On Tuesday, October 6, 1998 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, David Habercom wrote:
> Jeff Knell wrote:
> >
> ...
> > I realize it is rather soon after Oran's death to ask this question,
> > but, has anyone shown interest in taking up Oran's work on a PW-5 kit?
> >
> > I believe there is still a good market for homebuilt sailplanes, and
> > the PW-5 should make a relatively inexpensive, fairly simple to build
> > kit.
> >
> > jeff
> Actually, the question came up soon after the news of Oran's accident,
> in part because of his extraordinary dedication to the World Class.
> Those of us who were familiar with the work and thought he put into that
> PW-5 see such a project as a kind of memorial to his efforts.
> I have to admit that I am at a loss about how best to proceed from this
> point. I am not a kit-builder or designer myself, and the very idea of
> starting down such a road seems overwhelming to me. Still, I know that
> Jeff is not alone in his interest, and the Sailplane Homebuilder's
> Association is filled with such hardy souls. So, I think we can hope
> yet for a PW-5 kit once we get past this initial recovery period.
> The WCSA Board will meet tomorrow night by conference call to discuss a
> number of pressing issues, and I will raise the question of doing
> something to get Oran's project back on track.
> However, in my experience, such projects as Oran's rely less on
> organizational support than the tenacity and spirit of particular
> individuals who, like Oran, just don't quit. Even if throws WCSA itself
> into continuing toward a kit, we will need to find exactly the right
> person(s) to carry it forward. If you know of someone who might step up
> to the challenge, please have them contact me.
> For your information, I believe Oran had created a complete set of molds
> sturdy enough for multiple runs. He owned a complete set of PW-5 plans
> and held a license from Warsaw University of Technology for the one he
> completed. I assume WUT would let that license pass to any successor
> who wanted to move forward with additional units.
> Regards to all,
> David Habercom
> President
> World Class Soaring Association

[November 15, 2023] - Introducing myself: I am a retired 33 year veteran of NASA-SES public service. Oran was Deputy Director of NASA Langley Research Center prior to his retirement to his role in Texas. I feel like this messaging is a bit like a "CQ" to the Nicks' and soaring community, so am not expecting replies, but open to them if they occur. The more visible of responses to me would best appear in my LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucejholmes/. During Oran's role at NASA Langley, he was a mentor and champion of mine for the research I was leading in the early days of my career. We conducting flight, computational, and wind tunnel research to understand the practicality of laminar flow on modern production aircraft. Oran championed my efforts at a time when the prevailing view on the matter was entirely negative toward the concept. I look back and imagine that Oran's championship was likely because of his own experience with laminar flow in his soaring life. The bottom line of his role in championing this work was the publication of dozens of technical papers on the viability of laminar flow throughout speed regimes from subsonic to hypersonic flight (Google search "Holmes+laminar flow" to see the products of our efforts). I have been a powered aircraft pilot/ flight-ground instructor/ seaplane operator for more than fifty years. Since "retiring" from NASA in 2007, I have become interested in glider flying, and have joined the Tidewater Soaring Society (TSS), operating out of Garner Glider port in Virginia (3VA8). Many of my colleagues at TSS are NASA Langley executives, retirees, alumni. We owe a lot of gratitude to Oran for the championship role he played in what became the foundation for the role that laminar flow played (and plays today) in the production of aircraft benefitting from the laminar technology, including the B-787 engine nacelles; the Piaggio P-180 turboprop; the line of Cirrus prop and jet aircraft; and numerous others. I hope that my CQ about Oran's role reaches audiences who may appreciate this bit of history.
Kindest regards,
Dr. Bruce J. Holmes, D.E. (KUAE 1976), FAIAA, FRAeS, SES (NASA, Retired), Comm, AMEL, AMEL, ASES, AIFI, ICON Authorized Flight Instructor, Part 107.