Was Parowan a dry contest this year?

I know it has been in the past... just wondering about this year.

Larry Goddard
--Zero One--

No, of course note. It may be Utah but we had so much beer there we
couldn't drink it all!

On Jun 30, 5:02�pm, Tuno wrote:
No, of course note. It may be Utah but we had so much beer there we
couldn't drink it all!

Well, I did have my pee tube regurgitate day old urine all over me in
the start gate because of that stupid 18 knot thermal I hit...I was
not dry, but the wings of my ship, and all others were.


-EX

Just a question!

Why was Parowan dry? This is a Regional with pretensions to "National"
input. Why no water as is flown at this level in most other parts of
the world.

Again, just curious.

Bob

Bob --

The field elevation is 5932 feet, and launches on 04 more often than
not have a slight tail wind. Launching 50-something gliders in those
conditions is a lot easier when the gliders are dry. As is pushing the
glider a mile down to 22 if the launch direction has to be changed.

2NO

On Jun 30, 11:35*pm, "
wrote:

Why was Parowan dry? This is a Regional with pretensions to "National"
input. Why no water as is flown at this level in most other parts of
the world.

Some of the available tow planes can barely give a dry standard class
glider a safe takeoff climb rate. I didn't like the idea of it being
a dry contest until the first time I flew there. It only took a few
tows to recognize it was a good call.

Andy

The possibility of permitting water for FAI class ships in future
contests at Parowan was discussed informally by a few of us there last
week. It is my opinion that limited ballast (perhaps to 9 lbs/sq ft)
would be feasible given that some ships launched (such as motorgliders
and some two-seaters) already were at that wing loading. Only one of
the six tow planes would have been problematic, in my opinion.

The bigger problem is that of administering weight limits at a contest
given the requirement for weighing at a facility with very limited
space to maneuver (this is the first contest I've been at where a
fight broke out over tie-down space!). It just might be too difficult
to manage a ballasted contest there.

Also. if you look at the speeds achieved, this was a fantastic contest
even without ballast. However, next year I'm going to adopt the
suggestion of one of the ridge runners to use their technique of
stuffing a pillow above my head to avoid bashing it on the canopy so
often in the ten+ knot thermals.

Mike

Why was Parowan dry? This is a Regional with pretensions to "National"
input. Why no water as is flown at this level in most other parts of
the world.

Fair Question,
I’ll attempt to fill in the blanks. Although the Parowan area is now
touted as perhaps the premiere racing site in the US (I agree) the
Airport has some glitches that currently add complications to
operating a contest when compared to more spacious U.S. Airports like
Hobbs, NM for example.

Here are a few reasons it’s currently best suited for a dry contest
and no open class ships:

(1) The Airport is as noted by others is located at 5932 feet MSL,
density altitude can reach 10,000 on hot days.
(2) It only has one 4/22 runway no cross runway options
(3) The airport runway is 5,000 feet x 75 feet Asphalt, with adjacent
RW lights and a parallel 50 foot wide x 3,500 usable (+-) asphalt taxi
way also with lights.
(4) RW 04 slopes down and RW 22 up at a 1.3% grade.
(5) The rope brake landing options are reasonably good on RW 04 but
extremely poor on RW 22 and a low rope break off of 22 will likely
result in some kind of damage…
(6) Downhill, down wind take offs on 04 are the norm, as are dropped
tips on roll out, this keep things pretty darned exciting right off
the bat.
(7) When we do take off on 22 (15+kt winds) it’s a relief not to have
to do a 10-15kt downwind take off but given the uphill slope and the
lack of immediate field landing options it’s not a warm fuzzy for the
first minute or so.
(8) All gliders must use a rolling grid / start to have enough runway
to safely launch, this means that 1/3 of the fleet will have to grid
off the runway and all pilots are tediously pushing the ships forward
every five launches.
(9) Contest landing is a bit tricky, especially when 10 ships hit the
finish circle at once. We generally land up hill on 22, that’s a good
thing but must carry enough energy to roll to the very end of the
runway where many helpers quickly push you off the runway while still
in the cockpit before the next pilot hot on your tail lands. If a
pilot mis-judges and lands short on the RW all hell breaks loose and
options quickly diminished for the pilots stacking up in the pattern.
If one carries too much energy, has poor breaks (who doesn’t) and
overruns the end, you will have runway lights to damage your wings as
happened to 3 or four last year. We had a few overruns this year too
but I didnt hear of any damage.

Parowan is an amazing place to fly and race but has it’s complications
that will bite the unprepared pilot. I heard some talk last year of
matching funding becoming available to extend the Airport but when and
how this will occur is an unknown and likely way down the road. Given
these AP limitations one should be very well prepared prior to
arriving at Parowan. I’ll be attending every contest held at Parowan
as IMHO it is simple the best.

Rick - 21