2005 SSA Handicaps Posted

40:1 if I'm lucky, and freshly cleaned and waxed ... DJ couldn't get
better than 38:1 in his flight test, and that was at 50 knots, not 60.

I love my 304CZ, it's the perfect ship for a newer pilot who enjoys
both recreational and contest x/c, but when the CD calls a 250 mile AST
on a strong summer day, I'm in trouble if I can't start 20 minutes
before all Venti, LS-8s and ASW-27s I fly against start ...

-ted/2NO

but when the CD calls a 250 mile AST
on a strong summer day, I'm in trouble

I do this all the time, a 38:1 ship on a "Good Day" should easily be
able to do a 250 AST. I have done it (or close to it)many times in my
HP16 which is probably closer to 36:1.

In 15 meter someone if a better ship has to make a mistake (usually a
serious one as far is speed) for me to keep up with them. Handicapped
it can be a close race.

Brian Case
HP16T N16VP V6

A good PILOT on a "Good Day", of course, but I've only flown over 250
miles once in my life, and that was a downwind dash on a GREAT day!

I'll be able to use my handicap to compete with the faster slippers
when I get better at getting high early (as in in the start cylinder)
and starting just ahead of the pack instead of just after. It's always
been bad news when I started after the pack on long ASTs (which hasn't
been by choice) -- I hear them calling in their finishes when I'm still
45 to an hour out and it's demoralizing!

But the learning is fun.

ted/2NO

wrote in message
oups.com...
A good PILOT on a "Good Day", of course, but I've only flown over 250
miles once in my life, and that was a downwind dash on a GREAT day!

I'll be able to use my handicap to compete with the faster slippers
when I get better at getting high early (as in in the start cylinder)
and starting just ahead of the pack instead of just after. It's always
been bad news when I started after the pack on long ASTs (which hasn't
been by choice) -- I hear them calling in their finishes when I'm still
45 to an hour out and it's demoralizing!

But the learning is fun.

Welcome to the club! Though 45 mins might make me quite happy

hannu

Learning is fun.

And yes my preferred strategy is to try to start 1st and then use all
the other gliders as Markers as they Pass me.

The only problem with this is when the finish 45 minutes ahead of me, I
know they are 45 minutes a head of me.

A little complicated but it might be fun to try a contest where the
start time was based on you handicap. Lowest handicaps starts 1st, in
such a way that theoretically everyone would arrive at the finish line
at the same time. So if that ASW27 finishs before you he has beat you.
I you finish before him, your the winner. Would make for some fun
finishes, It would be interesting to see how close the races really
are.

Brian