Outstanding video on the sport of Glider RACING

http://youtu.be/t9bdZCvkRuc

On Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 1:03:37 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
http://youtu.be/t9bdZCvkRuc

i love watching those.

ND wrote:
On Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 1:03:37 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
http://youtu.be/t9bdZCvkRuc

i love watching those.

Just imagine the amazing video of the USGP flying through the mountains of
Michigan (when it's actually flyable).

Sorry as a fellow flatlander I couldn't resist.

Pete

Have you seen the cover photo on the Facebook page. :-). It should give you a good chuckle...

I love mountain flying but I think many of us also love classic thermal competition in a nice landable topography. Pure thermal flying is, in many ways, more challenging as there are usually several efficient "routes" along each leg. Cloud selection and reading the heating potential of the upcoming surface features are key vs. simply flying to the next best mountain peak aligned to the sun/wind. Mountain tasks (seems to me) tend to collect gliders along the same route. This can create a bit of a parade with few alternative routes (which are often high risk).

As for the weather, the entire eastern USA has been fairly poor in general the past few years. By 2016 it will be cooking again! We have had incredible flying the last three years in Ionia during late July.

In the future I am certain more exotic US locations will host the U.S. Sailpane Grand Prix Qualifier. With only 2 weeks left to submit the FAI bid, there is still time for one of them to step up to the plate and take a swing....

The cover photo on which Facebook page ?

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Sean Fidler wrote:
"Have you seen the cover photo on the Facebook page. :-). It should give you a good chuckle... "

Case in point: http://youtu.be/K_1HTmrUh74

Mountain tasks are awesome but they can actually really limit a trailing pilots options. In the replay above it is "follow the leader" for 70% of the task with a few tactical decisions after the third turn-point deciding the win.

On Friday, January 16, 2015 at 2:09:13 AM UTC+1, Sean Fidler wrote:

I love mountain flying but I think many of us also love classic thermal competition in a nice landable topography. Pure thermal flying is, in many ways, more challenging as there are usually several efficient "routes" along each leg. Cloud selection and reading the heating potential of the upcoming surface features are key vs. simply flying to the next best mountain peak aligned to the sun/wind. ...

ROTFLMAO

There is a huge difference between flying thousands of feet ABOVE mountains versus flying BETWEEN them. Unless the wind favors speed-running along the only predominant ridge on a relatively short task (as was the case in your example), day-long tasks through the mountains offer many possibilities, with vastly different conditions along each route.

Chris

If you look at the traces (objectively) in most contests, you'll see that 80-90% follow almost the exact same route...

Even in thermals high above the mountains, the best routes are over the best mountains (one or few routes).

So, Ill have to disagree with you based on my research of contest flight traces.

Also, not sure what "day long" task means. Is there a half day or quarter day task I have not heard about? ;-)

Sean - day long tasks are typically flown in European contest and 1/4 and 1/2 day tasks flown in US regionals and nationals.

Dave - I hope you are kidding!