[Bob Kuczewski]

Hello Fellow US Hawks!!

It gives me great pleasure to announce a special treat for this year's Otto Lilienthal Birthday Celebration / Reunion.

This year's event will be held at Dockweiler Beach where we can not only reminisce about flying ... but actually fly!!

The US Hawks has made arrangements with Windsports for our use of the site for the whole day. Windsports will provide us with our own dedicated instructor, one or more gliders, and all the harnesses and helmets we need. This is both a celebration for pilots who have been in the sport as well as an opportunity to introduce new people to the joy of flight - for free!!

The date is currently scheduled for May 23rd, 2015 (the 44th anniversary of the 1st "Otto Meet" back in 1971), and I'll update this first post with site rules and other details as they are finalized.

Here are a few links to US Hawks topics featuring Dockweiler photos:

    http://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=911
    http://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1219
    http://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1730

And here's a link to Windsports' web site:

    http://windsports.com/

I hope you'll consider joining us for this day of fun and celebration.



Update as of April 5th, 2015:

We've just created a web "site" for this year's celebration at:   http://ushawks.org/otto44 .    You'll find graphics there that you can print or include in your newsletters or post to other web sites to help spread the word.

Update as of May 22nd 2015:

FOLLOW PARKING RULES OR YOU MIGHT GET A TICKET!!!

Update as of May 26th 2015:

This is the currently compiled list of attendees (I'll continue updating this as we gather information):

From Neil:

• George Uveges, 92, HG piloted in 1966.
• Bob E. Chase, 90, flew in HG at party
• Frank Colver, 80, flew in HG at party
• Joe Faust, 73, flew in HG at party
• Mike Koman
• Taras Kiceniuk, Jr.
• Taras Kiceniuk, Sr.
• Vickie (Talbot-Jones) McBride
• Trip Mellinger
• Brian Porter
• Burke Ewing
• Pete Brock

From Joe Faust extending Neil's list:

• Angela Boras (thrice a Condor pilot)
• Duke
• Floyd Fronius
• Suzy Ewing (spell?)
• Phil Sergent
• Brian Bokken (spell?)
• Russell L. Velderrain "Russ"
• Brian Farber (spell?) and son
• Scott Wise
• Steve Corbin
• Sam Kellner
• John H. Anderson
• Daniel Fitzgerald
• Chris Bolfing
• Michael Grisham
• John Halcrow
• John Rittenhouse
• Dale Lofton
• Martin Lofton
• Greg DeWolf
• Kris Greblo
• Joe Greblo
• Austin Kellner
• Mary Ward
• Tim Ward
• Janica Lee
• John Heiney
• Bob Kuczewski

From Frank and others extending Joe's list:

• Ernest Feher
• Craig Uyeda
• RC Dave Freund

Update as of May 27th, 2015:

The pictures/reports from this event start on page 9 with a post from DukeB titled "OTTO ROCKS!".

[BigBird]

Hey Bob,

I wanted to let you know the plan for my wife and me is to get to the RV park near Dockweiler Beach a couple of days before the big event in May. I’ll be available and happy to help with whatever preparations might be needed.

Also, I was thinking about entertainment for the experienced pilots that show up . It would be cool if Wills Wing would show up with a couple of demo gliders. I’d be willing to call Linda at Wills Wing and see what she thinks. I’d just need to get a good guesstimate about how many pilots might be attending.

I’m really looking forward to this get-together.


Phil

[Bob Kuczewski]

I wanted to let you know the plan for my wife and me is to get to the RV park near Dockweiler Beach a couple of days before the big event in May. I’ll be available and happy to help with whatever preparations might be needed.

That sounds SUPER Phil!!!!   

Also, I was thinking about entertainment for the experienced pilots that show up . It would be cool if Wills Wing would show up with a couple of demo gliders. I’d be willing to call Linda at Wills Wing and see what she thinks. I’d just need to get a good guesstimate about how many pilots might be attending.

Good idea.      Many of the Wills Wing folks (and other HG manufacturers) are Torrey Hawks members, and I'll send out an announcement to our local club. I hope other local clubs will do that as well. Please feel free to call Linda as well!!

I’m really looking forward to this get-together.

Ditto!!!

P.S. I want to give special thanks to Phil (BigBird) for helping to come up with this idea. In a recent phone call, he suggested that it would be fun to have a gathering at Dockweiler, and I remembered Otto's upcoming birthday. The dates fit with his travel plans and the rest is ... history!! Thanks Phil!!!

[JoeF]

Super. Looking forward to the Otto spirits on his birthday
Here is a pledge: Each person (up to 200) that comes up to me or I to them on May 23, 2015, at the Party
will be given then and there a brand new book written mostly by Otto Lilienthal and his brother.
You may keep the book, sell it, give it to someone else in time. Compliments of ISSA (International Self-Soar Association)
in support of the US Hawks and Windsports. Retail value of the book runs from $9 to $19 depending on where one looks.
Here is an image of the cover of the book. One per person. Classic writings; strong foundations of aviation; Otto Lilienthal: skilled father of modern hang gliding beyond the tower leapers of old.

Invited to the coming party is Eddie Paul as well as one of his crafts, but I am not sure if craft still exists: Eddie Paul of EP Industries built replica for movie set.

[BigBird]

Wow Joe, what a generous offer. I'll look for the guy carrying a bunch of Lilienthal books I sure hope the Lilienthal glider replica is available - what a treat.

[JoeF]

Just got word that "glider is gone" ... so that replica won't show.
Maybe other vintage hang gliders will appear.

Eddie Paul will show, if he is in town. He works on special projects around the world.
But his shop is just blocks away from Dockweiler.
=================================================

Otto spirit supported strongly by this page:
http://www.carnetdevol.org/Otto/museum_Anklam.html

===========================================
Party site:

[BigBird]

Like!

[SamKellner]

So, May 23, is a solid date for the Otto Birthday party fly-in?

[Bob Kuczewski]

So, May 23, is a solid date for the Otto Birthday party fly-in?

Yes. It's pretty solid if we want to honor the original date. I've also arranged that date with Joe Greblo so we can have full use of the facility.

Of course, we never know what the weather will do ...

[BigBird]

bump...