In the Air - Gordy Stahl

Written by AMA Staff Gordy Stahl - 1951-2018 In the Air As seen in the November 2018 issue of Model Aviation

Bonus Video

If you viewed the NatsNews videos this summer, you might have watched one from July 26 that featured Gordon “Gordy” Stahl, an RC Soaring competitor who was battling terminal cancer. In the video, he states that he has no idea how much time he has left, but nothing would have stopped him from competing in the 2018 Nats. Gordy passed away on August 9 at his home in Louisville, Kentucky. Born in 1951, Gordy, who was known in the Soaring community as Gordy Soar, began flying model aircraft as a child. In an interview in the January 2017 issue of Model Aviation, he stated that he got started in Soaring after his father purchased a glider from a friend. He launched it off of an old hi-start, accidentally hooked a thermal, and was hooked for life. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Gordy was also an accomplished arborist, had a successful career in sales, and doted on his pets. Throughout his life, he was passionate about RC Soaring and traveled to fly with other pilots across the US and around the world. He was a regular at the RC Soaring Nats. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Kristine; a son, Derek; a daughter, Reanna; and two sisters, Pamela Raskin (husband Richard) and Donis Stahl. An RC Soaring event was held at Charlie Vettiner Park in September in Louisville to celebrate Gordy’s life.