Armchair CD U.S. Sports Class Nats

I'd love to do more glider flying, Tom, but this darn pesky "Defending
the country" thing just keeps getting in the way. 8 more years until
I'm retired and can join you merry chaps on a regular basis.

Maybe when the rules are written here in the states to make us
competitive again on the world scene where, incidentally there ARE
more landouts, the U.S. teams can at least move to the top half of the
score sheet? I know for a fact it is not our pilots skill levels.
They are right up there with the best Europe has to offer. I'm
attributing it to the fact that we make 3 hour tasks on a 7 hour
soaring day and assume that we "really" racing.

-EX

"Stir'rin the pot"

Having flown all six of the contest days here, I can personally assure
you that CD Andy McQuigg has done an outstanding job of calling tasks
that make the best use of the weather. The days have definitely not
been easy, with a number of pilots (including this one) having low
saves on final glides as the lift quit. The first three days we were
unable to start the launch before 1pm. If memory serves, three days
the task was changed in the air. It hasn't been easy. Day five and
six in particular really shook up the score sheet.

So rather than whining, why don't you go fly your glider... oh wait,
you don't even care about flying it... word is spreading about how
you make "use" of it - and I'm not the only one thats picked up.

2c


On Jun 16, 6:12 pm, Mitch wrote:
I'd love to do more glider flying, Tom, but this darn pesky "Defending
the country" thing just keeps getting in the way. 8 more years until
I'm retired and can join you merry chaps on a regular basis.

Maybe when the rules are written here in the states to make us
competitive again on the world scene where, incidentally there ARE
more landouts, the U.S. teams can at least move to the top half of the
score sheet? I know for a fact it is not our pilots skill levels.
They are right up there with the best Europe has to offer. I'm
attributing it to the fact that we make 3 hour tasks on a 7 hour
soaring day and assume that we "really" racing.

-EX

"Stir'rin the pot"

On Jun 19, 10:37 am, "
wrote:
Having flown all six of the contest days here, I can personally assure
you that CD Andy McQuigg has done an outstanding job of calling tasks
that make the best use of the weather. The days have definitely not
been easy, with a number of pilots (including this one) having low
saves on final glides as the lift quit. The first three days we were
unable to start the launch before 1pm. If memory serves, three days
the task was changed in the air. It hasn't been easy. Day five and
six in particular really shook up the score sheet.

So rather than whining, why don't you go fly your glider... oh wait,
you don't even care about flying it... word is spreading about how
you make "use" of it - and I'm not the only one thats picked up.

2c

On Jun 16, 6:12 pm, Mitch wrote:



I'd love to do more glider flying, Tom, but this darn pesky "Defending
the country" thing just keeps getting in the way. 8 more years until
I'm retired and can join you merry chaps on a regular basis.

Maybe when the rules are written here in the states to make us
competitive again on the world scene where, incidentally there ARE
more landouts, the U.S. teams can at least move to the top half of the
score sheet? I know for a fact it is not our pilots skill levels.
They are right up there with the best Europe has to offer. I'm
attributing it to the fact that we make 3 hour tasks on a 7 hour
soaring day and assume that we "really" racing.

-EX

"Stir'rin the pot"- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

guys guys guys...the problem isnt the tasks, or the CD, or the
weather. its the gliders and the pilots. they're just too damn good!!

-Tony (dreaming of 40:1+ and water ballast)

So rather than whining, why don't you go fly your glider... oh wait,
you don't even care about flying it... word is spreading about how
you make "use" of it - and I'm not the only one thats picked up.

2c

I really hope that there is supposed to be a missing sarcasm tag
following that closing statement...
Mitch has done way more than most in this community to help young
pilots out that are trying to earn badges, fly contest, and compete in
nationals. He always has the option of letting his Discus sit in his
trailer while he is completing Navigator school for the air force, or
while attending Officer Training School. Mitch my not be a flight
instructor, like yourself Kevin, but he does far more than his share
to help this community and sport, and a snide remark like that is
warranted in private conversation, let alone in a public news group.

Orion Kingman
DV8

Good point Mitch.

Maybe it is a matter of endurance, perhaps due to aging.

Seems as though pilots in National Contests should be expected as a
rule to meet at least "Silver Badge" requirements in daily
competition. This includes flights in access of five hours and the
resulting task distances in todays very high performance sailplanes.

The younger pilots should be tested and honed for success with longer
and tougher tasks in National competition, even though it will require
pilots showing up with crews, due to more landouts.

Mike

On Jun 20, 9:52 am, Mike wrote:
Good point Mitch.

Maybe it is a matter of endurance, perhaps due to aging.

Seems as though pilots in National Contests should be expected as a
rule to meet at least "Silver Badge" requirements in daily
competition. This includes flights in access of five hours and the
resulting task distances in todays very high performance sailplanes.

The younger pilots should be tested and honed for success with longer
and tougher tasks in National competition, even though it will require
pilots showing up with crews, due to more landouts.

Mike

Agreed.

Tom (711) and John (BB)- I understand trying to accommodate all
participants, but I'm not sure if this hold water at a national where
team selection is in the balance. The rules committee has made is
fairly clear that a sports class event should be tasked for a Discus
to Libelle 201 range ship (If I recall correctly), thus eliminating
the need for the CD to task for the KA-6 that shows up to the same
event as a Nimbus 3. If in the best opinion of the CD, and his task
advisers, a Libelle 201 could fly 50 mph in a given 5 hour soaring
window then task the fleet with a 250 mile call, but don't shorten the
task/time at a national to make sure that everyone can make it home
for that nights festivities. A national should be an event where the
cream of the crop is forced to rise to the top of the score sheet, to
insure that we have the best possible representation at a WGC. BTW
711, I've been flying in and out of SLC lately... I'm bummed that I'm
not in the N3 down at Parowan... the cu fields have been gorgeous from
the cockpit of the CRJ.

DV8

I am a relatively new competition pilot with only one Regional (Perry
2006) and one National (1-26 Championships) level contest behind me.
The only sailplane I own so far is a Blanik L-13 in which I spend
every weekend and most weeks training the pilots who are the future of
our sport. I run a gliderport because I love this sport, but were it
not for the goodness of people like Mitch Hudson and Kevin Anderson
who have given me the use of their sailplanes I would not be able to
do any cross country soaring or racing for myself, thus eventually
losing the enthusiasm and love of the sport which keeps me going while
working in the trenches running a commercial operation and all that it
entails.

Aside from the two contests which I've actually flown I have made a
point to study every contest that I can in order to learn how best to
run the contests which I manage. I've towed, attended and studied many
contest and recently finished up managing the 2007 World Class
Nationals and 1-26 Championships. So, with that said then I will
respond to Mitch's question (before the rock-throwing began) and state
my observations from the first two contest days.

1) Day 1 - I ferried the towplane through strong lift the last hour
before reaching Caeser Creek. - The first sniffer was launched half an
hour after I landed, and there was a 3 hour task called.
2) Day 2 - Cu's showed up in the sky at 11:30. I launched the first
sniffer an hour later, and by the time I'd landed he was reporting 7
knot lift and an altitude of 7000'. There was a 3.5 hour task called.

According to the rules copied below, it sounds to me that the CD is
expected to make full use of the available soaring weather and 3 hours
should really be considered a minimum. I'm thinking the first two days
at least were under-called. (Wasn't on site for Days 3-6, so I don't
know about that.)

This is CD McQuigg's first Nationals as a CD, so I guess we all need
to learn the job. I look forward to seeing him push these guys hard
enough to separate the men from the boys.

Sarah

10.3.1.1 † Task Parameters
· † Standard Minimum Task Distance: 50 miles
· † Standard Minimum Task Time: 3.0 hours
· Standard Task Time: 4.0 hours

10.3.1.3 Normal Task - Tasks should make as full use of
the available soaring weather as is practical. When feasible, tasks
should be set so that the expected minimum completion time is not
less
than the Standard Task Time. Yet a task should be short enough that a
pilot who starts as soon as the task opens and who achieves 75% of
the
expected winning speed is able to finish. A time-limited task should
normally allow a maximum possible distance at least 130% of that
achievable in the designated minimum time at the expected winning
speed.

10.3.1.5 Maximum Task - Tasks should be set such that
the total time on course of the highest-scoring flights on any two
consecutive days is less than 10 hours. But, consistent with this and
as conditions allow, it is appropriate for the CD to set occasional
tasks that are substantially longer than the Standard Task Time.