Daniel Sazhin

Daniel Sazhin is an Aero Club Albatross pudknocker and 1-26 association member, flying out of Blairstown, NJ. Soaring is his passion, flying for the first time when he turned 11, soloing at 15 and getting his Private Pilot Rating at 16. He was always interested in cross country soaring and was delighted to complete his Silver Badge in 2011. Thereafter, he began to actively pursue badge flying, over time earning a Gold Badge, Two Diamonds and 750km Diploma, all in the club Schweizer 1-26E. In 2012, Daniel was introduced to competition flying by Ron Schwartz, imbuing the competitive desire that drove him to pursue contest flying further. In 2013, he won the 1-26 Championship in Moriarty. Following this contest, thanks to Bill Thar’s generosity and patronage, he flew the Duckhawk for the first time. In 2014 and 2015, he actively flew the Duckhawk and his club’s LS4, competing in three highly competitive Nationals contests. Daniel set a North American and World Record for the 13.5 meter class with a flight exceeding 1000km in a Schweizer 1-26E. Daniel Sazhin is a three-time member of the US soaring team, world and national record holder, national soaring champion, and CFIG. He flies and instructs at Aero Club Albatross in Blairstown, NJ. Professionally, he is a PhD student, studying Cognitive Neuroscience at Temple University.