Monday, August 8, 2011

Ken Blanchard

Tribute to a great guy who left too soon.


Submitted by Dave Norwood


Submitted by Gene Beaver



submitted by Frewsy  
GOPR1941





submitted by Gilead Almosnino





3 comments:

0101010 said...

I visited Tiger Mountain this weekend and from the time and location I'm pretty sure he was the pilot I was thermalling with in the sweet air over launch. I can't be sure because I don't remember the glider colors but we both reached about 4000' and I headed one direction and he the other... Last I saw him he was headed over Squak Mountain and I lost him in the sun and didn't spot him again. I guess he was trying to make an LZ on the other side. It looks like that location would have been susceptible to lee side rotor.

My thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends. A very sad day indeed.

Anonymous said...

It is incredibly hard to fathom that Ken is gone. I can still see and hear Ken vividly, on the shuttle, on launch. His scruffy face, ready smile and easy manner. We talked all the way on our drive to Whidbey together recently, did the Whidbey wait, flew his RC. Then flew some nice strong Whidbey winds from 4-8 pm. Woo-hoo!!! Celebration of flying! All smiles.

Will miss my friend Ken very much! I have his great memories.

My sincerest sympathies to Ken's family.

Patti

Gilad A. said...

Its difficult to find the right words at this time of grief, I guess a big part of me still thinks Ken is going to be in the LZ tomorrow and that we will go up on another adventure... as we did so many times over the last couple of years. Our last flight was on Wednesday a few days before the accident, I launched and got up over the Kingdome, and I could see Ken who just launched going up over the west face of Tiger… I joined him, and we were turning together going up, wing tip to wing tip… this was our last flight together and the last time I saw my dear friend Ken.

Gilad A.