Posted at the request of Carl Maroney at AMA HQ and Rich Hanson AMA Dist 10 VP
"A dedication is planned for this Saturday, 8/30, recognizing the Torrey Pines Gliderport as a Model Aviation Historical Landmark. (Hopefully the first of many.) The dedication ceremony and plaque unveiling will take place at the cliff at 1pm."
I had the opportunity of flying there on one occasion. The site is truly unique and deserves historic recognition.
I arrived at Tory Pines, sans anything to fly . . . we had flown to San Diego to visit our daughter. While I was watching I kept hearing whistles, the kind refs use at ball games. It turned out these were being used by ultralite hang glider pilots to warn the R/C guys they were approaching the area. They both flew in fairly close proximity.
One of the R/C pilots I had ventured closer to while he was flying, asked over his shoulder, "You an R/C pilot?". I replied "Yes". Upon which he handed me the transmitter of the glider he was flying, "Give it a go - but watch it, it is pretty responsive." Responsive I guess, the first time I hit the aileron it rolled three times before I could get off of it. Then, very tenderly, I flew it for maybe 3 or 4 minutes with only a hint of input on the sticks while it did just about everything in the book. The owner took it back as he was pushing his battery limit, landed and when I looked at the glider I found it had NO ailerons. Puzzled I asked him how it rolled so fast. "Oh", he replied, handed me the transmitter again and turned on the gliders switch. "Now give it some aileron." THE WHOLE WINGS PIVOTED - fast roll rate explained.
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