6/1/08

OBITUARY

Good news/Sad news from George.

This morning at Lakeville in a light westerly wind, George tested the Poncelet. It stalled slightly so he added some 1/20" under the trailing edge of the wing to reduce incidence. This turned out to be exactly the trimming change required because with 500 turns the Poncelet climbed smoothly away. After a short time it bumped up about six feet in what must have been the perfect thermal, and never looked back. It climbed ever higher and disappeared over the hills to the east heading for Sears Point, and perhaps Sonoma.

We are keeping our eyes open in case by some stroke of good fortune it should drop into our garden. It is highly unlikely that I will ask my neighbors if they have seen my friend's Poncelet, for fear of being misunderstood.

Perhaps this is the reason there are so few real Poncelets in existence today - they were just too good.

Did George fit a DT?
Well yes. But I mean, who bothers to set them for a test flight with just 500 winds?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

RIP, Poncelet! May the great god Hung have mercy on your liberated soul!

Anonymous said...

Very sorry to hear about your loss, George.
The Poncelet was rare, and so beautifully crafted.

Only another modeler can truly appreciate the time and effort
it takes to produce such an aircraft.
I feel your pain, my brother.

To look on the bright side...perhaps it will be found by
a kid somewhere out there, and he'll be inspired to build one.

In my minds eye, I can see it...still circling in bright sunlight,
riding the jetstream to some far off land.

Spencer N. said...

RIP poncelet