Canadian contests & SSA ranking points

Why don't we (US, the SSA) credit US pilots who fly Canadian contests with SSA ranking points? For example, Canadian Nationals?

I think that it is sensible that Candian pilots are given a ranking on the 2014 SSA ranking list. Why not expand an complete the integration?

http://soaringweb.org/PRL/prl.2014.html

Thoughts?

Sean

On 03/26/2014 1:11 PM, Sean Fidler wrote:
Why don't we (US, the SSA) credit US pilots who fly Canadian contests with SSA ranking points? For example, Canadian Nationals?

I think that it is sensible that Candian pilots are given a ranking on the 2014 SSA ranking list. Why not expand an complete the integration?

http://soaringweb.org/PRL/prl.2014.html

Thoughts?

Sean

We had a quick chat on the Canadian side of the equation about this.
The Canadian Nats would have to be sanctioned by the SSA (pay the
contest fee and possible other issues). Each contest pilot (at the very
least the ones to get seeding) would need to be SSA members. This is
assuming that the SSA would even consider sanctioning this event by
waiver or something along those lines and that the Soaring Association
of Canada would agree. The additional cost of a SSA fee would have to
be passed on to the pilots, while some of us who care about US seeding
points wouldn't necessarily be bothered by this, the financial impact
could drive down participation from pilots who are not interested in SSA
seeding points. To be honest I think the ball is in our court and not
the US/SSA.

Cheers,
Luke Szczepaniak

Thanks Luke!

I think more US pilots would come to Canadian Nationals if it included ranking points. I'm not sure if that would fully offset the fall out from fellow Canadians. Buffalo and I are planning on it either way!

Sean

Are Aircraft Radio Operator and Aircraft Radio Station licences still required in Canada?
What are the current requirements for FAA "Experimental" aircraft to fly in Canada? Believe it had been a problem in the past.
Thanks,
Jim

The website for the Canadian Nationals has a page dealing with the topic of US experimental gliders. The short version, if you have an experimental aircraft that you want to fly in Canada, you need to request a Validation of Foreign Flight Authority. Similar to what a Canadian experimental aircraft needs to fly in the US.

Details are he
http://sac.ca/nationals/index.php?op...info&Itemid=15

As far as radio license, a radio station license is no longer required. It is now included as part of annual aircraft fees for Canadian aircraft. Operators do require a radio operators license. I don't know how this is handled in the US, but I assume something like this is required in the US, so the US equivalent would be valid in Canada while flying a US registered aircraft.

Thanks Dave. The two radio licences in the USA were discontinued about 20 years ago.
Personally not thinking of competition, but perhaps a trip up to Invermere...
Jim

I was able to bring my glider into Canada with a simple permit form (1 page) and a $100 fee that was good for one full month I believe. This was back in 2011. It was a very easy process and there were no funny limitations like a requirement for a radio license. I did hear that it had been more difficult in the past. It appears they cleaned up some of the unnecessary complications!

If you would like I can furnish you with the contact info, instructions, etc. This was all provided by the Canadian contest organizers and worked like a charm. Several US pilots have attended the Canadian Nationals each in the past few years. It is a great time! Beware of the Lions however. Not kidding.

I plan on using the same registration process again this year. I will take a few moments to document the process (on a google site perhaps) for future US pilots looking to attend a Canadian contest. This would be a good resource for us and for Canadian contest organizers although I think they have a instructions in their contest info as well.

Sean

Sorry Dave. Didn't see your much better post until after I sent mine. What Dave says!

We had a quick chat on the Canadian side of the equation about this.
The Canadian Nats would have to be sanctioned by the SSA (pay the
contest fee and possible other issues). Each contest pilot (at the very
least the ones to get seeding) would need to be SSA members. This is
assuming that the SSA would even consider sanctioning this event by
waiver or something along those lines and that the Soaring Association
of Canada would agree. The additional cost of a SSA fee would have to
be passed on to the pilots, while some of us who care about US seeding
points wouldn't necessarily be bothered by this, the financial impact
could drive down participation from pilots who are not interested in SSA
seeding points. To be honest I think the ball is in our court and not
the US/SSA.

Cheers,
Luke Szczepaniak

Luke: These all seem like issues that can be overcome. A unified north american contest scene makes a lot of sense to me. If there is serious interest, the head of Canadian contest committee should talk to the SSA contest chair (Ken Sorenson) and get the ball rolling.

John Cochrane

Awesome news!

On Thursday, March 27, 2014 9:17:59 AM UTC-4, wrote:
We had a quick chat on the Canadian side of the equation about this.

The Canadian Nats would have to be sanctioned by the SSA (pay the

contest fee and possible other issues). Each contest pilot (at the very

least the ones to get seeding) would need to be SSA members. This is

assuming that the SSA would even consider sanctioning this event by

waiver or something along those lines and that the Soaring Association

of Canada would agree. The additional cost of a SSA fee would have to

be passed on to the pilots, while some of us who care about US seeding

points wouldn't necessarily be bothered by this, the financial impact

could drive down participation from pilots who are not interested in SSA

seeding points. To be honest I think the ball is in our court and not

the US/SSA.



Cheers,

Luke Szczepaniak



Luke: These all seem like issues that can be overcome. A unified north american contest scene makes a lot of sense to me. If there is serious interest, the head of Canadian contest committee should talk to the SSA contest chair (Ken Sorenson) and get the ball rolling.



John Cochrane