On Mar 16, 2:10 am, "noel.wade" wrote:
On Mar 15, 7:58 pm, wrote:

I had a list of questions to see if I would even qualify since it's my
first contest ever. I didn't want to just send money away in the mail
without knowing if I would be able to participate. Yeah, looks like
last "friday the 13th" deadline did pass. Guess I missed it, maybe
there will still be a slot left.

I don't have an ELT for my glider will that matter for club class?
I don't have any points go for the pilot rankings...will that matter?
What is the 50 dollar remote charge...will that apply to me?
Will soar pilot be acceptable for this concept as an approved logger?
(it's not approved for badges and records however)
Is a parachute mandatory and if so....is there specifics on what kind
of chute?

Scott -

DISCLAIMER: I'm about to go to my first contest, too (Region 12 in
late April) - so I am not answering with any more experience than you;
but I _have_ been studying up on this stuff lately...

First, read the Regional Sports Class rules on the SSA website. The
2009 edition just came out, and is hehttp://www.ssa.org/files/member/2009...-Class%20Rules...

I haven't fully read them myself yet, but in 2008 Sports Class was
very permissive and let you use any logger that can output to IGC
format (even if its not badge-legal).

I won't even attempt to answer the safety-equipment questions; but I
will say that I always fly with a good 'chute, and I don't have an ELT
(and don't believe that it is a requirement - but I don't make the
rules).

The only other big question is whether you have your Silver Badge.

Points/pilot rankings are used to preferrentially give entry to
experienced folks over first-timers; but as I understand it, that only
matters if the contest is going to be "full". Look online at the
entry list and see if it looks crowded:http://www.ssa.org/members/contestre...sdetail.asp?id...

Take care,

--Noel

That's a good start. I flew in my first contest just a couple of
years ago. So...

First of all, Noel is right that you should read the rules first.
Chutes are REQUIRED
because of the heightened risk of mid-air collisions (there was one at
the 15M
nationals last year). For sports/club class you can use a PDA as long
as you're
not trying to qualify for the National team (not an issue for you at
this point I would
think). The other issues are contest by contest questions. ELTs are
only required
if the contest management thinks they should be, so generally that
just happens
at the mountain contests (R5S, Parowan, etc). Cordele doesn't require
one. The
remote charge is in effect because the sponsoring glider operation
doesn't normally
fly from this airport, so there's a payment made to the airport.

Since you've missed the deadline for R5C, you might consider R5E at
Bermuda High.
There's fewer people flying there (smaller gaggles) and everyone is
flying dry (even in "big boy" classes).
The reverse seeding procedure will apply there too. I'm not sure if
R5C is going to
use the reverse seeding (which is an issue, because the contest is
oversubscribed).
There's a lot to be said for flying at a smaller contest first -- the
very first gaggle I
joined on my very first contest day wound up with about 40 gliders in
it.