FAI Sailplane Grand Prix USA 🇺🇸 Orlando

Task 5 is up: http://www.sgp.aero/usa2017/results-...ontestID=28476

Another fun task today even though I once again spent the first half of the task inspecting the Florida countryside from low altitude.

The weather tomorrow, will be different.

Note: All the FAI SGP USA 🇺🇸 Orlando competitors sailplanes are flying at a maximum wing loading of 9.7 lb./ft. This is confirmed each morning via a reference weighing process (only the main wheel in tow out configuration) on the way to the grid. The reference weight for each sailplane was carefully calculated during the FAI scrutineering (pre-contest) and takes only 10 minutes to calculate. The morning reference weight confirmation adds only 30 seconds to each competitors trip out to the grid and provides a very level playing field for all 18m competitors. Ultimately, having all competitors sailplanes level at 9.7 lb./ft. wing-loading makes for a very enjoyable racing experience.

Sean

Note: The FAI SGP USA 🇺🇸 Orlando competitors are flying sailplanes with a wing loading of 9.7 lb./ft (max). This wing-loading is confirmed each morning via a reference weighing procedure (the main wheel is weighed in tow out configuration) on the way to the grid. The reference weight for each sailplane was carefully calculated during the FAI scrutineering (pre-contest, takes only 10 minutes to calculate). The morning reference weight confirmation adds only 30 seconds to each competitor's trip out to the grid. This small detail provides a very level playing field for all our 18m competitors. Ultimately, having all competitors confirmed at 9..7 lb./ft. wing-loading makes for an extremely enjoyable racing experience (vs, for example, handicap US rules competitions).

Sean

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 3:45:40 PM UTC+3, Sean Fidler wrote:
Note: The FAI SGP USA 🇺🇸 Orlando competitors are flying sailplanes with a wing loading of 9.7 lb./ft (max). This wing-loading is confirmed each morning via a reference weighing procedure (the main wheel is weighed in tow out configuration) on the way to the grid. The reference weight for each sailplane was carefully calculated during the FAI scrutineering (pre-contest, takes only 10 minutes to calculate). The morning reference weight confirmation adds only 30 seconds to each competitor's trip out to the grid. This small detail provides a very level playing field for all our 18m competitors. Ultimately, having all competitors confirmed at 9.7 lb./ft. wing-loading makes for an extremely enjoyable racing experience (vs, for example, handicap US rules competitions).

Is everyone towing out with the glider tail on a car towbar adaptor, or all using a rope, or a mixture?

No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7:25:48 PM UTC+3, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.

I was just thinking of an incident where a competitor was towing out with a rope or with a tail-on-towbar gizmo on different days, depending on whether there was a tail wind (towbar) or a head wind (rope) at the weigh point :-)

Yaaas... If there's a headwind and he's on a rope, he may very well
benefit from the lift generated by the wind on the leading edges. I
wonder what flap setting is used... 8-)

On 3/31/2017 2:22 PM, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7:25:48 PM UTC+3, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.
I was just thinking of an incident where a competitor was towing out with a rope or with a tail-on-towbar gizmo on different days, depending on whether there was a tail wind (towbar) or a head wind (rope) at the weigh point :-)

--
Dan, 5J

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 4:23:00 PM UTC-4, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7:25:48 PM UTC+3, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.

I was just thinking of an incident where a competitor was towing out with a rope or with a tail-on-towbar gizmo on different days, depending on whether there was a tail wind (towbar) or a head wind (rope) at the weigh point :-)

and adjust the flaps accordingly

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 12:25:48 PM UTC-4, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.
in Tom's case he is using a motorcycle to tow out