Ron:

Thanks, and I really did hesitate to say anything, as I hesitate and hesitate again to complain at contests. On the other hand, we do have a problem of wing drop after wing drop, sometimes causing damage, once causing damage to a spectator, and the problem is not hard to fix. We also have a constant problem of too slow tows with ballasted gliders. Everyone gets used to flying without ballast over the winter I guess.

Perhaps you can help with social suggestions. While showing my deep appreciation for the volunteers and towpilots, who give up their free time and suffer in the sun all on my behalf, how can I get the message across -- wings must be balanced, slosh ballast through baffles in tanks if need be, they should be darn close to level -- which is hard to see given winglets, and a contest glider wing at familiar shoulder height is way too high -- and if there is a crosswind, it is imperative to have the upwind wing at least level if not a foot low at the moment of release. Plus, run. How do I say that really politely, and show the deep appreciation that I really do feel?

It is frustrating to be sitting on the side of the runway, in the dust, bottom of the wing all scratched up, on account of an easily preventable error..

John Cochrane