I've owned my Standard Class ASW 24 for over 25 years. So for some time, my big question has been whether I can continue to fly contests where at least some top pilots show up. As 9B's data indicate, that seems to be the case in Standard Class. It's a small group, true, but every class in soaring is small these days.

Encouraging me is that I can fly Standard (which has some nice handicapping to encourage older generation gliders), Club, Sports, and--at the regional level--mixed handicapped 15M/Standard (e.g., Fairfield Reg. 4). And subject to the efficacy of the handicapping factors, I have a competitive glider in all of them.

Yeah, the "subject to" is an issue, especially out west, but it's one I'm willing to live with. I can't justify buying a new glider so it's nice to think I don't have to.

Chip Bearden