Competition I.D.

CH wrote:
how do you know the right frequency mate?
In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first.
In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not
see the comp sign under the wings close.

I know not where you are, but here in the US we normally use one of the
two frequencies assigned (more or less) to gliders. In a comp, we
always have a specified safety frequency. For general flying around, we
often have agreements on what frequencies will be used in specific
areas. If I can see the tail markings, I can almost certainly avoid. I
save screaming on the radio for those occasions when I can tell whether
the markings on the wing are mylar or painted...

Good answer. Thanks, Marc. Although I have to say that often there is a
glider "way up there" when I enter his thermal and there is no way I can
read his numbers. So you must mean when we get fairly close, which
obviously you do as you phrased your answer. Stiil, makes sense as you say.

Regards,

-Doug

From: "Marc Ramsey"
Reply-To: "Marc Ramsey"
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 14:28:04 -0800
Subject: Competition I.D.


"Doug Hoffman" wrote...
So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use
them?"?

Uh, would you prefer "Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05
minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW
YOU!!!!"

Marc

So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not,
say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the glider's
registration?

The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their
serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and
not their registration numbers?

My glider is registered as N564L and the competition
number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably
still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good enough
(Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we
needed 'vanity numbers?'

Ray Lovinggood
Still Wondering in Carrboro, North Carolina, USA



At 08:18 16 December 2003, Marc Ramsey wrote:
CH wrote:
how do you know the right frequency mate?
In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first.
In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not
see the comp sign under the wings close.

I know not where you are, but here in the US we normally
use one of the
two frequencies assigned (more or less) to gliders.
In a comp, we
always have a specified safety frequency. For general
flying around, we
often have agreements on what frequencies will be used
in specific
areas. If I can see the tail markings, I can almost
certainly avoid. I
save screaming on the radio for those occasions when
I can tell whether
the markings on the wing are mylar or painted...

"Ray Lovinggood" wrote in message
...
So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not,
say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the glider's
registration?

The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their
serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and
not their registration numbers?

My glider is registered as N564L and the competition
number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably
still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good enough
(Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we
needed 'vanity numbers?'


Maybe because there would have quite a lot of same IDs. And here in Europe
in many countries there are only numbers, so clashes would have been
inevitable.

Of course there are still clashes in worlds, but probably not so many. In
most countries (I think) the soaring association takes care that no two IDs
coincide.

h

In America, it is possible to get a specific FAA registration
number (if it hasn't been claimed by others), so I
would think the possibility of using part of the registration
number as the I.D. If one or two or three letters
can be reserved by the country's soaring association,
why couldn't the same association keep track of the
registration numbers?

Don't misunderstand: I like my 'vanity' number, W8
as opposed to using part of my registration, N564L.
I was just trying to learn the 'who's, what's, when's,
why's, how's, etc.

I also believe in America, the FAA would not allow
me to get a 'vanity' registration number that ends
in W8. I don't think there can be a letter followed
by a numeral in the registration number.

Ray



At 12:18 16 December 2003, Fantsu wrote:

'Ray Lovinggood' wrote in message
...
So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not,
say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the
glider's
registration?

The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their
serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and
not their registration numbers?

My glider is registered as N564L and the competition
number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably
still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good
enough
(Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we
needed 'vanity numbers?'


Maybe because there would have quite a lot of same
IDs. And here in Europe
in many countries there are only numbers, so clashes
would have been
inevitable.

Of course there are still clashes in worlds, but probably
not so many. In
most countries (I think) the soaring association takes
care that no two IDs
coincide.

h

"Why do we still use
them?"?

Because there is a line on the contest application form that asks for "Contest
ID".


Bob

You sure know its winter in the Northern Hemisphere
when we can start threads about the value of comp ID's!
Roll on summer, Im bloody freezing!

At 12:42 16 December 2003, Ray Lovinggood wrote:
In America, it is possible to get a specific FAA registration
number (if it hasn't been claimed by others), so I
would think the possibility of using part of the registration
number as the I.D. If one or two or three letters
can be reserved by the country's soaring association,
why couldn't the same association keep track of the
registration numbers?

Don't misunderstand: I like my 'vanity' number, W8
as opposed to using part of my registration, N564L.
I was just trying to learn the 'who's, what's, when's,
why's, how's, etc.

I also believe in America, the FAA would not allow
me to get a 'vanity' registration number that ends
in W8. I don't think there can be a letter followed
by a numeral in the registration number.

Ray



At 12:18 16 December 2003, Fantsu wrote:

'Ray Lovinggood' wrote in message
...
So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not,
say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the
glider's
registration?

The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their
serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and
not their registration numbers?

My glider is registered as N564L and the competition
number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably
still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good
enough
(Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we
needed 'vanity numbers?'


Maybe because there would have quite a lot of same
IDs. And here in Europe
in many countries there are only numbers, so clashes
would have been
inevitable.

Of course there are still clashes in worlds, but probably
not so many. In
most countries (I think) the soaring association takes
care that no two IDs
coincide.

h

When the US went to all GPS start gates, I asked the rules committee if we
could drop the contest ID, under the wing, as it would no longer be needed to
run the old ground controlled gate. It was decided to retain the under wing ID,
so that other pilots could see just *who* they were flying with.
The wing ID is oriented so it can be read from the front (for old gate) and
appears up-side-down to those in the same thermal. So, now I ask. Can we orient
it, right-side up? Not that I'm itching to scrub it off and then repaint it,
but how about new ships or those used ships in new hands?
JJ Sinclair

Bob Salvo wrote:
"Why do we still use
them?"?

Because there is a line on the contest application form that asks for "Contest
ID".


So does the Contest ID identify the person or the sailplane?
If the glider is destroyed or sold, does the ID holder get
to move the ID number onto a different glider?

Earlier, Ray Lovinggood wrote:

So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not,
say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the glider's
registration?

If we did that, few gliders would have unique IDs. About a quarter of
the gliders would be "Kilo Sierra," and another quarter would be
"Juliet Juliet."



Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com