What are your thoughts about the Parallel Glider Race

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

If they can make the race short it will draw well. Perhaps have them release at 1,500 feet over the runway, race out and make one lap in like 3-5 minutes with a low pass dropping ballast on the spectators, the Saudi's are going to go nuts for that. I would too. Of course, we may see flutter and some wings getting ripped off, but following NASCAR's lead, that's what the people want anyway.
I see this working, most of the public thinks we just glide down from release anyway, no need to confuse them with the concept of soaring...

Rules just published he https://t.co/ftsqzaruG2

Sean
7T

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