Reno

So whats new and cool at the convention?

Silent 2 Electro
JS-1 with jet
Arcus M

GlidePilot.aero

That's http://glideport.aero actually. :-)
[note it's "glide" not "glideR"]

We got a sneak peek today at new features and functionality for this tool, that look great! Better real-time flight tracking (including bird's-eye views and "pilot's-eye views using the Google Earth web plugin), and post-flight analysis with IGC file support. Among other new features, you can overlay satellite photos of weather to see what the pilots are flying through. Also, the developer (Pedja Bogdanovich / TipTop Software) is continuing to offer much of the functionality for free to the SSA for their website and for contest tracking/spectating.

Another cool thing: Kempton Izuno graciously gave up his talk in order to give Gordon & Hugh an hour to present their recent 744+ mile downwind wave flight (Feb 17th). Great stuff!

Bob K gave a nice talk with lots of photos of the HP-24 kit sailplane. Looks really good and they're entering production now. I fly out of the same airport as the prototype and it is a very nice ship; especially considering the price.

There were at least 3 jets on display (BonusJet from Desert Aerospace, Jet JS-1, and Williams Soaring was displaying a small retractable jet they can retrofit onto most gliders, to give them a good and simple-to-operate sustainer). Jets are the future, and the future is here...

Minden airport, the county, and a private group are all cooperating on a new facility for GA there. Some focus on gliders - looks like they're trying to breathe new life into the Minden soaring scene and bring it back to some prominence as a place to go and fly. Stay tuned over the next 3 years...

Sarah Kelly Arnold gave a good talk on her two Worlds experiences, what it takes to do well in a major contest, lessons learned, and is working on establishing a "Pan American" gliding championship (a la the European championships).

There were several other good talks and I'm sure more news that other folks will fill in.

You should've come and seen it all yourself!! :-)

--Noel

Dean Gradwells uncovered LK-10/TG-4 was the queen of the show in my opinion with the JS-1C Jet a close second. As.always it was great to see old friends and meet new ones.

On Sunday, March 2, 2014 4:52:44 PM UTC-8, Tony wrote:
Dean Gradwells uncovered LK-10/TG-4 was the queen of the show in my opinion with the JS-1C Jet a close second. As.always it was great to see old friends and meet new ones.

That TG-4 is gorgeous. If I owned that it would be a tough call whether to put it in the living room and admire the wood work, or cover it and fly. Like a few other things in life, it sure looked good naked :c)

bumper

Dean should cover it with clear Monokote. Beautiful sailplane.

Rick

On Saturday, March 1, 2014 9:30:09 AM UTC-8, wrote:
So whats new and cool at the convention?

Sparrow Hawk R and the Duckhawk are top of my list, buy American.