Guys:

Here is the official announcement of our May fly-in at Tucson Soaring
Club. We'll have details up on our TUSC web site soon, but in the
meanwhile, interested folks can e-mail me for an application form:

Tucson Soaring Club and OLC wish to invite pilots to participate in a
soaring meet at El Tiro Gliderport this coming May. El Tiro
Gliderport is located in a spectacular rural setting in the Ironwood
National Monument and experiences soaring conditions amongst the best
in the USA.

When: Friday May 13th to Saturday May 21st, 2011

Whe El Tiro Gliderport, Marana, Arizona (25 miles Northwest of
Tucson, 100 miles south of Phoenix).

Goals: To encourage cross-country soaring by pilots of all skill
levels in a non-competitive environment.

Format: Each day, there will be a morning meeting where cross-country
soaring and safety will be discussed, followed by a weather briefing.
Pilots will be free to set their own goals and tasks, depending on
their skill level and weather conditions. Team flying will be
encouraged and mentors will be on hand to assist low-time cross-
country pilots or those unfamiliar with the area. Observers will be
on hand to assist with badge flights. A launch grid will be set up
for pilots wishing to launch at the most popular times (11:30 AM to
1:00 PM) and it is expected that most will launch in this window.
Towplanes will be available from immediately after the weather
briefing (approximately 10:15 AM) for those wishing to launch early
and until 3:00 PM for relights and late launches.

Eligibility: Participating pilots must have the minimum required
qualifications and experience to fly cross-country. Sailplanes must be
registered, possess a current and valid airworthiness certificate and
have proof of insurance.

Costs: There is a $25 registration fee to participate in the meet.
Non-members of Tucson Soaring Club are required to become guest
members. Fees for guest members include a $50 one-time membership fee
and a $5 daily fee for use of the field (this includes free camping or
RV parking on the field). 2,000-foot tows are $40 and there is an
additional daily fee of $5 for gliders filling with water ballast.
Oxygen fill is $20. The clubhouse has solar power and generator
power, but has to truck in water and bottled propane. Wifi provides
high-speed Internet access at the clubhouse and over much of the
field. Camping is permitted on the field and accommodation is
available nearby.

Scoring: All flight logs shall be uploaded daily to OLC. The Meet
Committee will review all flights and give the following awards:

Flight of the Day: This will be the flight that the committee
considers worthy of recognition - not necessarily the highest scoring
flight of the day, but a notable effort considering the skill and
experience of the pilot and the handicap of the glider.
Flight of the Week: The most notable Flight of the Day during the
meet.
Top Flight: The pilot with highest scoring flight of the week
OLC Champion: The highest cumulative score of the best six flights of
the meet
Team Award: Best cumulative team score
Top Gun: Fastest flight of the meet
Destination Award: Best performance by a rookie cross-country pilot

Meet Committee: Director: Randy Acree
Operations: David Lowe
Weather: Mike Stringfellow

Mike