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Suzanne Melk
http://melk_1.tripod.com

"Suzanne [Melk], World Champion Glider Pilot was born on March 17,1908. She spent her entire childhood on the family estate of Navenne, a veritable playground of springs, waterfalls, and ponds.

During the War, this fertile land produced tobacco, sugar beets, and wine, among other things. Suzanne grew up to be a fascinating beauty, blessed with a strong energetic personality, and many talents, including virtuosity at the piano.

She married a hardware dealer however and became lost in a life which never suited her. Later, after the untimely death of her young husband, she married Jean Dreyfus.

In 1935, they bought two "Hanriot 32" for one hundred dollars. They restored one of them; thus launching Suzanne in her career as a pilot. During this period she was instrumental in starting the Vesoul Airclub and Flying School. Two years later she had already earned her motorplane instructor's license. However, she was attracted by the beauty and grace of glider planes, and loved the feeling of searching for just the right currents. Consequently, she temporarly abandoned motor planes and took up gliding." ...more