After attending the 2025 1-26 Championships at the Merlin Airport, I knew the 1-26 was for me. So, I started my quest to find one upon my return home to Tennessee. I figured a D or E model would be my only real choice as I’m on the heavier side and felt these would have the best useful load. I didn’t think it would take very long to find one, so I started dieting shortly after returning home.

About a month after getting home, I was contacted by an owner that had one for sale within about 6 hours of home. He had some FAA paperwork to get in order before he could sell it. As with most government things, that turned out to take more time than one would desire, but it was finally ready by September.

My wife and I drove over to see it. The owner was very gracious and forthright about everything. We had a nice conversation over the course of a Saturday in less than stellar weather conditions. I really hoped to be able to see it fly before I made a decision. Since I don’t have my glider rating add-on yet, he would have to fly it. Low and behold, the weather broke enough late Saturday morning and he took a short flight to prove it could indeed fly. And fly it did! That said, there were a few minor cosmetic issues and we decided it wasn’t for me. Dejected, we drove home Sunday trailerless and planeless.

Fast forward to October. My wife and I spent a couple days at the Octoberfest festivities at Chilhowee (our home gliderport). Jason and Sarah have been teaching me to fly gliders and I’m taking my check ride this weekend (Nov. 1st, 2025). While we were sitting around in the fabulous weather and watching people soar, Jason stole my wife and told her he had something to show her and couldn’t tell anyone but me. When my wife found me later, she took me to show me what Jason had up his sleeve. He told her a guy was selling his 1-26! It was in the hangar and based right at my home field! The only negative issue is there is no trailer, but that’s OK as it’s in the hangar at Chilhowee and will be staying there. I am actively looking for a trailer.

I looked it over and went through the logbooks (all logs since it’s maiden flight, 5 in total!). Like all planes, there was some stuff that shows it was a flyer, not a hangar queen, but it looked damn nice for a 60 year old airplane. Way better than I looked at 60. Anyway, Sarah called the owner to warn him I would be calling. We talked on the phone for about 30 minutes and came to a deal. He said Sarah vouched for me and offered to let me send a personal check and an FAA Form 8050-2 Bill of Sale I’d filled out, so all he had to do was fill in his information and mail it back to me.

The diet is working…I’ve lost about 14 pounds so far with very casual dieting. That puts me at 206. My glider is a 1-26B with a max pilot weight of 214. Close, but I’m under! I will be continuing to diet and hope to get down to 180-185 by the summer flying season. If I can find a trailer, I’d love to bring it to the Championships up by Chicago in 2026.

Interesting note…it is serial number 299, just one before Curt Lewis’ Neil Armstrong ship! If only Neil would have been at the factory a day earlier!

Scott
“Chilhowee”