FAI, soaring and Olympic Games

Paul wrote:

Hows this for a format.

84 gliders release a set distance and height from the venue all at the
same time.
They final glide to the finish line which is on the boundary fence. Extra
bonus points for using ground effect for the last three kilometres. Tall
trees and power lines for added skill test.
They can either land straight through or pull up for a dodgy circuit, then
attempt to land next to their trailers which are lined up down one side of
the runway with tops up and fuse dollys in place. Trailers are spaced six
meters apart. Their 3 man/women crews then have to clear them off the
runway or if the pilot is skillfull enough he boots on some rudder and
tries to park on the fuse dolly. Extra points for this. Then as pilot
extracts himself the crew set to work derigging the glider and storing in
the trailer. The winner is the one whos trailer top is down the fastest
from the release time and has the least penaltys. Penaltys are for hitting
other crews while landing and groundlooping.

Good crowd appeal. Everything happens within sight of the stands. Don't
need soarable weather so could be a winter games event as well. ( Ice lake
would really turn up the excitment ) Team event as well as individual. It
is the best part of the whole contest thing as far as spectator appeal
goes.

I saw this once at the German nationals and its very entertaining.


Backwards trailer races are great fun as well.

--
Soar the big sky
The real name on the left is richard

Most people think that all the Olympic sailing classes are one design,
which simply isnt true. The most competitive class, the Finn, is
similar to our 15m or Std class with designs within a rule.
Kevin Chrisnter 2c

Well. It's not true.

"RULES of the INTERNATIONAL FINN CLASS 2004 Edition" say following in Part B "RULES AND
INTERPRETATIONS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTERNATIONAL FINN CLASS BOATS"

"Purpose of the Measurement Rules
1.1.1The Finn is a One-Design Class.
1.1.2 (74-1.1) (OR-1) The object of these rules is to establish a class of boats which is one-design
in all matters which affect
basic speed. The rules shall be interpreted in this spirit."

One-Desgn Class!!! Not some loosely specified standard class.

Basically the rules in Finn class are so strict that to transfer those to gliders class you get the
planes which have:
Same lenght
Same width
Exactly the same aerodynamic exterior of the fuselage
Exactly the same profile and the layout of the wing and the control surface.
Mostly the same materials in use.

Once again from Finn rules:
"Defining the hull shape requires use of a measurement jig to check length distances of the hull.
The jig should be
used during measurements at major championships and preferred for the first measurement of a boat,
particularly at builder's premises."
In case of soaring it compares to measuring the fuselage or wing profile in . Have you heard about
that anywhere?

In most places the permitted materials are listed.

If you are familiar with our standard class rules, it's a completly different philosophy
alltogether.


"Kevin" wrote in message ...
Most people think that all the Olympic sailing classes are one design,
which simply isnt true. The most competitive class, the Finn, is
similar to our 15m or Std class with designs within a rule.
Kevin Chrisnter 2c

I am a gliding fanatic, but I think that the most suitable air sport for
the Olympic Games is parachuting.

Robert

iPilot wrote:
It's been under discussion for several times, but I want to bring it up again.

There have been several pro's and con's towards soaring in Olympics, but nobody argues that it'd
rise the popularity of the sport. So it is important for soaring community. Therefore my question is
following:

Wich way is soaring worse than sailing?

None of the cities that have organised Olympic games in the past would have any geographic troubles
on organising soaring competitions (Moscow had troubles with organising sailing competition which
had to be held in Tallinn - 900 km away).
None of the latest summer games that I remember have had such miserable weather that the competition
would have to be left unheld.

The main argument against soaring is the fact that equipment can make a difference here. Well. Here
is the challenge for igc. They have to face that their first trial of monoclass failed and they have
to try again. This time with relatively high-performing, yet still not expencive standard or 15m
class design.

As a matter of fact I don't believe that sailing deserves to have 9 different classes on Olympics
and soaring none. I personally think that FAI has failed bigtime to find the concensus amongst all
air sports to get air sports represented on Olympic games. It shall be the biggest argument towards
Olympic Commety - there's no air sports in Olympics nowadays. And the most suitable sport would be
soaring because it's competitive, not so dependent on equipment and directly measurable. Making
soaring TV-friendly shall not be a problem as well today. And with racing tasks only allowed on
olympics it shall be understandable for general public as well.

How can we do it?

Regards,
Kaido

Please, give a bit reasoning. For me, it seems that parachuting events involve mostly some
jundgement by the judges to get scored and thus are not directly measurable in minutes, seconds,
kilometers or whatever units available.



"Robert Danewid" wrote in message
...
I am a gliding fanatic, but I think that the most suitable air sport for
the Olympic Games is parachuting.

Robert

iPilot wrote:
It's been under discussion for several times, but I want to bring it up again.

There have been several pro's and con's towards soaring in Olympics, but nobody argues that it'd
rise the popularity of the sport. So it is important for soaring community. Therefore my
question is
following:

Wich way is soaring worse than sailing?

None of the cities that have organised Olympic games in the past would have any geographic
troubles
on organising soaring competitions (Moscow had troubles with organising sailing competition
which
had to be held in Tallinn - 900 km away).
None of the latest summer games that I remember have had such miserable weather that the
competition
would have to be left unheld.

The main argument against soaring is the fact that equipment can make a difference here. Well.
Here
is the challenge for igc. They have to face that their first trial of monoclass failed and they
have
to try again. This time with relatively high-performing, yet still not expencive standard or 15m
class design.

As a matter of fact I don't believe that sailing deserves to have 9 different classes on
Olympics
and soaring none. I personally think that FAI has failed bigtime to find the concensus amongst
all
air sports to get air sports represented on Olympic games. It shall be the biggest argument
towards
Olympic Commety - there's no air sports in Olympics nowadays. And the most suitable sport would
be
soaring because it's competitive, not so dependent on equipment and directly measurable. Making
soaring TV-friendly shall not be a problem as well today. And with racing tasks only allowed on
olympics it shall be understandable for general public as well.

How can we do it?

Regards,
Kaido

"iPilot" wrote in message
...
Please, give a bit reasoning. For me, it seems that parachuting events
involve mostly some
jundgement by the judges to get scored and thus are not directly
measurable in minutes, seconds,
kilometers or whatever units available.



Pretty much the same as synchronised diving!

Ian

tango4 wrote:

"iPilot" wrote in message
...

Please, give a bit reasoning. For me, it seems that parachuting events

involve mostly some

jundgement by the judges to get scored and thus are not directly

measurable in minutes, seconds,

kilometers or whatever units available.




Pretty much the same as synchronised diving!

And, apparently, ice skating.
--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

It is more "media friendly". That is what counts, nothing more nothing less.

Robert

iPilot wrote:
Please, give a bit reasoning. For me, it seems that parachuting events involve mostly some
jundgement by the judges to get scored and thus are not directly measurable in minutes, seconds,
kilometers or whatever units available.



"Robert Danewid" wrote in message
...

I am a gliding fanatic, but I think that the most suitable air sport for
the Olympic Games is parachuting.

Robert

iPilot wrote:

It's been under discussion for several times, but I want to bring it up again.

There have been several pro's and con's towards soaring in Olympics, but nobody argues that it'd
rise the popularity of the sport. So it is important for soaring community. Therefore my

question is

following:

Wich way is soaring worse than sailing?

None of the cities that have organised Olympic games in the past would have any geographic

troubles

on organising soaring competitions (Moscow had troubles with organising sailing competition

which

had to be held in Tallinn - 900 km away).
None of the latest summer games that I remember have had such miserable weather that the

competition

would have to be left unheld.

The main argument against soaring is the fact that equipment can make a difference here. Well.

Here

is the challenge for igc. They have to face that their first trial of monoclass failed and they

have

to try again. This time with relatively high-performing, yet still not expencive standard or 15m
class design.

As a matter of fact I don't believe that sailing deserves to have 9 different classes on

Olympics

and soaring none. I personally think that FAI has failed bigtime to find the concensus amongst

all

air sports to get air sports represented on Olympic games. It shall be the biggest argument

towards

Olympic Commety - there's no air sports in Olympics nowadays. And the most suitable sport would

be

soaring because it's competitive, not so dependent on equipment and directly measurable. Making
soaring TV-friendly shall not be a problem as well today. And with racing tasks only allowed on
olympics it shall be understandable for general public as well.

How can we do it?

Regards,
Kaido

I'm not so sure about that. If this is the only thing that counts we would have all sorts of car
racing, american wrestling etc. kind of sports on games. Nothing like that.

"Robert Danewid" wrote in message
...
It is more "media friendly". That is what counts, nothing more nothing less.

Robert

iPilot wrote:
Please, give a bit reasoning. For me, it seems that parachuting events involve mostly some
jundgement by the judges to get scored and thus are not directly measurable in minutes, seconds,
kilometers or whatever units available.



"Robert Danewid" wrote in message
...

I am a gliding fanatic, but I think that the most suitable air sport for
the Olympic Games is parachuting.

Robert

iPilot wrote:

It's been under discussion for several times, but I want to bring it up again.

There have been several pro's and con's towards soaring in Olympics, but nobody argues that
it'd
rise the popularity of the sport. So it is important for soaring community. Therefore my

question is

following:

Wich way is soaring worse than sailing?

None of the cities that have organised Olympic games in the past would have any geographic

troubles

on organising soaring competitions (Moscow had troubles with organising sailing competition

which

had to be held in Tallinn - 900 km away).
None of the latest summer games that I remember have had such miserable weather that the

competition

would have to be left unheld.

The main argument against soaring is the fact that equipment can make a difference here. Well.

Here

is the challenge for igc. They have to face that their first trial of monoclass failed and they

have

to try again. This time with relatively high-performing, yet still not expencive standard or
15m
class design.

As a matter of fact I don't believe that sailing deserves to have 9 different classes on

Olympics

and soaring none. I personally think that FAI has failed bigtime to find the concensus amongst

all

air sports to get air sports represented on Olympic games. It shall be the biggest argument

towards

Olympic Commety - there's no air sports in Olympics nowadays. And the most suitable sport would

be

soaring because it's competitive, not so dependent on equipment and directly measurable. Making
soaring TV-friendly shall not be a problem as well today. And with racing tasks only allowed on
olympics it shall be understandable for general public as well.

How can we do it?

Regards,
Kaido

I am a gliding fanatic, but I think that the most suitable air sport for
the Olympic Games is parachuting.

Robert

While I've never flown one myself, I wonder if hanggliding/parasailing would
make more Olympic friendly sport vs my beloved hardwinged soaring. Better TV
close-ups of thinner competitors faces/bodies, more colorful equipment, more
muscles used for control and landing, more percieved danger, more creative
options for required preliminaries events and room for individual expression.

Noting the influx of retired hang gliding pilots into our form of soaring...the
best way to promote soaring at the Olympics is to play our best card which may
be our hanggliding brothers. The media already preferences their images over
ours, go with it.

LT