Entered his final Guide, May 23, 2011 after a brief fight with cancer. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1929, immigrated to Canada in 1948, and moved to the United States seven years later. Shortly after he joined the Rochester Soaring Club that operated out of Batavia, which later moved to Dansville, NY.

He was also a member of the Harris Hill Soaring Corp and an Instructor. His passion was Cross-Country Soaring and contest flying. Kai became a strong advocate for cross country and published several booklets, “Off- Airport Landing”, “Introduction to Cross-Country Soaring” and “Spinning”. These booklets are being used today around the world in clubs as part of their training program.

We are having a Celebration of his life at Harris Hill at the start of the Region 3 Soaring Contest. It will be held at the Youth Camp, adjacent to the airport, on July 30th, start time 6:30, includes appetizers, dinner and slide show.

His favorite Poem “High Flight”

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew – And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod The high un-trespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941