AFA Cadet XC Team - MIA at Montegue?

The AFA did not show up at Montague because they b0rke a vehicle on
the way there from Parowan, I'm told.

Should also note that while PR9 may have been over-subscribed a month
or two prior to the contest, that was not the case when it started;
the last person on the waiting list got in. So the AFA, in this case,
didn't "waste" any contest slots.

The CD and the SSA rules committee have a good dialogue with the AFA
that continues. Hopefully Charlie will chime in here with what he
knows, which is a lot more than me.

2NO

Fellow soaring pilots,

Thanks to all for responding to my original post, I was very sorry to
hear of the AFA Soaring teams vehicle accident in route to R-11, but
we are all very relieved to hear no one was injured. It certainly
reminds us all of the very real dangers we face just hauling our ships
around the country, so let’s all be super vigilant in our travels.

I believe this series of RAS dialog in response to my original posting
was a healthy and educational one. I personally don’t believe the AFA
Commanders stated “Leadership Training Program” would need or should
be in conflict with the daily rigors of contest flying. Actually quite
the opposite, all the healthy and admirable qualities found in strong
leaders can be experienced, tested and instilled during the sometimes
marathon contest process.

I have attended four regional contests where the AFA Cadets were
scheduled to be in attendance, I belong to a soaring club In Colorado
that has a fairly close relationship with the AFA and its Cadets but
unfortunately not its XC Soaring Program. So I have some personal
experience with observing the Cadets contest program over the recent
years, more than the average pilot but I wouldn’t call it an insider’s
view.

It is my respectful hope that:
(1) The AFA Cadets will continue to participate and enjoy racing in
the Region 9 contests and benefit from this unique experience for many
years to come.
(2) The XC Soaring programs commander will perhaps consider the
structured and yet creative process of attending and operating within
the parameters of a civilian soaring contest can mesh quite well with
a Leadership Training Program.

Respectfully submitted,
Rick Culbertson
Colorado, USA

We're all on the same wavelength.

I've seen the Air Force cadets at a bunch of Regionals and it's
inspiring to see a bunch of such young enthusiasts participate -
sometimes with their folks following along too. They have never
hesitated to help other pilots - I remember one bunch pulling a glider
out of a mud pit in a "dry" lake bed at Hobbs one year and at Parowan
this year they rushed to help Nick get his Twin Astir out of the ditch
and back onto the field.

No, it's not the cadets, or even their officers that are the problem,
but some of the strange rules they operate under - probably dreamed up
by some office-bound bureaucrat. Our mutterings here are aimed at
them, not the pilots.

Mike

Fellow soaring pilots,

Thanks to all for responding to my original post, I'm very sorry to
hear of the AFA Soaring teams vehicle accident in route to R-11, but
we are all very relieved to hear no one was injured. It certainly
reminds us all of the very real dangers we face just hauling our ships
around the country, so let’s all be super vigilant in our travels.

I believe this series of RAS dialog in response to my original posting
was a healthy and educational one. I personally don’t believe the AFA
Commanders stated “Leadership Training Program” would need or should
be in conflict with the daily rigors of contest flying. Actually quite
the opposite, all the healthy and admirable qualities found in strong
leaders can be experienced, tested and instilled during the sometimes
marathon like contest process.

I have attended four regional contests where the AFA Cadets were
scheduled to be in attendance, I belong to a soaring club In Colorado
that has a fairly close relationship with the AFA and its Cadets but
unfortunately not its XC Soaring Program. So I have some personal
experience with observing the Cadets contest program over the recent
years, more than the average pilot but I wouldn’t call it an insider’s
view.

It is my respectful hope that:
(1) The AFA Cadets will continue to enjoy racing in the Region 9
contests and benefit from this unique experience for many years to
come.
(2) The AFA XC Soaring programs commander will perhaps consider the
structured and yet creative process of attending and operating within
the parameters of a civilian soaring contest can and should mesh quite
well with a Leadership Training Program.

Respectfully submitted,
Rick Culbertson
Colorado, USA