WWQP Bulletin Board Chat

I guess many of us live our lives without saying much publicly on the board. We all have our ups and downs that we don't share here but when Sara asked where everyone was, I posted that we were getting ready for winter, which we are. Two weeks ago, Oct. 5th, at 6 pm I received a call from the glider club. There had been an accident with the tow plane. Himself was the chief tow pilot that day. His passion and pasttime is not without an element of knowing that this could happen. When a tow plane tows the glider up into the air, the glider takes off before the tow plane lifts off. If the person flying the glider does not control the glider and it goes too high, it can tip the tow plane, lifting the tail, sending the plane nose down, killing the tow pilot. In this case, the gas did not get through to the engine and at 250' himself released the glider he was towing and at 300' the engine cut out. He brought the tow plane down as he had some glide ratio and came in short of the airfield, instead coming in too low over the gravel road leading into the airfield. The front landing wheels crumpled and the fuselage went into the ditch, taking the hit. He's lucky to be alive. He has a deep gash above his right eye, which has been nicely stitched up, two black eyes, all of which are receding. Other than that, although I am concerned about any possible neurological damage, he did not have a concussion and seems okay. Three days before, Geordie, our 15 yr. old plus, Aussie had a stroke. He's not in too bad shape now either.

I'm not posting this for any measure of sympathy but it will explain 'where I was'...dealing with everyday issues that thankfully, turned out much better than they might have.

Rosey