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Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website Filmed and produced by Dick Huppertz, “Sky Sailing” is a color promotional film presented by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York that likely dates to the 1950s or 60s. The film walks the viewer through the various steps in the manufacture of sailplanes, as well as the training that goes into learning how to pilot one. Invented by Sir George Cayley in 1849 and developed upon by the Wright Brothers in the early 1900s, the glider or sailplane is an unpowered aircraft that uses naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to gain altitude. In the late 1920s, the sporting use of sailplanes rapidly developed. The Schweizer Aircraft Corporation was an American manufacturer of sailplanes, agricultural aircraft and helicopters located in Horseheads, New York. It was incorporated in 1939 by three Schweizer brothers (Paul, William, and Ernest), who built their first glider, the SGP 1-1, in 1930. Film opens, plane tows glider sailplane in sky (0:06). POV from inside glider sailplane of plane ahead and landscape below dotted by colorful fall foliage (0:22). Guiding plane releases tow and sailplane begins its solo journey; Montage clips with various POV of the sailplane as it glides through air (0:31-3:18). Title page, credits (1:02). Interior of factory where aluminum, fiberglass, other raw materials brought together to produce sailplane; Welders solder together wing structure (3:19). Engineers sit over wooden desks with rulers, other design tools and make sketches of planes (3:34). Hustle and bustle, main floor of factory assembly line (3:44). Employee operates router to cut aluminum sheets into basic shapes (3:56). Special press machine forms metal into final parts (4:04). Roller bends sheet metal into desired forms (4:18). Various men shape metal sheets into body, control and flying surfaces of sailplane; Metal placed on “bones” of plane (metal structure) (4:28). Man in suit conducts quality check, places Federal Aviation Agency tag on interior structure to certify air worthiness (4:53). Stress test (5:00). Wing assembly room, further quality control checks conducted (5:08). Constructing plane outside of factory, pre-fabricated construction kits; Two men construct sailplane from kit inside garage, woman brings the men Coco Cola as refreshment (5:30). For final steps of assembly family takes plane out into backyard, slide on wings (6:11). Sign for Schweizer Soaring School in Elmira, NY (6:43). Series of sailplanes parked next to each other in field lined by uniform, manicured pine trees (6:48). Father and son from prior scenes arrive at Schweizer school in 1958-1967 classic VW Beetle (7:04). Schweizer 2-22E (TG-2) two-place training sailplane; Close-up flight controls on dashboard, nose hook where tow-line attached (7:33). What appears to be 1946 model Taylorcraft BC-12-D (towing plane) prepares for take off, undergoes safety inspection (8:31). Planes take-off, various POV from tow plane and on ground of the two planes in flight (9:07). POV from cabin as it releases tow-rope; Close-up of cockpit as instructor converses with student (9:42). Taylorcraft BC-12-D lands, prepares to tow more planes (10:19). After 25 accompanied flights, student prepares for first solo flight; Footage as plane glides through sky after tow is released (10:59). Student now upgrades to high performance sail plane; What appears to be Schweizer SGS 1-23D in sky (13:19). Sailing competitions, well known soaring center is field at Harris Hill in Elmira, NY (14:00). POV from cockpit as sailplane lands (14:06). Ground crew assist pilot out of plane after landing, close-up of aerial chart with triangle traced over it to denote air currents and ideal conditions for far flight (14:25). Sailplane circles in and out of cloud formations, harnesses energy in clouds to travel farther distances (15:00). 1958-1967 classic VW Beetle with tow attachment holding deconstructed sailplane parked outside of glider hangar (15:22). POV from camera attached to wing of airborne Schweizer SGS 1-23D (16:05). Sailboats sailing along calm, scenic waters; Footage cuts between shots of airborne Schweizer SGS 1-23D and sailboats (16:18). Credits (17:02). Film ends (17:07). If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
