Winter musing - Poll on Bugs

Back east, at M-ASA, 3-4. If you didn't wash the wings after flying bug splats turned to concrete.
In the west (Moriarty, Parowan, Nephi) 0-1.
There may be a direct correlation with zip code.

If I read the contest rules correctly bug wipers are not allowed, any idea why? I do not have bug wipers nor have I ever needed them, but I have seen several gliders with the wipers and I know they are popular in Europe.

On Monday, January 25, 2016 at 3:25:56 PM UTC-5, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
If I read the contest rules correctly bug wipers are not allowed, any idea why? I do not have bug wipers nor have I ever needed them, but I have seen several gliders with the wipers and I know they are popular in Europe.

I would suggest you read the rules again.

"6.6.2 An external cleaning device is any device with moving parts designed to clean the exterior of the sailplane during flight, such as bugwipers.
The use of such devices is allowed in all classes Rule 6.12."

On Monday, January 25, 2016 at 3:59:11 PM UTC-6, Andrzej Kobus wrote:
On Monday, January 25, 2016 at 3:25:56 PM UTC-5, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
If I read the contest rules correctly bug wipers are not allowed, any idea why? I do not have bug wipers nor have I ever needed them, but I have seen several gliders with the wipers and I know they are popular in Europe.

I would suggest you read the rules again.

"6.6.2 An external cleaning device is any device with moving parts designed to clean the exterior of the sailplane during flight, such as bugwipers.
The use of such devices is allowed in all classes Rule 6.12."

true in FAI classes but not Sports Class. Club class is not an FAI class in the US rules...

Howard is generally correct in giving a value of 0-1 for Moriarty, although some days in the summer with strong lift, the number can go to 2 or 3.

One day a few years ago, I flew through a plume of smoke from a forest fire (at 17,000 ft. MSL) and when I got out of it after about five minutes, the leading edges were about as black as anything I had ever heard about with bugs! It definitely was a 4 or 5 on your scale. It was the first time I ever changed the "Bug" setting on the PNA, and I am glad I did. Took two beers worth of time to clean off the corpses.

Once after a land out and awaiting a tow home I attempted to calculate the number of bugs flying in the Mifflin task area. I admit to a lot of Kentucky windage here, but I estimated the area the wing swept as it flew, took a guess at what percentage of the task area volume that was (lots of zeros here), counted the bugs on the wings and came up with a number of roughly 2 billion.

Those swifts and swallows are up there for a reason.

Wonder if we'll notice any difference as a result of the bat die off?

KS

On Saturday, January 23, 2016 at 4:10:52 PM UTC-7, Soartech wrote:
Recently NASA did a study on coatings for wings that was supposed to shed bugs. A Google search for a US map of flying insect density returns nothing useful.
Please post your experienced Bug density according to the following scale and what state this data is for. I will summarize the results in a map of the US if I get enough data.

0 - never saw a bug splat on my glider
1 - light, here and there splatters
2 - moderate, a few bugs per foot of wing
3 - heavy, lots of bugs per foot of wing
4 - very heavy, many bugs per inch of wing

You may also note if you have a bug problem only during short "buggy periods" but I am more intersted in what you feel is a season average for your area.
Thanks !

Jean, NV 0-1
Parowan, 0-1
Tucson 0-1
Turf 0-1
Tonopah 0-1
Nephi 1-2
Cedar Valley 1-2

Wonder if we'll notice any difference as a result of the bat die off? !

Karl, from my limited knowledge, the bats are mainly eating moths -- both are nocturnal.

On Monday, January 25, 2016 at 7:03:17 PM UTC-5, Mark628CA wrote:
Took two beers worth of time to clean off the corpses.

Actually, this may be the more important finding from this study. "Two beers worth of time" is a fairly universal unit of measure in the gliding community. I suspect we could easily use this to calibrate many other post flying activities (disassembly, packing the hangar, putting way the launch line stuff, etc.). "It took us 3 BEUs (beer equivalent units) to stow the winch last night. It was nightmare getting the drogue chute untangled." I like it.

P3

On Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 5:02:23 PM UTC-5, Papa3 wrote:
On Monday, January 25, 2016 at 7:03:17 PM UTC-5, Mark628CA wrote:
Took two beers worth of time to clean off the corpses.

Actually, this may be the more important finding from this study. "Two beers worth of time" is a fairly universal unit of measure in the gliding community. I suspect we could easily use this to calibrate many other post flying activities (disassembly, packing the hangar, putting way the launch line stuff, etc.). "It took us 3 BEUs (beer equivalent units) to stow the winch last night. It was nightmare getting the drogue chute untangled." I like it.

P3

That's sorta like, "How high were you when you tried to flair today?..... 20 bonser's...".... (or is it "bonzers"?).....

[BEU's..... I like that...]