop which really got my knees shaking. At that time I didn't know where I was. I went back to look at the chart and saw that the town of Red Feather was about five miles away.

Were there any people around to help?

I saw some dust coming down a country road, it was an older man, his wife and his 10 year old grandson in a Ford pick-up truck. The old man said, "You look like you could use a cold one." I replied, "That would be nice but what I really need is a telephone." He said, "Phone, what’s that?" Then with a chuckle he handed me a very modern cell phone (this was back in 1992 when not that many people owned cell-phones.)

I contacted my crew who started the long drive to this remote location. After calling my crew I found out that the old man owned the entire top of the mountain. He had a well house and a beautifully manicured campsite. I spent the time waiting for my crew riding around in ATV’s and doing target practice with his grandson. He fed me copiously. When my crew arrived he provided light for the de-rigging of my glider and then fed my crew copiously. I ended up mailing the family certificates for glider rides.

My crew did mention on the way up that he noticed there was nothing but trees, rocks and winding roads through many hills. He couldn't believe I found any place to land.

Three weeks later I made the same flight but I was at 16,500 ft over the cow pasture with final glide back to Boulder.

For Lessons or Glider Rides contact Rick at Sundance Aviation, 505-832-2222 or you can visit their website at: http://www.soarsundance.com/