What Is Wrong With OLC?

Sean's comments denigrating the value or significance of OLC logged flights is not surprising, considering his repeated statements that seem to imply that anyone who does not fly "Real" competition, as defined by him, is somehow deficient in intellect and/or soaring skill.

Hate to tell you, Sean, but only about 2% of soaring pilots worldwide enter gliding competitions. Most of us (the "other" 98%) just don't get off on the cutthroat gaggles, scheduled grid times, crappy weather (but are still forced to fly), obnoxious personalities (few, but always annoying), cost and general inconvenience of entering a soaring contest.

The OLC is mostly a neat way to see your flight in comparison to the other pilots who flew from your home site on the same day. Much can be learned by seeing their flight trace and comparing it to what you did. Maybe you can learn something about technique at the home 'drome.

Plus, you can pull up details about amazing flights made in other locations worldwide. Before the OLC, we were completely ignorant of a 1,000 km flight made in Australia, Namibia, Morocco or anywhere else. There is a vast amount of information available to determine the best season and potential for thousands of flying sites worldwide. Also names of pilots you might want to contact for advice.

The OLC does, however, limit the amount of embellishment that used to be such a large part of "hangar flying." To quote a great Arizona Soaring Association T-Shirt, "If it isn't on the OLC, it didn't happen."

On Monday, 30 January 2017 18:39:15 UTC-7, wrote:
Sean's comments denigrating the value or significance of OLC logged flights is not surprising, considering his repeated statements that seem to imply that anyone who does not fly "Real" competition, as defined by him, is somehow deficient in intellect and/or soaring skill.

Hate to tell you, Sean, but only about 2% of soaring pilots worldwide enter gliding competitions. Most of us (the "other" 98%) just don't get off on the cutthroat gaggles, scheduled grid times, crappy weather (but are still forced to fly), obnoxious personalities (few, but always annoying), cost and general inconvenience of entering a soaring contest.

The OLC is mostly a neat way to see your flight in comparison to the other pilots who flew from your home site on the same day. Much can be learned by seeing their flight trace and comparing it to what you did. Maybe you can learn something about technique at the home 'drome.

Plus, you can pull up details about amazing flights made in other locations worldwide. Before the OLC, we were completely ignorant of a 1,000 km flight made in Australia, Namibia, Morocco or anywhere else. There is a vast amount of information available to determine the best season and potential for thousands of flying sites worldwide. Also names of pilots you might want to contact for advice.

The OLC does, however, limit the amount of embellishment that used to be such a large part of "hangar flying." To quote a great Arizona Soaring Association T-Shirt, "If it isn't on the OLC, it didn't happen."

Thanks Mark, touche!

Ok Mark. You know it all If appears.

Well, the bonus for FAI triangles is still a bonus for a free triangle, not a declared one. Moreover, in my country, flying an FAI triangle is near to impossible due to airspace restrictions.

It would indeed be fine to get a bonus for a declared task, even if not FAI.. Most decentralized competitions I know and participate in (apart from OLC) do have such a feature. Example: the French Netcoupe (http://www.netcoupe..net) has a 20% bonus for a (completed) declared task.

Sometimes the arrogance shown on RAS is absolutely astounding. Over 14,000 pilots worldwide disagree with our self-appointed arbiter of "what is and is not soaring."

I fly gliders to experience the thrill of using the atmosphere and its energy in my lifelong quest to avoid yardwork. I don't like competition, but admire those that do compete. It would be nice if Sean at least recognized that others might not share his competitive desire.

And I am sure that he was dropped on this earth with a full-blown set of competition skills, and never took a flight that did not involve a "task."

On Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 5:58:01 AM UTC-8, wrote:
Sometimes the arrogance shown on RAS is absolutely astounding. Over 14,000 pilots worldwide disagree with our self-appointed arbiter of "what is and is not soaring."

Agreed! It is shocking how so many of us these days in all sorts of media conflate our opinions and preferences into some absolute that is best and right for all. And equally shocking how opinions expressed by others have absolutely no affect on others perspectives. Rather, it's the opposite, the more opinions expressed the further people dig in. Considering a different perspective doesn't mean you have to change yours, jesus, go crazy give it a whirl... I once declared loudly to all in band class that Rush was the best band ever. I was 13. At some point since then I've realized that might not be true, and not that wise...

So, nothing that happens on OLC or in any race anywhere in the world has much if any affect on soaring for me so I'm not sure how either could wreck, or make great, soaring. I do like to use OLC, think there is some value to it for me (strangely the same pilots routinely log the longest and fastest flights out of the area they fly, how do they do it?), and I like following contests real time and otherwise.

OTOH, get ready to hold two thoughts in your head at once (hint, "OLC flying" (proof itself that you don't get it) and contest flying is good). I'd rather be shot in the gut than fly a contest on a great soaring day. But I totally get it and if I had all summer to fly would love to add contest flying to it all. I might even find that I like it more than "flying OLC contests", I don't f%#*^ing know. However, I get maybe 4 good soaring days in the glider each year, days that really interest me. I want to see how far I can go, in a single direction, a new area I haven't been before, a declared task for a state record, or following my buddies around. Or I might get "distracted by a great cloud or something" like Gleb.