January, 2001

Vol. 18, No. 1 U.S.A. $3.50

January 2001

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HAVE SAILPLANE, WILL TRAVEL!

all over the continent and sometimes overseas, and gets to visit many places involving model airplane flying. He has lived in Canada and the US for the last 25 years, and Chesterfield, Virginia since 1995. This month, Erich Jost takes us to Switzerland.

Slope Flying in Switzerland

Adelboden, is the very famous mountain flying place called Hahnenmoos By Tom H. Nagel Pass, 2000 meters or about 6000 feet 904 Neil Ave. s a lot of us Slopeheads know, ASL. It was on this mountain where I Columbus, OH 43215 everyone who flies slope has a had my first slope experiences about tomnagel@iwaynet.net favorite hill, cliff or mountain side. 40 years ago. Mind you, there was no Model planes big, small, inexpensive, such thing as RC back then. The inthing was magnetic nose rudder his months travel saga is reported expensive, scale or not, it doesnt matter. We all have fun, especially control which, in combination with a by Erich Jost. To give you some background, Erich flies with the TMSS, when conditions are right. I would like fused de-thermalizer horizontal stab, kept the models from disappearing or Tidewater Model Soaring Society, in to share such a story with my fellow into the mountains most of the time. southeast Virginia - a very active club. slopers. Long flights were not possible, espeYou can check out their web site cially in strong winds. If the de<http://fly.to.tmss> for more informa- In August 2000, I went to Switzerland tion. Some TMSS members fly slope on for two weeks to visit my family, who I thermalizer fuse didnt work, the hadnt seen for six years. I was born model usually disappeared, never to Browns Mountain just south of and raised in a small village on Lake be found again. Charlottesville, Virginia, a beautiful hill flyable west, north-west, north-east Thun, in the beautiful Bernese Oberland near the famous tourist town But back to the present day. On the and east; the place is private and one of Interlaken. At a young age, I was weekend of August 19 and 20, the needs written permission. We are introduced to model aviation by my weather was absolutely beautiful, with working on Erich to do a story on this father on the mountain slopes in the warm moderate wind; a big, well site, soon. area, in the form of free flight. Near attended two-day slope event was on Interlaken, about 1.5 hours drive to the schedule at Hahnenmoos Pass. Erich is a service engineer for rotating another picturesque resort town of Guess where I went that weekend? and reciprocating equipment, travels by Erich Jost Chesterfield, Virginia Tidewater Model Soaring Society

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his column is dedicated to soaring vacations. If you have a favorite sailplane saga, consider writing it down for RCSD. If you are planning a vacation that includes your plane and transmitter, consider making notes as you go, and working up an article later. Take photos. Collect maps. And send your story to Tom Nagel at tomnagel@iwaynet.net for gentle editing and suggestions. Tom

Arriving at this hallowed site, I found a multitude of models of every kind suitable for slope flying, especially large scale ships and fast molded slope racers.

there. Most flyers going to internet, the address is: Hahnenmoos Pass stay there. During contests and fly-ins, the hotel is usually Berghotel Hahnenmoos Pass filled to capacity, so advanced reserva3715 Adelboden/Switzerland tions are required. Phone: 011 41 33 673 2121 Fax: 011 41 33 673 4841 Even though the wind was, at first, not I met several famous fliers from e-mail: spori@hahnenmoos.ch consistently from any particular around Europe at Hahenmoos Pass, direction, this did not present a and was able to check out the latest in Local flying contacts are: problem. It was possible to get a lot of airplanes. After the flying ended and TUN Modellbau flying done just by switching slopes. the last whispers of air had been Ueli Nyffenegger The area provides slopes in every exploited with HLGs, the social affair Sagenfeld 3 direction, so no matter where the wind started. We indulged in some fabulous 5614 Sarmensdorf is blowing from, there is a flyable slope food and drink at the hotel and, of Switzerland and, importantly so, a suitable landing course, engaged in a lot of hangar Phone/Fax: 011 41 56 667 2211 area. flying. For me, it was particularly e-mail: mail@tun.ch interesting in comparing the slope www.tun.ch Additionally, massive thermals flying scene to the one in the United links - Modellflugferien-Hahnenmoos develop way down in the valleys and States. contribute to the excitement of magSee you there!! nificent slope lift. Landings are a piece One sleeps well in the clean mountain Fly safe and think up!! of cake on the lawn-like short grass. air at that altitude. The next day, All you have to do is be familiar with everybody was out again to enjoy cross wind landings on sloping themselves until, unfortunately, ground. Some landing areas are Sunday afternoon came along and actually relatively level. It is truly a most people had to leave. Some of the slope flyers paradise, and the mounlucky ones on vacation (like me) were tain scenery is spectacular. There are able to make further use of the wonalso very sharp crests with very steep derful world of slope soaring. International drop-offs to one side or another, which Scale Soaring would lend themselves to fantastic Unfortunately, I didnt bring my own Association dynamic soaring (DS) which, as I plane to Switzerland. However, I was found out, is not known very well handed a transmitter from one of the There is a growing interest in scale soaring in among the local fliers. Some of them flyers so I could do some soaring. (I the U.S. We are dedicated to all aspects of have heard about Americas famous left the landing up to him though.) So, scale soaring. Scale soaring festivals and Joe Wurts DS exploits, though. if you find yourself in Switzerland and competitions all year. Source for information time, weather and schedule allows, on plans, kits, accessories and other people interested in scale. For more information, The local hotel, the Berghotel visit this mountain slope paradise. You write to: Hahnenmoos Pass (check out the web wont be sorry. International Scale Soaring Association site), caters to model aviators, as well 37545 Oak Mesa Drive as mountain climbers and hikers in the You can check out the place on the Yucaipa, CA 92399-9507 summer months, and to skiers in the web at <www.hahnenmoos.ch>. e-mail: 70773.1160@Compuserve.com winter. The hotel provides a large Unfortunately its all in German, but web site: www.soaringissa.org storage room for secure safe keeping of phone number and e-mail are univermodels and equipment while staying sal. For those without the use of the
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