Two Arcus gliders participate in hydrogen fuel testing on Nov. 2, 2024 over Carson Valley. The lead Arcus is piloted by Tim Gardner, the second Arcus is piloted by Gordon Boettger.
Jim Lee | Soaring Magazine
The Minden-Tahoe Airport has had an eventful 2024, from the numerous achievements of general aviation, the soaring community, the Annual Airport Day and youth programs, to the success of the new administration. After almost two years of Douglas County in-house management the Airport is thriving and continues to promote the rural atmosphere of a successful General Aviation facility with soaring as one of the main contributors.
The Minden Cowboys began the fourth year in first place among soaring clubs around the world. The International Gliding Commission sponsored the On Line League Contest for 902 competing clubs. The season experienced excellent local conditions for competition, with our Minden Soaring Club’s Cowboys finishing in first place for the fifth year in a row. Soaring clubs throughout the world now know about Minden.
The 2024 Open Class Nationals sponsored by the Soaring Society of America kicked off the core of the 2024 soaring season at Minden with a ten-day competition held from June 1-11. World-record average course speeds were set, including local pilot Jim Lee’s record of 111.28 mph, which represents the all-time record in the history of racing. Keith Essex, also a local pilot, was the winner, with Jim coming in second. Tasks included flying points as far south as beyond Bishop and east as Round Mountain. Of the 18 top caliber pilots in the U.S., nine flew average speeds over 100 mph on the final day. Pilots from Canada and Germany were represented as well as a female pilot from Northern California. Visiting and local pilots always find soaring out of Minden an exciting and memorable experience.
Jim Lee went on to sixth place in the 38th World Gliding Championship in Uvalde, Texas. Jim and his EB29R glider competed in the Open Class among other top world class pilots from Germany, France, South Africa, and Australia as well as several other countries. Five of the Uvalde competitors who suffered the extreme heat and humidity are members of our Minden Soaring Club including the Team Leader Pete Alexander. “Genuine Uvalde weather for the uninitiated means conditions that are miserable on the ground, but remarkable for pilots who depend on thermal lift for propulsion,” stated John Good, veteran of over 15 World Gliding championships.
The WGCs are held every two years; however, the location of each four classes is rotated every year in a particular class. The next worlds in Open Class will be held in the Czech Republic in 2026.
Minden-Tahoe Airport’s early days’ history exhibit opened at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in May. Wayne Scarpaci contributed to the exhibit with his original painting of the airport when the Amy Air Force Command took over operations and designated it the Minden Army Airfield in July 1942. Memorabilia include loans from the Sports Aviation Foundation, personal items from deceased local soaring pilot and World War II Ace, Hod Taylor, and photos from the Douglas County Historical Society’s collection. The exhibit is still open and very popular according to museum staff and volunteers.
Discovery Day at the Airport was held on Aug. 24, 2024, with good weather and approximately 1,000 people attending. The Sports Aviation Foundation sponsored fuel for five flights in a Stearman biplane for veterans with Legacy Airbase of Carson City. The pancake breakfast and kids corner were popular items of the day.
Sports Aviation Foundation’s Youth Aviation Adventure was held on Sept. 21, 2024. This annual program was hosted for the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and additional high school age youth for an innovative and informative half-day program covering numerous aspects of aviation knowledge and careers. Thanks to Kim Gardner for organizing last year’s event with 31 participants. Stations included Weather/Gliders, Power Plant, Airport Operations, Aerodynamics, and Careers in Aviation.
A hydrogen fueled Arcus TJ-100 sailplane was tested at Minden-Tahoe Airport as part of Perlan sponsor’s Airbus and the Blue Condor Program. They made four flights to 32,000 feet fitted with an Aero Design Works’ A800 jet, gathering engine emissions and contrail data. When using hydrogen fuel, the contrail contains 2 ½ times the water vapor of an equivalent amount of kerosene-based jet fuel, but does not emit any soot or CO2, which promises to mitigate two of jet aviation’s greenhouse effects.
Minden Soaring Club grew last summer with the purchase of a high performance Duo Discus sailplane. Club members fly regularly, sometimes with out of town guests. They meet during soaring season with weekly informative meetings and soaring status reports. Even more recently in December the Club purchased a new refurbished tow plane and the remnants of SoaringNV, the last commercial soaring operation on the airport. Included in the sale were two tow planes and parts of another, an older glider, and miscellaneous soaring support equipment. Minden Soaring Club will have its own hangar close to the administration building and plans to offer glider rides, lessons and rentals to local, national and international guests.
The new Douglas County Airport Division is administered by Heather McDonnell, Airport Manager, and Jeff McDonnell, Fleet and Facilities Manager. They have been active with the daily operations of the Airport and with strategizing for the future. New Operations Specialist Domenico Scalizi joined the team last June.
Previously, in the Navy, he trained as loadmaster on the C-130 cargo plane.
Accomplishments include the repaving the taxi lanes around the County hangars, grading and reopening runway 30G (used mostly for towplanes), operation of an oil collection program, and remodeling and painting of the administration offices. The new administration has found that being able to engage with other Douglas County departments for various Airport improvements is a measurable advantage.
Linda Mae Hivert is a glider pilot and flight instructor who founded Soar Minden in the late 1970s. She was appointed to the Airport Advisory Committee on Thursday. Email info@nifti.com to contact her.