Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-12
Weather Thermal Soaring Be Based Always Around
Sailplanes
OfferHope
Of Records
Headquarters for
Sport Opened
In This City
By Joseph S. Edgerfon.

By Joseph S. Edgerfon.
The skyways around Washington
this winter will become an aerial
proving ground for one of the most
picturesque of the days aeronau-
teal pioneering efforts - cold
weather thermal soaring" in one
of the most advanced types of multi
place sailplanes.
Efforts to extend the soaring sea-
son throughout the year, regardless
of climatic conditions, are behind
an experimental program to be car
ried on here by the Soaring Society
of America, which this year estab-
lished its national headquarters in
Washington.
Expansion OF gliding and soaring
in the United States during the last
few years has constituted one Of the
most colorful chapters in Ameri-
can aviation history, and the past
summer has witnessed the topping
of a majority of the recognized mo-
torless flying records.
American sailplane pilots, flying
in motorless sailplanes-which re-
quire more skill than any type OF
aircraft and perhaps a finer tech
nique than sailing, ski jumping or
similar sports-have flown 263 miles
across country, climbed to an alti-
tude Of 1928 feet above the point
of take-off and remained in fight
81 hours "a minutes.
Gliding and soaring, however,
have been primarily summer sports,
especially the type of motorless fly
ing which depends upon rising cur
rents of warm air, or "thermals."
During the last few years the de-
signing of American sailplanes has
improved greatly, methods of con-
struction have been refined, a vast
amount of experience has been
gained and pilots have improved
their knowledge and skill.
The results will be reflected in
this winters experimental work
here. Pitting their more efficient
sailplane, greater knowledge and
keener abilities against the wiles of
far less suitable winter flying con-
ditions, pilot members of the society
will seek to prove that even the
weak winter thermals are sufficient
for modern soaring fight.
Season to Be Longer.
Success of the local experiments |
would greatly extend the length Of
the soaring season everywhere and
would make it year-around sport |
in many parts of the country. The
result would be long step toward
he establishment of gliding and
soaring as one of the greatest Of
American outdoor sports-as en-
thusiasts insist it is destined to
become.
Henry N Wightman, general man
ager of the society and one of the
outstanding American soaring pilots,
has brought to Washington the
organizations new two-seater, all
metal sailplane and has established
a winter fight base at Hybla Valley,
south Of Alexandria, Va. This sail
plane has been equipped with blind
flying" instruments in both cock
pits in preparation for cloud and
thermal soaring throughout the win
ter months. Both airplane-tow and
automobile launching methods
will be employed. The society also
has brought to Hybla Valley pri-
mary training glider which will be
used in training and demonstration
phases of the winter program.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority
has taken an increasingly sympa-
thetic interest in the development of
motorless flying during the past year.
Twenty graduates of the c. A. A.
experimental civil pilot training pro-
gram, conducted last spring in 30
American colleges and universities,
were given glider training during the
past summer at the Elnira IN. "
and Frankfort (Mich0 bases Re-
suits were regarded as unexpectedly
successful. Plans now are being con-
sidered for giving training next sum-
mer to larger numbers of student
airplane pilots who complete courses
of training now in progress In more
than 400 colleges and universities.
Better Next Year.
The c. A. A. also is expected to
issue licenses for production of sew
eral types of new sailplanes of very
superior performance by the end of
this year, making available greatly
improved soaring equipment early
next year for followers of the sport.
AS a result Of recent developments
and those now in progress. leading
opponents of motorless flying believe
that soaring, the ancestor of all
heavier than-air fight, is on the
threshold of q period of rennais-
sance in America which may make it
one of the important sports, in point
Of numbers engaged, and which may
affect both civil and military air
training. 1t was in anticipation Of
such development that the society
moved its national headquarters to
washington, establishing them in
the Dupont Ci,cle building occupied
by the Nationa. Aeronautic Associa-
ton and the Air Reserve Association.