I was there, the last 2 weeks of June 1969. My father was one of the pilots in the contest, and was pretty good friends with all involved. Its nice to see some scenes of this again. Brings back strong memories.
I was there the following year for the World championships. My father, Jim, flew one of the tow planes. I did not know George or Gleb, but Wally Scott was a kind and generous man to me and my father. At that time he and Ben Greene held the world's distance record. A few years later I and Gary Evans flew the Odessa club's Blanik for a junior class out and return record of just 114 miles. The day was poor and lift had really ended. Wally was so worried and said, "Those kids have to be down by now out in the desert." I reality, we kept scratching, finally found the last thermal of the day and made it back to Odessa to a hero's welcome. Wally, the world record holder, was genuinely thrilled with our little flight. He took us all out to dinner and back to his house for a party. He celebrated like we just broke a world record. Like I said, kind and generous.
@@JimForeman Hey Jim. Thanks for the comment. We have a glider club down in central Texas (Hamilton). Feel free to come down any weekend. My dad, Gary, and Wally Jr are there most weekends.
I took every class George Moffat taught at Pingry 1971-4. One of the best teachers there. George Died June 22, 2024 age 97. Larger than life. RIP George and thank you.
At 23, I was a competitor in the 1994 15-meter nationals. George was there too. One day we both left the start gate at the same time. We climbed up in the first thermal together on course. I decided to try and get ahead of him by taking a different course line, just to meet up 15 miles later in the same thermal, same altitude again. It went on like this the entire task until finishing at the same time. After landing I told my crew that I tried everything possible to get ahead of George but nothing worked. He was really good. At that moment Suzanne Moffat walked up to us and said, I need to tell you this because George won't. George said he flew with you most of the day today, tried everything he knew to get ahead, but nothing worked. He said, damn that kid is good. That was the best compliment anyone could get in soaring. Sean Franke
On a good soaring day in Ellenville NY in the late 70s ( on a hang glider ) I saw double-X zip by beneath me. No doubt out of Wurtsboro, just down the ridge a few miles. I had been reading Moffat's book "Winning on the Wind" so the XX caught my eye.
I grew up in South Africa and always believed gliding was a European thing. All planes we knew, were European. This movie made me realise there was an American culture for gliding too. So much so that I was stumped to find out there were American made gliders.... And today I own an HP-18 Schreder (American made) probably because of this movie. . As a side note, if any has heard of Jonker JS gliders. Well I flew with the Jonker brothers while they were still in University.
Moffat taught at one of the best private schools in the country and was already a world class sailor in International 14´s. I was a newcomer at Wurtsboro, not yet soloed in power planes and Moffat was working on his HP-8. His natural instincts as a teacher kicked in and I learned about stuff like Reynold´s numbers and we argued boats since I had both a windmill and a thistle at the time., not quite equal to the international 14 but pretty respectable. Especially since the windmill used a crew of two and the thistle a crew of three but I often sailed alone.
@@wingswheels I was a student at that school (The Pingry School, then in Hillside, NJ) when Prof Moffat taught English. I was not in his class but those who were thought he was great. I recognized some of the students shown in his class (probably the class size was about 10) in the trailer.
I was there, the last 2 weeks of June 1969. My father was one of the pilots in the contest, and was pretty good friends with all involved. Its nice to see some scenes of this again. Brings back strong memories.
Who was your father? My dad and some of his friends who were there still go to Marfa once a year to fly gliders.
@@TexasPilotMX I knew your father and grandfather. Neil was a great guy and your grandfather had the coolest house/hangar at the Odessa airport.
I was there the following year for the World championships. My father, Jim, flew one of the tow planes. I did not know George or Gleb, but Wally Scott was a kind and generous man to me and my father. At that time he and Ben Greene held the world's distance record. A few years later I and Gary Evans flew the Odessa club's Blanik for a junior class out and return record of just 114 miles. The day was poor and lift had really ended. Wally was so worried and said, "Those kids have to be down by now out in the desert." I reality, we kept scratching, finally found the last thermal of the day and made it back to Odessa to a hero's welcome. Wally, the world record holder, was genuinely thrilled with our little flight. He took us all out to dinner and back to his house for a party. He celebrated like we just broke a world record. Like I said, kind and generous.
@@JimForeman Hey Jim. Thanks for the comment. We have a glider club down in central Texas (Hamilton). Feel free to come down any weekend. My dad, Gary, and Wally Jr are there most weekends.
I took every class George Moffat taught at Pingry 1971-4. One of the best teachers there. George Died June 22, 2024 age 97. Larger than life. RIP George and thank you.
At 23, I was a competitor in the 1994 15-meter nationals. George was there too. One day we both left the start gate at the same time. We climbed up in the first thermal together on course. I decided to try and get ahead of him by taking a different course line, just to meet up 15 miles later in the same thermal, same altitude again. It went on like this the entire task until finishing at the same time. After landing I told my crew that I tried everything possible to get ahead of George but nothing worked. He was really good. At that moment Suzanne Moffat walked up to us and said, I need to tell you this because George won't. George said he flew with you most of the day today, tried everything he knew to get ahead, but nothing worked. He said, damn that kid is good. That was the best compliment anyone could get in soaring. Sean Franke
On a good soaring day in Ellenville NY in the late 70s ( on a hang glider ) I saw double-X zip by beneath me. No doubt out of Wurtsboro, just down the ridge a few miles. I had been reading Moffat's book "Winning on the Wind" so the XX caught my eye.
2:12 This music. It definitely goes well with it.
I grew up in South Africa and always believed gliding was a European thing. All planes we knew, were European. This movie made me realise there was an American culture for gliding too. So much so that I was stumped to find out there were American made gliders.... And today I own an HP-18 Schreder (American made) probably because of this movie.
.
As a side note, if any has heard of Jonker JS gliders. Well I flew with the Jonker brothers while they were still in University.
Amazing!
What was that landing at 3:42
I'll say it - that teacher sitting on the desk is a really lousy choice for a trailer.
That teacher is George Moffat, two time World Champion and the reason for this movie.
Welcome to cinema verite. It is very intentionally what it is,
Moffat taught at one of the best private schools in the country and was already a world class sailor in International 14´s. I was a newcomer at Wurtsboro, not yet soloed in power planes and Moffat was working on his HP-8. His natural instincts as a teacher kicked in and I learned about stuff like Reynold´s numbers and we argued boats since I had both a windmill and a thistle at the time., not quite equal to the international 14 but pretty respectable. Especially since the windmill used a crew of two and the thistle a crew of three but I often sailed alone.
@@wingswheels I was a student at that school (The Pingry School, then in Hillside, NJ) when Prof Moffat taught English. I was not in his class but those who were thought he was great. I recognized some of the students shown in his class (probably the class size was about 10) in the trailer.
@@jamesrobinson7586 I took his class; great teacher. Remember the trailer that carried his glider in the parking lot of the school?