simon holding wrote:
Maybe we should set up an online season contest for Blaniks. Then we'd
see some proper flying. Any one can do a beatup in a modern glider -
takes real guts to try it in a Blanik. Back in the days when real men
flew gliders, Bert Persson flew 500km in a Blanik in the 70's out of
Alice.
Brian Underwood and Don Nottle flew the first 2 seater 500 km triangle
in Australia from the Balaklava field in the Blanik GXM. They had a
few attempts before they finally succeeded, but succeed they did.
I have to say (again) that I really am surprised how poisoned some minds
are against the Blanik. This can't be healthy - not in the season of
goodwill!
For many years the Blanik gave Australian clubs (and probably some of
those elsewhere in the world) an excellent two seater training aircraft
which was strong, reliable, forgiving, and had the ability to bite when
requested - i.e. spin when mistreated, without the need for something
special to be done prior to takeoff. Frankly, despite somewhat
exaggerated suggestions to the contrary, they looked good as well. At a
time when the fastest and meanest looking device around was a Boomerang
(in some respects they still hold their own) the Blanik was a sleek,
sophisticated (if over engineered) aircraft which was light years ahead
of anything we had at the time. Oh yes, they were relatively
inexpensive too.
Well before someone discovered that they had a nominal service life, one
with twice that number of hours was being thrown around the sky over
Waikerie in January 1974 by one of the Polish team members in a very
memorable aerobatics display at the World Gliding comps. Surely this
proves something.
For mine, the Blanik was still one of the nicest handling aircraft of
the relatively small number of types I have tried over 40 plus years.
Some of them I did not care for at all. (We won't go there now - not at
Christmas).
OK, Blaniks were not at all nice to work on. Point taken. Agreed!
Accepted! People get upset at the mention of their name. (OK won't I
say the word again....)!
However I'm quite comfortable for them to be lumped in the same category
as the EH Holden. Both were classics. I had a lot of fun in an EH as
well (We won't go there either ;-) ).
Happy Christmas to all, safe and adventurous flying for 2009, and for
those who desperately need it, a Blanik free new year.
Regards,
Terry
Imagine what is going to be said about the ASG 29 on this forum in
another 50 years? Will it be as great as the Blanik?
Simon
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