Two Men One Sailplane 744 MilesTwo men, aged 42 and 78, have reportedly broken a national two-place record by covering 744 miles at altitudes up to 27,000 feet on a 9-hour, 19-minute flight out and back to Minden, Nev., in 100-mph winds, without an engine. Gordon Boettger and the elder Hugh Bennett made the soaring flight on Feb. 15, high above the Sierra Mountain range. Their aircraft was a Discus glider with tandem seating. It was modified by the addition of oxygen bottles and batteries. The two coordinated with controllers at Oakland, Seattle and Salt Lake City for the flight made possible by the vast mountain wave set up by high winds. Ground speeds ranged from over 100 mph to single digits. Boettger says he has bigger dreams that involve overnights in the air.
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