NSM Showcases Two New Soaring Books

Soaring Through the 20th Century

In Paul A. Schweizer's final book, readers are treated to a personal and insightful memoir, not only about gliders and sailplanes, but about family and the people Paul met during his more than 70 years as a sailplane visionary. The book also documents soaring history throughout the last century, and also the creation and growth of the Soaring Society of America and National Soaring Museum. Paul's experiences as pilot, competitor, and manufacturer present a first-hand account of a life intimately entwined with the sport of soaring. This book is now available. To order, please visit our online gift shop, call (607) 734-3128 or e-mail us.

Price: $27.50

See ya' at the Airport!

Following his many years as a gate keeper and contest director, NSM Member Charlie Spratt has written a book - the first to be published by the National Soaring Museum.

Charlie's stories contain a wealth of detail about soaring contests, people and sites, some still active and others no longer around. His writing style is straightforward and colorful. He has the ability to make us sit back and look at the soaring scene through his eyes. He gives us his insight and makes us laugh because we recognize it so well.

From his vantage point, Charlie is able to observe developments in U.S. soaring that are well worth documenting. His stories and anecdotes can truly be considered a chronology of recent U.S. contest soaring history and the NSM is proud to work with him. We hope this will mark the first in a series of successful soaring history publications.

The book is now available for purchase and can be ordered via our online gift shop, by phone (607) 734-3128, or via e-mail.

Price: $15.95
160 pages plus photographs.

Accolades for See ya' at the Airport!:

Charlie Spratt is the best CD I have ever flown under and that includes contest in many countries as well as five World Championships. Fortunately he writes with the same understanding and decisiveness he brings to contest directing. Soaring would be very much the less without his inputs, his experience, and his totally distinctive language. It's all here, told with his inimitable sense of humor. Enjoy!

George Moffat

The National Soaring Museum exists to record and relate the story of soaring in America. How better to do that than to publish a book by Charlie Spratt? Inspired by soaring and an inspirer of those who soar, Charlie is one of our sport's master story tellers. With this first NSM-published book, he has set the bar high. Good start, Charlie!

Peter W. Smith, Director National Soaring Museum

"The Gate" has left his signature on many facets of US soaring competition, not the least of which has been his unmatched interactions with all the people who participated in some way. There will never be another Charlie and having this record of his involvement with the sport is another of his gifts to us all.

Karl Striedieck