EVERETT — Brendon Beardsley didn’t miss his plane home, but he is missing 10 airplanes.
Remote-controlled gliders, that is.
The fact that the Everett teenager recently won the silver medal in a junior-class world championship glider-flying competition in Turkey doesn’t mean much at the moment.
“The competition was pretty cool, but this was a not a good way to end it,” Brendon said.
Gliders are remote-controlled miniature planes that do not have any form of propulsion. Instead, the small plane is launched into the air by hand and glides, controlled remotely from the ground with a transmitter. People compete with the planes by trying to keep them in the air for at least 10 minutes and getting points for such things as landing.
Brendon’s favorite radio-controlled glider and nine other carbon-fiber gliders belonging to his family and friends were lost while he traveled for the world championship in Turkey on British Airways.
The loss could mean that Brendon, 16, a Jackson High School student, won’t be able to compete in the 2010 world championship sponsored by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the world air sports federation.
Even if he had the money to buy new gliders, which cost about $3,000 each, an order to replace the aircraft probably could not be filled for 18 months, his mother, Gina Kalamen, said. That wouldn’t leave enough time to practice and would jeopardize his participation in the next world competition, she said.
Brendon has been interested in flight since he was a toddler when he played with his father’s model airplanes. His first word was “airplane,” his mother said.
The honor roll student, who says math and science are his favorite subjects, plans to build a glider for his senior project. In addition, Brendon is taking pilot training and hopes to fly the real thing before he graduates.
His father, David Beardsley, and stepfather, Dave Kalamen, both radio-controlled glider enthusiasts, accompanied Brendon on his trip to the week-long competition.
His father estimates the 10 missing gliders and other equipment are worth about $35,000.
Gina Kalamen says British Airways has told the family that the airline company is continuing to look for the two 6-foot-long, 100-pound plywood crates that contain the 10 disassembled, bubble-wrapped gliders.
“It’s like looking for a couple needles in a haystack, but they are really large needles,” Gina Kalamen said. “They (the airline) are trying, but their system isn’t set up well to help us.”
The gliders were insured for the minimum amount offered by British Airways, but it won’t be enough to replace them, she said.
British Airways did not immediately return requests for a comment.
Gina Kalamen said the boxes were checked in at British Airways in Istanbul on July 7, and the Kalamens and Beardsleys haven’t seen them since. People around the world who fly the gliders have been alerted, they said.
“We have not given up hope that the boxes will be found,” Gina Kalamen said. “Even if it takes me flying to Istanbul to look for them.”
After receiving his silver medal at the world competition, Brendon had his favorite 12-foot-wing-span glider signed by many of his 46 fellow competitors who hailed from 25 countries.
“That was going to be my trophy. It has a lot of sentimental value,” Brendon said.
Out of a possible 5,000 points, Brendon lost by only three points to a fellow young remote-controlled glider pilot from Italy.
If the gliders are found, Brendon would like the chance to try again for the gold medal.
“It’s a great experience,” he said.
Reporter Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.
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