July,2021 VOLUME 14 - No 10 GLIDINGlNTERNATIONAL July 2021THE “FIVE” DIAMOND STRAIGHT GLIDE 1 July,2021 VOLUME 14 - No 10 Editor: John H. Roake Manager: Janice Armstrong Correspondents: lNTERNATIONAL Aldo Cernezzi GLIDING Robert (Bob) Downe Joseph King Myles Hynde Arthur Liddington Gliding International published by: Gliding International Ltd From Offices At: 79 Fifth Ave, Tauranga, New Zealand Phone +64-7-571-4161 Office email: [email protected] Editor’s email: [email protected] INDEX The magazine’s web pages can be viewed Hana Zejdova – The Czech Pilot Par Excellence 4 at www.glidinginternational.com One of the First Diana 2’s – A Disaster! 12 You can subscribe through our web page. Lilienthal Medals, From 1938 to 2021 13 From Hana’s Zejdova Own Book 13 Gliding International is published monthly with the exception of December Hana Zejdova’s World Records At Year 2000 15 and January. Ten issues per annum. 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How Others See Us 36 Skytrac and Gigsky 38 New subscriptions can be originated through the magazine’s secure web site Are You One of Our Aging Pilots? 39 by using a Visa or MasterCard credit International News for Glider Pilots 41 card at: www.glidinginternational.com Things With Wings 46 Advertising: Contact the magazine’s advertising department by email at: COVER: Richard Branson space shuttle “Unity.” (Glide angle not quoted.) [email protected] 2 Gliding International July 2021 3 HANA ZEJDOVA - THE TALENTED WOMAN PILOT AWARDED THE LILIENTHAL MEDAL Born 1962 - A Czech citizen, Single, Professional photographer, Rated soaring instructor, 4000 pilot in command soaring hours, Started soaring at 16 years of age, Soloed at 17, Preferred sailplane - Jonker JS-2. 4 Gliding International July 2021 5 WHO IS HANA ZEJDOVA ? This is a story about how male pilots and administrators treated a very talented female soaring pilot with abilities far above the discerning males. Gliding certainly has room for a vast number of female pilots and a female encouragement program could well be the sport’s saviour. the women‘s Czech Championship in 1992 and the International She was the second woman in the history of world glider flying European Championship in 1993. She became an equal partner of (after Russian Olga Klepikova) to set absolute records (together men at competitions, and often surpassed them. She repeatedly won with men) in traditional disciplines. at international competitions, and most often with a safe margin above the male pilots of the Czech team. During an international Congratulations from foreign pilots at the world championship in competition in Poland, she set a new national record with a world New Zealand gave her strength. This was her entrance into the class time and was faster than the Pole, Janusz Centka, three times permanent awareness of gliders worldwide. It took a lot of courage the world champion, in the 500 km speed triangle race. She finished and determination from the two characters on the world stage. second in the Czech national championship for men. Father Vladislav and daughter Hana, set out barehanded toward However, neither the national team coach nor the Czech Aeroclub their ambitious goals after the fall of the Iron curtain between the nominated her for the men’s world championship in the United West and the East. Hana was not put off by the politics and in States in 1991, although she was qualified for the event (at that seclusion, exited the sport events in her mother country, struggled time, women did not yet have their own championship). The coach’s on with the support of friends and her father. She chose a relatively nomination still prevailed. Her skills demonstrated her undoubted difficult future path, influenced by club functionaries, skilled in soaring ability. Equally, she was not accepted to be a part in the deciding about directions and fate. following men‘s world championship, being restricted to the women‘s section. It was an unprecedented breech of the FAI sporting code Although without financial means for a living, let alone not even by the Czech Aeroclub administrators. The word ‘nomination‘ considering the means necessary for an Australian expedition, and thus gained a new meaning in the sense of decisions made by despite the complicated situation, Hana received the Australians‘ the sport functionaries, elevated over the proven capabilities of invitation, (including, the flight tickets). orn in 1962 in Brno in the Czech Republic. Her parents were aviation, ultimately choosing different careers. She graduated from a sportswoman in the qualification by mere discrimination of a Bactive glider pilots. Her father was a successful member of the a conservatoire, where she studied ballet, and was a successful superior woman. They wanted her to continue with her record flight attempts out of national team and the first Czech record holder from 1957 before prima ballerina and star of the National Theatre in Brno. She also Australia. The directors of the world-famous gliding organisation, his representation activities were put to a halt for his progressive appeared as a guest performer in Bratislava and later danced Next, Hana was nominated for the men’s world championship in Sportavia Soaring Centre were very well aware just how valid her attitude to top performance sports. It took 38 years for his daughter in Bonn, Germany. Both sisters have healthy ambitions to be Sweden in 1993, specifically, at her own request. Women had no performance for the promotion of their school could be. Donald to pick up where her father left off, starting an unprecedented successful. gliding championship at that time. At this summit she was the Escott and Jeff Close, then acting directors of the centre, as well series of world records. It is unusual for just one family to set all only woman at two contests, but nevertheless in Sweden, was as Charles William Riley, laid out the scheme for motivating the world records that their country possesses in a given sport. Hana Zejdová‘s steep ascent in competition is accentuated by suffering from a virus cold and fever, which of course impaired her Australian research project. several national records at the beginning of her sports career. performance. The Czech coach, who did not believe women were Hana started glider pilot training in Brno-Medlánky in 1978. As early Consistency a pragmatic visions leading to grand goals are able to compete with men on a peer-to-peer basis, ruthlessly used Bill Riley who was the founder of Sportavia supported the potential as 1980, although she had to extend her training because of a hand inherent to her. However, that was to become her problem in the this fact against her. of Hana for his training school especially with the likelihood of Ingo injury, she won her Silver “C” glider pilot award, soon followed by future. In 1989, she unexpectedly finished third in the European Renner becoming a part of the team. Ingo came to Australia from gold and diamond ones. Later, she added the much-appreciated Championship in Oryol, then USSR, although she was the youngest In 1995, the coach did not nominate her to the ladies’ team for the Germany at the end of the 60‘s to seek work as a boat technician, 1,000 km “clusters” to her diamond badge, being the first Czech of the participants and flew the oldest aircraft, a fact the media did men’s world championship in New Zealand, although she received an and became one of the leading personalities of this sport. Solidarity national to do so. Her flying competition career was also off to a not miss, pointing out that in the last discipline she dropped from invitation from the organisers, including free transport from Europe was also manifested by pilots from Japan, Germany, Poland, successful start. the second post to the third by only 14 points. to New Zealand, a bonus accorded to European champions only. She Canada, and USA, but also from the Czech Republic. made up for her inexplicable absence at the world championship in Hana won her first junior competition competing against men and In team collaboration she helped her colleague reach the then Australia, where she sets a number of world records, assisted by Thanks to them all, Hana had a quite a variable line-up of sailplanes flying a VSO 10 glider owned by her flying club. Her sister Soňa, highest women‘s championship title. Furthermore, Hana gained Australians, who have bought a low-cost glider for her in Europe. she could fly. Although they were not always the most efficient who was two years younger also decided to devote herself to the vice-champion title in the men‘s championship in 1990, won Again she was denied any help at home. gliders (singles and twins,) it was with joy she sat in the cockpits 6 Gliding International July 2021 7 of older types, the so-called ‚super orchids‘ with spans of over 25 flying clubs and from the Flyers‘ union that submitted the proposal metres.