1982 AMA Nats: FF Outdoor Glider
Larry Kruse
Weather
Weather for glider fliers ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime as, in chronologic order, the thermal god hung his blessings over the Mead FF site.
- Tuesday (A-1 Towline day) was blustery: wind from the south steady at about 15 knots with gusts up to 25. By noon the breeze relented a bit and conditions improved for most of the afternoon, but later wind-driven rain shut down much of the activity.
- Thursday morning for Hand-Launched Glider (HLG) turned calm, producing sparse thermals that made searching for lift an entertaining spectator event.
- Good weather continued through Friday, but a wind shift required moving the Free Flight site to the north end of a wheat-stubble field to provide ample retrieval room and to avoid surrounding cornfields.
A-1 Towline
Tuesday’s blustery conditions tested crews and aircraft alike. Despite damage during test flying, persistent competitors managed respectable performances.
- Open A-1
- 1st: Bill Baker — 531 sec. (Top Kick; repaired/splinted behind wing/fuselage joint with wood strips and electrical tape)
- 2nd: Guenther Nowak — 283 sec.
- 3rd: Chris Matsuno — 282 sec.
Bill Baker’s repaired, brightly patched Top Kick handled the wind well despite its "scruffy" appearance; some competitors jokingly threatened protest over the aesthetic. Thomas Bailey (Senior competitor) logged 463 sec., a score that would have placed him second in Open.
- Senior A-1
- 1st: Thomas Bailey — 463 sec.
- 2nd: Ricky Call — 382 sec.
- 3rd: Ronny Call — 371 sec.
- Junior A-1
- 1st: Aaron Markos (Deerfield, IL)
- 2nd: Tim Warren (Deerfield, IL)
- 3rd: David Brown — flying a Jedelsky-winged Torrey Pines training glider
Hand-Launched Glider (HLG)
HLG proved one of the most entertaining events, especially on the calm Thursday morning. Contestants roamed the grass field using cattail fluffies, bubbles, and electronic thermal sniffers to locate sparse upward currents. Teamwork and patience were key.
- Open HLG
- 1st: Mike Stoy — flying a Wasp
- 2nd: Dan Domina
- 3rd: Bobby Dunham
- Senior HLG
- 1st: Brad Fulmer — 620 sec.
- 2nd: Bryan Fulmer — 328 sec.
- 3rd: Craig Dunlop — (two-time Tulsa Glue Dobbers Trophy winner)
- Junior HLG
- 1st: Aaron Markos
- 2nd: Tim Warren
- 3rd: Jon Chancey
- Team HLG
- 1st: Indiana team — Fulmer, Fulmer, Phiefer
- 2nd: Missouri team — Matsuno, Stoy, Stoy
- Teams also entered from Minnesota, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Missouri. Texas and California teams were absent this year.
A-2 Towline and Site Change
Because of a wind shift on Friday, the site was moved to the north end of a wheat-stubble field to provide better retrieval room. The new area was rough—plowed ground with deep animal holes (likely badgers)—which posed hazards, particularly for A-2 crews. Many A-2 fliers chose to launch from a smoother adjacent field to the southwest; Chris Matsuno instead worked the north edge among trees and shrubs and found the lift.
- Open A-2
- 1st: Chris Matsuno — 1,260 sec. (Ne-Ne Hawaiian Goose design with glass fuselage)
- 2nd: Matt Gewain (Titusville, FL) — 1,147 sec.
Matt Gewain demonstrated excellent circle-tow technique, using his allotted launch time to ensure placement into strong lift. His ship’s wings (a variation of his Pace 4) showed remarkable strength and flexibility as the model rocketed into lift.
Other Notes and Highlights
- Chris Matsuno also flew notable designs: a Ne-Ne Hawaiian Goose for A-2 and other innovative ships.
- Chuck Markos flew an outdoor HLG with auto-rudder and auto-stab actuated by a stripped Tomy-toy timer buried in the nose.
- David Brown’s Jedelsky-winged Torrey Pines was noted as an excellent A-1 training Towline glider and part of the younger Brown Family Free Flight Team.
Overall, the week offered a mix of challenging winds, calm thermal hunting, creative repairs and fieldcraft, and strong performances across Open, Senior, and Junior classes.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
