THE WARNER SPRINGS SKID ROW SQUADRON

By George Powell

“Gumby” over Mt. Palomar.

“Two X Four” over Warner Springs.

On Final at Warner Springs.

Jim Zapata at Torrey Pines.

Landout on Mud Lake

The Utah Mountains.

Next time you visit Sky Sailing at Warner Springs, look across the field at the tie down area and you will see a row of Schweizer 1-26s with their ski-like nose skids all lined up and ready to go. You have arrived at the home of the famous Skid Row Squadron.

The Skid Row Squadron is a loose association of fun-loving pilots and crews who get their kicks by flying low-performance Schweizer 1-26s and ‘spanking the glass’ over Mt. Palomar and Hot Springs Peak whenever the opportunity presents itself.

There are no dues and very few don’ts at Skid Row (although thermalling in the pattern is sometimes frowned upon).

During the summer soaring season, 1-26s from Warner’s Skid Row can be seen as far west as the cliffs at Torrey Pines, north to the Sierras, east across the deserts and dry lakes of Nevada, all the way to the mountains of central Utah.

During the winter months, Skid Row adventures continue at Warner Springs, where pilots hone their flying skills with spot landings, aerobatics, races, cross-country Sweepstakes and On Line Contest flights and an occasional unscheduled off-field landing.


Winch launch check-outs at the 29 Palms Soaring Club.	“Return to Kitty Hawk”. “High Gross” was the first glider to launch from Crystal Air

Greg Sperbeck made his first solo flight.	Joedy Gregory's Victory pass after flying Diamond Distance in the Owens Valley.

Mike Wills earned his Silver and Gold Badges at Goal Strike and completed his Diamond Goal flight at Parowan.	Mike Webb moved up from an ASW 19 to a 1-26.

Doug Levy placed first in the U.S.A. On Line Contest.

Annual Skid Row events include:

Torrey Pines meet at La Jolla, sponsored by the Associated Glider Club of Southern California;
“Goal Strike” meet at Jean, Nevada sponsored by the Las Vegas Valley Soaring Association;
Safaris to the Owens Valley and Parowan; and, the season closer, the
Dust Devil Dash at Tehachapi, California.

Other adventures during 2003 included:

Winch launch check-outs at the 29 Palms Soaring Club;
1-26 Championships at Caesar Creek, Ohio. The “Gray Eagle,” Del Blomquist, represented Skid Row in #144, “High Gross;” and the
“Return to Kitty Hawk” race from California to North Carolina. Del represented the 1-26 Association on the first leg of this historic contest. “High Gross” was the first glider to launch from Crystal Air.

Memorable Skid Row accomplishments and awards during 2003 included:

Greg Sperbeck made his first solo flight;
Joedy Gregory flew Diamond Distance in the Owens Valley;
Mike Wills earned his Silver and Gold Badges at Goal Strike and completed his Diamond Goal flight at Parowan;
Mike Webb moved up from an ASW 19 to a 1-26.;
Last but not least, Doug Levy placed first in the U.S.A. On Line Contest.

Warning: If you fly gliders in southern California and hear strange call signs on your radio such as: “Hangman” “Hawkeye” “High Gross” “Two By Four” “Tweetybird” “Merlybird” “Mickey” “Sparky” “Skywalker” “Wildcat” or “Braindead,” . . check your six o’clock. You might have a 1-26 on your tail.

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