Competition I.D.

Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification
numbers and/or letters?

Who decided they were necessary?
When?
Why?

etc...

(It's cold, gray, wet, and winter and I was just wondering
about the history of competition I.D.'s.)

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA
LS-1d, 'W8' as in 'WAIT' for me!!!

Ray Lovinggood wrote in message ...
Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification
numbers and/or letters?

Who decided they were necessary?
When?
Why?


I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by
ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech
cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type
was.


Andy (GY)

They started as numbers, possibly assigned as rankings as of some date as
the more prominent pilots of the 1950s had the low numbers, or maybe they
were just first in line, I forget. Dick Schreder was "1", A.J. Smith "2"...
Then 2 alpha characters, George Moffat "XX"..., 2 alpha-numeric, John
Seaborn "A8"..., 3 characters came in about a dozen years ago as the 2
character supply ran out, Tom Knauff "JOY"...

Andy Durbin wrote:
Ray Lovinggood wrote in message ...

Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification
numbers and/or letters?

Who decided they were necessary?
When?
Why?



I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by
ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech
cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type
was.


Andy (GY)

Andy, it was 1-26 camera and film...I still have two 1-26 instamatic
camera in a mount and 10 rolls of film in the freezer...Any one
interested in a deal ?

Sam Fly (7F)

So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use
them?"?

-Doug

From: (Andy Durbin)
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring
Date: 15 Dec 2003 05:47:30 -0800
Subject: Competition I.D.

Ray Lovinggood wrote in message
...
Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification
numbers and/or letters?

Who decided they were necessary?
When?
Why?


I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by
ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech
cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type
was.


Andy (GY)

That's easy. And I think that George Moffatt made reference to that in his
book when he commented that Hugh Bickel was particularly thoughtful for
painting the nose of his glider red.

When I am out there on course having not seen any of the nearby gliders for
an eternity and catch a glimpse of someone rolling into a climb, there is
nothing more encouraging than to look up and see R1 painted under the wing
instead of the number of a fellow doofus.

(In the case of R1, it would mean that I am way out in front, lost and in
deep kimchi, or under one of Roy Cundiff's old gliders)

"Doug Hoffman" wrote in message
...
So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use
them?"?

-Doug

From: (Andy Durbin)
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring
Date: 15 Dec 2003 05:47:30 -0800
Subject: Competition I.D.

Ray Lovinggood wrote in message
...
Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification
numbers and/or letters?

Who decided they were necessary?
When?
Why?


I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by
ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech
cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type
was.


Andy (GY)

"Doug Hoffman" wrote...
So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use
them?"?

Uh, would you prefer "Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05
minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW
YOU!!!!"

Marc

how do you know the right frequency mate?
In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first.
In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not
see the comp sign under the wings close.
CH


"Marc Ramsey" wrote in message
...

"Doug Hoffman" wrote...
So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use
them?"?

Uh, would you prefer "Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05
minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW
YOU!!!!"

Marc

CH wrote:
how do you know the right frequency mate?
In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first.
In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not
see the comp sign under the wings close.

I know not where you are, but here in the US we normally use one of the
two frequencies assigned (more or less) to gliders. In a comp, we
always have a specified safety frequency. For general flying around, we
often have agreements on what frequencies will be used in specific
areas. If I can see the tail markings, I can almost certainly avoid. I
save screaming on the radio for those occasions when I can tell whether
the markings on the wing are mylar or painted...

Good answer. Thanks, Marc. Although I have to say that often there is a
glider "way up there" when I enter his thermal and there is no way I can
read his numbers. So you must mean when we get fairly close, which
obviously you do as you phrased your answer. Stiil, makes sense as you say.

Regards,

-Doug

From: "Marc Ramsey"
Reply-To: "Marc Ramsey"
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 14:28:04 -0800
Subject: Competition I.D.


"Doug Hoffman" wrote...
So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use
them?"?

Uh, would you prefer "Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05
minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW
YOU!!!!"

Marc