We did it!
Gloria! Euphoria! Gloria! In excessive amounts.
One full day plus two hours have gone by since TAM-5 landed in Ireland. My emotions still swing from boisterous laughter to choking tears. It is hard to believe that we really did it. I sure choked up a few minutes ago when Les Hamilton handed me an email photograph showing TAM 5-and our Irish crew in front of the Alcock and Brown Monument marker near their 1919 landing place on Roundstone Bog. I can now believe it! My dream about flying a model across the Atlantic started more than 20 years ago. When we started actual work on doing it 5 years ago, it seemed it would be easy. A piece of cake! After 5 years of effort it was clear to me that this is a really hard thing to do. I confess that when we arrived here Aug 5th I put our odds at about 20% or lower. My wife and I were philosophically prepared to throw 5 of those little red things into the ocean and come home in sadness. We only threw one away before success. Euphoria is what it is!
Not all is joy here this morning, however. Joe Foster, Les Hamilton and Cyrus Abdollahi have "cheap tickets" for a return on Aug 23rd. since we will not be flying they want to go home. Air Canada has charged $640 each for them to go home this Friday Aug 15th.
Why do I tell you this? The reason is simple. STAR's bank account is skimming the waves and will plunge negative. It should be obvious that although we have reached our goal, we would still be pleased to receive new contributions and memberships. If you are so inclined please mail your check made out to S.T.A.R. and send it to
STAR
John Patton, Treasurer
2001
Norvale Road
Silver Spring, Maryland 20906
USA
If you get the impression that I am not ashamed of what we have done, you are right!
Maynard Hill
One full day plus two hours have gone by since TAM-5 landed in Ireland. My emotions still swing from boisterous laughter to choking tears. It is hard to believe that we really did it. I sure choked up a few minutes ago when Les Hamilton handed me an email photograph showing TAM 5-and our Irish crew in front of the Alcock and Brown Monument marker near their 1919 landing place on Roundstone Bog. I can now believe it! My dream about flying a model across the Atlantic started more than 20 years ago. When we started actual work on doing it 5 years ago, it seemed it would be easy. A piece of cake! After 5 years of effort it was clear to me that this is a really hard thing to do. I confess that when we arrived here Aug 5th I put our odds at about 20% or lower. My wife and I were philosophically prepared to throw 5 of those little red things into the ocean and come home in sadness. We only threw one away before success. Euphoria is what it is!
Not all is joy here this morning, however. Joe Foster, Les Hamilton and Cyrus Abdollahi have "cheap tickets" for a return on Aug 23rd. since we will not be flying they want to go home. Air Canada has charged $640 each for them to go home this Friday Aug 15th.
Why do I tell you this? The reason is simple. STAR's bank account is skimming the waves and will plunge negative. It should be obvious that although we have reached our goal, we would still be pleased to receive new contributions and memberships. If you are so inclined please mail your check made out to S.T.A.R. and send it to
If you get the impression that I am not ashamed of what we have done, you are right!
Maynard Hill
[Editor's Note:
STAR was disbanded in February, 2004, and donations
are no longer being accepted.
LLH - 13 Oct 2004]
