October Soaring magazine OLC League article

[Mark628CA]

I just received my October Soaring magazine with my report on the 2014 OLC League standings. It was printed with an accompanying photo of a bunch of 1-26 gliders on the ground. I had nothing to do with the photo selection, and I consider it to be an insult to the thousands of pilots worldwide who did their best to compete in this prestigious speed competition.

The 1-26 has an advantageous handicap due to its low performance. Using it to illustrate the OLC League is ridiculous. The 1-26 Association (nice guys all- no offense intended) finished 79th in the Worldwide League standings.

I would have been happy to provide an appropriate photo of a modern glider at speed to accompany the article, but I was not consulted, and I did not expect the article to be published so prominently.

[Peter Kovari]

I don't own a 1-26 and the matter of dact I am a fellow glashole.
I post on OLC and just like at any competion event I respect the handicap rules.
If you got your rear butt kicked by a 1-26 you most likely deserved it.
Sounds like sour grapes to me.
6PK

[MQ]

Peter- I think that you are confused and should perhaps read the Soaring article or just peruse the 2014 OLC results.

Good job on the article Mark. I do find the photos included with many articles to be quite random but I agree that the picture of a gaggle of grounded 1-26's for the league contest that saw cruise speeds posted above their redline to be out of place. Perhaps competing gliders just flew too fast to be captured for this article but a gaggle of 27's dumping water and shooting under a power line will be on the cover of the next issue for you...or it might be a colorful 2-33.

Geoff

[Mark628CA]

I didn't get my butt kicked by a 1-26. I scored well for the World Champion OLC League club Albuquerque Soaring, flying a "vintage" Pegase 101A. I object to the 1-26 being used as the photo in Soaring magazine, associated with a report on a highly competitive speed contest recognized worldwide as an exemplar of the capabilities of our amazing aircraft and pilots.

[Allen Duncan]

On Wednesday, October 1, 2014 10:38:16 PM UTC-4, Mark628CA wrote:
> I didn't get my butt kicked by a 1-26. I scored well for the World Champion OLC League club Albuquerque Soaring, flying a "vintage" Pegase 101A. I object to the 1-26 being used as the photo in Soaring magazine, associated with a report on a highly competitive speed contest recognized worldwide as an exemplar of the capabilities of our amazing aircraft and pilots.

I can hardly read this due to the tears in my eyes. Such hardship you bear..

[Dan Marotta]

That oughtta teach you to express an opinion, Mark. And now I'll get
beat up for siding with you.

BTW, gliders flying under power lines will raise the ire of the hand
wringers. And, no, I don't fly under power lines. Neither do I wring
my hands.

Dan Marotta

On 10/2/2014 6:00 AM, gotovkotzepkoi wrote:
> ...someone please hand me a kleenex
>
> Mark628CA;889941 Wrote:
>> I just received my October Soaring magazine with my report on the 2014
>> OLC League standings. It was printed with an accompanying photo of a
>> bunch of 1-26 gliders on the ground. I had nothing to do with the photo
>> selection, and I consider it to be an insult to the thousands of pilots
>> worldwide who did their best to compete in this prestigious speed
>> competition.
>>
>> The 1-26 has an advantageous handicap due to its low performance. Using
>> it to illustrate the OLC League is ridiculous. The 1-26 Association
>> (nice guys all- no offense intended) finished 79th in the Worldwide
>> League standings.
>>
>> I would have been happy to provide an appropriate photo of a modern
>> glider at speed to accompany the article, but I was not consulted, and I
>> did not expect the article to be published so prominently.
>
>
>

[SF]

I think the the 1-26's make better pictures for the artistic people that don't know a lot about soaring, but like all the pretty colors. Let's face it all the white composite gliders pretty much look alike to the uninitiated.. Except for the PW5 which if someone was setting you up with it, would be described as having a good personality, and a steady job.

I flew a sports class contest with a lone 1-26 entrant, flown by a competent pilot, bless his heart. He landed out every day, except for one, and on that day he got a standing ovation from all the other pilots on the flight line when he landed back at the airport with a completed task in the bag.

Its probably impossible to give a 1-26 enough of a handicap to actually make it competitive with modern composite gliders on a day with decent lift, and a little wind. Flown against other 1-26's with suitable tasking, I bet the Fun/$invested factor beats anything else out there, and then you factor in all the pretty colors that you can't get anywhere else.

The SSA magazine editors job is open, if you think you can do better, apply..

SF

[[email protected]]

I have to chime in here. Some are missing Mark's point.

The report wasn't about 1-26's. 1-26's didn't factor. They weren't underdogs. They weren't even a side story. They finished 79th. Why is there a picture of them with the report? Is this how we are attracting new soaring pilots.

Let me make myself clear... No one is "dissing" 1-26s or the pilots. I myself love my time flying them.

Now... my point:

We should celebrate the airplanes of our past, but are we an antique airplane club or a soaring society? When we take a story about speed flying (which is dominated by glass and carbon aircraft) and show pictures of older (and pretty) rag-and-tube gliders, we look to outsiders more like a historical society.

Again... I also love the old planes. But what inspires typical prospective pilot? I don't think we feature modern planes and the amazing things they can do enough. I've had encounter after encounter with GA pilots that know nothing about soaring. As they learn what is possible with "modern" gliders (even driven by common schlubs like Mark and Myself) their jaws head for the floor. "Holy cow! I've got to give that a try!" is a common response. That is how we grow our membership.

Terry

Again.... I like old planes and I stand in awe of what guys like Tony Condon do with them. Reply as you will, but don't confuse what i've said with glasshole-ism or 1-26 bashing.

[[email protected]]

There are no guys like Tony Condon

[Ernst]

The picture (as the pictures in "Soaring Milestones") reflect the state of soaring in the US. SGS 1-26 and 2-33 are the backbone of US soaring club equipment.
It is not he lonely ASH-30Mi over the Sierra Nevada.
And we need more Tony Condon's.
EH

[kirk.stant]

On Thursday, October 2, 2014 10:11:00 PM UTC-5, Ernst wrote:
> The picture (as the pictures in "Soaring Milestones") reflect the state of soaring in the US. SGS 1-26 and 2-33 are the backbone of US soaring club equipment.
>
> It is not he lonely ASH-30Mi over the Sierra Nevada.
>
> And we need more Tony Condon's.
>
> EH

Really? Our US club has two 1-26s and a 2-33 in it's 10-glider fleet. And guess what, they get flown the least, if at all. The only reason one of our 1-26s flies is because it has a sports canopy! As far as the 2-33 - it just sits there, gathering dust, while the Blanik (L-13AC), K-13, K-21 and G-103 get flown every weekend.

Now, I enjoy a flight in a 1-26 as much as anyone - fun little retro ship - but for a new convert to the sport, its the shiny glass that attracts!

And as far as the 2-33 goes, the last person who flew it was myself, just to remember how much progress has been made since those ancient gliders were designed! (oh wait, they came AFTER the Blanik and K-13...ooops).

Kirk
66

[JS]

The weather's getting cool in USA-land....
Does this mark the opening of 2014-15 "2-33 bashing" season?

Yes, it's a shame that an article Mark submitted was accompanied by inappropriate photos. (haven't seen that issue yet)
I do remember one issue of Soaring magazine which contained 5 identical photos of a Glasflugel 604. Three were on one page.
Evidently we don't submit enough...
Jim

[kirk.stant]

On Friday, October 3, 2014 1:09:06 PM UTC-5, JS wrote:
> The weather's getting cool in USA-land....
>
> Does this mark the opening of 2014-15 "2-33 bashing" season?

No "bashing", just stating facts.

I've got a lot of time in the Golly Whomper, as Pez used to call it. First glider ride, got my private rating in it, etc. And in it's day it was the backbone of the US fleet.

I just don't think that is true anymore, and hasn't been for many years.

Kind of like the old wives tale that nobody ever died in a 2-33 crash (look it up).

But if anyone has the interest in this to prove me wrong with numbers, knock yourself out!

Kirk

[Brad[_2_]]

I learned in a 2-33 and thought it was the coolest glider around, when I flew the 1-26 I thought I was a high-speed operator.

Not going to bash either one, but am damn happy to be in a 40+ carbon ship 30 years later, especially one that I built.

Brad

[[email protected]]

On page 12 of the October issue of Soaring there is a great article, "A Perfect Day". Take a look at the aircraft that are being used to spread the joy of our sport. It would seem that all I see are Schweizers! It is way too early to imagine our sport without the Schweizer fleet.

I was at Pierson, FL's gliderport a few weeks ago and there were three 2-33's slogging it out all day giving primary instruction. Sarah uses one at Chilhowee to give instruction. Our club is giving two check rides this weekend in our 2-33. I admit that I would rather fly our K13 but thank goodness for the 2-33's out there! The 2-33 is definitely the "backbone" of many organization's training operations.

Lane

[[email protected]]

> Now, I enjoy a flight in a 1-26 as much as anyone - fun little retro ship - but for a new convert to the sport, its the shiny glass that attracts!

Have not seen the article and pics yet, but will tell you that shiny also runs off many people when they find out how much it cost.

The 1-26 allowed me to purchase my first glider while the kids were still in the house, begin flying contest, and do all my badge work through diamond.

It is important to let people know that they can get in and play for the price of an old used car instead of a mortgage.

Now flying a Silent-IN.

Kevin
92
192 (former), now has a good new home.

[Bob Whelan[_3_]]

On 10/4/2014 7:26 AM, wrote:
>
>> Now, I enjoy a flight in a 1-26 as much as anyone - fun little retro ship
>> - but for a new convert to the sport, its the shiny glass that attracts!
>
> Have not seen the article and pics yet, but will tell you that shiny also
> runs off many people when they find out how much it cost.
>
> The 1-26 allowed me to purchase my first glider while the kids were still
> in the house, begin flying contest, and do all my badge work through
> diamond.
>
> It is important to let people know that they can get in and play for the
> price of an old used car instead of a mortgage.

I saw shiny glass before ever seeing anything else (clubmembers' H-201 and AS
W-12 at their respective homes as I was being handheld into the sport as a
wet-behind-the-ears collich grad), next weekend viewed the club's 1-26, and a
weekend later took my first flight in their (almost brand new!) 2-33. Forty
two years later I can even remember a brief, unvoiced, spot of mental dismay
at the perceived chasm between those glass babies and the club's equipment,
but since none of the "real soaring-capable adults" seemed to notice or care,
I remained silent...and forgot about it for several years as those unsexy
metal cans introduced me to soaring's charms.

For some, it's the activity that matters, not so much the equipment.

(Does snow in the mountains count as winter yet?...)

Bob W.

[Mark628CA]

Once again, RAS suffers from "thread drift." My original post was not intended to start a Schweizer bash, nor a I-learned-in-one trip down memory lane..

The 2-33 and 1-26 are most definitely a major part of the US Soaring scene- for better or worse, depending on your point of view. (The FAA registry shows over 500 1-26s and over 200 2-33s in the US.)

My point was that using the 1-26 to illustrate the OLC League, which was overwhelmingly flown by newer composite ships and scored for SPEED, is like seeing a report on Formula 1 or NASCAR with a photo of the "venerable" Deaux Chevaux (2CV) or the "timeless" Model T.

Many amiable eccentrics love these historic icons, but they ain't modern racers and should not be used to illustrate a competition in which they did not excel. My point is that it was an editorial error and, no, I do not claim to be competent enough to edit anything but my own work.

And, as old Forrest Gump used to say, "That's all I have to say about that."

[[email protected]]

On Wednesday, October 1, 2014 5:49:35 PM UTC-7, Mark628CA wrote:
> I just received my October Soaring magazine with my report on the 2014 OLC League standings. It was printed with an accompanying photo of a bunch of 1-26 gliders on the ground. I had nothing to do with the photo selection, and I consider it to be an insult to the thousands of pilots worldwide who did their best to compete in this prestigious speed competition.
>
>
>
> The 1-26 has an advantageous handicap due to its low performance. Using it to illustrate the OLC League is ridiculous. The 1-26 Association (nice guys all- no offense intended) finished 79th in the Worldwide League standings.
>
>
>
> I would have been happy to provide an appropriate photo of a modern glider at speed to accompany the article, but I was not consulted, and I did not expect the article to be published so prominently.

Thanks to Mark for his excellent report in Soaring on the OLC results. It was well done. Too bad there have been some discussions here that seem to detour readers from the informative intent of the article. Regardless of various folks' ruffled feathers for various reasons dealing with the report and accompanying photo, it was a great OLC year and an enjoyable report.

Bob T.

[Andrew[_13_]]

Soaring magazine gives regular prominence to Schweitzer gliders,
which the rest of the world has forgotten.


At 00:49 02 October 2014, Mark628CA wrote:
>I just received my October Soaring magazine with my report on the
2014 OLC
>=
>League standings. It was printed with an accompanying photo of a
bunch of
>1=
>-26 gliders on the ground. I had nothing to do with the photo
selection,
>an=
>d I consider it to be an insult to the thousands of pilots worldwide
who
>di=
>d their best to compete in this prestigious speed competition.
>
>The 1-26 has an advantageous handicap due to its low
performance. Using it
>=
>to illustrate the OLC League is ridiculous. The 1-26 Association (nice
>guys=
> all- no offense intended) finished 79th in the Worldwide League
standings.
>
>I would have been happy to provide an appropriate photo of a
modern glider
>=
>at speed to accompany the article, but I was not consulted, and I
did not
>e=
>xpect the article to be published so prominently.
>

[Iain Baker]

The rest of the world has never seen an 1-26, only a handful left US-
Canada and maybe not a single one to Europe...

At 02:08 06 October 2014, Andrew wrote:
>Soaring magazine gives regular prominence to Schweitzer gliders, which the
rest of the world has forgotten.

[MQ]

AOPA has the right picture on the cover of Pilot magazine this month! Some might prefer a bit more brown and a bit less water though. Super Stemme pilots scored many league points.

Geoff

[kirk.stant]

On Monday, October 6, 2014 4:43:21 AM UTC-5, Iain Baker wrote:
> The rest of the world has never seen an 1-26, only a handful left US-
>
> Canada and maybe not a single one to Europe...


More than a handful - a quick perusal of the 1-26 contests show a healthy level of participation. And that's the racers! Our club has 2 of the little beasties, and many are scattered around the US soaring community, beloved by most for their rustic charms.

Also, they are cheap to buy and own....

Kirk
66