Florida Grand Prix

Great debate all.

Please allow me to remind everyone that FSGP USA is intended to be a fun event. It is not competing with or calling US rules ugly. In large events (25+ gliders) or Nationals, it would probably not work safely. Perhaps one day an SSA sanctioned US GP Nationals would be a great way to qualify an American and a Canadian for the FAI GP World Championship! HINT! HINT! HINT!

It truly was fun (even though we had only 10 gliders racing (14 on site) in 3 classes, (2, 4, 4)) and if we get some weather in the future, it will be outstanding flying! Remember that all are welcome and that there are still plenty of spaces available! To sign up email Andy McQuigg at ash99eATyahooDOTcom. Please consider making a trip down and give it a go!

I wish to state that I have considerable respect for the US rules and the safety ideals the USRC are trying to protect (even though I have been a critic of some minor points at times). That said, I think the GP concept (with US finish or without) has tremendous potential (sanctioned or unsanctioned) to excite US pilots and make for some great, fun and exciting competitions.

For the record, I do think we are all capable of flying assigned tasks far more often than we do...and that AAT's are probably overused in contests (except for Sports class of course). Short MAT's are the worst! GP events would attract those who share my opinion for sure!

Please remember that this Florida Sailplane Grand Prix - USA event is all about fun. Its not trying to be anything more than that at this stage. Lets not beat it up too much!

For more info check the website he https://sites.google.com/site/sgpflusa/

Sean
F2/7T



On Saturday, October 5, 2013 7:40:08 AM UTC-4, kirk.stant wrote:
On Friday, October 4, 2013 11:02:30 PM UTC+2, WB wrote:



I could not agree more! The beauty of the GP format (of which I was not



convinced before flying one this past weekend) is the sense of



immediacy. I think that is part of what is missing from MAT and AAT



tasks. You get to experience the results of your efforts in the moment.



Flying an assigned task with a GP start "concentrates the mind



wonderfully". I have had very few contests flights where I have



concentrated so hard on picking my path and flying with the utmost



efficiency. I know the others were doing the same. You could almost see



the little thought bubbles over each glider with each pilot thinking



"How do I get away from this SOB?".







The one word that sums up this little experiment in GP racing for me is



"satisfying". It was simpler, purer, more challenging, more immediately



gratifying. Let's keep it that way. No need to "gild the lily".







--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---



Guess what - there is an easy way to get the same effect under current rules in the US: fly speed tasks, and during the pre-start maneuvering find an follow someone who you think you need to beat but is as good or better than you (or better, several of those guys). Then start within a few minutes of him (them). Works like a charm at smaller local races - been doing it at ASA contests for years!



Kirk

66

My wife and I visited SLGP for the Grand Prix Race last Sunday and enjoyed our visit very much. We walked the grid, watched the launch and spent a nice afternoon at the Gliderport in weather that couldn't have been much nicer.. We enjoyed a picnic lunch in the shade by the pool. Michelle took advantage of the wi-fi to get her school work done while I caught up with the news at Seminole Lake.

The best part for me was watching the first of the competitors return. It was one of the two Libelles in the race. My initial reaction was THIS IS GREAT. A guy with one of the oldest, lowest performance gliders in the field wins the race! The ultimate, Cinderella story...unfortunately it was not to be. I learned later that the gentleman flew the wrong course and did not win after all. But it sure was fun while it lasted!

I hope you keep the series going. Someday I'd like to participate.

Brian

Round 4 of the 2013-14 Florida Sailplane Grand Prix series begins in just 10 days.

Should be a strong turnout.

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/sgpflusa

Schedule: https://sites.google.com/site/sgpflusa/schedule

The Brits have a different approach for club use of the grand prix approach.. Accommodates gliders of different handicaps but retains the horse race start and the first past the post winner. They do it by varying the diameter of the beer can from the turn point.
As I understand it, the lower the handicap the glider has a larger beer can (ie, less distance to fly) than a higher handicap glider. The latest news from the Brit developer is that SeeYou now has adapted its software to cope with such an event.
I believe that the Brit software was offered to Florida, but not used.

On Tuesday, October 1, 2013 1:14:16 PM UTC-6, WB wrote:
Huge thanks to the folks at Seminole Lake Gliderport and to Andy McQuigg

for conceiving of and hosting the first Florida Grand Prix. The wet

weather relented on Sunday and we got a beautiful blue sky full of cu's

and a well-called task to match. I won't recount the race or results.

That's for the organizers. I will say that the GP format worked well and

was tremendous fun to fly. I have no problem with the conventional

glider race format, but the GP does make for a very enjoyable and

satisfying change. Everyone starting together and flying in the same air

is great. There is less incentive for leeching in the GP. One can't win

by following, at some point you have to physically get out ahead of your

competitors. We had a max start height and a minimum finish height, so

no safety issues there. The only safety issue I saw was my own stupidity

regarding the start. I noodled around and ended up a couple of miles on

the wrong side of the line too close to the gate opening time for my

class. Scooting back to the line, I was not thinking about the class

that was just starting so I was head-on to them. Really dumb on my part.

The start line is not very wide, so it would have been much smarter to

have flown around the end. No rules needed, just remind everyone to stay

out from in front of the start line.



WB



--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

The forecast for this weekends Florida Sailplane Grand Prix could definitely be alot worse ;-)!

http://www.weather.com/weather/weeke...+USFL0372:1:US

Friday - 80, Mix of sun and clouds, chance of shower
Saturday - 83, Partly sunny
Sunday - 81, Partly sunny

At least we will be warm!

Sean
7T

QUICK REPORT: We had a very nice sunny Florida weekend (80's) with a frontal passage late in the day (5pm) Saturday. A few storms were fairly "exciting" but the weather came and went within an hour. We flew both Friday and Sunday in soft but enjoyable conditions.

Friday had ample clouds but ended up with a high overcast layer that shut us down very quickly. Sunday we enjoyed 1-2 knots up to 2500 and one thermal up to 3k! TA and 7T managed to get within shouting distance of the 2nd (final) turnpoint (Tex Merrit) today but failed to make it.

Even though we did not complete our task, we found today to be outstanding weak weather flying practice and we had a ball. 15-18 gliders where on the grid today! Everyone launched and there was only one land-out (who was aero-towed out within 10 minutes). It was great to see the turnout and GREAT to get out of the cold.

February's GP event is going to be "by far" the largest. Many regular winter pilots will already be at Seminole and ready to fly. We could have between 25-30 glider flying in 3 handicap range classes. Come join us!

Info he https://sites.google.com/site/sgpflusa/

Sean

On Monday, January 6, 2014 4:42:27 PM UTC-5, Sean F (F2) wrote:
The forecast for this weekends Florida Sailplane Grand Prix could definitely be alot worse ;-)!



http://www.weather.com/weather/weeke...+USFL0372:1:US



Friday - 80, Mix of sun and clouds, chance of shower

Saturday - 83, Partly sunny

Sunday - 81, Partly sunny



At least we will be warm!



Sean

7T