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From: Eric Friend
Remote Name: 194.117.133.4
Chris, I've still got a Force Four which I believe was Chris's first published slope soarer (still have the magazine with a photo of a very young Chris) - I learnt to fly with that. Also a Phase 2 which is nearly 30 years old, a Mini-Phase same age, a Hi-Phase, a Middle Phase, Multi-Phase and three Phase 6s.
I have taken the Mini-Phase on holiday with me to various parts of Europe and go slope soaring off nearby cliffs when on beach holidays - I can't stand lying on the beach - I get some rather strange looks putting the solid wings through the airport secrity machines. They kept picking up the brass tubes in the wings. The fuselage goes in the suitcase with the fin removed. The stewardesses keep wanting to put the wings in the overhead lockers but I like to slot them down the side of the window seat against the outer aircraft skin.
My favourite is the Middle Phase - very light and will turn on a sixpence without stalling. Really excellent for standing on a beach facing the North Sea and just lauching it towards the sea -goes up every time - great fun dicing with the seagulls 20 feet above the waves. You don't have many of those in Saskatchewan do you. Many more slope soaring tales I could tell but don't want bore you any more. Yes I will one last one - I think that I am one of the few, maybe only, people who have slope soared either side of the Straits of Dover over the sea on consecutive days in England and France. If you want to know more let me know. Regards - Eric eric.friend@btinternet.com