Glider preparation for a competition [Archive]

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March 13th 19, 10:08 AM

I'm flying in my first gliding competition this year. I've flown a reasonable number of XC tasks over the last couple of years and thought it would be fun to enter a small local competition.

My glider is in pretty good condition and I'll be polishing it before the competition, but what other tips do people have for preparing a glider to try and get an edge in competition?

Thanks

Ash

John Godfrey (QT)[_2_]

March 13th 19, 11:30 AM

[email protected]

March 13th 19, 12:53 PM

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 6:08:06 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> I'm flying in my first gliding competition this year. I've flown a reasonable number of XC tasks over the last couple of years and thought it would be fun to enter a small local competition.
>
> My glider is in pretty good condition and I'll be polishing it before the competition, but what other tips do people have for preparing a glider to try and get an edge in competition?
>
> Thanks
>
> Ash

First you should understand that the glider is only one part of the effort. In general order of importance I would suggest the following:
1 Make sure your instruments work properly and that your total energy system is working right, and most importantly, that you understand what it is telling you. Adding a new fancy instrument you don't understand will almost certainly reduce your performance.
2 Practice with whatever glide computer/navigation system to make sure you understand it and have confidence in it. Contests are no time yo learn new equipment.
3 Get your cockpit comfortable and make sure you have a workable relief method.
4 Go over the glider and make sure controls are rigged exactly right and spoilers close and lock smooth and flat.
5 Check center of gravity and put it in a position where the glider handles well. Rarely does moving the CG behind 80% aft add enough performance to offset the trend toward poorer handling.
6 Get the canopy to seal well without seals lifting it out of position or preventing proper latching.
7 Seal the gear doors and make sure they close right. At least tape the hinge line.
8 Adding external control seals can help performance and handling. This is a relatively quick and easy tune up, though not cheap.
9 Fill and smooth dings.
10 After all that the big thing is sanding and polishing smooth.

Most important If you have a choice of flying or working on the glider- go fly.
Someplace on this list is making sure your trailer and equipment is working well and not a distraction.
Good luck and have fun
UH

Martin Gregorie[_6_]

March 13th 19, 01:31 PM

On Wed, 13 Mar 2019 03:08:04 -0700, ashmanthefirst wrote:

> I'm flying in my first gliding competition this year. I've flown a
> reasonable number of XC tasks over the last couple of years and thought
> it would be fun to enter a small local competition.
>
If, before your first competition, you get the chance to fly a
competition task as P2 with an experienced competition pilot in a
reasonable two-seater, DO IT. This way you'll get a picture of the way
competitions work: attending the briefing with your P1, and helping with
pre-and post- flight activities will be useful experience. You'll learn a
lot and have fun doing so.

If your glider can carry water but you've only flown it dry, its a good
idea to get used to flying with ballast before the competition. If you're
going to use ballast, you need to understand the filling process, how
much water to carry on a given day and how it affects handling and flying
speed. Otherwise, just fly it dry.

--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

[email protected]

March 13th 19, 03:26 PM

All excellent advice.

You will learn more about XC soaring in a single regional contest than years of weekend "sport flying". Remember, all competitors have had a first time.

Understand the contest layout and daily routine. Know the competition rules and do not beat yourself. Try to have an experienced contest "buddy" who can shepherd you and answer operational and flying questions. If none, ask the CD to assign one to you. Seasoned competitors will welcome you and most will go out of their way to help you. Don't be afraid to ask questions and keep asking until you understand.

Volunteer crew become hard to find if you make them assemble a "kit". Before launching, have your trailer secured ready for a retrieve. If you do not have a crew, hitch up and have vehicle and trailer completely "hop in and go" ready. ALWAYS treat your crew as royalty.

Most importantly: go to have fun and come home safe and sound. Smiles will always be more meaningful and lasting than scores.

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 6:08:06 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> I'm flying in my first gliding competition this year. I've flown a reasonable number of XC tasks over the last couple of years and thought it would be fun to enter a small local competition.
>
> My glider is in pretty good condition and I'll be polishing it before the competition, but what other tips do people have for preparing a glider to try and get an edge in competition?
>
> Thanks
>
> Ash

Brian[_1_]

March 13th 19, 04:24 PM

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 4:08:06 AM UTC-6, wrote:
> I'm flying in my first gliding competition this year. I've flown a reasonable number of XC tasks over the last couple of years and thought it would be fun to enter a small local competition.
>
> My glider is in pretty good condition and I'll be polishing it before the competition, but what other tips do people have for preparing a glider to try and get an edge in competition?
>
> Thanks
>
> Ash

Good Ground handling equipment is import also. Do you have a good tail Dolly, tow bar and wing wheel. It can be a pain as well as fatigue you before the launch if you have to push your glider a mile when they have to change the runways. especially when everyone else is being towed down to the launch area while you are stuck pushing with a wing runner because you don't have the equipment to tow your glider.

A Good tie down system is important for your glider and trailer, Most leave their glider tied down during the contest, but some assemble daily.

JS[_5_]

March 13th 19, 06:01 PM

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 9:24:20 AM UTC-7, Brian wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 4:08:06 AM UTC-6, wrote:
> > I'm flying in my first gliding competition this year. I've flown a reasonable number of XC tasks over the last couple of years and thought it would be fun to enter a small local competition.
> >
> > My glider is in pretty good condition and I'll be polishing it before the competition, but what other tips do people have for preparing a glider to try and get an edge in competition?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Ash
>
>
> Good Ground handling equipment is import also. Do you have a good tail Dolly, tow bar and wing wheel. It can be a pain as well as fatigue you before the launch if you have to push your glider a mile when they have to change the runways. especially when everyone else is being towed down to the launch area while you are stuck pushing with a wing runner because you don't have the equipment to tow your glider.
>
> A Good tie down system is important for your glider and trailer, Most leave their glider tied down during the contest, but some assemble daily.

Since you'll be flying at a busy airport, put your contest ID on all ground handling equipment.
Jim

Andy Blackburn[_3_]

March 13th 19, 06:15 PM

If your glider is in reasonable shape time spent tuning it further will net you fractions of a percent on the scoresheet. Most first time pilots will find themselves off the leaders' pace by 15-30%. My advice it to focus on your mental preparation so there are minimal distractions day-to-day getting ready to fly and minimal distractions in the cockpit. This mostly means:

1) Study the task area, download all the turnpoint and airspace data and have a map prepared. I use GlidePlan, but the old shelf paper on a sectional with a Sharpie works fine. Know where all the airports are and where the tiger country is. You don't want to have to figure that out when you run out of altitude and ideas at the same time.

2) Know how to load competition tasks into your computer and how to use your computer to fly a competition task. It's not OLC so be aware that you don't get distance credit for meandering.

3) Read the rules, the appendix and the guide to competition. Especially read the penalties part. Start penalties, finish penalties, airspace penalties, missed turn point penalties, etc. It's a pretty common rookie mistake to not know what you're not allowed to do and to get burned for it. No amount of wing polishing will make up for a zero for the day.

4) Make sure you have all your support equipment and paperwork in order. There's nothing worse than trying to scramble to get a copy of your insurance policy on a Saturday. If you are flying with ballast, all the equipment to make that happen at the airport you're flying from will be critical as it can be a time sink. I'd recommend flying Sports or Club if available. Tiedowns are a big plus as it will give you a lot more time to get ready to fly rather than assembling, taping, making mistakes and cursing under the time pressure before and after the pilots meeting - while you're trying to figure out how to program you flight computer.

5) Relief system, drinking water system, SD cards and/or thumb drives to turn in logs, computer cables, chute repack, trailer tires, trailer lights, O2 (if out west), tracker system, phone power bank, aircraft and canopy cleaning stuff, batteries, spare batteries, duplicate chargers.

6) Subscribe to a gliding weather service like SkySight or XC Skies and know what they offer.

7) Go back and read the rules again. ;-)

8) Be mentally prepared to be on the bottom half of the scoresheet. Getting home (or to an airport) on any given day is a victory first time out. Early in my career I went to a contest where I landed in a field every single day. I got better.

Welcome to the club. Enjoy!

Andy Blackburn
9B

George Haeh

March 14th 19, 01:38 AM

What not to do:

Show up just before midnight before the contest day after a long drive.

Fly your glider the first time in the season on the first contest day - lingering snow on the field helped paint me into that corner.

Take off without your relief system set up.

[email protected]

March 14th 19, 11:43 AM

Thanks all for the pointers and tips. There's plenty to think about and a lot of easy things to make sure are in place.

I'll report back after the competition.

[email protected][_2_]

March 14th 19, 01:43 PM

hope we didnâ€™t scare him into taking up golf!
R

Charles Longley

March 15th 19, 02:27 AM

Coincidentally this is my first year flying in a competition. (Region 8 Sport class). Really good info thanks a lot!

Nick Kennedy[_3_]

March 15th 19, 12:46 PM

As Andy mentioned read the rules several times and try and have a mentor to explain how the start works, turnpoints and the finish so you don't take a zero.
Another Gotcha is make sure your computer is set to Statute Miles, Not Nautical miles. Both Andy and Hank have some real world advice in there, I'd head in that direction. If you treat your first few events as a cross country event rather than a contest you'll have more fun. Try not to bend anything and be safe.

Dave Nadler

March 15th 19, 02:06 PM

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 6:08:06 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> I'm flying in my first gliding competition this year...

Consider first crewing at a contest - you'll learn A LOT
and it'll really help you understand how to prepare.

Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)

March 15th 19, 04:42 PM

Decent advice.......

Way back when, I crewed to quite a few.
When "I competed", we had nonscoring events (for some.....the "little guys meets".....ran as a contest, but no points/rankings.......you did as a regional, peeps helped you figure it out.....way back in the film days.....).

In general to this thread......all the glider prep in the world will NOT substitute for stick time.
Today.......knowing your glide computer, etc., helps almost as much as glider prep.
Yes, trailer is ready to go, not too fussy.
Chat with any crew......(I used to crew for a modest pay).
Training of the nut behind the stick is usually undervalued.

Go have fun......if you end up at 1/2 way on the last day....decent......work your way up.
Buying the "latest and greatest" for ship or instruments does NOT substitute for stick time.

For me.....when I flew a lot with good stuff......I was likely middling at best......but I sometimes worked a former US team pilot on local flights.

Spending big bucks for 98% does NOT mean you will win.
Make sure what ya got is working correctly, then spend stick time.

My $0.02......

BobW

March 15th 19, 05:58 PM

On 3/14/2019 8:27 PM, Charles Longley wrote:
> Coincidentally this is my first year flying in a competition. (Region 8
> Sport class). Really good info thanks a lot!

Have fun!

When I initially bought 15-meter-glass (1st generation; 1981), I reasoned that
- if I ever 'went the contest route' (which I never really did) - not until my
score consistently reached within 10% of a contest's winner would it make any
'financial sense' to buy a higher-performing ship in the same class...if
winning contests was my goal. Were I at the same stage today, I might use 20%
rather than 10%, but the same principle seems as valid now as I thought it was
then. :)

In any event, lotsa good, fundamental-advice upon which to noodle and from
which to pick...

Bob W.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
https://www.avg.com

Nick Kennedy[_3_]

March 15th 19, 10:42 PM

Ya Know, I understand the "crew first" Idea.
NO WAY could I do that thou, hang out on the ground for a week watching everyone fly while my perfectly good plane sits in the trailer, but that's just me. Just get a mentor, its not that hard to figure it out.
The OP says he has some XC experience, now go get some more.
Sitting on the ground, while everyone else heads for the clouds, is not gonna be much fun.

JS[_5_]

March 15th 19, 10:58 PM

On Friday, March 15, 2019 at 3:42:17 PM UTC-7, Nick Kennedy wrote:
> Ya Know, I understand the "crew first" Idea.
> NO WAY could I do that thou, hang out on the ground for a week watching everyone fly while my perfectly good plane sits in the trailer, but that's just me. Just get a mentor, its not that hard to figure it out.
> The OP says he has some XC experience, now go get some more.
> Sitting on the ground, while everyone else heads for the clouds, is not gonna be much fun.

Nick, you should try crewing for your own glider, rather than it sitting in the trailer on a hot 18,000' scattered cu day.
Not as bad as it appears... For one thing you get to enjoy various brews from P7's cooler, with no harRASsment about how bad it might be for you.
Jim

Dan Marotta

March 16th 19, 01:12 AM

There's no reason you can't fly off the contest unless the sponsor
closes flying to everyone but contestants.Â* By all means, hang out,
observe, ask questions (without being intrusive), and then, after the
grid launches, take off yourself to enjoy the flying.Â* Try to get back
before the leaders so you can watch everyone come home and, perhaps, get
on a retrieve crew.Â* It's a lot of fun, but I wouldn't give up a week of
flying...

On 3/15/2019 4:58 PM, JS wrote:
> On Friday, March 15, 2019 at 3:42:17 PM UTC-7, Nick Kennedy wrote:
>> Ya Know, I understand the "crew first" Idea.
>> NO WAY could I do that thou, hang out on the ground for a week watching everyone fly while my perfectly good plane sits in the trailer, but that's just me. Just get a mentor, its not that hard to figure it out.
>> The OP says he has some XC experience, now go get some more.
>> Sitting on the ground, while everyone else heads for the clouds, is not gonna be much fun.
> Nick, you should try crewing for your own glider, rather than it sitting in the trailer on a hot 18,000' scattered cu day.
> Not as bad as it appears... For one thing you get to enjoy various brews from P7's cooler, with no harRASsment about how bad it might be for you.
> Jim

--
Dan, 5J

Gary Wayland

March 16th 19, 05:45 AM

[email protected]

March 16th 19, 07:38 PM

Make sure your trailer is in tip-top condition, and that its easy to derig the glider into it. There can be a huge difference between how easy to derig into the trailer different gliders of the same type are.

And as above, treat your crew like royalty!