Overview

As Air Capital of the West, San Diego boasts a rich history in aviation that began with glider flights by John J. Montgomery in the 1880s. By the 1930s, gliding experienced a renaissance as an inexpensive means to take to the skies. Gliderports dotted the West Coast with pilots testing their designs in the prevailing sea breeze. Locations such as Torrey Pines attracted pilots from all over the nation for their idyllic conditions, where humans could soar with birds over the sea. These early pioneers helped define soaring as a sport and left an indelible mark on American aviation. Of the coastal gliderports of the 1930s, only one remains today--the Torrey Pines Gliderport--an aviation landmark that has become famous around the world with aviators who share this unique resource through multiple forms of motorless flight.

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9781467131360

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Gary B. Fogel learned to fly radio-controlled model sailplanes as a boy at Torrey Pines. He helped with the effort to list the Torrey Pines Gliderport in the National Register of Historic Places and is an award-winning author on gliding and soaring history. Gary still enjoys flying his model sailplanes with the birds and promoting the importance of silent flight.

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