by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian; Pictures by Robinson
Drive down Garner Field Road near Garner Field from about 10 AM until about 12:30 PM and you’ll likely spot a line of white planes on the runway waiting in line for tow planes to give them a lift in to the wild blue yonder for this week’s for the 18 Meter Class Nationals and Super Regionals sponsored by the Soaring Society of America,
This week’s competition started Monday, August 14th and will continue through Friday, August 25th, 2023.
The Uvalde Hesperian stopped by Garner Field, Monday August 14th just past Noon at the far end of the Garner Field runway near the official tie-down area to take pictures of the gliders as they were taking off.
While there I met two men; one who traveled from Australia and the other from Finland. They were in the process of getting ready to tow a sailplane with a truck.
When asked when the gliders would be coming back for a landing, one said about 5 PM the gliders would start coming back to land at Garner Field.
This year’s competition is a prelude for the 38th 2024 FAI World Gliding Championship to be held in Uvalde in August of 2024.
The last time Uvalde hosted the World Gliding Championship was in 2012 and before that, in 1991.
Viewing Opportunities
Unlike other sports, there are limited opportunities and locations for spectators to watch the gliders as they compete. The best times to view the gliders are during take-offs and landings. After the gliders take off about mid-day, much of the action happens way up in the sky. The gliders typically start returning about 5PM and sometimes they come in low and fast dumping any water onboard to lighten their load prior to touching down as they come in on the north side of the runway.
The Uvalde Hesperian has requested more information about this week’s event.
