Hanna Reitsch March 29, 1912
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February, 2002 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WOMEN SOARING PILOTS ASSOC. www.womensoaring.org IN THIS ISSUE Hanna Reitsch March 29, 1912 – August 24,1979 Page 2 Badge Lady From the Editor Update Olga Klepikova Page 3 Scholarship Winners Cockpit Calamity by Neita Montague Montague Page 4&5 Hanna Reisch, Testing of Dive Breaks, last Record Flight, Achievements Page 6 more WSPA news Hanna Reitsch, 1959 Invitation fromfrom Germany Invitation from Germany Convention 2002 Page 7 EULOGY 1979 WSPA Scholarship Application Form With Hanna Reitsch ended an era in aerosports and aeronautical history. We are losing a great woman pilot – maybe the greatest ever- but also an Page 8 exceptional ambassador of flying traditions all over the world, an untiring Seminar Announcement fighter for the idea of flying. And many of us mourn a good friend. German Aeroclub, Gliding Commission BRSS Cross Country and Contest Camp, New Castle, VA George Bruetting, President Fred Weinholtz, Chairman of the Board From German Documents 1/1980, Robert H. Drechsler ed. : Hanna Reitsch, Ikarus’ Deutsche Schwester (Ikarus German Sister) page 2 February 2002 THE WOMEN SOARING PILOTS From the Badge Lady From the editor ASSOCIATION (WSPA) WAS Aleen Coleson FOUNDED IN 1986 AND IS With this issue of Hangar Soaring I’m finishing my first year as AFFILIATED WITH THE SOARING BADGES FOR SOARING its editor –and survived. I was quite hesitant to take over from Chris, who SOCIETY OF AMERICA Earned or recorded in the did such a great job. Although I have been now editing our club’s newsletter FLYPAPER for 21 years, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to tackle a United States through newsletter read across the nation, especially since I shied away from ANNUAL DUES (JULY-JUNE) Dec.2001 writing in English until the advent of word processors and – what a ARE $10. SEND TO GLORIA lifesaver- the spell check. DALTON, 4826 WESTRIDGE DIAMOND BADGES After my first issue of Hangar Soaring, it was brought to my DR. CHARLOTTE, NC 28208. INTERNATIONAL attention, that the word “LADY” wasn’t politically correct anymore, that the ELECTIONS ARE HELD EVERY NUMBERS modern females wanted to be referred to as WOMEN. It then entered my OTHER YEAR. THE 2001 6584. Deborah B. Kutch (U. mind, that I always knew I was a woman but that once in a while I liked to BOARD IS; S. 905) be called a “Lady” and not only when I walked through the door designated as such. But I made any effort not to call the women ladies Sharon Smith (SC) anymore. Forgive me when once in a while a slip of the tongue happens. SILVER BADGES It has been fun putting Hangar Soaring together; I made a lot acting president 6278. Erica M. Anderson Vice Prsident / Secretary of contacts, here at home and abroad. I couldn’t believe my good luck when I found Olga Klepikova. Just recently I received her mailing address. 801 Elsbeth St. DURATION: 5 HOURS I got in contact with women world record holders, Lilienthal and Majewska Dallas TX 78208 (Fulfills Gold Duration medal recipients, Hall of Fame members and other great women pilots Requirement) and my archival files are growing. But sadly, I had more luck and Frauke Elber (acting NE) Erica M. Anderson; SGS 1- cooperation overseas than here at home. 213 Anne Burras La 34; Harris Hill, NY Being cost conscious I would appreciate it if you would let me Newport News, VA 23606 know when you move or change names. With every mailing I get a handful of newsletters back. It costs $1.30 to produce and mail a ALTITUDE AND Gloria Dalton (SE) newsletter within the US, ($5.20 of your $10 membership fee cover your DISTANCE: Treasurer annual cost of Hangar Soaring), never mind the countless hours of editing Erica M. Anderson; SGS 1- 4826 Westridge Dr. the material, fitting it into the given format and physically putting Hangar 34 Harris Hill, NY Charlotte NC 28208 Soaring together and getting it ready for mailing. My special thanks go to Bertha Ryan who frequently checks SSA B BADGES and corrects my stories about great women soaring pilots and freely Janet Sorrell (NC) passes on her vast knowledge of times gone by. 316 W. Market Lorraine (Lorrie) French; Gregory, MI Last but not least, it’s very gratifying to see that we, the WSPA Germantown OH 45327 members, finally got an interesting discussion via our mail system [email protected] going. I would like to encourage those Elaine Cutri (SW) SSA A BADGES members who in the early time of the group address asked to be taken off 1430 laSolana Dr. *Karen M. Garner the mailing list because they didn’t understand the system, to give it a Altadena CA 91001 Carolyn Blankenbaker second try and to participate in the conversations. Also, please send me Ellen M. Neier your soaring stories, short bios and news. It’s YOU who make Hangar Lori Brand (NW) Kathy Ondrus Soaring lively; I just put it all together. 7052 NE RONIER Way #2914 Ruthann K. Povinelli Hillsboro, OR 97124 Rose C. Travers Frauke HANGAR SOARING IS PUBLISHED EACH FEBRUARY, MAY, AUG, NOV. PLEASE SEND STORIES, PHOTOGRAPHS, An unnamed WSPA member will give up to $100 anonymously to pay COMMENTS, ETC TO WSPA membership dues for anyone out of work. Please contact Hangar [email protected] OR Soaring (two members are already benefitting from that generous offer) FRAUKE ELBER, EDITOR, 213 ANNE BURRAS LA., NEWPORT NEWS VA 23606- Follow-up on Olga Klepikova 3637 Here is a follow-up on the Olga article in the November Hangar Soaring. Irmgard Morgner, who sent me the original letter, wrote the following, after I had sent her a SOARING copy with the visit out web page Olga article. Here is what she wrote: www.womensoaring.org 'We translated the SOARING article and it reached Olga via the young Ukrainian pilot Valja Toporova, twice European Women Champion, who like Olga also lives in Kiew. Valja reports:"Olga was pleased to learn that people know about her record. She is doing well (Ed. She turned 86 in November) but couldn't come to the end-of the season party because she had a cold." Irmgard continued: "Her living conditions are not the best. Her pension is very small -just over February 2002 page 3 $20/month but there is a chance that, as a war veteran, she Cockpit Calamity will get a small supplement. All I know is that she is not By Neita Montague happy about her pension. One of her daughters is working in the USA and visits her I climbed into my Ka6, spending some time familiarizing myself with seldom. The other daughter lives under the same bad the cockpit since I had not flown gliders for nearly a year. An enormous conditions as most of the people (former Soviet Union). dust devil at AirSailing the previous summer had loosened the lower hinge Thank you that you keep the memories of soaring alive" of the tail-feathers of my Ka6CR. Since the glider had to be restored, we Irmgard had a new canopy blown by Ray Poquette. I noted again that the tow release was below the transponder on its rather limp cable and now out of Here is Olga's mailing address: sight because I am very short, under 5' tall. I thought that might be a Olga Klepikova problem so a red string was tied to the transponder to hold the tow ul. Kotelnikowa 25 kw.171 release handle and to help remind me where it was. Vasiljena ( Kiew) 03115 Ukraina I had gone up in the club 2-33 that day with a CFI-G for four flights with two rope breaks. I took the 2-33 for a short solo and then climbed into the Ka6. After my look around the cockpit, I took off with the usual first-of-the- year-flight butterflies. It was the normal direct-crosswind take-off with high SKY GHOST SCHOLARSHIP turbulence on the tow. We made a left 270 off the end of the runway then headed towards Dogskin, our local ridge. The wind was from the west and In July, 2001, Kate Flynn was awarded the the turbulence got greater as it spilled over this ridge. Uncomfortable with Sky Ghost Scholarship. $500.00 was sent to my position and under the more-than-usual stress of tow, I released and Soar Minden to be used by Kate to continue started a right-hand turn. I looked to my left to check for the towplane and saw it slightly below me with the tow rope still attached. I reached up and her lessons and obtain her private pilot license pulled again and all of a sudden couldn't see. In a matter of seconds In a recent letter from Kate she reports that she several things happened: I thought the glider had failed so I released my has now graduated from the University of seatbelt. I started to push myself up when I glanced at the air speed Kate Flynn in the Grob indicator. I was at 70 knots and the plane was stil flying, so I eased myself 103 which she flies in the Nevada, has obtained her private license and is Lake Tahoe area. back down into the seat. I glanced left and all I saw was a blur: the working on her commercial glider rating. Kate towplane, still attached. I pulled the tow release hard, twice, then looked is very motivated and determined to meet her to my right and saw a fuzzy brown triangle at my 5 o'clock.