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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0253.PDF
LIGHT International, 14 February 1963 241 1963 World Gliding Championships I P."*;* «****» *>*-* " ARGENTINE OPEN-CLASS PILOTS FLYING ZEFIR AND SKYLARK COMPETITORS and sailplanes reached the World Gliding Championships at Junin, Argentina, by a variety of means. By land, by sea, and by air—including, in the case of the two Chilean-entered Blaniks, an aerotow over the Andes, no less. The championships were declared open on Sunday last, February 10, and contest flying began on Monday. The entry lists (reproduced below) show a marked contrast between the two classes, with most of the technical interest in the sailplanes focused on the standard class. Over half the pilots in this class are flying the same type of machine, the Ka-6. Included in the remainder of the 15-metre entries, however, are a number of ingenious and brand-new designs such as the French Edelweiss, the Finnish Vasama, the Dutch Sagita 2 and the West German SB-7. In between the one-type interest of the Ka-6s and the unknown prospects for the new aircraft are the proven abilities of types such as Foka, Standard Austria and the Olympia 463. The attractive Foka, a newcomer in 1960, is being flown this year by one Polish pilot, one Swedish and one Belgian pilot. When the names of pilots are matched against their aircraft— and this exercise is being carried out before the first day's contest flying—it would appear that Polish, West German, Austrian and British pilots should do well in the standard class. It remains to be seen whether any of the new types prove to be as natural a success as OPEN CLASS No Pilot Country Sailplane I i b 7 9 II IS 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 45 47 49 51 53 55 R. Spanig R. Hossinger J. S. Ortner R. S. Rowe F. Ulbing M. Baeke D. Webb J. C. Laksic A. W. Davila W. J. Jensen R. Johnson R. Schreder H. Tandefelt F. Henry H. C. N. Goodhart J. Williamson M.Bar A. Pronzati A. Breunissen E. Makula J. Popiel J. C. Saunders H. Nietlispach M. Ritzi W. Germany Argentina Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Canada Chile Chile Denmark USA USA Finland France Britain Britain Israel Italy Netherlands Poland Poland S. Rhodesia Switzerland Switzerland Zugvogel 3 Zefir Skylark 4 Skylark 3F Standard Austria Skylark 3 Skylark 4 Blanik Blanik Lo-150 Sisu HP-11 Pikl6C Vasama Breguet 901 Skylark 4 Skylark 4 Skylark 3 Eolo Skylark 3 Zefir Zefir Sky Sky Skylark 3F the Ka-6; the Edelweiss appears to be an exotic gamble which might come off, while the Finns seem to have produced in the Vasama a modern yet "sensible" design. The 1960 standard-class champion, Heinz Huth of West Germany, is defending his title by again flying a Ka-6. Both the Finns and the Austrians, incidentally, have entered three of their respective 15-metre machines in the championships—two each in the standard class, where they belong, and one each in the open class, where their performance against the long-span types will be highly instructive. The challenge of the ultimate in high performance has attracted a varied selection of aircraft in the open-class list, few of which are completely new. The exceptions include the American HP-11, which is being flown by its designer and constructor, Richard Schreder. The French entry, which was to have been a Wassmer Wa.23, was changed at the final line-up to a Breguet 901. Surprises in the open-class list include a Sky flown by Saunders of Rhodesia and another by Nietlispach of Switzerland, and the two Czechoslovak-built Blanik two-seaters entered by Chile. Most significant late development in the open class was the news that 1960 World Champion Rolf Hossinger was to fly a Polish Zefir in the championships and his fellow countryman Jose Ortner a Skylark 4. The flashing performance of the two Zefirs at Butz- weiler in 1960, coupled with Hossinger's overall lead on that occasion, clearly means that the 1960 world champion—flying over his home country—will be in an extremely strong position this year. His main challengers for the title of open-class champion would appear to be the two Polish pilots Makula and Popiel, who were placed second and third in the 1960 championships; the British pilots Goodhart and Williamson, who are flying Skylark 4s; and the designer-pilots Schreder and Johnson from the USA, respec tively flying the HP-11 and the Sisu. The prospects for the British team are better this year than in any previous championship since the 1952 contest in Spain, when Philip Wills, flying a Slingsby Sky, became the first British world champion. This year the competition is tougher than ever before—in particular, between the top pilots in the open class and between the attractive new sailplanes in the standard class. Every world championship demonstrates the fact that absolute consistency of flying throughout the contest period matters more than isolated shafts of brilliance. Each championship demonstrates also the folly of attempting to predict the winners. KENNETH OWEN STANDARD CLASS No Pilot Country Sailplane 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 H. Huth R. Kuntz R. Berretta D. G. Reid J. H. Iggulden J. Fritz H.Wodl M. Cartignv H. Stouffs G. Munch G. Pessotti C. Yeates W. J. Mix J. K. Schroder 1. Braes N. S. Sejstrup M. Ara L. V. Juez J. D. Ryan M. Witanen J. Horma J. Lacheny C. Labar A. J. Deane- Drummond D. Arber W. Vergani L. Brigliadori A. Shimamori T. Hemes T. Johannessen 1. Oda E. van Bree J. Selen J. Pieczewski E. J. Harrold E. Pearson L. Fredriksson R. Rodling R. Hachler W. Germany W. Germany Argentina Australia Australia Austria Austria Belgium Belgium Brazil Brazil Canada Canada Chile Denmark Denmark Spain Spain USA Finland Finland France France Britain Israel Italy Italy Japan Norway Norway Japan Netherlands Netherlands Poland S. Rhodesia S. Rhodesia Sweden Sweden Switzerland Ka-6 SB-7 Standard Austria Ka-6 ES-39 Arrow Standard Austria Standard Austria Foka Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Prue Super Standard Pik I6C Vasama Pik 16C Vasama C-30 Edelweiss C-30 Edelweiss Olympia 463 Ka-6 M-I00S Uribel Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Ka-6 Sagita 2 Ka-6 Foka Ka-6 Ka-6 Foka Ka-6 Ka-6
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