USA 18 Meter Sailplane National Championships Day 1 8/01/2017.

[Tom Kelley #711]

Pilot's meeting started 10 am. Mark, our CD, and Kerry, our CM, simply know how to put on a show. Brief, to the point and excellent side shows for weather, griding, and taxiway/ tow out use, etc. The weather, well some of the models are good, others need to be trashed. A lot of conflicting information. But the task called today fit the weather pattern perfectly. Well done Mr. CD! Just a few blue holes, no biggie. Start opened at 1345. Scores and start times are up on the SSA website. http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2354&display=results
When you see the score sheet, click the blue link at the bottom and the task will appear! Around 285 miles as it was a AT. But we ran to Winn which is west, then sorta south to Callaghan then northish to Big Wells, then tip toed along eastish to Los Angeles then had a good street to run home on. I think I saw the top 23 pilots with over 900 point, Bases rose from close to 6,000 msl at the start to over 8,000 msl middle of task area. Lift was good with solid 4-6 kt climbs. Had a few closer to 8 kts and the streeting helped running home.
So all are back, safe and sound. Not sure what's up with the weather over the next few days,

[Sean Fidler]

Nice flying Tom!

[[email protected]]

1026 points?

I didn't know more than 1,000 points was possible. Was the scorer bribed with a dozen Krispy Kremes and bottomless coffee?

Ray

[Ron Gleason]

On Wednesday, 2 August 2017 06:25:11 UTC-6, wrote:
> 1026 points?
>
> I didn't know more than 1,000 points was possible. Was the scorer bribed with a dozen Krispy Kremes and bottomless coffee?
>
> Ray

From the SSA 2017 US Nationals Competition Rule Book

11.8 Scoring Guest Pilots
11.8.1 Terms such as "Best Speed" and "Best Distance" refer to the performance of regular entrants only; guest pilots achieving a
better daily result shall receive a proportionally extrapolated score.
11.8.2 On a day when the only finishers are guest pilots, the highest speed shall be assigned a score of 600 points.
11.8.3 At the option of contest organizers, guest pilots shall be ranked and listed either separately from regular entrants at the
bottom of official score sheets, or along with regular entrants.

For the day Bruce, flying as a guest as defined in section 5.8 of the rulebook, had a speed of 88.13 and fastest contestant had a speed of 85.92. So 88.13 / 85.92 = 1025.72 or 1026 for the day.

Clear as mud?

[John Godfrey (QT)[_2_]]

On Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 9:48:44 PM UTC-4, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
> Pilot's meeting started 10 am. Mark, our CD, and Kerry, our CM, simply know how to put on a show. Brief, to the point and excellent side shows for weather, griding, and taxiway/ tow out use, etc. The weather, well some of the models are good, others need to be trashed. A lot of conflicting information. But the task called today fit the weather pattern perfectly. Well done Mr. CD! Just a few blue holes, no biggie. Start opened at 1345. Scores and start times are up on the SSA website. http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2354&display=results
> When you see the score sheet, click the blue link at the bottom and the task will appear! Around 285 miles as it was a AT. But we ran to Winn which is west, then sorta south to Callaghan then northish to Big Wells, then tip toed along eastish to Los Angeles then had a good street to run home on. I think I saw the top 23 pilots with over 900 point, Bases rose from close to 6,000 msl at the start to over 8,000 msl middle of task area. Lift was good with solid 4-6 kt climbs. Had a few closer to 8 kts and the streeting helped running home.
> So all are back, safe and sound. Not sure what's up with the weather over the next few days,

Tom - so you and Peter don't need no stinking long wings?
Interesting

[[email protected]]

Back in the day ( 1970's ) a French pilot (Aundre Demestry) flying as a guest in the Minden US Nationals, was the only finisher! Nobody knew what to do, finally decided he should get a proportionally higher score.............believe that was something like 2300 points, with the best US land out getting 1000 points. Aundre was an alpine pilot and flew deep into the Sierras to log his winning flight. Alas, Aundre didn't know much about racing and dwindled his massive score down to less than the highest US contersent by the end of the contest.
JJ

[Tom Kelley #711]

On Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 8:01:11 AM UTC-5, John Godfrey (QT) wrote:
> On Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 9:48:44 PM UTC-4, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
> > Pilot's meeting started 10 am. Mark, our CD, and Kerry, our CM, simply know how to put on a show. Brief, to the point and excellent side shows for weather, griding, and taxiway/ tow out use, etc. The weather, well some of the models are good, others need to be trashed. A lot of conflicting information. But the task called today fit the weather pattern perfectly. Well done Mr. CD! Just a few blue holes, no biggie. Start opened at 1345. Scores and start times are up on the SSA website. http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2354&display=results
> > When you see the score sheet, click the blue link at the bottom and the task will appear! Around 285 miles as it was a AT. But we ran to Winn which is west, then sorta south to Callaghan then northish to Big Wells, then tip toed along eastish to Los Angeles then had a good street to run home on. I think I saw the top 23 pilots with over 900 point, Bases rose from close to 6,000 msl at the start to over 8,000 msl middle of task area. Lift was good with solid 4-6 kt climbs. Had a few closer to 8 kts and the streeting helped running home.
> > So all are back, safe and sound. Not sure what's up with the weather over the next few days,
>
> Tom - so you and Peter don't need no stinking long wings?
> Interesting

Ya, comes from the registration. When I filled it out I had done the Seniors earlier as a ASG 29/15 meter, forgot to make the change on the SSA website to 18 Meter when I registered for the 18 Meters. 2T is flying as a 18 Meter.
No toy gliders here!
Best. #711.

[John Seaborn (A8)]

Hey I resemble that comment... A8

> No toy gliders here!
> Best. #711.

[Ron Gleason]

On Wednesday, 2 August 2017 06:25:11 UTC-6, wrote:
> 1026 points?
>
> I didn't know more than 1,000 points was possible. Was the scorer bribed with a dozen Krispy Kremes and bottomless coffee?
>
> Ray

Appears they have rescored everyone and now there are no guests pilots so Bruce now has 1000 points

[Tony[_5_]]

So Rick Indrebo's ASW-27 isn't a Toy Glider?

[JS[_5_]]

On Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 12:53:17 PM UTC-7, Tony wrote:
> So Rick Indrebo's ASW-27 isn't a Toy Glider?

Rick Indrebo's ASW27-18 is one of the best resurrections ever.
You've probably seen photos of (former) parts sticking out of a Hawker cockpit.
Today, day 2: The sky in the "they went that way?" direction is awfully dark now.
Jim

[Tim Taylor]

On Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 7:37:32 AM UTC-6, John Seaborn (A8) wrote:
> Hey I resemble that comment... A8
>
> > No toy gliders here!
> > Best. #711.

To paraphrase Rick Walters and Pat Philbrick: "We don't need no stinkin wingtip extensions". 18M gliding is the compensator class ;-).

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 3:22:28 PM UTC-5, Tim Taylor wrote:
>
> To paraphrase Rick Walters and Pat Philbrick: "We don't need no stinkin wingtip extensions". 18M gliding is the compensator class ;-).

Still remember the first two days of an 18 meter contest being won by 15 meter gliders. John Cochrane, and Rick Walters. Both offered a saw to those with 18 meter ships to "make them go faster". The next day, Chris Saunders won, and offered a box of "Miracle Grow" and a roll of duct tape to those who had maybe cut off their tips. That was a fun contest!

Steve Leonard

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

Warped sense of humor on both sides, ya gotta love it.

Yes, sitting around for a week or so waiting for weather does odd things to a person......

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 5:23:02 PM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
> Warped sense of humor on both sides, ya gotta love it.
>
> Yes, sitting around for a week or so waiting for weather does odd things to a person......

That was nine days of the finest flying I have ever had at Hobbs, 2006. Maybe the heat was getting to us? :-) I really liked Day 5.

Steve Leonard