What are your thoughts about the Parallel Glider Race

On Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 11:25:33 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
I'm not saying I like this format as much as SGP with regatta starts, pure assigned tasks and a real race finish. However, the earlier reference to this new events reliance on glide computers is quite silly. I think my statements are accurate. Timed tasks with choices (the vast majority of US contest tasking) are by far the heaviest on glide computer importance and skill managing it in complex scenarios.

Back to the Abu Dhabi thing. I think being the absolute most efficient pilot at starting and final glide is an extremely interesting skill. Match racing is a cool thing as well. Look at Red Bull air races for example (time trials really). Gets a little boring even though the flying is amazing. How cool would it be to see 2 gliders fly around a similar course on either side of the runway? The energy management, flying the glider in the smoothest manner, perfect lines, etc would make all the difference. Pilots would, in fact, probably not have time to look inside the cockpit. I think this could be very interesting and fun to watch considering that the crowds can see the whole thing play out. I for one think an event focused on lots of short races focused on extreme final glide skills would be pretty fun to compete in, every once in awhile. This is not a replacement of traditional soaring of course. It's a highlight of perhaps the most exciting (from a spectator perspective) part of Sailplane Grand Prix. A close finish. The big challenge of this would be setting a course where they are not redlining...but I'm sure they are aware of this concern.

Anything is better than a timed 1 turn MAT or a 25-mile radius TAT all summer. It would be a nice change. Imagine sailplane final glide racing on TV! Cool! Give it a chance. Sure, it's not perfect, but they are trying! It's not hurting you that they are trying something new...is it?

Compared to Red Bull air racing this will be a total snore fest.
UH

I think this concept would still be quite fun to watch for an experienced glider pilot. I would love to watch or compete! To spectators, I think it would be very exciting as they can understand the concept of a short race and the visuals are impressive. Nothing about gliders is more impressive to newbies than high speed low passes and a zoom to land. To spectators, this competition format will look, quite simply, like this below. Once they see that exciting part of the sport, they might, just maybe...., become a bit interested in the rest of it!?

http://youtu.be/DxbyDwe1_tk

On Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 9:42:07 AM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
I think this concept would still be quite fun to watch for an experienced glider pilot. I would love to watch or compete! To spectators, I think it would be very exciting as they can understand the concept of a short race and the visuals are impressive. Nothing about gliders is more impressive to newbies than high speed low passes and a zoom to land. To spectators, this competition format will look, quite simply, like this below. Once they see that exciting part of the sport, they might, just maybe...., become a bit interested in the rest of it!?

Fun to watch, sure - except in the US where all the safety nazis jump on you for "dangerous, unnecessary showing off"!

But how it is a competition? Who can make the fastest low pass? The lowest? The fewest PIOs? If they want to show off the state of the art in sailplanes, then sure, tow some up to 2000' above the crowd and let the pilot show off his glider with whatever maneuvers he wants and let the crowd decide when he lands - like ice dancing - that would add the element of spectator participation!

Then offer rides to pretty women - it's even more fun from the inside:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Ok23JposE

Kirk
66

At 16:58 01 October 2015, kirk.stant wrote:
Why not add some excitement for the crowd and the pilots. Simultaneous
release at a specified altitude with the task being to break (using nose
spikes)
multi colored helium balloons tethered with light weight cotton thread.
Vary balloon altitudes and lateral spacing to require some aggressive
maneuvering then to the wow factor by requiring that a specific colored
balloon must be broken with the glider inverted. The glider with 100%
balloons broken (or more likely most balloons broken) and first thru the
finish gate the winner.

Precision accuracy with aggressive maneuvering and energy management to
boot, now that would be a crowd pleasing competition. Yes it's not xc but
even I would tune in to watch the event.

Pretty women are always nice to have at sporting events and always seem to find their way on camera ;-). I'm sure this event will not be different!

My whole point on this thread has been that this is "just" about the low pass and the zoom. That is simply a nice by product of a true (absolute terms, maximum energy management) glider "race" finish. Of course, this event seems to be primarily focused on simulating a short, final glide only, RACE!

It features:

1) a parallel race course on either side of a runway and in full view of the crowd
2) a regatta start - count down to the start line opening
3) a hard charging final glide "race" around several turn markers (2-3 minutes?) and, finally
4) a real finish line, directly in front of the crowd, where the sailplanes finish low and then zoom up and land.

This sounds pretty cool to me actually.

The first competitor across the line (right in front of the crowd) wins (imagine that!). They really have not much on the website to define the rules or structure so we are really making guesses.

Above is my guess and I think it will be fun and interesting to the crowd if they can keep the heats moving and have each race start within minutes of the finish.

Maybe I'll run one of these in Ionia next year too ;-)!

Sincerely,

Sean

How many tow planes will be needed? Two (maybe three) for each "lane"
so that the next heat will be climbing behind the scenes as the current
heat is running? Six competitors, twelve (eighteen) tow planes!
Logistics, people, logistics... How about a six drum winch launching
all competitors simultaneously? Now I'd pay money for that! Surviving
glider wins!

On 10/2/2015 7:51 AM, Sean Fidler wrote:
Pretty women are always nice to have at sporting events and always seem to find their way on camera ;-). I'm sure this event will not be different!

My whole point on this thread has been that this is "just" about the low pass and the zoom. That is simply a nice by product of a true (absolute terms, maximum energy management) glider "race" finish. Of course, this event seems to be primarily focused on simulating a short, final glide only, RACE!

It features:

1) a parallel race course on either side of a runway and in full view of the crowd
2) a regatta start - count down to the start line opening
3) a hard charging final glide "race" around several turn markers (2-3 minutes?) and, finally
4) a real finish line, directly in front of the crowd, where the sailplanes finish low and then zoom up and land.

This sounds pretty cool to me actually.

The first competitor across the line (right in front of the crowd) wins (imagine that!). They really have not much on the website to define the rules or structure so we are really making guesses.

Above is my guess and I think it will be fun and interesting to the crowd if they can keep the heats moving and have each race start within minutes of the finish.

Maybe I'll run one of these in Ionia next year too ;-)!

Sincerely,

Sean

--
Dan, 5J

Maybe we can just shove the gliders off the side of mountains like these knuckleheads at the "Wingsuit Racing League!"

https://www.facebook.com/WorldWingsuitLeague

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...ie0nUOxX1yHPeK

It'll be about as exciting as a yacht race with no wind. Just imagine a bunch of Americas Cup boats being given a shove to see which goes furthest!

Mike

On Friday, October 2, 2015 at 9:51:13 AM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
Pretty women are always nice to have at sporting events and always seem to find their way on camera ;-). I'm sure this event will not be different!

My whole point on this thread has been that this is "just" about the low pass and the zoom. That is simply a nice by product of a true (absolute terms, maximum energy management) glider "race" finish. Of course, this event seems to be primarily focused on simulating a short, final glide only, RACE!

It features:

1) a parallel race course on either side of a runway and in full view of the crowd
2) a regatta start - count down to the start line opening
3) a hard charging final glide "race" around several turn markers (2-3 minutes?) and, finally
4) a real finish line, directly in front of the crowd, where the sailplanes finish low and then zoom up and land.

This sounds pretty cool to me actually.

The first competitor across the line (right in front of the crowd) wins (imagine that!). They really have not much on the website to define the rules or structure so we are really making guesses.

Above is my guess and I think it will be fun and interesting to the crowd if they can keep the heats moving and have each race start within minutes of the finish.

Maybe I'll run one of these in Ionia next year too ;-)!

Sincerely,

Sean

Unless there is a specified finish speed and height the optimum finish is straight in with no pull up or pattern.
If done over unlandable area, it would be interesting. Otherwise not so much.
Seems to be more about measuring willingness to take risk.
UH

On Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 5:42:07 PM UTC+3, Sean Fidler wrote:
I think this concept would still be quite fun to watch for an experienced glider pilot. I would love to watch or compete! To spectators, I think it would be very exciting as they can understand the concept of a short race and the visuals are impressive. Nothing about gliders is more impressive to newbies than high speed low passes and a zoom to land. To spectators, this competition format will look, quite simply, like this below. Once they see that exciting part of the sport, they might, just maybe...., become a bit interested in the rest of it!?

http://youtu.be/DxbyDwe1_tk

Well, maybe, *if* they start the race with MC=5 or more of height. That would make the turns more interesting too (and precision more important). But will they?