Chuck’s Glider Supplies of Ohio


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Chuck’s Glider Supplies of Ohio

Chuck Slusarczyk, from the photo in Ground Skimmer, April 1975
Chuck Slusarczyk, from the photo in Ground Skimmer, April 1975

USHGA region 9 director Chuck Slusarczyk was an innovator in hang gliding and, subsequently, in powered ultralights.(1)


Chuck Slusarcsyk in his own-design Falcon lands on the beach at Elberta, Michigan, in late June or early July 1974
Chuck Slusarcsyk in his own-design Falcon lands on the beach at Elberta near Frankfort, Michigan. Photo by Dan Poynter. (No larger image available.)

The bird-like Falcon was similar in concept to Dave Cronk’s Cronkite. (See Cronkite in Cronk Works.) The Falcon — or perhaps an earlier prototype — was also known as the Super Swooper.(2)


Screenshot from film by Robert E. Lorey at Elberta dune, Michigan, June and July 1974
Chuck’s Glider Supplies vehicle
Chuck Slusarczyk chucked about by turbulence in a hang glider in 1974
Chuck Slusarczyk is chucked about by turbulence (screenshot from the John Elwell film, no larger image available)

The colors of Slusarczyk’s Brock 82 matched those of his vehicle. (I am sure the color match was better than it appears in these images, which are from old film and not first generation.) Its asymmetric variation of the Brock standard sail pattern in 1974 is reminiscent of the patterns used by NASA (Chuck’s earlier employer) in its test aircraft and spacecraft during the 1960s.

Chuck Slusarczyk in 1981 by H. Krause
Chuck Slusarczyk in 1981 by H. Krause

In the film of Chuck’s momentary battle with the wind curling along the lake-shore bluffs (see under External links) the flute (or whatever) music accompanying it does not impart the appropriate ambiance for that situation!

Related

Elberta Dune, Michigan, July 1974

Ultralight Products of California and Utah

External links

Chuck Slusarczyk flying a Brock 82 in Soaring and Gliding Festivals 1973-1974, a digitized ‘Super 8’ (8 millimetre) film on YouTube by John Elwell, starting at 35 minutes 1 second

Chuck Slusarczyk tying a glider onto his vehicle in 1974 Hang Gliding Frankfort Michigan Part 1 of 4 by Robert E. Lorey, starting at 7 minutes 47 seconds. (The scene immediately following that is of young Hall Brock, for which see the Ultralight Products related topic.)

Chuck Slusarczyk entry on the US Hawks forum

Hawks and their History, A look at CGS Aviation and its Roots by Dan Johnson, 2004

References

1. Ground Skimmer, April 1975

2. Tom Peghiney writing in Ground Skimmer, July 1973

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