I want to fly a sailplane out of Inyokern Airport.
I've driven by it a hundred times on US 395 going north to flyfish or backpack the Sierras, and regret that I never stopped and visited this historic field. The list of records set by pilots towing or landing at this field is impressive, but the history and names of those who have flown here is even more remarkable. http://www.inyokernairport.com/soaring_at_iyk/soaring_at_iyk.html
In the 1950's, it was home base for the Sierra Wave Project, a joint Navy, Air Force and UCLA effort to study and understand the lee mountain wave phenomena first reported by B-29 pilots and later by P-38 pilot Bob Symons who was contracted to do aerial research in the Owens Valley watershed. The program was flown by civilian sailplane pilots and much data and knowledge was gained from their efforts. (apparently it was well known even before this as the record altitudes shown at the link above attests, dating all the way back to the early 40's).
From the linked page above, "On March 5, 1950, Bob was flying his P-38 and took advantage of this little understood weather phenomenon to try something new. He soared the P-38 with both engines dead and propellers feathered for more than an hour between 13,000 feet and 31,000 feet. Maximum climb rate was 3000 feet per minute."
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning has a loaded weight of 17,500 lbs and a stall speed of 105 mph. Imagine a one hour soaring flight with an altitude gain of 18,000 feet in a sailplane weighing 8-3/4 tons, traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour. I can't even fathom the amount of wind energy needed to do this!
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