Letters to the Editor
Reader feedback done up old school.
Triggered Memories of California, 1989
A recent RCSD tweet reminded me about a trip I made to California in 1989! I flew at Torrey Pines with this plane. This photo was taken in the Santa Ynez mountains inland from Santa Barbara.
I still fly this glider. It is a thing I designed called Swalleau. 2- or 2.5M span, foam and epoxy glassed veneer wing. Balsa, glass and 1/64 ply laminated fuselage sides and an all moving tail. I epoxy/glass clothed the flying surfaces after the trip to America.
Funny thing is: last time I flew it someone with a moulded sport plane went, I remember thinking “crikey , that is fast!” as it zipped past his plane whilst I was having a bit of a hoon. It has a RG12 wing and I was lucky enough to spend some time with Rolf Girsberger and even before we spent time discussing airfoils I’d fitted underside trips and extracted good performance from the plane.
It was interesting flying TP back then. It was pretty light winds and most people were flying built up floaty things. I wonder what they made of this odd English bloke rocking up!?!?
And 29 years later it is still being flown. Plug in tip panels required as it was really light lift. Most people on Menez Hom were flying F5J things.
Went to one of the Brittany VTPR sites but it was so light I didn’t fancy the risk. Although not VTPR Madstab enabled it is a very aerobatic glider. Next gen will be modernised.
Kind regards,
Iain Medley-Rose
Iain — there is nothing I like more than a treasured memory triggered by something we’ve put out there. What a great story of a long-lived airframe. Keep ’em coming, it’s always great to hear from you, and thank you so much for sending it in. — Ed.
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