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Vytautas Lapenas
(LITHUANIA)
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Pilot
Vytautass first birthday was January 11th, 1958, and the second, Septermber 19th, 1989.
The first part of his life was a victorious journey of a young man favored by the heavens. His second life is the summit of mans abilities.
Man saw that while some birds painfully glided, others dived in the air, their flight expressing the spirit of the sky.
Soon after, man felt the need for that freedom of flight, as if it was only in the wide expanses of the sky that he could confide his joy and his pain. This feeling gave birth to aerobatics.
Its progress was hindered by countless technical problems, by human inertia, and many other things. Strangely enough, the change in attitudes towards flying and aircraft was brought about not only by the will to fly, but by the conflicts of mankind as well.
Thus, perhaps without realising it, man set out on his path towards the summit of aerobatics.
These words were written by Vytautas Lapėnas in a letter to his friend fifteen years ago. At that time he himself was climbing the summit of aerobatics unbelievably fast. Champion of Lithuania, of the Soviet Union, of Europe these titles seemed to be no more than the foothills of the Himalayas of aerobatics that only he could attain.
But the same generous fortune suddenly threw him into another world, just as incomprehensible for us, filled with pain, helplessness, and a long struggle on the edge of existence.
The second life of Vytautas revealed such potential in man that would have been impossible to imagine if the tragedy had not taken place.
Pilots of many countries helped Vytautas rise, both in life and in flight. Today, some of them are at the Įstra aerodrome, others have followed paths that led them to different skies, and a few are already smiling at us from the bright cloud of eternity.
Yet our common flight continues. Symbolically and significantly enough, today the spirit of this flight is wavering above the airfield of Vytautas Lapėnas.
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Profiles of all pilots and news from the championship are also available in four issues of the championship newspaper "Upside Down Over Istra" (in PDF format; available for download).
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