Purists are from Pluto, Motorgliderists are from Mars - #2

On Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 10:39:42 AM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
Your OLC (or FAI for that matter) flight ends when you start the engine
so the only advantage is that of not having to wait for a trailer. I
recall a flight in a friend's ASW-24E where I flew far into
deteriorating lift. No worries! I'll just start the engine and fly
back to the lift. It started just fine and then quit within minutes due
to lack of fuel. Had to drive around Pike's Peak to get back to the
airport.

In the case of the Stemme, I don't have a trailer and, though it's never
failed me, I won't trust the engine to save me; it's strictly for launch
or travel to another location.

Dan
5J
On 4/11/21 6:54 AM, Eric Greenwell wrote:
BobWa43 wrote on 4/11/2021 5:19 AM:
On Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 12:10:18 AM UTC-4, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Eric Greenwell wrote on 4/10/2021 8:32 PM:
I guess being in the Kuiper belt is not that bad. I guess us purist
have a distinct habit of
staying away from home. I guess next year we will name or gathering
the Kuiper Safari.

Don't read too much into the Pluto part: I just wanted some
alliteration - Pluto/Purist,
Mars/Motorglider. :^)
I suggest "Kuiper Kamp" to keep the alliteration going.
--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

Do I think that having or not having an engine is a predictor of
piloting skills or testosterone levels? No, absolutely not. Do I
think that having an engine provides a significant advantage in
scoring OLC points? Absolutely, Yes. I have nothing against motor
gliders, particularly the self launching variety,(I would like to own
one except for the expense) but you have to admit that the sustainers
have only one purpose and that is to save a flight that would
otherwise end in landing out. How can anyone deny that this is a huge
psychological advantage on the average OLC flight where there is
nothing at stake but bragging rights. Bottom line, motor gliders
should compete against motor gliders on OLC.

I had flown 2000 hours in unpowered sailplanes when I switched to a
motorglider, and I did not feel I had a huge psychological advantage.
And when I fly at the Parowan motorglider event each year, somehow my
"huge psychological advantage" isn't enough to keep pilots like Rami
Yanetz and Thorsten Streple from clobbering me on the OLC! There is some
advantage, but it's not huge, or even big.

So, of all the factors that go into an OLC score, why do you focus only
on the motor? The place has a much larger effect, I think. Who has the
greater advantage: the sustainer pilot launching from Seminole lake, or
the pilot launching from Ridge Soaring on a good ridge day? Or a pilot
in South Africa?