Memorable………..suspenseful……….hilarious………stressful………..challenging………..playful………..mysterious…………. just a few of the words (that) you could use to describe our most recent, All-Up-Last-Down Event, held, as you all know, this past Saturday, at Cain Field.

Pilot’s Meeting at 10:30……….Group Picture at 10:45………….and launch, well……around 11:00 or so, as eight pilots signed up, posed for a group picture, lined-up according to their randomly-selected position number…….and finally………LAUNCHED, into what was a glorious, blue September sky.

The Official Air-Horn Double Blast signaled the customary ‘Launch Window’, and all
eight pilots powered-up…….and launched into that ten-second window.

Almost as soon as the sound of eight motors running together got to your ears…….the sound went down to seven, as Tim Bartlow’s “Drifter” made a somewhat powered landing, as the weight of his drive batteries wasn’t “just right” for his trim settings, and he settled in with a time of just 5 seconds. Damage wasn’t bad, with just one broken folding prop blade.

With seven airplanes now climbing for altitude, it was another “Spectacular Sight” to see……..airplanes everywhere !

Pilots settled in……found their piece of the sky……and worked what little lift they could find…….for the next 35 minutes.

Then it happened !

Dave Brodak, while only a few hundred feet from where he sat, was heard to say, ” Hey guys…..I don’t have any control of my airplane…….” !!

At around 39 minutes into the Event, something mysterious occurred, and Dave’s “Night Radian” suddenly became a Free-Flight, making beautiful, wide, left-hand circles.

Quick-thinking Dave continued to rely on his FPV set-up……as he was now able to “Sit in the Radian’s cockpit”………and watch where his sailplane was going…….until the picture disappeared, seven minutes after he reported his loss of signal,……..as well as Dave’s “Night Radian”. From what I hear as of today, the airplane is still out there……..hiding………along with the secret as to why it quit listening……..

Dave’s time was officially 46 minutes…….

Following just a few minutes later, Jim Carter found himself almost out of Watts with his “V-Bird”, and had to line up for a beautiful landing, with a time of 55 minutes, 16 seconds.

We passed the one-hour mark, and everyone seemed to breath a little easier at having made it to that “milestone”……..and then we heard Bill Jones announce his landing intentions, as he brought his “2T/Pussycat” in for a smooth landing as the clock hit 1 hour, 7 minutes and 21 seconds.

Things again got quiet, as the four remaining pilots continued looking for that proverbial “Boomer” in the sky………then……..with a note of surprise in his voice, Dave Reynolds announced his need to land his “?”.

Touching down at 1 hour, 20 minutes and 17 seconds, Dave seemed quite surprised at his apparent lack of “Capacity”……….until a closer inspection of his airplane revealed (that), during the process of stuffing in an extra battery (heck, everyone does that……..), Dave caused one of the connectors to come loose, so……..it looks like Dave carried the extra weight along……but didn’t get a chance to use those precious watts to extend his flight time………Dave was heard mumbling something like, “Just wait till next year………..”.

Dave had no sooner cleared the Landing Circle, when Brian Carlson, flying another “Night Radian”, had to begin setting up for his landing, as he could be heard uttering words of happiness at flying for as long as he did. As his ship gently touched the grass, the official clock noted a time of 1 hour, 22 minutes and 16 seconds.

Now, there were just two airplanes in the warm sky over Cain Field…….Bill Rued and Jim Troxell.

Who now, would “Out Last”, the other………..

Bill Rued then took advantage of our “Bladder Break” Provision, and received the help of Proxy Pilot Gene Boyko to assist him for a few anxious moments.

And anxious they were………as, within a few minutes of taking over Bill’s “Phoenix V2”, Gene found himself no choice but to set up Bill’s airplane for that inevitable landing…….and land it he did, as the clock registered 1 hour, 33 minutes and 46 seconds………and Bill Rued was seen running as fast as he could toward Gene……and his “Phoenix V2″…….as Bill was seen laughing and talking with Gene as they walked out to pick up Bill’s airplane after an uneventful, successful, Proxy Pilot Landing.

Now……….with only one pilot remaining……it was now apparent who would be awarded the coveted title of “The Guy Who Kept It Up The Longest”. Circling lazily over head for all to see, Jim’s “Lanzo Bomber”, built, incidentally, by our very-own “Chef Bob Heisel”, could have stayed up for…..well…….I guess we’ll never know.

With loud cheers and much applause, Jim gracefully circled the Field, made a long and graceful approach, and settled down in the grass as the stop watch recorded the official winning time of 1 hour, 36 minutes and 25 seconds.

Congratulations go out to all the guys who came out to join in the fun, and who made the Annual Event the Fun Event it has been for all these years.

Thanks also, to those who were there to help set up, provide sun shade, ice and soft drinks, as well as “Moral Support” ( well…….heckling might be a better word…….), for us all.

If ya missed it this year…….well…….ya missed another Great Time out at Cain Field.

Make plans NOW to be part of the fun next year.

The Good Lord Willin’……..hope to be able to do it again next year !

Duie
Event Director / All-Up-Last-Down Event

Pilot	Airplane	Time	Place
Jim Troxell	Lanzo Bomber	1:36:25	1st
Bill Rued	Phoenix V2	1:33:46	2nd
Brian Carlson	Night Radian	1:22:16	3rd
Dave Reynolds	?	1:20:17	4th
Bill Jones	2T/Pussycat	1:07:21	5th
Jim Carter	V-Bird	55:16	6th
Dave Brodak	Night Radian	46:00	7th
Tim Bartlow	Drifter	:05	8th