Biographies
But you need to post them, to read them!
Hi, I'm Jim Densmore. I spent a little time at El Mirage while attending UCLA in the mid seventies, and in the mid-sixties while my parents and I lived in Van Nuys and flew up in Dad's 180. So I may be a bit younger than those of you who were likely at least out of college during the time period of interest. Nonetheless I'm interested on what is going on at this website, as I fly now out of High Flights Soaring here in the Colorado Springs area and certainly do remember some good times out in the California desert at El Mirage. We have a club, four sailplanes and a tug, and an entirely volunteer operation to keep costs down.
I'm in telecommunications software consulting working for Vsys. I've got three children, the youngest of whom, Katy (12) seems to be the most interested in flying. I fly power as well, and while I've been interested in soaring a long time I've only recently had the time and means to exercise the itch, having obtained my glider rating two years ago to go along with my ASEL. Soon I hope to finish up my Silver.
--Jim
Ray Williams MR
1) When did you first become interested in soaring?
1936
a) At what age?
10
2) Where did you take your first flight?
Cristalaire
3) Who was your primary(solo) instructor?
Fred Robinson
4) Are you still active in Soaring?
YBYSA Skylark North, Mountain Valley, TEHACHAPI
5) How many hours in gliders,
2000+
6) and power?
350+
7) Describe your best memory of El Mirage.
The camp fires with the Phoenix club after the OCTOBER FEST sausage
barbaque.
8) Where are you living now?
Woodland Hills same as when flying at ElMirage
9) Married?
You bet. Mary told me I could buy a glider. She the qualified it and
said it had to be side by side. ( Bob Burk had give her a ride in his
and Rogers Caproni )
10) Children?
Yes One son who will fly with me ocassionally but does not like to
crew.
11) Occupation:
Try jack of all trades!!! I didn't expect to even get envolved with
computers or e-mail now I have three computers to use and two e-mail
no three e-mail addresses
Richard Lewis
1) When did you first become interested in soaring?
I drove by an airport near Henderson NV and saw a glider flying in the sky and was really curious about it's unusual floating behavior. "How in the heck are they doing that" I asked myself. After that, I got curious enough to drive up to watch them take-off and land, but never getting out of my car for the first three visits(the glider people seemed unapproachable to a mere mortal). Finally, the owner of the operation got curious of me and came over to talk to me and I was off to the races.
a) At what age?
23
2) Where did you take your first flight?
Henderson, Nv
3) Who was your primary(solo) instructor?
First Russ Buchannon, then Ross Briegleb(solo, commercial and CFI-G).
4) Are you still active in Soaring?
No. (just virtually)
* If no, why did you give-up soaring?
Too far to drive and the hefty prices. I got my fill I guess.
5) How many hours in gliders,
1,200 hrs, 2500 flights
6) and power?
Six hours, 6 flights
7) Describe your best memory of El Mirage.
Sitting all alone in the brown office truck out on the center runway apron in the middle of the week in the dead of winter. I was watching Turkey Vultures ridge soar off of the trucks windshield inches from my face. You had to be there.
8) Where are you living now?
La, but it's not living-it is exsistance-life in a bottle.
9) Married?
You bet
* If yes, to whom?
My charming wife Claudia Jean
10) Children?
Yup. Jim and Cathy. They rock.
* If yes, ages?
15 & 6
11) Occupation:
Materials engineer-composites and non metallics. I build expensive, exotic, important plastic space junk. I had an experiment on the shuttle once-wooooooooooo.
Herbert Tiption
1) When did you first become interested in soaring?
1958
a) At what age?
34
2) Where did you take your first flight?
Ducksford RAF station, Ducksford England
3) Who was your primary(solo) instructor?
P. Dawson (RAF)
4) Are you still active in Soaring? (Y/N)
No
* If no, why did you give-up soaring?
Bad conditions in Ala..not very many sites.
5) How many hours in gliders,
475
6) and power?
3000+
7) Describe your best memory of El Mirage.
They were all good.
8) Where are you living now?
Mobile Al.
9) Married?
Yes
* If yes, to whom?
Mary E Tipton
10) Children?
Yes
If yes, ages?
37 & 35
11) Occupation:
Shipfitter