What are your thoughts about the Parallel Glider Race

https://www.wagdubai.ae/gliding.php

Sounds like great fun for the pilots and the crowd. How novel! ;-)

Good for them in trying to innovate and bring gliding into the view of the public.

Sean
7T

On Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 5:17:15 PM UTC-7, Sean Fidler wrote:
Sounds like great fun for the pilots and the crowd. How novel! ;-)

Good for them in trying to innovate and bring gliding into the view of the public.

Sean
7T

It's the ultimate evolution of soaring - no messing with thermal, wave or ridge lift - just cut right to the chase - final glide races. Pilot with the most accurate glide computer wins.

Is the course short enough that the crowd can see anything?

I'm curious - I'll watch one at least. Sounds kind of like NASCAR.

9B

Oh goody! Kinda like soapbox derby. Everyone starts at the same height
and the first one across the line wins! How exciting!!! Gotta have the
best computer, as well! My opinion is that this will do nothing to grow
the sport as it's not much to do with soaring. Thrill seekers will want
to do a fast downhill run from release to landing and will move on to
the next thrill. Competitors will be happy to have their names in print
and their pictures on TV. Lots of folks watch horse races, but few buy
horses and learn to ride.

Yeah, yeah... I know - the crowd needs something to look at. Old
curmudgeon that I am, I'll stick to flying alone or with one other pilot
far away from anyone.

On 9/29/2015 10:15 PM, Andy Blackburn wrote:
On Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 5:17:15 PM UTC-7, Sean Fidler wrote:
Sounds like great fun for the pilots and the crowd. How novel! ;-)

Good for them in trying to innovate and bring gliding into the view of the public.

Sean
7T
It's the ultimate evolution of soaring - no messing with thermal, wave or ridge lift - just cut right to the chase - final glide races. Pilot with the most accurate glide computer wins.

Is the course short enough that the crowd can see anything?

I'm curious - I'll watch one at least. Sounds kind of like NASCAR.

9B

--
Dan, 5J

Some cultural background will put this idea into perspective.

A big sport in Saudi Arabia is camel racing. In the old days, the Sauds used 9 year old jockeys, who do their tiny size, got great speed. When this practice was outlawed, the Sauds switched to RC robotic camels jockeys. The operator rides in an SUV alongside the race track and operates the robotic jockey.

call me a sellout, but i'd sign up to get paid to be a professional glider sled-racer. in a heartbeat. i'd still do some REAL soaring in my spare time, make no mistake. why not? i bet it would be fun.

I have conceptualized (like others i bet) a version of glider racing similar to formula 1 or nascar, where they do a grandprix style race with 20 pilots or so each weekend at a different site and televise it with chase helicopters and stuff. having the points add up each season to make an overall points winner for some cup or whatever you want to call it at the end of the season. call me crazy but i would definitely fly in some goofy unnecessary uniform and live out of a motorhome racing gliders on TV each sunday, with sponsorship decals all over my glider. I really would.

Chicks and money?

On 11/6/2015 8:59 AM, ND wrote:
call me a sellout, but i'd sign up to get paid to be a professional glider sled-racer. in a heartbeat. i'd still do some REAL soaring in my spare time, make no mistake. why not? i bet it would be fun.

I have conceptualized (like others i bet) a version of glider racing similar to formula 1 or nascar, where they do a grandprix style race with 20 pilots or so each weekend at a different site and televise it with chase helicopters and stuff. having the points add up each season to make an overall points winner for some cup or whatever you want to call it at the end of the season. call me crazy but i would definitely fly in some goofy unnecessary uniform and live out of a motorhome racing gliders on TV each sunday, with sponsorship decals all over my glider. I really would.

--
Dan, 5J

Me too!

Trust me, you need a lot more advanced flight computer (and programming & management skills) to compete effectively in our "US special" and infamous 1 turn HAT task! A long MAT is incredibly complex as you have to decide how to run out the clock near the end and that 10% of the task completely erases the best pilots flying up to that point in many cases! And even more computer power and skill to manage our "run of the mill, 25 mile radiused 3 turn, TAT!"

Timed tasks are incredibly complex both strategically and tactically and force pilots to heavily rely on computers to make critical decisions (when to turn).

Racing (Sailplane Grand Prix) tasks are incredibly simple. First one to complete the RACE COURSE wins. No computer necessary. In fact, any GPS (even one from 2005, with only a few numerical readouts, available on ebay for $10) would fully suffice.

You guys jump on this new event and try to tear it apart because you need a "better glide computer?" Are you kidding me? You cannot see the forest for the trees gentlemen. I'm shaking my head, again.

Sean
7T

On Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 10:43:11 AM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
Trust me, you need a lot more advanced flight computer (and programming & management skills) to compete effectively in our "US special" and infamous 1 turn HAT task! A long MAT is incredibly complex as you have to decide how to run out the clock near the end and that 10% of the task completely erases the best pilots flying up to that point in many cases! And even more computer power and skill to manage our "run of the mill, 25 mile radiused 3 turn, TAT!"

Timed tasks are incredibly complex both strategically and tactically and force pilots to heavily rely on computers to make critical decisions (when to turn).

Racing (Sailplane Grand Prix) tasks are incredibly simple. First one to complete the RACE COURSE wins. No computer necessary. In fact, any GPS (even one from 2005, with only a few numerical readouts, available on ebay for $10) would fully suffice.

You guys jump on this new event and try to tear it apart because you need a "better glide computer?" Are you kidding me? You cannot see the forest for the trees gentlemen. I'm shaking my head, again.

Sean
7T

WTF Sean? Did you even read what this "contest" is all about? Like Dan said - this is a "soapbox derby" GLIDING race, not a SOARING race! The web site even says there is no soarable conditions in Dubai in the timeframe of the games!

This is just a way to show off some pretty gliders in front of the crowds - too bad they don't include some required loops on the way - and a triple low pass "limbo" finish - that would at least add some energy management skills to the mix.

This will probably boil down to who can hold the most accurate computed final glide speed to exactly hit the finish line with NO extra energy! Wow, how exciting! Now, if they put the finish on a beach, and towed the gliders out over the water to their start point (at L/D max distance for the altitude) - that might really be exciting!

Kirk
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