New Racing Class

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

wrote:

Want a one deign class today with plenty of ships in the fleet that meet the above criteria? Start a Std Libelle class.
Just Musing
UH

I think I am about to start the official Ka-6 Semi one design racing class. Will be somewhat like the old International Race of Champions. Will assemble a small group (10-20) of Ka-6s of different models, equip them the same (or at least, very similarly), and race. No handicaps. But, you will draw a different plane to fly each day, to sort of balance out the differences between a Cr and an E. They are available for less than most 1-26s, and about half or less than the cost of a Standard Libelle. They have enough performance to be fun and easier to fly cross country than a 1-26. Pilots can come in and rent the plane for a very nominal fee (maybe $20 per racing day?) and go race.

We may well have enough Ka-6s in my area (Wichita, KS) to give a class like this a test at a contest this summer. Could do it at a regionals, but couldn't trade ships each day, so the defined subset of Sports might have to be limited to Schleicher Ka-6s. There has been a joke around my club about having a "Steve Class" to fly to try and win "The Steve Cup", and this might just be a good start for this new class. Anybody got a flyable but not in use Ka-6 they want to give me for this worthy cause? I only have one, but I have friends with more. :-)

Steve Leonard

[[email protected]]

Steve, the way you are going collecting birds, we will soon have a Steve ASW-12 class!

[[email protected]]

Did you see the Ka-6CR that just got listed on wingswheels? $2800 includes open trailer. Its down in my neighborhood over in GA.

[Tony[_5_]]

Only need 5 to make a Ka6 Class at Region 10 North Steve. Let's do it.

[Kevin Christner]

One for sale on W&W for $2500... someone jump on it!

[Bob Kuykendall]

On this, I take a clue from Jay Lamm: I want a racing class full of folks I'd like to hang out, fly with, retrieve for, and drink beer with around a bonfire.

The Homebuilt class.

Eligibility for anyone who owns and flies an amateur-built glider. Bonus points to anyone who also holds the repairbeing certificate for their glider, or otherwise demonstrates a substantial role in construction, repair, or modification. Open also to anyone who flies a 1-26 built from a kit.

Awards in order of exaltedness:

* Best retrieve
* Best improvisation (mechanical or theatrical)
* Best (not lowest!) save
* Overall speed points
* Daily speed points

[[email protected]]

Bob sounds good. I would add a few awards to add to the fun:

-Highest finishing ugliest machine
-Brick Award:most relights by single contestant

[Dave Nadler]

On Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 8:13:18 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> -Highest finishing ugliest machine

Yes! Maybe I'll get the whale out of retirement!
Its got at least 3 colors of Bondo.

[Retting]

Hey, no fair.....what about us fat people?

R

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 10:24:42 PM UTC-6, Retting wrote:
> Hey, no fair.....what about us fat people?
>
> R

Grease you up and we can shove you in! :-)

Steve Leonard

[Michael Opitz]

At 05:03 05 January 2018, Steve Leonard wrote:
>On Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 10:24:42 PM UTC-6, Retting wrote:
>> Hey, no fair.....what about us fat people?
>>
>> R
>
>Grease you up and we can shove you in! :-)
>
>Steve Leonard
>
Our family had a Ka.6CR-PE, and a Ka.6E between 1968 and 1975.
In order to fit in, I had to have a special instrument panel that had
a pedestal with high leg cut-outs, along with taking the seat back out
and having a chute specially packed in a triangular shape to sit on
top of the gear well. With those mods, I just barely fit in. Steve's
idea may be great for folks that are under 6' tall and can fit into the
standard Ka.6 cockpit, but I don't think that I'd be able to swap
gliders around like he proposes unless all of those gliders had panels
with extra high leg cut outs..... The chute could obviously move from
glider to glider.

RO

[[email protected]]

Ok Mike and Steve, then well put the "fat" boys in the libelles LOL

[Dan Marotta]

"repairbeing certificate for their glider"?Â* C'mon...Â* PC run amok or
sarcasm...?

On 1/4/2018 6:01 PM, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
> On this, I take a clue from Jay Lamm: I want a racing class full of folks I'd like to hang out, fly with, retrieve for, and drink beer with around a bonfire.
>
> The Homebuilt class.
>
> Eligibility for anyone who owns and flies an amateur-built glider. Bonus points to anyone who also holds the repairbeing certificate for their glider, or otherwise demonstrates a substantial role in construction, repair, or modification. Open also to anyone who flies a 1-26 built from a kit.
>
> Awards in order of exaltedness:
>
> * Best retrieve
> * Best improvisation (mechanical or theatrical)
> * Best (not lowest!) save
> * Overall speed points
> * Daily speed points

--
Dan, 5J

[Bob Kuykendall]

On Friday, January 5, 2018 at 8:02:12 AM UTC-8, Dan Marotta wrote:
> "repairbeing certificate for their glider"?Â* C'mon...Â* PC run amok or
> sarcasm...?

Equal parts sarcasm and accommodation for the evolving nature of practical agency.

The rules set forth in 49CFR14 say that you don't need any certification of any type to build, maintain, repair, or modify an aircraft that carries a special airworthiness certificate issued for the operation of an amateur-built experimental aircraft. You don't even need to be human. Your dog or ferret can legally do the work.

However, for every such aircraft, one primary builder is accorded the privilege of applying for, and being issued, a "Repairman certificate" that confers exactly one unique privilege: That of signing the aircraft off as being of a condition for safe operation.

However, the "repairman" doesn't have to be a man. Or a woman. So, what to call that role? Some obvious choices are:

Repairman: The current official name of the role--18th century terminology that assumes masculine gender or association therewith. Clearly dated, since a growing percentage of aircraft homebuilders identify as women or non-binary.

Repairperson: 1970s terminology that assumes species as Homo Sapiens. The rules establish no such stipulation.

Repairanimal: I think they had a cameo role in the Muppet Movie. But the rules don't even limit the role to members of the animal kingdom.

Repairbeing: Up to now, my favorite. However, it appears to imply sentience, and the rules don't even require that.

Repairer: That which or whom repairs. My new favorite.

--Bob K.

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

I have to say, at first I thought it was some weird typo or autocorrect, but, you have a great, to me, explanation.

Works for me.......

[[email protected]]

The FAI weighed in, they said a KA-6 class is a swell idea. Provided all the KA-6s are first fitted with FES.

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

So......what is the handicap between "fat pilots" vs. "skinny pilots"? Some days (in a light wingloading glider) the difference in pilot weight can make a big difference in higher speed glide performance.........

"Let the discussion begin!"....... Yes, I represent the light end, sorta sucks back in the old days where I was flying ridges against other pilots that had me by 100+lbs in pilot weight on a "dry contest". I even asked my DR if I could get a medical slip stating I needed access to 20US gallons of liquids to drink every day.....never worked....sigh........

Yes, I was trying to be humorous, likely failed.
For now, the 1-26 class is likely the best "one design" class out there. Yes, I own part of one, still fun to fly it.

[[email protected]]

Repairbot

Repairoid

Repairdiot

[Dan Marotta]

Still laughing - Nice reply!

On 1/5/2018 11:50 AM, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
> On Friday, January 5, 2018 at 8:02:12 AM UTC-8, Dan Marotta wrote:
>> "repairbeing certificate for their glider"?Â* C'mon...Â* PC run amok or
>> sarcasm...?
> Equal parts sarcasm and accommodation for the evolving nature of practical agency.
>
> The rules set forth in 49CFR14 say that you don't need any certification of any type to build, maintain, repair, or modify an aircraft that carries a special airworthiness certificate issued for the operation of an amateur-built experimental aircraft. You don't even need to be human. Your dog or ferret can legally do the work.
>
> However, for every such aircraft, one primary builder is accorded the privilege of applying for, and being issued, a "Repairman certificate" that confers exactly one unique privilege: That of signing the aircraft off as being of a condition for safe operation.
>
> However, the "repairman" doesn't have to be a man. Or a woman. So, what to call that role? Some obvious choices are:
>
> Repairman: The current official name of the role--18th century terminology that assumes masculine gender or association therewith. Clearly dated, since a growing percentage of aircraft homebuilders identify as women or non-binary.
>
> Repairperson: 1970s terminology that assumes species as Homo Sapiens. The rules establish no such stipulation.
>
> Repairanimal: I think they had a cameo role in the Muppet Movie. But the rules don't even limit the role to members of the animal kingdom.
>
> Repairbeing: Up to now, my favorite. However, it appears to imply sentience, and the rules don't even require that.
>
> Repairer: That which or whom repairs. My new favorite.
>
> --Bob K.

--
Dan, 5J

[[email protected]]

I think MM fits all of those!

[C2]

On Friday, January 5, 2018 at 7:30:12 AM UTC-6, Michael Opitz wrote:
> At 05:03 05 January 2018, Steve Leonard wrote:
> >On Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 10:24:42 PM UTC-6, Retting wrote:
> >> Hey, no fair.....what about us fat people?
> >>
> >> R
> >
> >Grease you up and we can shove you in! :-)
> >
> >Steve Leonard
> >
> Our family had a Ka.6CR-PE, and a Ka.6E between 1968 and 1975.
> In order to fit in, I had to have a special instrument panel that had
> a pedestal with high leg cut-outs, along with taking the seat back out
> and having a chute specially packed in a triangular shape to sit on
> top of the gear well. With those mods, I just barely fit in. Steve's
> idea may be great for folks that are under 6' tall and can fit into the
> standard Ka.6 cockpit, but I don't think that I'd be able to swap
> gliders around like he proposes unless all of those gliders had panels
> with extra high leg cut outs..... The chute could obviously move from
> glider to glider.
>
> RO

I owned your father's Ka.6CR-PE N-5313 I did my first 300km FAI triangle in it. Lovely glider. I really enjoyed looking at the log books. In fact, the guy who signed me off for my glider rating was signed off by your Dad.

[Michael Opitz]

At 00:44 07 January 2018, C2 wrote:
>On Friday, January 5, 2018 at 7:30:12 AM UTC-6, Michael Opitz
wrote:
>> At 05:03 05 January 2018, Steve Leonard wrote:
>> >On Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 10:24:42 PM UTC-6, Retting
wrote:
>> >> Hey, no fair.....what about us fat people?
>> >>
>> >> R
>> >
>> >Grease you up and we can shove you in! :-)
>> >
>> >Steve Leonard
>> >
>> Our family had a Ka.6CR-PE, and a Ka.6E between 1968 and
1975.
>> In order to fit in, I had to have a special instrument panel that
had
>> a pedestal with high leg cut-outs, along with taking the seat
back out
>> and having a chute specially packed in a triangular shape to sit
on
>> top of the gear well. With those mods, I just barely fit in.
Steve's
>> idea may be great for folks that are under 6' tall and can fit into
the
>> standard Ka.6 cockpit, but I don't think that I'd be able to swap
>> gliders around like he proposes unless all of those gliders had
panels
>> with extra high leg cut outs..... The chute could obviously move
from
>> glider to glider.
>>
>> RO
>
>I owned your father's Ka.6CR-PE N-5313 I did my first 300km FAI
triangle in
>it. Lovely glider. I really enjoyed looking at the log books. In fact,
the
>guy who signed me off for my glider rating was signed off by your
Dad.
>

Dad brought N5313 in from Germany. It had been owned by an
aerobatic pilot who also had a Lo-100. We had that glider for 2
years in 1967 and 1968. I was able to make my Gold distance /
Diamond Goal with it on an O&R from Wurtsboro in July of 1968.
Until just a year or so ago, we thought that it had been totaled by
Dick Treadwell back in the early 1970's. We didn't realize that it had
been rebuilt down in FL after the wreck, and then sold on to the
mid-west.... We really liked the glider, but when Dad's old adjutant
in Germany decided to upgrade from his Ka.6E to a Libelle, Dad
decided to grab the E and sell the CR.

RO

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

wrote on 1/5/2018 2:02 PM:
> Repairbot
>
> Repairoid
>
> Repairdiot
>
Maintenance technician?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorgliders/publications/download-the-guide-1
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Dec 2014a" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm

http://soaringsafety.org/prevention/Guide-to-transponders-in-sailplanes-2014A.pdf

[Bob Kuykendall]

On Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 7:59:36 PM UTC-8, Eric Greenwell wrote:

> Maintenance technician?

We're looking for the name of a role, and not a description of it. Furthermore, it is a very limited role, specific to a single aircraft.

The three-syllable name "repairman" that has been with that role for half a century seems pretty close, and I think that "repairer" pretty much addresses the reasonable concerns without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

--Bob K.