[Craig Muhonen]

From: craig muhonen
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2019 7:01 PM

Subject: 1973-4

Original TAF (Telluride Air Force): members: Joe Kray, Dennis Stenslien, Gary Gross, Clint Wolf, Robert St.Once, Greg Henzie, Don Dusatko, Jim Lincoln, Jim Guest, Jeff Campbell, Mitchell Stanfield, David Stanfield. TAF Administrator/Secretary - Christine Stanfield/Dusatko.

VIP Visiting Pilots: Bob Keeler, Rob Kells, Jack Schroeder, John Heiney, Dave Cronk, Dave Beardslee, Dan Racinelli, Steve Moyes.

VIP Guest: Col. Chuck Yeager

Special Guest : Apprentice Plumber, sometimes driver, carrier, and shot buyer at the bar.... ha....
Craig (munch) Muhonen

Munch Maintenance.jpeg (62.64 KiB) Viewed 2386 times

Wasn't sure where to post this.

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The Early DAZE

first flight 3 1.jpeg (127.97 KiB) Viewed 2386 times

Telluride Hang Gliding (2).jpg (700.12 KiB) Viewed 2386 times

First Flights 4.jpeg (406.28 KiB) Viewed 2386 times

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When Don Dusatco, Mitch & Dave Stanfield, came to town in 1970, I think, and started "AERO Plumbing", in the old train station the stage was set, for not only the "re-plumbing" and fixing, but for future Hang Gliding in The San Juans. Don then moved his plumbing shop into an old building off of main street and his Hang Glider was on the pipe rack, Then Jeff's Hang Glider came to town, then Clint Wolf opened a lumber yard on main street, so, there were more Hang Glider 'parking racks', and in fact, a few pilots have landed on main street in front of Winterwolf, and parked their gliders. Plus the drivers and the trucks, which were as important as the flying. (along with Lloyds of London who made it all possible for TAF)
I was lucky enough to have hired on as an apprentice plumber, in the early days, and gained a "crawlspace perspective" of these guys who were The Telluride Airforce.
What a place we had with the miners, who had their own rope tows, to become masters of our, 'building' , and "fix it", trades, with a side of Skiing and Hang Gliding.

can any body tell me what kind of glider type is in the picture, taken in 1980.

[Bob Kuczewski]

I just took a screenshot of the U.S. Hawks "Hot Topics" (also known as "Active Topics") page. Here it is:

That image shows 19 active topics and posts by 8 different pilots. Thanks to everyone who continues to support the U.S. Hawks!   

[Bob Kuczewski]

While I was browsing this forum, I found this post from Joe Faust on page 3 regarding the increase in U.S. Hawks visitors:

I suggest that my posting in OzR and hanggliding.org and AirborneWindEnergy a mixing set of links that had USHawks.org in the circuit regarding the novel means to launch hang gliders may have support the blip in visits as views grew. Hundreds of views in Jack's space and Davis space ... with no comments as yet. Only at USHawks has there been replies on topic, so far.
OzR: http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47745
May 10: HangGliding.org http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34362
AirborneWindEnergy: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/AirborneWindEnergy/conversations/messages/20079
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I was curious about Joe's link to his own post on hanggliding.org, so I went to that topic at:

       http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34362

But there is no post by Joe Faust on that page!! There is, however, very clear evidence that Joe had indeed posted there. Here's what you currently find on that page:

Novel_HG_Launch_Method.png (40.05 KiB) Viewed 1989 times

In other words, Steve was clearly replying to Joe's post, and yet ... Joe's post is now gone!!   

Has Jack Axaopoulos completely erased all of Joe Faust's years and years of posts on hanggliding.org?       

[Bob Kuczewski]

What can the US Hawks be?

The US Hawks will become the new USHGA when enough hang glider pilots realize they have no voice.
Until then, we're a pretty good place to talk about it.

That post by Rick Masters was made on May 13, 2016. Ironically, that was about 2 weeks before the reference to Joe Faust's post by "dayhead" (above) on hanggliding.org on May 31, 2016. It now appears that all of Joe Faust's posts have been deleted from hanggliding.org.

What makes it most ironic is that Rick was commenting that hang glider pilots have no voice. That became most apparent when Joe was banned from hanggliding.org in the fall of 2018 (no voice for Joe) and all of Joe's posts were susequently removed (no history of his voice for Joe).

Having a voice is important. That's why it was added as the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Whether at HangGliding.org or OzReport.com or at USHPA or in our workplaces or before the San Diego City Council, we are losing our voice nearly everywhere.

We're losing it nearly everywhere ... except at the U.S. Hawks.     

[Bob Kuczewski]

What can the U.S. Hawks be?
Maybe the most active remaining Hang Gliding forum?

Check the dates on the active posts pages of these national forums.

HangGliding.org forum:

20241211_HangGliding_org.png (83.58 KiB) Viewed 324 times

OzReport.com forum:

20241211_OZReport_com.png (93.52 KiB) Viewed 324 times

KiteStrings.org forum:

20241211_KiteStrings_org.png (89.19 KiB) Viewed 324 times

USHawks.org forum:

20241211_USHawks_org.png (154.18 KiB) Viewed 324 times

U.S. Hawks is the most active by far. Thanks to all of our members!

[Chris McKeon]

Organizations, Organizations who exude control over People who choose to exercise the Freedom that Weall do, or want to Do, that is to Fly! it is called "FREE FLIGHT" for a reason. For when We are Flying our Wings, we are Free. Yes: Give Me Freedom or give Me Death. Well, I am not Dead Yet. So, I will take all the "FREEDOM" I can get. I, Myself spell Freedom like this: {FREDATOR}