ELA CRASH in RUSSIA (?)

[Greg Mitchell]

It is with greatest sorrow and pain but I must inform the gang that Vytautas Lapenas died in an ELA autogyro crash yesterday in Lithuania.Vytas was known by anyone who ever flew aerobatic planes: he was UUSR and Europe champion in aerobatics. In 1989 he crashed in Yak-55, fired, lost one leg and pert of his hand. His collegues all over the Ball helped him to build special Su-26 aerobatic airplane which was adopted to be flown manually.Last years Vytas trained Spanish aerobatic team and saw ELA gyros which were based nearby.He soloed gyro last fall.I stiil have no details, will phone there a couple hours later.It"s a pain. Alex LamekoMoscowwww.rotorcraft.ru

[Brian]

Sad to hear. He obviously loved flying.