FAI GP South Africa 2015

I would definitely fly a USA/North American GP - so long as I could find a competitive glider to borrow/rent. Yes, my means keep me stuck in Club Class :-( , but my ambitions are high :-)

You know, there is mostly NOTHING but $$$'s stopping interested US pilots from going overseas and competing for spots in the WGP Finals. It amazes me that more US pilots, with their more pricey ships and rv's, don't do this. Simply Amazing to me!

And yes, it is True Racing - pilot vs. pilot, machine vs. machine, same course, same time.

Tim McAllister EY
2005 1st WGP Final St. Auban, France
2006 GP Qualifier Serpuhkov, Russia
2007 2nd WGP Final Omarama, New Zealand


On Sunday, January 4, 2015 4:57:09 PM UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
Sailplane Grand Prix is the best sailplane racing. The ultimate test of cross country skill. The same course at the same time, same gliders (within 1% except the Diana 2 :-)). No excuses. Certainly not for everybody.

Its sad the U.S./SSA doesn't participate.

If we ran a qualifier in the USA, who would participate (15m)?

PM me please.

Sean

GPs are normally run in 18m class.
My Australian club, Lake Keepit www.keepitsoaring.com has hosted a couple of Qualifying GPs. The last one (November 2014) was run in 15m class. They have a couple of gliders to rent that would be fine in a 15m QGP: Discus 2B and 2C. Also an LS7 if those aren't available.
Keepit has hosted a GP training camp (Bruce Taylor is a club member and loves the GP format), and even ran a GP for Open class/2 seaters.
There are cabins and clubhouse bedrooms available on the airport, and other cabins available a mile or so away in the Lake Keepit State Park.
This is probably not a one-of-a-kind. Other Worldwide GP locations may offer similar resources, so have a look.
Jim

On Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at 2:31:52 PM UTC-5, Tim wrote:
I would definitely fly a USA/North American GP - so long as I could find a competitive glider to borrow/rent. Yes, my means keep me stuck in Club Class :-( , but my ambitions are high :-)

You know, there is mostly NOTHING but $$$'s stopping interested US pilots from going overseas and competing for spots in the WGP Finals. It amazes me that more US pilots, with their more pricey ships and rv's, don't do this. Simply Amazing to me!

And yes, it is True Racing - pilot vs. pilot, machine vs. machine, same course, same time.

Tim McAllister EY
2005 1st WGP Final St. Auban, France
2006 GP Qualifier Serpuhkov, Russia
2007 2nd WGP Final Omarama, New Zealand


On Sunday, January 4, 2015 4:57:09 PM UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
Sailplane Grand Prix is the best sailplane racing. The ultimate test of cross country skill. The same course at the same time, same gliders (within 1% except the Diana 2 :-)). No excuses. Certainly not for everybody.

Its sad the U.S./SSA doesn't participate.

If we ran a qualifier in the USA, who would participate (15m)?

PM me please.

Sean

sean, same comments word for word from me!

On Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at 2:31:52 PM UTC-5, Tim wrote:
I would definitely fly a USA/North American GP - so long as I could find a competitive glider to borrow/rent. Yes, my means keep me stuck in Club Class :-( , but my ambitions are high :-)

You know, there is mostly NOTHING but $$$'s stopping interested US pilots from going overseas and competing for spots in the WGP Finals. It amazes me that more US pilots, with their more pricey ships and rv's, don't do this. Simply Amazing to me!

And yes, it is True Racing - pilot vs. pilot, machine vs. machine, same course, same time.

Tim McAllister EY
2005 1st WGP Final St. Auban, France
2006 GP Qualifier Serpuhkov, Russia
2007 2nd WGP Final Omarama, New Zealand


On Sunday, January 4, 2015 4:57:09 PM UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
Sailplane Grand Prix is the best sailplane racing. The ultimate test of cross country skill. The same course at the same time, same gliders (within 1% except the Diana 2 :-)). No excuses. Certainly not for everybody.

Its sad the U.S./SSA doesn't participate.

If we ran a qualifier in the USA, who would participate (15m)?

PM me please.

Sean

Sean, you can use the same exact comments as tim from me!

I wonder if this was as scary as it looks at 1:18 to 1:38 on the Day 5
video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhMlyG2Unms

John Galloway

On Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 11:00:05 AM UTC-5, John Galloway wrote:
I wonder if this was as scary as it looks at 1:18 to 1:38 on the Day 5
video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhMlyG2Unms

John Galloway

It's sort of hard to see the motivation for choosing that particular line... however, my observation is that wide angle cockpit cameras often do a thoroughly lousy job of accurately communicating "scariness" and the error bars extend in both directions.

T8

On Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 11:00:05 AM UTC-5, John Galloway wrote:
I wonder if this was as scary as it looks at 1:18 to 1:38 on the Day 5
video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhMlyG2Unms

John Galloway

that doesn't look good at all... and his vario was mostly negative right there... must be an out to his right we couldn't see.