What is your club doing to recruit new contest pilots?

I second Scott on this. Simulate, simulate, simulate. Train as you fight, fight as you train. Practice at low cost and with no pressure first, then slowly raise the bar.

Condor has, unfortunately, also had a history of being rejected (or scoffed at) by many in the US soaring community, and this attitude still exists. “It’s a game or a toy...� That said, a simulated contest day (we did a full two day Condor contest in 2012 in Ann Arbor, MI, great fun) or some practice in Condor’s online environment (US Soaring Server) would be a great way to help and encourage new contest pilots (especially younger ones). Condor could help get them up to speed faster on how to manage our current rules, program and manage soaring flight computers (essential with US 100% TAT tasking (complex) and start and finish procedures) and to build general experience. The rules (and tasks) we use here in the 🇺🇸 can be very challenging to newer pilots. People generally don’t like sports where the initial complexity is outrageous. I argue that our US rules are just that (scoring takes many hours for example).

Condor is a great option to prep new pilots fror contests or CC (needless to say primary instruction) and is still greatly underutilized here in the USA as a training tool.


On Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 11:03:41 AM UTC-4, Scott Manley wrote:
Condor is a computer-based glider flight simulation of contest flying. It can and has been used by many aspiring competition pilots to develop and refine their cross-country and competition racing skills. The Condor online world includes many opportunities to develop and test one's racing skills against serious race-minded pilots from all over the world. On a more local level, clubs can (and some do) sponsor regular "race nights" where members can compete with each other either in-person (around a table like a friendly card game) or from home over the network. If used in combination with competition mentoring, Condor is a great tool for getting club members excited about trying the real thing, not to mention very well prepared for it.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,
Scott Manley CFIG (a.k.a. The Condor Guy)