The Last Free Distance Task?

[Tony[_5_]]

Just curious thinking today, when was the last time a free distance
task was called in a US Contest?

Tony

[sisu1a]

On Jan 19, 10:06*am, Tony > wrote:
> Just curious thinking today, when was the last time a free distance
> task was called in a US Contest?
>
> Tony

Last Sept... it's an annual event called the Dust Devil Dash out of
Tehachapi:
http://www.socalsoaring.com/index.php?page=dustdevil

....but in a 'normal' contest I have no idea.

-Paul

[Tony[_5_]]

On Jan 19, 12:29*pm, sisu1a > wrote:
> On Jan 19, 10:06*am, Tony > wrote:
>
> > Just curious thinking today, when was the last time a free distance
> > task was called in a US Contest?
>
> > Tony
>
> Last Sept... it's an annual event called the Dust Devil Dash out of
> Tehachapi:http://www.socalsoaring.com/index.php?page=dustdevil
>
> ...but in a 'normal' contest I have no idea.
>
> -Paul

and in the same spirit, we always fly free distance on the first
saturday after the first full moon after the summer solstice here in
Kansas. The Kansas Kowbell Klassic. no relation to that other KKK...

[[email protected]]

On Jan 19, 10:40*am, Tony > wrote:
> On Jan 19, 12:29*pm, sisu1a > wrote:
>
> > On Jan 19, 10:06*am, Tony > wrote:
>
> > > Just curious thinking today, when was the last time a free distance
> > > task was called in a US Contest?
>
> > > Tony
>
> > Last Sept... it's an annual event called the Dust Devil Dash out of
> > Tehachapi:http://www.socalsoaring.com/index.php?page=dustdevil
>
> > ...but in a 'normal' contest I have no idea.
>
> > -Paul
>
> and in the same spirit, we always fly free distance on the first
> saturday after the first full moon after the summer solstice here in
> Kansas. *The Kansas Kowbell Klassic. *no relation to that other KKK....

I really think it was about 1972, in Marfa, Texas, Ray Gimmey won that
day at about 422 miles in his Libelle. About that time we began the
1970's gas crisis and free distance was no longer called.

[Tim Taylor]

On Jan 19, 3:57*pm, " >
wrote:
> On Jan 19, 10:40*am, Tony > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Jan 19, 12:29*pm, sisu1a > wrote:
>
> > > On Jan 19, 10:06*am, Tony > wrote:
>
> > > > Just curious thinking today, when was the last time a free distance
> > > > task was called in a US Contest?
>
> > > > Tony
>
> > > Last Sept... it's an annual event called the Dust Devil Dash out of
> > > Tehachapi:http://www.socalsoaring.com/index.php?page=dustdevil
>
> > > ...but in a 'normal' contest I have no idea.
>
> > > -Paul
>
> > and in the same spirit, we always fly free distance on the first
> > saturday after the first full moon after the summer solstice here in
> > Kansas. *The Kansas Kowbell Klassic. *no relation to that other KKK....
>
> I really think it was about 1972, in Marfa, Texas, Ray Gimmey won that
> day at about 422 miles in his Libelle. *About that time we began the
> 1970's gas crisis and free distance was no longer called.

Maybe after the next gas crisis when the recession ends we will get
rid of the free distance drive to get to the contest and start having
East and West US Nationals.

[bildan]

On Jan 19, 4:24*pm, Tim Taylor > wrote:
> On Jan 19, 3:57*pm, " >
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jan 19, 10:40*am, Tony > wrote:
>
> > > On Jan 19, 12:29*pm, sisu1a > wrote:
>
> > > > On Jan 19, 10:06*am, Tony > wrote:
>
> > > > > Just curious thinking today, when was the last time a free distance
> > > > > task was called in a US Contest?
>
> > > > > Tony
>
> > > > Last Sept... it's an annual event called the Dust Devil Dash out of
> > > > Tehachapi:http://www.socalsoaring.com/index.php?page=dustdevil
>
> > > > ...but in a 'normal' contest I have no idea.
>
> > > > -Paul
>
> > > and in the same spirit, we always fly free distance on the first
> > > saturday after the first full moon after the summer solstice here in
> > > Kansas. *The Kansas Kowbell Klassic. *no relation to that other KKK...
>
> > I really think it was about 1972, in Marfa, Texas, Ray Gimmey won that
> > day at about 422 miles in his Libelle. *About that time we began the
> > 1970's gas crisis and free distance was no longer called.
>
> Maybe after the next gas crisis when the recession ends we will get
> rid of the free distance drive to get to the contest and start having
> East and West US Nationals.

Or maybe just add "weather handicapping" to the OLC.

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Jan 19, 12:06*pm, Tony > wrote:
> Just curious thinking today, when was the last time a free distance
> task was called in a US Contest?
>
> Tony

I think the rules were changed after the 1972 contest season to remove
Free Distance as a task option in SSA Sanctioned contests. I think
the 1-26 group has used it more recently. And the last time
Perscribed Area Distance was called at a US Nationals was 1976 at El
Mirage. First day of the Unlimited Class Nationals. It may have been
used slightly more recently at a Regionals, but it was likely removed
from the rules after the 1976 contest season.

Steve

[Tony[_5_]]

> I think the rules were changed after the 1972 contest season to remove
> Free Distance as a task option in SSA Sanctioned contests. *I think
> the 1-26 group has used it more recently. *And the last time
> Perscribed Area Distance was called at a US Nationals was 1976 at El
> Mirage. *First day of the Unlimited Class Nationals. *It may have been
> used slightly more recently at a Regionals, but it was likely removed
> from the rules after the 1976 contest season.
>
> Steve

Good point about the 1-26 contest, I hadn't thought of them, tsk tsk.
Just another fine reason to own a 1-26 :)

[Bob Kuykendall]

I think that "1-26 Free Distance" might be an oxymoron. In a 1-26, the
best you get is "relatively inexpensive distance."

[[email protected]]

On Jan 19, 7:59*pm, Bob Kuykendall > wrote:
> I think that "1-26 Free Distance" might be an oxymoron. In a 1-26, the
> best you get is "relatively inexpensive distance."

I agree that the last free distance in a US Nationals I remember was
at Marfa in 1972. I landed my Ka-6 in a very sick corn field just
south of Post Texas.

Bill Snead

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Jan 19, 7:59*pm, Bob Kuykendall > wrote:
> I think that "1-26 Free Distance" might be an oxymoron. In a 1-26, the
> best you get is "relatively inexpensive distance."

Yes, Bob. But with a1-26, you don't get as much of it (distance), so
it seems almost "free"! And don't be calling them 1-26 drivers names
like that! :-)

[Bob Whelan[_3_]]

Bob Kuykendall wrote:
> I think that "1-26 Free Distance" might be an oxymoron. In a 1-26, the
> best you get is "relatively inexpensive distance."

Even in the days of cheap gas, every mile XC *I* earned in a 1-26 was
hard-earned...nothing free about 'em at all!

And Great Fun, too, it prolly goes without saying.

Bob - sweated a few bullets along those miles - W.

[Tony[_5_]]

On Jan 20, 5:36*pm, Bob Whelan > wrote:
> Bob Kuykendall wrote:
> > I think that "1-26 Free Distance" might be an oxymoron. In a 1-26, the
> > best you get is "relatively inexpensive distance."
>
> Even in the days of cheap gas, every mile XC *I* earned in a 1-26 was
> hard-earned...nothing free about 'em at all!
>
> And Great Fun, too, it prolly goes without saying.
>
> Bob - sweated a few bullets along those miles - W.

Bob I feel the same way about the miles I rack up in the Cherokee II.
Lots of work but lots of fun too.

Tony

[bildan]

On Jan 20, 7:34*pm, Tony > wrote:
> On Jan 20, 5:36*pm, Bob Whelan > wrote:
>
> > Bob Kuykendall wrote:
> > > I think that "1-26 Free Distance" might be an oxymoron. In a 1-26, the
> > > best you get is "relatively inexpensive distance."
>
> > Even in the days of cheap gas, every mile XC *I* earned in a 1-26 was
> > hard-earned...nothing free about 'em at all!
>
> > And Great Fun, too, it prolly goes without saying.
>
> > Bob - sweated a few bullets along those miles - W.
>
> Bob I feel the same way about the miles I rack up in the Cherokee II.
> Lots of work but lots of fun too.
>
> Tony

"You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because
you might not get there." - Yogi Berra