Spot Landing Competition Rules

Wouldn't that be a "spot stopping contest" rather than a "spot landing contest, Dan?

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 11:14:33 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
I always thought the target was a brick wall at the end of the landing zone. The penalty for crossing it would be heavy!

Dan Marotta

As I recall (it's been a long time), my Commercial check ride required
me to stop short of the fence, not within a few feet beyond. It was
barbed wire, BTW, and I was not very happy with being put in that spot.
The examiner was an FAA guy and had not done a glider check ride in a
long time and probably never in such a high performance ship as a Twin
Lark. Why not add training value to the spot landing contest by
assessing a 100% penalty for passing the mark?

On several trips to Roach Dry Lake south of Jean, NV, they have a circle
outlined on the lake bed within which to stop. It was a lot of fun to
shoot for the center of the circle. The 1-26 and 2-33 usually won but I
did manage to stop in the circle a couple of times in my LAK!


On 12/19/2014 10:51 AM, John Carlyle wrote:
Wouldn't that be a "spot stopping contest" rather than a "spot landing contest, Dan?

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 11:14:33 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
I always thought the target was a brick wall at the end of the landing zone. The penalty for crossing it would be heavy!

Dan Marotta

--
Dan Marotta

It comes down to what you want to emphasize, Dan.

If your goal is to train pilots to land a ship safely in a small field, I'd argue that it's more important to be able to land on a specific mark rather than be able to stop before an arbitrary mark. Reasoning - landing short of the field (or hitting a tree before landing) is liable to be more injurious to the pilot than doing a slow speed ground loop.

If your goal is just to meet the FAA PTS, then of course you must emphasize stopping before an arbitrary mark.

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 1:50:33 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
As I recall (it's been a long time), my Commercial check ride
required me to stop short of the fence, not within a few feet
beyond.* It was barbed wire, BTW, and I was not very happy with
being put in that spot.* The examiner was an FAA guy and had not
done a glider check ride in a long time and probably never in such a
high performance ship as a Twin Lark.* Why not add training value to
the spot landing contest by assessing a 100% penalty for passing the
mark?



On several trips to Roach Dry Lake south of Jean, NV, they have a
circle outlined on the lake bed within which to stop.* It was a lot
of fun to shoot for the center of the circle.* The 1-26 and 2-33
usually won but I did manage to stop in the circle a couple of times
in my LAK!






On 12/19/2014 10:51 AM, John Carlyle
wrote:



Wouldn't that be a "spot stopping contest" rather than a "spot landing contest, Dan?

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 11:14:33 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:


I always thought the target was a brick wall at the end of the landing zone. The penalty for crossing it would be heavy!

Dan Marotta







--

Dan Marotta

I like having fun, too!

OBTW, in the early 90s I bought an LS-6a restored from wreck. The
previous owner had gone through a fence on a landout. He died at the scene.

Safe flying!

Dan

On 12/19/2014 12:16 PM, John Carlyle wrote:
It comes down to what you want to emphasize, Dan.

If your goal is to train pilots to land a ship safely in a small field, I'd argue that it's more important to be able to land on a specific mark rather than be able to stop before an arbitrary mark. Reasoning - landing short of the field (or hitting a tree before landing) is liable to be more injurious to the pilot than doing a slow speed ground loop.

If your goal is just to meet the FAA PTS, then of course you must emphasize stopping before an arbitrary mark.

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 1:50:33 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
As I recall (it's been a long time), my Commercial check ride
required me to stop short of the fence, not within a few feet
beyond. It was barbed wire, BTW, and I was not very happy with
being put in that spot. The examiner was an FAA guy and had not
done a glider check ride in a long time and probably never in such a
high performance ship as a Twin Lark. Why not add training value to
the spot landing contest by assessing a 100% penalty for passing the
mark?



On several trips to Roach Dry Lake south of Jean, NV, they have a
circle outlined on the lake bed within which to stop. It was a lot
of fun to shoot for the center of the circle. The 1-26 and 2-33
usually won but I did manage to stop in the circle a couple of times
in my LAK!






On 12/19/2014 10:51 AM, John Carlyle
wrote:



Wouldn't that be a "spot stopping contest" rather than a "spot landing contest, Dan?

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 11:14:33 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:


I always thought the target was a brick wall at the end of the landing zone. The penalty for crossing it would be heavy!

Dan Marotta







--

Dan Marotta

--
Dan Marotta

We all like fun, Dan, that's why we fly without engines!

Your story is tragic (and I don't know if I would have enjoyed flying your LS-6 knowing its history). But a fatal overrun is not an argument against making landings on a precise spot.

I wish you safe flying, too.

-John, Q3

On Friday, December 19, 2014 6:30:13 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
I like having fun, too!



OBTW, in the early 90s I bought an LS-6a restored from wreck.* The
previous owner had gone through a fence on a landout.* He died at
the scene.



Safe flying!



Dan




On 12/19/2014 12:16 PM, John Carlyle
wrote:



It comes down to what you want to emphasize, Dan.

If your goal is to train pilots to land a ship safely in a small field, I'd argue that it's more important to be able to land on a specific mark rather than be able to stop before an arbitrary mark. Reasoning - landing short of the field (or hitting a tree before landing) is liable to be more injurious to the pilot than doing a slow speed ground loop.

If your goal is just to meet the FAA PTS, then of course you must emphasize stopping before an arbitrary mark.

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 1:50:33 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:


As I recall (it's been a long time), my Commercial check ride
required me to stop short of the fence, not within a few feet
beyond.* It was barbed wire, BTW, and I was not very happy with
being put in that spot.* The examiner was an FAA guy and had not
done a glider check ride in a long time and probably never in such a
high performance ship as a Twin Lark.* Why not add training value to
the spot landing contest by assessing a 100% penalty for passing the
mark?



On several trips to Roach Dry Lake south of Jean, NV, they have a
circle outlined on the lake bed within which to stop.* It was a lot
of fun to shoot for the center of the circle.* The 1-26 and 2-33
usually won but I did manage to stop in the circle a couple of times
in my LAK!






On 12/19/2014 10:51 AM, John Carlyle
wrote:



Wouldn't that be a "spot stopping contest" rather than a "spot landing contest, Dan?

-John, Q3


On Friday, December 19, 2014 11:14:33 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:


I always thought the target was a brick wall at the end of the landing zone. The penalty for crossing it would be heavy!

Dan Marotta







--

Dan Marotta







--

Dan Marotta