From JP Stewart

I explained to you that within less than 24 hours of JP's initial note (to the BRSS club members only, a note that was hijacked and posted here) this became an entire non-event through Peter's generous offer and the donation of more than sufficient funds to put JP on Peter's insurance policy. Your insensitivity on this forum is remarkable.

Herb

Herb,

For the record, the note was NOT "hijacked" as you state, but sent to me personally by JP to spread the word in the community that he needed a glider. It was posted here and on a couple Face Book pages that I help administer, at his request.

What an amazing guy JP is.....humble and eager to learn on the ground and a darn good pilot in the air. It was a pleasure to fly with him last week.

Gary 'GB'

Lets just be happy that JPs opportunity to fly at CCSCs contest was not destroyed by his clubs poor management of this situation. I am sure they all meant well and "did their best" to accomidate JP in authorizing, voting, etc in a timely manner. Unfortunately the final result fell a few hundred miles short of the airport. He is STILL not able to fly the LS6 at a contest....

JPs borrowed LS8 is in my hangar in Ionia and he is able to get in another contest next week this summer. Again, no LS6 yet unfortunately ;-). Even though he would much prefer to fly it.

Why after this screw up has the club not acted and made the LS6 available? Hmmm? You all have had 2 weeks....

JP and I have become VERY good friends flying Condor competitions almost nightly all winter for the past couple years. We have all improved substantially and it clearly shows. I have witnessed JPs improvements in this arena and see a direct relationship to his sound decision making in last weeks contest to his great effort in Condor. JP also contacted me shortly after hearing the news that he had had the LS6 pulled from him and asked if there was anything Incould think in order to find him another ship. He can fly mine anytime he needs it although he is a bit too tall for a Lak17a.

I have always done anything I could to encourage JP and praise his great progress. His flying with the John Goods instruction at the Seminole Jr camp this March was becoming impressive already. He, along with Daniel Sahzin, are bright stars in the future of US international soaring compeitition and they both deserve to be supported fully and intensely.

As I understand it, Daniel is still unable to fly his clubs LS4 at contests as well. Interesting. Sounds like a pattern to me...

Anyhow, best of luck everyone. I have nothing further to add for now.

Sean
F2

"As I understand it, Daniel is still unable to fly his clubs LS4 at contests as well."

This is a misunderstanding. Aero Club Albatross has been very lenient and supportive of my use of their equipment, all which I greatly appreciate. They let me fly Sweet Red, the club 1-26 at multiple events, including the Sports Class Nationals at Mifflin. I am sure once I am fully qualified and the board approves me to do so, that they will allow me to use the LS4 as well.. A great deal given that the full junior flying membership is $89 a year so little wrong can be said in terms of ACA's continued support of juniors.

Best Regards,
Daniel Sazhin

Thanks for clarifying, Daniel. Just another example of some poster here playing fast and loose with the 'facts', especially when they fit their agenda.

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013 9:26:54 AM UTC-4, Sean F (F2) wrote:


As I understand it, Daniel is still unable to fly his clubs LS4 at contests as well. Interesting. Sounds like a pattern to me...



Anyhow, best of luck everyone. I have nothing further to add for now.



Sean

F2

No Sean, you misunderstand. As you often do. And instead of establishing the facts, you express your outrage and dismay in a public forum. In the process, you convert people like me who were willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in the past into folks who have just about had enough of your crap. You're truly one for the record books - you've made me miss Lennie the Lurker.

Erik Mann
P3

Daniel, who I arranged an internship for the summer in Ionia (where he is today), is a friend. We have had numerous us conversations on this LS4 topic. All I will say is if Daniel had access to this LS4, he'd be flying it in Ionia next week. He may be a little afraid of further upsetting his club members who are already spinning in a political furball.

This thread is about facts. The facts are that a glider was pulled from a outstanding Jr pilot 3 days before the contest began, nearly costing him a great experience. PERIOD.

Direct your embarrassment and anger that I have called this club out towards me all you want. You hate the I am spot on, you know it and I know it.

Support these pilots and stop screwing them. Thanks!

Where are the kids at contests folks? Jumping thru hoops until they stay home and play Xbox I guess...

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013 8:15:48 PM UTC-4, Sean F (F2) wrote:
Daniel, who I arranged an internship for the summer in Ionia (where he is today), is a friend. We have had numerous us conversations on this LS4 topic. All I will say is if Daniel had access to this LS4, he'd be flying it in Ionia next week. He may be a little afraid of further upsetting his club members who are already spinning in a political furball. This thread is about facts. The facts are that a glider was pulled from a outstanding Jr pilot 3 days before the contest began, nearly costing him a great experience. PERIOD. Direct your embarrassment and anger that I have called this club out towards me all you want. You hate the I am spot on, you know it and I know it. Support these pilots and stop screwing them. Thanks! Where are the kids at contests folks? Jumping thru hoops until they stay home and play Xbox I guess...

Kids will be at Wurtsboro flying with me. 5 this year, fully subscibed. 2 of them have already flown day wins. When not doing that, they will be crewing or flying their new Libelle. Not all are playing video games.
We'll do the same at Elmira.
More energy needs to go into doing something constructive.
UH

Where are the kids at contests folks? Jumping thru hoops until they stay home and play Xbox I guess...

The under 30 crowd been doing very well at contests this year, and (I think) will continue to this season. From what I can recall, Boyd, Daniel, JP, Mike Westbrook, and myself have all found the tops of the scoresheets. I have not heard from any juniors this year that wanted to fly a contest but couldn't due to lack of support from their local clubs/pilots/parents/friends.

Tony Condon
SSA Youth Committee Chair
YYY, K

Great post UH. Well said. I agree. You've done alot with kids, need more like that. Not just parents.

I tried to get Daniel into F2 this week for R6N but unfortunately his glass time is very low. Too low to insure at present. He has not flown in the LS4 yet at Blairstown. Not a single flight yet as I understand it... I hope he can get his time up for next year! 126 attack again! Maybe more of us should be flying those things?

JP was/is welcome to fly F2 (Lak17a) but he got his LS8 again (awesome!) for Ionia and he fits better in that ship at 6'2 or so.

Everyone should try to sponsor and help some kid. Without that out sport will be half what it is today in 15 years in the US as many age out.

Our gliders spend way too much time in the trailer and clubs with club or even HP ships are mired in bureaucratic issues regarding allowing pilots (especially young ones) to take them to contests even though many of the members have the right idea and are trying to make that happen.

This is about the kids in contest soaring. Something so painfully absent its embarrasing. even sailing has massively better demographics. Ill do my part. It's desperately needed that the entire US soaring community begins reprioritizing its objectives to grow this segment rapidly and significantly. Insurance, ships, funding, etc. recognition for the great owners and clubs who provide ships...

I'm bowing out if this thread as it has been ground over far too long. I think I made my point perfectly clear even though it is a sensitive issue for many.

Sean

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013 8:15:48 PM UTC-4, Sean F (F2) wrote:
Daniel, who I arranged an internship for the summer in Ionia (where he is today), is a friend. We have had numerous us conversations on this LS4 topic. All I will say is if Daniel had access to this LS4, he'd be flying it in Ionia next week. He may be a little afraid of further upsetting his club members who are already spinning in a political furball.


So Sean, Daniel writes above that ACA has been incredibly supportive of all of his soaring needs. Yet you persist in implying that the club has somehow withheld use of the LS4. Well, I know you're not one to let facts get in the way of your opinions, but let's try these on for size:

- Daniel has been offered (encouraged actually) to take higher performance ships to races. Starting with the 1-34R for Mifflin. He declined for his own legitimate reasons.
- Two years ago, the club purchased a Grob Twin Astir to begin the transition to higher performance ships. The ship was refinished with nearly 600 hours of club labor (including about 200 of mine). It is available to all club members to use in building high-performance glass time. Daniel has chosen to stick with the 1-26 for the most part.
- FWIW, I took Daniel on several of his first long cross country ridge flight in my own Grob Twin; picked up the tows on those.
- The LS4 was purchased a couple of months ago. The club went through its own procedures to get the ship insured, put processes in place to ensure safe assembly, etc. So, it hasn't been available to ANYONE until earlier a couple of weeks ago.

So, as even you will have to admit, there's not some grand conspiracy to keep a promising young pilot out of the LS4. Just the opposite - ACA has backed Daniel to the hilt on everything he has wanted to do.

Yet, somehow, you want to make us the bad guys.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on that. Maybe you'll apologize?

Erik Mann
P3