Please Welcome Seth Dunham

My name is Seth Dunham. I am a Generation Tech at a Modesto power plant. My aviation background is 5 years of hang gliding, and 30 years of having a father who is a pilot.

This year I began flying cross country in my hang glider by going to the Owens Valley and flying from Walt's Point south of Mt. Whitney where I climbed to 13,200 ft. and then headed north along the eastern Sierra slopes with a nice 20 mph SSE tailwind. Landed 30.5 miles from launch. This experience got me thinking about sailplanes and their cross country potential. So I joined NCSA.

I look forward to flying with and contributing to NCSA. I also look forward to going cross country in both types of gliders.

Happy Landouts;)

--Seth Dunham

Please Welcome Paul McDonald

I am a new member of NCSA, having joined on February 10, 2007. I'll attach two images that may explain my interest in soaring.



In the first, taken on February 23, 1980, a thrilled fourteen-year-old is at the controls of a Schweizer 2-33. I experienced my first and only glider lesson that day, in N2476W out of Sky Sailing in Fremont.



The second image shows me, older and grayer, more recently. I have been fortunate to fly a wide variety of aircraft in that twenty-seven year span, but never did fulfill the early dream of flying gliders. At the time, I could not understand why my father would not let me ride my Schwinn Stingray along the Nimitz Freeway from Alameda to Fremont. I would have done it!

I am excited to finally be able to pursue the training, and I look forward to learning as much as possible about soaring from the staff and membership of NCSA.

My non-aviation interests include guitar and SCUBA diving. I live in Pleasanton with my wife Charissa, and our two boys, Ryan (11) and Michael (8). They all enjoy the rural nature of C83, and I hope that they will accompany me out to the gliderport occasionally.

Please Welcome Tony Derrer

I joined the NCSA on 1/25/07.

My work background has
been in Aviation Maintenance for the past 22 years. I've enjoyed many
aspects of the job from working on Ag Helicopters to restoring P-51
Mustang wings that went on to race around the pylons of Reno. This
month marks my 18th year at United Airlines, helping maintain their fleet of passenger aircraft.

Finishing
up my power rating in '87 I'd always felt that there was something
missing in my flying. Pulling the rope release on that ASK-21 in '94, I
had no idea I'd just changed my life forever. The freedom of soaring
captured my heart and soul, filling the void that was missing in my
power flying. Receiving my commercial glider rating allowed me to share
the sport of soaring with a variety of interesting people over the past
decade.

I look forward to flying my own ship and working with the members here at the NCSA.

--Tony Derrer

Please Welcome Bill Gage

Bill Gage - joined on Feb 11. Have been contemplating learning soaring for some time. First logged flight was 25 years ago. Next flight was 4 years ago. Now I have had 3 more. Progress!

I am a power pilot. Learned in college through ROTC, then went on to fly helicopters in the Army. Have also done a fair amount of fixed wing flying. Had half a Citabria for a few years. More recently was in a flying club, where we had a C-172, C-182, a Bonanza and a Citabria. (Loved the Bonanza) But the club imploded after an accident. I am excited to be flying again and developing a new skill.

I am married to Jackie - we live in Point Richmond. We are pretty active in sailing; we have a boat and I have been quite active in running sailboat races on the Bay. I am now the regional race officer for US Sailing, the national organization.

We have two kids. Colin recently graduated as an electrical engineer from UC San Diego. Michele is a junior at Columbia in New York, where she is also on the basketball team.

--Bill Gage