Report Practice Day 1
FAI Sailplane Grand Prix USA
July 23, 2016
Official Practice Day One Report
By: Sean Fidler, 7T

Results: http://www.sgp.aero/usa2016/results-sgp/results.aspx…
Website: www.sgp.aero/usa2016
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The forecast for official practice day one was excellent and called for lift to 6,000 MSL and ultimately 7,000 MSL and 3-4 knot thermals. John Godfrey (CD) built us a 223 km “hourglass” task which brought the pilots over the Ionia airport at the task midpoint. The gliders were going to be kept within 60km of the airport and basically hit all 4 corners of the task area.

Launch went very well and ponce off tow, pilots were immediately able to climb up to 6k and eventually 7k MSL. Cu were ample in the start area although there were some large holes are areas of blue out on course. Also, some high cirrus was moving in from the west.

This was the first GP start for many of the pilots and the morning briefing was extended slightly to answer and questions and clarify the FAI SGP procedures. John did a masterful job of handling the start process (making radio calls counting down the start). The pilots did an excellent job of executing a safe start and crossing the start line was actually quite a delightful experience.

On the first short eg there was a hole on course line and some cu either left or right. XG (Jerzy S.) went left and a larger pack went right where a cluster of 3-4 cu were closer. This yielded a decent 2-3 knot climb. QT (Garret) went direct on this leg and found a nice climb after the first turn point (08 Pewamo). The tracker showed that Garret actually jumped out to a bit of a lead on the group. At the second turn-point (22 Alma) the group was strung out a little bit and the shade of the cirrus was quite thick ahead on the third leg back towards the west. Many took weaker climbs and tried to get high. I was able to get up midway down the leg at the edge of the shadow and caught up to the lead pack although still 500 to 1000 ft. lower that most.

At the third turnpoint (12 Greenville) I was still slightly behind but in touch. Garret was still on top of the gaggle and there was more sun ahead but only a few cu. A large well formed cu was to the right of course line and nothing to the left, but good sun all around. I thought the large cu would die (also well right of course line) and decided to go straight to the fourth turnpoint (01 Ionia). I thought something would pop in the 10 minutes it would take to get there with all that new sun on the ground. It did! 2 small wisps formed and developed as I approached and I found 4 knots for 2000 feet. Thermal average so far had been 2.5. This got me into a strong position and I saw many gliders come into Ionia much lower (the pack I was chasing).

Now it become more challenging. Ahead into turnpoint 5 (06 Sunfield) was sun but no Cu. It was also the beginning of a 40-60km hole that went all the way to turnpoint 6 (16 Hastings). Here a line of excellent cu beckoned. It was a long way to these cu but I new I had Hastings by roughly 1000 ft. I thought with all the sun on the ground that something would pop along the way and if it didn't I had a nice paved runway airport at Hasting to drop into. Nothing popped, it was a completely dead glide on the way to Hastings. I saw no other gliders around me. Nearing Hastings and 1000 AGL, I was able to deviate left slightly and reach the convergence line of clouds (the wind shifted from N 8 to S 9 along this run). Here I found 2-3 knots which I took for 1000 ft. and then set off down the line of clouds directly towards hastings about 15km out. I hoped to find a better climb under all these great clouds. On that short run I got a giant jolt! I found myself in a 6 knot average climb which got me to final glide at 3 MC with a 400 margin. To bad we were not heading further S into these amazing clouds. We might have averaged 90 mph!

On the final glide I was sure that I was going to begin hearing radio calls reporting the steering turn. As I reached the steering turn I could see that no gliders were ahead so I pushed hard to keep anyone in trail from catching me. Crossing the finish line (marked with huge checkered feather flags) was pretty cool! Jerzy finished a few minutes back and John Mittell was third. My winning speed was roughly 96 kph (60 mph). What a GREAT day of sailplane racing! And we have not even started the actual event yet!
Sunday (Practice Day 2) is clearly not going to be a flying day. We have a warm front passing as I write (9:30am) and thunderstorms in the area. Race days 1-4 l(Monday - Thursday) look promising with good weather forecast.

Sincerely,
Sean Fidler
7T
2016 FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Event Organizer