Exploring the Monster- up for grabs?

[rottydaddy]

Pete's warning was sound- I had a lot of trouble putting this book down. Any pilot, not just a glider pilot, will find it very interesting...a great "lost" aviation history story. Educational, and also just a bunch of great flying stories.

So, unless he wants it back (we'll be sure to ask him first), I'm ready to pass it on...

 

[tonycondon]

sean - maybe a short summary about the books subject for those of us who don't read every post in every thread?

 

[rottydaddy]

sean - maybe a short summary about the books subject for those of us who don't read every post in every thread?

I'm surprised you don't know about this one...

It's the story of the Sierra Wave Project, a govt-sponsored program in the early 50s to study atmospheric waves using gliders (primarily). The site selected was the Owens Valley in California, where high winds coming over the Sierras from the west produce some of the most amazing wave phenomena known.
It's fairly dry reading, but full of interesting data and, as you might imagine, adventure... these pioneering pilots were very scientific about their flights, and serious about contributing to the science of meteorology, but there were risks and serious challenges involved, and their passion for soaring kept them going despite the difficulties and very real danger of tackling such wave/rotor systems.