Brokenstraw Soaring Club
Youngsville, PA
Come join us anytime!
Click on text for more details
 

Our current club gliders include a leased two place L-23 Super Blanik

and a single place Schleicher ASW-15B

For a schedule of current rates, please click here

2011 season is up and running!
April 30th 2011 was our first flying (Soaring Day) and though the runways were wet and soggy still 3 of us managed to fly. It was a late start for the day since there were still glider projects to be completed before flying. Flights were up to about 2 hours but lift was still good when we landed in time to get the planes put away
In the early Spring Sue Wonderling became the new owner of an Open Cirrus
the glider is in quite good shape but still took several hundred hours to be made "Brokenstraw  worthy"....but test flown on 4-30-11 by Tim Mara and given the OK to fly and  ready for the 2011 season

On Friday September 17th 2010 Brokenstraw Soaring Club took delivery of it's new (to us) L-13 Blanik from the Czech Republic. This glider has just completed a factory overhaul at the LET factory so even though born in 1966 it is close to a new glider. With the overhaul and extended life limits this glider should serve BSC for years to come. There is a pending AD on L-13's in the USA but with the factory overhaul and inspections just completed this L-13 should be cleared for operation as soon as the US C of A is completed which is planned as one of our many winter projects.

Here shown being off loaded from the shipping container with the help of members, Bill, Sue, Pete, Al, Warren, Tim and helping hands Eric and Jim.

Having Pete provide a flatbed truck from Kahles's Kitchens (I hope they didn't miss it! :o)
on hand make the job possible

Tim's new 304S ad Cobra trailer was shipped in the same container

Once slid out of the container and part way onto the flatbed the axel was bolted back in place

and eventually off loaded

and inspected by everyone!


Magnificent Ship!
Thanks to everyone who came to help!....

New Pilots

On August 21st  2010 new BSC member Nick Aiello had his first (and a few more!)
Solo flights in the L-23 Blanik at BSC.
Congratulations Nick!
Nick is also a Private pilot in SEL aircraft.

New pilot certificates for BSC members

it's freezing cold at Brokenstraw in December but sunny and warm in Florida!
All's well that ends well at Seminole Lake Gliderport for Sue & Bill - we all ended up smiling -  - FINALLY!     Pictured from left to right:  Jim Gager (Sue's Instructor), Wiley (Tow Pilot), Knut (Examiner), Sue (Private Student), Bill (Commercial Student), Jan (Bill's Instructor).
Pawnee engine overhaul

Over the winter the Pawnee tow plane engine went through a major overhaul
and was modified to 250 HP!

 Club & Members Sailplanes
Brokenstraw gliders
NEW HpH 304S

Jochen Ewald photo
 HpH 304S 18 meter sailplane now based at Brokenstraw Soaring Club. The 304S was featured Cover photo and centerfold picture for the first issue of Soaring magazine for 2010 and also the main article for the same magazine was the extensive and impressive HpH 304S Sailplane flight test.
Come see it, prospective buyers are welcome to come see and if qualified take a test flight!

Swiss Elfe S3
Over the winter months the Swiss Elfe S3 was purchased by Sue Wonderling as her "1st" glider. Though the Elfe was in great mechanical shape a few things needed repair and updating so this became one of the "projects"...a completely new panel was fabricated, newer instruments and radio installed, cockpit renovations, landing gear service and new tires, brakes ect installed, the tail drouge chute was made once again operable among the many other "repairs and updates"

Snug!......1st flights at BSC

The Elfe is really an elegant sailplane, beautiful to look at and with construction of wood, metal, fiberglass combined (more details on http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?PlaneID=97) but very much designed for "Swiss" pilots with a rather un-American cockpit...(NARROW) but in May 2010 it was test flown by Tim and has had several "Sue" flights during the course of the 2010 season.....and it fly's GREAT!.

L-23 Super Blanik
September 2009 Tim Mara and Bill Holder partnered to buy an L23 Super Blanik that is currently on lease to BSC until the newly purchased L-13 arrives fro the Czech republic that will become the clubs own twin seater and trainer as well.
 
Currently owned by Bill Holder and Tim Mara and on lease to BSC
Technical Data / Performance
Wing span 53.1 ft.
Length 27.9 ft
Height 6.2 ft
Wing area 206.1 sft
Empty weight 683.5 lbs
Max. weight 1168 lbs
Never exceed speed 124 kts
Rough air speed 81 kts
Aero tow speed max. 81 kts
Winch speed max. 65 kts
Stall speed at max. weight 32 kts
G-limits with 2 pilots +5.3/-2.65
G-limits with 1 pilot +6.0/-3.0
Max. glide ratio 2 pilots 28:1 at 49 kts, 1 pilot 28:1 at 43 kts
Min. rate of sink 160 fpm at 37 kts

 Glasflugel Hornet "C"

co-owned by Bill Holder and Tim Mara
The Hornet C will start it's new life at Brokenstraw in 2010 Tim and Bills 304CZ was sold and this (one of 2 in the USA) Carbon Hornet was taken on trade.

ASW15B
Was purchased for BSC May 2010
Flying now but will undergo a refinish over the next winter, already the glader has had significant work done including new wheel, tires. radio installation and completely new instrument panel among other improvements

Club Libelle
co-owned by Cori Capik, JJ Kush, Bill Holder and Sue Wonderling

Dan's LS3 (typical location)

John Reynolds Grob Astir CS

Rick Hernan's Grob Astir CS


Grob Astir CS

Co-owned by Tom Richter and Dave Davilla

DG300
Picture coming
was purchased by Pete Hall for himself and grandson Matt Williams

Elfe S-3

The Elfe was sold to fellow club member Kevin Christner in the spring of 2011 and remains in BSC.

Coming soon!

?
H-301 Libelle
Not Pictured (yet)
In December 2011 a 301 was purchase by Dan Olsen and Kevin Christner

Slinsby Dart 17R

In 2011 a partnership was formed around (2) Dart 17's
Extensive work has been completed to one that should be flying at the beginning of 2012 season
the second remains a "project" at least for the time being

Open Cirrus

Sue Wonderlings 17M Cirrus

Grob G103 Twin II
Bill Holders Grob Twin was sold in 2010

Matt's Libelle
Matt Williams 201 Libelle was sold in 2010

Schweizer 1-34
Co-owned by Bill Holder, Tim Mara and Pete Hall
this glider was sold in 2010

Al Gustafson's beautiful L-Spatz-55 was sold March 2010

Brokenstraw Soaring Clubs Ka6CR
This excellent K6 was sold February 2010
\
Brokenstraw Soaring Clubs Schleicher K8
this glider was sold in 2010

2009-2010 CLUB WINTER PROJECTS
November 14th 2009 the L-23 was disassembled and taken to the maintenance hangar to begin it's transformation. Buffed, polished and waxed along with instrument renovations and trailer fitting to make it ready for the 2010 season.

Here Pete Hall, Sue Wonderling and Tim Mara along with (not in the picture) JJ, AL Dave and Bill share in the polishing chores.


November 28th 2009
BSC Members including Bill, Sue JJ, Al, Tim and John the final polishing and coats of Wx/Seal and Wx/Block were applied to transform the dull weathered finish into a gleaming "as-new" Super Blanik. The work to fit the L-23 to the old K7 trailer was started with Pete Hall fabricating anchor pins and hardware, Bill fabricating and installing a center channel and everyone doing the heavy lifting and giving advice :o). Another week of fabrication is needed to finish the trailer project before sending it out for sanding and painting then this too will be another finished  project ready for the 2010 season.

some of the work crew that helped transform the old K7(?) Trailer to fit the L23
...L-R, Tim, Al, Bill (hiding behind wing), Rick and Sue others who helped not pictured here
Dave, JJ, Pete, John and Austin

Left to right: #1 and #2 Wing Spar towers by Bill Holder. Custom machined trailer wing spar pins and sleeves by Pete
#3 Having a winch or lift to hold things in place makes work easier
Tim designing and forming tail holders with legal advise from Rick
#4 Tail holder in place and wing tip cradles
#5 Tail fixture in place
#6 - #7 It's nice when it all comes together and still fits!


2009 Season
The 2009 soaring season has come to an end at Brokenstraw with the first snowfall on October 15th. 2009 will be remembered for many great flights, several cross country starts for the more novice flyers and Dan Olson has regained the Boomerang trophy from Dansville. We've added new members, we now have a K6 added to the club fleet and a Glasflugel Hornet C is a new partner owned glider on the field. The K7 that started BSC has been sold as was the Grob Twin along with the 304CZ so these gliders have moved on to new owners and locations
Come join us!
BROKENSTRAW AIRPORT
2009 LABOR DAY WEEKEND
 39th Annual  Fly-In / Drive-In Picnic

Another "near perfect" Labor day weekend event as visitors started to arrive
Excellent soaring, excellent food, excellent friends and visitors.




September 6th Flight
It appeared Sunday  was going to be an "iffy" day of soaring. The day started off with high cirrus cloud cover, cooler temperatures and light east winds. The first gliders launched but stayed close to the field hanging on to whatever lift they found and generally not climbing much above 3000 feet  but as the day progressed every glider that launched stayed aloft and eventually made climbs to 6,000' and some nearly 7,000' MSL. The day continued to improved and only fatigue called the pilots home. Below is a flight trace from 304CZ "HM", Tim Mara  who joined by LS3 "DD", Dan Olson and Libelle "MW" Matt Williams made the flight together.

"click on imaged for flight traces and statistics

First new glider pilot solo for 2009

OK, it wasn't ovenight...but on June 6th
Sue Wonderling made her first "Glider" solo in the Grob Twin
Sue is also an accomplished Power pilot.. but the glider "thing" took some "gettin used to".
but now she's hooked! (if not a bit wet)

Season begins
April 18th was officially the first flying day for BSC. Cool and windy with high cirrus clouds did no not deny those who made these first 2009 flights.
Dan (LS3) Rick (Astir CS) and Tim (SGS-134) all made climbs to or near 7500', Dan and Tim made the short run to Fairbank Farms, Warren and back before calling it day 1.
The final assembly of the "fleet" was completed on April 26th and the hangar filled to the brim ready for the season.

In 2008 we added 3 new club members and 2 partnership  gliders were brought to the field. We also have two new private glider pilots with Matt Williams and Austin Zeyfang both passing their practical and flight test among the many accomplishments at BSC.

On October 6th 2007 Matt Williams got an early Christmas surprise when his grandfather
showed up unannounced with a Glasflugel Libelle.

Starting to sink in.....this really is "MY GLIDER"!

Shown here Matt in the cockpit, his grandfather Pete Hall, "the gift giver" on the left and the instigator,Tim Mara pointing out the finer features of the Libelle on the right.

BROKENSTRAW AIRPORT LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2007
 "SOARFEST"
37th Annual Fly-In / Drive-In Picnic
Saturday September 1, 2007—Noon until Sunset
Another GREAT Labor Day event is in the bag...
Once again we had a great turn-out with visitors from Aero Soaring, Cleveland
and the locals all filling the sky with excellent soaring enjoyed by all...
Thermal conditions were excellent on Saturday, good one Sunday and still soarable on Monday but then we were finally shut out late in the day as high cirrus clouds came to tell us it was time to go home.
Everyone there remarked at want an excellent site Brokenstraw is for sailplanes...fly as long as you like, enjoy the company and facilities and just relax with friends...just as it should be
Hope you too will join in next year!

getting assembled and ready

Pig Roast....no one wanders far away when this is almost ready!

SOARING!

DD (LS3) from the cockpit of HN (Pegasus) north of Brokenstraw near Chautauqua Lake

Warren Whitford (his first XC flight, about 1 mile short of silver distance)in the Aero Soaring Club's K8 at cloud base (6500')  flying from Aero Soaring Club to Braokenstraw, photo shot was from Tim in HN after meeting Warren half way

Brokenstaw Soaring clubs K7 coming in to land after  a near perfect Labor day soaring adventure

2007

In 2007 Matt Williams and Austin Zeyfang both got to solo in the BSC K8 !


Austin Zeyfang joined BSC in 2007 and has since soloed with the CAP 233's, L23's and more recently soloed the K7 at Brokenstraw. Since the CAP doesn't encourage "soaring" as a sport Austin's logbook had only two out of nearly 60 flights with altitudes above release with the CAP he had in his dual first K7 flight at BSC an altitude gain of nearly 5000 feet! Since then he has completed his SSA "A, "B",  and on only his 3rd solo completed the "C" Badge requirements.


#2 on the ground crew and #1 cookie baker is Jennifer Williams

Pete Hall joined the club in 2007, Pete is tow pilot, Terri Williams father, Jenny and Matt's grandfather and financier for Matt's soaring. Pete also got his glider rating 20? years ago in 2-33's but never had a soaring flight until this one ended after 2+ hours a short X-C and 5000'+ altitude gains at BSC with Tim.... chances are, Pete will do more soaring now :o)

2006 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Brokenstraw Soaring's newest solo pilot
Matt Williams

Congratulated by CFI-G Rick Hernan and is given his proper soaking by Club President Bill Holder.
Matt soloed on his 14th birthday,  November 10th, 2006.
Matt's Grandfather, Pete Hall, was the tow pilot through Matt's training, and did the honors for the solo flights.
Congratulations Matt!

NEWEST "PRIVATE GLIDER PILOT" AT BSC
Congratulations Cori!.......It's Official!
Cori Capik accepting her  Private Pilot certificate from FAA Pilot Examiner Bob Bianco from the Rochester FSDO on August 10th, 2006 having successfully completed her FAA Private Pilot practical examination and flight test.
And with her FIRST PASSENGER as an FAA Certificated "PRIVATE PILOT"
Here Cori straps her Mom, Cherry in for a ride in the BSC K7

Cherry also is a "Private Pilot Airplane" having just recently also passed her FAA check ride
and wishing them many more....

Sunday July 30th 2006

It's getting pretty hard not to make Cori the main attraction,
(seriously folks there are other things going on at BSC!) But again on Sunday July 30th., Cori made another milestone with her first flight in a modern fiberglass sailplane, the Club Libelle.
(Cori is one of 4 partners in this glider)

Getting serious: July 9th 2006 Cori made her first flight of a single-seater in the Brokenstraw Soaring Club's K8

BOOMERANG
Changing hands twice in 2006
Boomerang Trophy - The Region 3 Boomerang Trophy is a "capture-the-flag" style of trophy. Starting at their home field, any soaring enthusiast who is a member of Soaring Region 3 can land at the gliderport of another club then in possession of the Boomerang, and that club must turn over the wooden trophy and its log book. In the logbook are the comments, notes and reminiscences of previous pilots' Boomerang exploits. The pilot now taking possession gains the right to place his Boomerang Trophy Story in the log book, and to hold onto the Trophy until another competitor comes to snatch it. The Trophy fosters cross-country soaring and friendly competition among clubs.
In 2006 one of our members, Rick Hernan made the flight to Dansville to re-claim the Boomerang
The Trophy stayed secure at Brokenstraw until August 13th when it was claimed by Niklay Silipov from Harris Hill Soaring Club.

Image above of Riz after returning home to Dansville (Finger Lakes Soaring) with the Boomerang trophy
The Region 3 Boomerang trophy has resided at Brokenstraw Soaring club for the last 2 years only making a short vacation at Mayville NY (Aero Soaring Club) for a few days before members from BSC once again flew in to claim it. Finally on July 23rd 2005 Jim Rizzo from Finger Lakes Soaring Club made the flight into Brokenstraw to claim the trophy....
Congratulations to RIZ! .... We'll be back for this very very soon!

2005 a year in review
PARTNERS!
A Club Libelle partnership was formed in August 2005 at Brokenstraw Soaring Club
 
The first partner to take flight was JJ Kush on August 28th.

and Previous:
First flights take place at Brokenstraw Soaring Club

Pawnee 235
Club founding members gather with the first Club Ship....
Schleicher K7
The Airport

The local area

Chautauqua Lake (NY) to the north taken from the Libelle

Allegheny River and Warren Pa to the east

Information on:
Brokenstraw Soaring Club, Rates and membership
HOW TO FIND US.......
http://www.airnav.com/airport/P15
FAA Identifier: P15, 1 mile E of PITTSFIELD, PA
Lat/Long: 
41-49-57.3690N / 079-21-41.5940W
41-49.956150N / 079-21.693233W
41.8326025 / -79.3615539
(estimated)
Elevation: 1230 ft. / 375 m (estimated)

Printable Local Driving map to the airport on this link


Official site of Brokenstraw Airport
 www.flybrokenstraw.com
 Brokenstraw Airport - Pittsfield, PA - (P15)

Current Brokenstraw weather available on:
http://www.wunderground.com/swf/Rapid_Fire.swf?units=both&station=KPAPITTS30