Silver Badge Fun (?)

"dennis brown" wrote in message
thlink.net...
I believe the rules for regional sports class do not require more
than the Silver badge.
I beg to disagree. In regionals, you can fly w/a $100 Garmin 12 and just
hand it in after you fly. You certainly can't just send in the trace from a
handheld GPS for a Silver badge.
BTW, did you just happen to notice who won the sports class
at Hobbs? 6 days. Finished first on 4 of the 6 days. The last
day he didn't have to worry much, just needed to not land out
because he was so far ahead in points.
So much for your handicapping argument.

Good pilot. Good plane. Hard to beat. Ask me how I know.

mail address somewhat spoofed. Dennis

There are some other motivations for me than own satisfaction.

I'd like to fly in competitions and Silver plus gold distance is
required (For me this also means Diamond goal. I've
thought about this so much I almost think they're the same.)
Is there a way to fly in a regional without this?



Mark

"Mark James Boyd" wrote...
I can't wait for WAAS and $200 GPS loggers so this complexity
goes away.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Remember, WAAS is only usable in the US, EGNOS
is still being tested in Europe, Japan is just putting theirs together, and
much of the rest of the world will likely be without such systems for quite
a long time. The IGC can't/won't approve use of systems that aren't
available, in some form, worldwide.

On the good side, my Volkslogger calibration says it is good
for TWO years, not just one.

This is true, calibrations for all IGC approved flight recorders are now
good for two years...

Al,

Nice flight.

Now, for a challenge, lets see you get all your badge legs (Silver,
Gold, and 3 Diamonds) in one flight, without using wave (kiddie lift).

See Silver badge #6233, Gold badge # 2327, and Diamond badge #898, 9
May 2001 (.igc file available on request).

That's how I cut down the paperwork - to one sheet of paper (the
declaration)!

Kirk

well apart from the insanely stupid Diamond altitude I think you will find
that flight and a bunch of other flights surpass all badge requirements
right there.

Al


"Kirk Stant" wrote in message
om...
Al,

Nice flight.

Now, for a challenge, lets see you get all your badge legs (Silver,
Gold, and 3 Diamonds) in one flight, without using wave (kiddie lift).

See Silver badge #6233, Gold badge # 2327, and Diamond badge #898, 9
May 2001 (.igc file available on request).

That's how I cut down the paperwork - to one sheet of paper (the
declaration)!

Kirk

Martin Gregorie s comments read:

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 14:33:15 +0100, Tim
wrote:

Martin Gregorie s comments read:

I don't think that matters.

If the person(s) know where they are, can recognise a glider, read its
registration and sign their name they'll do as witnesses.

I take it you didn't do your Silver distance in a NNE direction from
Gransden then ;-)

Indeed. Is Hus.Bos ever empty? I went to Rattlesden on an August Bank
Holiday, so there were plenty of observers on the field when I
arrived. I did it in a Junior in blue condtions and took 3 1/2 hours
over it. I used to be *very* slow in blue conditions and am not a lot
faster now.

Fingers crossed for a nice atypical August for the Gransden Regionals
then!

The Silver distance I mentioned also went to Rattlesden, but arrived
to find a deserted airfield.

I've noticed they don't fly much during the week - my Silver distance
was to Wormingford where they greeted me with open arms, took me to
the pub and left me unable to help the crew derig when they arrived at
10pm ;-) That's a great reason for Silver Distances to a foreign
field!
--
Tim - ASW20CL "20"

Martin Gregorie s comments read:

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 14:33:15 +0100, Tim
wrote:

Martin Gregorie s comments read:


There are
many crew who are not SSA members, pilots, or in any way
associated with an airport. Another land mine.

I don't think that matters.

If the person(s) know where they are, can recognise a glider, read its
registration and sign their name they'll do as witnesses.

I take it you didn't do your Silver distance in a NNE direction from
Gransden then ;-)

Indeed. Is Hus.Bos ever empty? I went to Rattlesden on an August Bank
Holiday, so there were plenty of observers on the field when I
arrived. I did it in a Junior in blue condtions and took 3 1/2 hours
over it. I used to be *very* slow in blue conditions and am not a lot
faster now.

The Silver distance I mentioned also went to Rattlesden, but arrived
to find a deserted airfield.

--
Tim - ASW20CL "20"

X-no-archive: yes
In article , Al
writes
I would not fly anything wood when I have a perfectly good carbon Ventus
sitting there for me to use.

When was the last time people made wooden gliders like the K6? late 60's?

Al

The nearest thing to a K6 is a PW5 ;¬)

We have received a report that Adrian Emck has just done 750k in his K6,
anyone done that in a PW5?

With today's gliders, and especially out here in the west, you are
right that the existing badges are not much of a challenge for someone
with experience and a good glider.

But for a beginner, just spreading his wings, so to speak, they do
provide a set of goals to aim for.

In the US, it is really hard for a beginner to get badges unless he
has his own ship, which most do not, so we have a bit of a vicious
circle. By the time I had the time and equipment to get my badges, in
a sense it was a "fill in the squares" exercise. I kind of regret
that...

But the Grand Canyon sure looks nice from 17,999ft!

Hope you are having better soaring weather than us this weekend - too
hot out here!

Kirk

"Al" wrote in message ...
well apart from the insanely stupid Diamond altitude I think you will find
that flight and a bunch of other flights surpass all badge requirements
right there.

Al

I suggest for every Silver attempt using a GPS logger that the
pilot fill out a declaration. I can see no downside.

The downside: using a paper declaration requires an OO; using an
electronic declaration in a recorder sealed to the glider doesn't.

OK, two things. First of all, my point was that there is no
downside compared to doing no declaration at all. That was the
context. I was also assuming the pilot was getting a tow (not
self-launch).

Second, I'll bet you I can find ten random pilots who've never
flown a badge, and using any logger and any computer you like,
five minutes later my group will have the paper form
filled out and the logger power hooked up. Your five pilots
will either have no declaration, have done it wrong, or
will have begun drooling and wandering in circles,
begging for more help.

There's nothing as user friendly and satisfying as paper
and pen for a novice.

Reminds me of the space race story. The Americans spent
a million dollars designing a pen which could write in zero
gravity. The Russians used a pencil.

In article ,
says...
I would not fly anything wood when I have a perfectly good carbon Ventus
sitting there for me to use.

But don't pass up an opportunity to fly a Ka-6. It is a lovely
handling glider, and I wish my plastic gliders could thermal low like
it could.

When was the last time people made wooden gliders like the K6? late 60's?

My Ka-6E was made in 1969, likely the last year for it. By then, the
factories were using fiberglass for it's lower cost when making high
performance gliders.

--
!Replace DECIMAL.POINT in my e-mail address with just a . to reply
directly

Eric Greenwell
Richland, WA (USA)