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33rd FAI WGC |
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Dick
Butler: Open Class | ||
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Multi-Class Background |
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This event started it all. The first World Soaring Championships was held on Germany's Wasserkuppe in 1937 making this event the official grandfather of all World Soaring Championships. Up until 1950 all competitors flew in the open class regardless of glider type. In 1950 the two place class was added. In 1958 the two place class was replaced with the Standard class. In 1978 the 15-Meter class was added to this event creating what most pilots think of as the three traditional FAI classes. The 18-Meter Class was added in 2001. Recently new FAI classes have been added including Junior, World (PW-5), Women's and 18-Meter championships. There are currently three classes making up the Multi-Class including the Open, 18-Meter and 15-Meter. The Open Class is the "unlimited" class, home to the world's highest- performing and most expensive gliders. There are no design restrictions placed on the open class so wingspans range up to 100 feet in length. In the 15-Meter Class the wingspans are limited to 15 meters (49.2 feet) with no other design restrictions. This is the class that, worldwide, includes the greatest number of gliders. The 18-Meter Class grew out of interest in sailplanes that fit between the Open class and the 15-Meter class and could easily carry a motor and is the newest FAI class. The only important restriction is on span, which must not exceed 18 meters (59 ft). This class is the only one to admit motorized gliders; some models include an engine that can be extended to launch and retrieve the glider or stowed away for pure soaring flight. See how the US Teams have done over the years or view the list of World Champions.
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Growing
up in the 1950's aviation was a highly visible and romantic
thing, most little boys were fascinated with flight and Dick
was no exception. This romance with aviation led to
obtaining a degree in aeronautical engineering and accepting
his first job as a wind tunnel test engineer for the
Sverdrup Corporation. It was not until 1967 that he was able
to experience the joy of soaring and obtain a glider pilot
license. In 1968 Dick says he ordered and took delivery of
his first sailplane, a K6E and shortly thereafter entered
competitive soaring. His first time to represent the USA as
a team member was in the open class in Finland 1975.
Subsequently he represented the USA in the next three
internationals with the last being in Hobbs, NM in 1983. At
this point in his life he had to drop out of soaring to
focus on his career and did not reenter soaring until 1999
when he retired from Sverdrup. It was not until 2006 that he
was able to again make the USA team flying in Sweden and
again in 2012 in Uvalde. It has been a long dry spell since
an open class USA team member has been on the podium at a
WGC. Dick says his team mate Ron Tabery and he are committed
to breaking that spell in Poland with a goal of one or both
of them being on the podium when all the dust settles. Ron
and I were able to fly as a team in Uvalde with some success
doing some things good and others not so good. We practiced
together for a week this fall with the sole intent of
improving our team flying skills. Our practice continued to
uncover our strengths and weaknesses in team flying and we
hope to build on these experiences this spring when we will
again get together for additional team practice before going
to Poland. Dick will be flying the Concordia sailplane, which
was designed and built in the USA. It would be personally
very rewarding to place well in the championship in an
American built sailplane, something that has not been
accomplished for decades.
Ron
Tabery's first glider ride at age eight was with Neil
Armstrong, but he had to wait until age 14 to solo in a SGS
1-26. His principle instructor was his father, George Tabery,
who is remembered for having demonstrated the concept of
water ballast in 1947. Ron entered competition soaring in
1979, winning eight consecutive contest days flying an
ASW-12 in a regional championship - a feat he has not since
repeated. His more than 5,000 soaring hours include
competition and record flying. Tabery is eight time US
National Champion, ten time winner of the Larissa Stroukoff
Memorial award, and has won the Hatcher "Top Gun" Trophy
four times. 
Pete
Alexander - a retired Silicon Valley refugee started flying
gliders at the age of 14 at Sky Sailing in Fremont, CA where
he flew his first solo flight in a SGS 2-33. Since then he
has accumulated about 4900 hours in gliders including a 6.5
year sting as a full time glider flight instructor at Sky
Sailing while in college. He started flying competitions in
1986 and has since flown in numerous Regional and National
contests on the East and West coasts. He had the privilege
to be a crew member for Rick Walters (3R) on the 1995 US
Team at Omarama, New Zealand. He was also a volunteer at the
2012 WGC at Uvalde, TX as a sniffer and photographer. His
home field is the Williams Soaring Center in Williams, CA.
He is looking forward to representing the US Team at the WGC
in Leszno, Poland and will be flying his ASG-29.
Gary
Ittner is an engineer and part owner of a small company that
specializes in welding services for the aerospace industry.
He resides in Los Angeles and splits his glider flying among
several Southern California gliderports, including Inyokern,
Santa Ynes, and Warner Springs. 
Mark
Keene started his flying career by flying gliders at age 11
and soloing oh his 14th birthday at a small airport near
Dallas, Texas. He currently flies the Airbus 330 for US
Airways. In his 3000 plus glider hours, and while flying the
Schweizer 1-26, he won the 1-26 Nationals and had numerous
top three finishes, earned the Barringer Trophy for distance
flights, a Gold badge with 2 diamonds and several state
records. After acquiring a Discus 2, he flew the Standard
Class Nationals, winning in 2004 and placing in the top 5
several times. In the 15m class, he's placed in the top 5
several times. Mark is a member of the Texas Soaring
Association (TSA) and currently flies at Ridge Soaring in
Pennsylvania. He lives in State College, PA with his wife
Rosalie (who also soloed on her 14th birthday. He has served
on the Board at TSA and is past Chairman of the SSA Club and
Chapter committee.
David
got an early start in soaring with a solo on his fourteenth
birthday. Fifteen years of racing 1-26's ("007") netted 5
Championship victories and the feel that can only be
developed from several thousand hours flying at 3.5 lbs/sf.
Since switching to plastic in 1992, he has raced in
Standard, 15m, and more recently 18m class Nationals,
accumulating 3 national titles, and many podium spots. Dave
has competed in 3 prior international competitions,
including the 2003 WGC, also held in Leszno, Poland. Last
years' 15 meter win in Hobbs earns Dave a position on the US
Team to again compete in the 15 Meter Class in Leszno,
Poland. 
Employed
as a towpilot, Dennis soloed in gliders in 1973 at Bud
Murphy's SkySailing Gliderport in California, and enjoys
competing in regional and national soaring contests across
the U.S. The 2014 WGC in Leszno, Poland will be his third as
Team Captain for the United States, having served in that
capacity recently in Szeged, Hungary and Uvalde, Texas. He's
a member of Mid-Georgia Soaring Association and currently
flies Boeing 777's for Delta Air Lines.