Contest participation

As i was looking through the pilot rankings on the SSA website tonight, i counted just under 500 pilots with any registration in a contest in the last 3 years. Wiki claims that the SSA has over 10,000 members (understand not all of them fly

On Friday, January 29, 2016 at 9:06:21 PM UTC-5, Christopher Giacomo wrote:
As i was looking through the pilot rankings on the SSA website tonight, i counted just under 500 pilots with any registration in a contest in the last 3 years. Wiki claims that the SSA has over 10,000 members (understand not all of them fly

But that still means that less than 5% of active members are even showing up to a contest? seems strange that such a large proportion of conversation and emphasis on RAS is focused on such a small segment of the sport.

At 02:09 30 January 2016, Christopher Giacomo wrote:
On Friday, January 29, 2016 at 9:06:21 PM UTC-5, Christopher Giacomo
wrote:
As i was looking through the pilot rankings on the SSA website tonight,
i
counted just under 500 pilots with any registration in a contest in the
last 3 years. Wiki claims that the SSA has over 10,000 members
(understand
not all of them fly

But that still means that less than 5% of active members are even showing
up to a contest? seems strange that such a large proportion of
conversation
and emphasis on RAS is focused on such a small segment of the sport.

Gliding competition is a bit like sex. Until you have done it a couple of
times it can seem a bit intimidating. The difference is you never get too
old to compete with dignity.

You have to be less elitist and simplify the rules if you want people to
try it.

as a glider pilot with some XC experience, and no contest experience, I can you what keeps me from contests: there is no 'on ramp'.

the only way that I know to participate in contests is to participate in contests.

What we really need is a way for people to learn about contests before actually entering one:

1. ground school -- 1 day covering eligibility, rules, launch & land procedures, strategy & tactics, traffic, equipment, etc

2. flight school -- non-competitive contests in 2-seaters

3. newbie buddies -- when you show up at a contest, team up with an experienced pilot who will be your mentor for the duration of the contest

Reno Air races has pylon school: http://airrace.org/event/racing/rookie-school/

--bob

Bob,

There are many "fun" contests held by soaring clubs around the country.
These are a good venue to "get your feet wet". Sometimes they're listed
in the back of _Soaring Magazine_. They might also be listed as "cross
country" camps. At these, there are daily safety and weather briefings
as well as assigned tasks to fly, if you choose. The Albuquerque
Soaring Club at Moriarty usually sponsors a "fun camp" when they're not
running a sanctioned contest.

Good luck!

Dan

On 1/30/2016 8:59 AM, Bob Pasker wrote:
as a glider pilot with some XC experience, and no contest experience, I can you what keeps me from contests: there is no 'on ramp'.

the only way that I know to participate in contests is to participate in contests.

What we really need is a way for people to learn about contests before actually entering one:

1. ground school -- 1 day covering eligibility, rules, launch & land procedures, strategy & tactics, traffic, equipment, etc

2. flight school -- non-competitive contests in 2-seaters

3. newbie buddies -- when you show up at a contest, team up with an experienced pilot who will be your mentor for the duration of the contest

Reno Air races has pylon school: http://airrace.org/event/racing/rookie-school/

--bob

--
Dan, 5J

On Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 7:59:45 AM UTC-8, Bob Pasker wrote:
as a glider pilot with some XC experience, and no contest experience, I can you what keeps me from contests: there is no 'on ramp'.

the only way that I know to participate in contests is to participate in contests.

What we really need is a way for people to learn about contests before actually entering one:

1. ground school -- 1 day covering eligibility, rules, launch & land procedures, strategy & tactics, traffic, equipment, etc

2. flight school -- non-competitive contests in 2-seaters

3. newbie buddies -- when you show up at a contest, team up with an experienced pilot who will be your mentor for the duration of the contest

Reno Air races has pylon school: http://airrace.org/event/racing/rookie-school/

--bob

Good points.

Perhaps the tasks with times to finish are most intimidating to me... What's this finishing early crap? Isn't it a race?

There are likely a couple of places that do contest training in the USA. Hopefully someone will point them out.
I know that training camps are run at Lake Keepit for "Nationals" type competition and "Grand Prix" competition. Quite a few entries that you'd call "newbies" are now regular contest participants. One "newbie" recently won a day.
But I've never been within 5000 miles of participating in one.

There must be hundreds of XC pilots who have no idea what terms like MAT, start time interval, etc. are.
Jim

On Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 10:59:45 AM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
as a glider pilot with some XC experience, and no contest experience,
I can you what keeps me from contests: there is no 'on ramp'.

Start by volunteering as crew for an experienced pilot.
You'll learn a lot about soaring as well as contests!

Also consider training camps (I believe there's one coming
up at Seminole after the Seniors).

Have fun!
Best Regards, Dave

On Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 10:59:45 AM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
as a glider pilot with some XC experience, and no contest experience, I can you what keeps me from contests: there is no 'on ramp'.

the only way that I know to participate in contests is to participate in contests.

What we really need is a way for people to learn about contests before actually entering one:

1. ground school -- 1 day covering eligibility, rules, launch & land procedures, strategy & tactics, traffic, equipment, etc

2. flight school -- non-competitive contests in 2-seaters

3. newbie buddies -- when you show up at a contest, team up with an experienced pilot who will be your mentor for the duration of the contest

Reno Air races has pylon school: http://airrace.org/event/racing/rookie-school/

--bob

Hi Bob,

All that has been going on for literal decades in the Eastern US, where are you? (You don't show up on SSA.org)

Every single contest I've flown has had mentors available for the guys that want 'em, even the Nationals.

Some venues are better than others, some years are better than others, but there are a reasonable number of opportunities here for the guy who is motivated.

As far as rules complexity goes... that's a red herring. The scoring rules are complex (handicaps, devaluing for incompletions and short tasks, etc.) but the flying rules are simple enough. There's a "competition guide" which covers all you as a pilot need to know to compete without problems or penalties, that is very much simpler than the rules themselves.

best regards,

Evan Ludeman / T8

Bob,
Come join us in Ephrata at the Dust Up. May 28 thru 30.

In addition to cross country training, there's an informal contest to introduce people to contest flying if they want. All in a supportive environment with great facilities and lots of safe off-field options. Here's last year's webpage. http://www.thedustup.info/ New info should be up soon.

7Q

On Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 10:59:45 AM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
as a glider pilot with some XC experience, and no contest experience, I can you what keeps me from contests: there is no 'on ramp'.

the only way that I know to participate in contests is to participate in contests.

What we really need is a way for people to learn about contests before actually entering one:

1. ground school -- 1 day covering eligibility, rules, launch & land procedures, strategy & tactics, traffic, equipment, etc

2. flight school -- non-competitive contests in 2-seaters

3. newbie buddies -- when you show up at a contest, team up with an experienced pilot who will be your mentor for the duration of the contest

Reno Air races has pylon school: http://airrace.org/event/racing/rookie-school/

--bob

We will be doing 1 and 3 at Region 1. Rookie school and active mentoring.
I don't know what 2 is. I assume this is cross country training you may be describing. There may be some possibility of contest riding if some seats are open in Bus class.
Region 2 will be having an OLC class which is likely to be mostly cross country camp.
Looks like it is not quite as dire as you think.
UH