Contest Wait list

As a fairly new contest pilot but one that enjoys the entire sport.

It is interesting to me that Nephi OLC/XC Camp set for next June has a wait list and the Sr's is already has 39 pilots registered - yet Mifflin and Elmira have less then 10 total.

I have looked at the pilot survey and have chatted allot abut Soaring and the focus. Since I have experience in the Olympic movement, saw how it evolved and have no current/future desire to see it move further - I think Soaring as a sport could be at a cross roads.

Do we (all Soaring) put our effort/strategy into producing a World Champion or do we increase our population hoping that increase in numbers produces a World Champion. (or does a WC even matter?)

Just a thought as I entered my next years contests

WH

ps - I do not believe great Soaring geography is the key - I am on my 4th Sr's - the Soaring is not spectacular like UT - so I rule out geography IMHO

As the Co Contest Manager of the Seniors and a friend and fellow Director of the SSA with Burno Vassel, we are comparing apples with oranges. The Seniors is a social contest of very competitive pilots. We have had a third of our contest that have been national champions with one or two world champions. I have never flown at Nephi but I enjoy Bruno’s videos. He is growing the sport and trying his best to support all glider pilots. At Seminole-Lake Gliderport we are trying to do the same. For 28 years we have provided a competitive environment and an experience that many look forward to. Nephi does not use pilot ranking to exclude pilots in their event because it is not a race. The Seniors is a race that uses ranking to get the very best in the competition. We support different groups of soaring pilots to provide a very different experience. Do not forget the outstanding Sailplane Grand Prix run by Sean Fidler and his wife Tiffany that Seminole-Lake Gliderport has supported over the last two years. This is the North American qualifier for the World Sailplane Grand Prix and the only chance for a US pilot to fly under FAI rules. Throughout the US we have multiple contests/events put on by clubs and commercial operators to provide an environment for our pilots to safely explore the limits of their ability. Our pilot customers should jump for joy to have the choice to fly in varied formats that the organizers goal is for everyone to have a great time! Please fly in events that best fits your desires. Neph, Sailplane Grand Prix and the Seniors have been fully subscribed over the years so you can be assured these events are well run. Wether you want to be on the US Soaring Team and represent the US in a WGC event or fly the furthest in your soaring life, we can fulfill your desires. Please join Bruno, Sean & Tiffany Fidler, Virginia Thompson and I in celebrating the experience we call soaring! Hope to see you in the spring.

Rich Owen
ZO

Yeah, but how’s the soaring in UT in March?

On Thursday, 22 November 2018 16:44:21 UTC-7, WB wrote:
Yeah, but how’s the soaring in UT in March?

Can be good in Northern UT with wave and ridge in March. However UT is more consistent in mid-summer through early fall. Soaring is available year round in all of UT .

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 1:49:38 PM UTC-7, wrote:
As a fairly new contest pilot but one that enjoys the entire sport.

It is interesting to me that Nephi OLC/XC Camp set for next June has a wait list and the Sr's is already has 39 pilots registered - yet Mifflin and Elmira have less then 10 total.

I have looked at the pilot survey and have chatted allot abut Soaring and the focus. Since I have experience in the Olympic movement, saw how it evolved and have no current/future desire to see it move further - I think Soaring as a sport could be at a cross roads.

Do we (all Soaring) put our effort/strategy into producing a World Champion or do we increase our population hoping that increase in numbers produces a World Champion. (or does a WC even matter?)

Just a thought as I entered my next years contests

WH

ps - I do not believe great Soaring geography is the key - I am on my 4th Sr's - the Soaring is not spectacular like UT - so I rule out geography IMHO

From the perspective of a new glider pilot, I think we should focus on our base. We need more people flying gliders. As the base grows, we will have more to draw from in the contest arena.

On Mon, 26 Nov 2018 08:59:28 -0800, John Foster wrote:

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 1:49:38 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
As a fairly new contest pilot but one that enjoys the entire sport.

It is interesting to me that Nephi OLC/XC Camp set for next June has a
wait list and the Sr's is already has 39 pilots registered - yet
Mifflin and Elmira have less then 10 total.

I have looked at the pilot survey and have chatted allot abut Soaring
and the focus. Since I have experience in the Olympic movement, saw
how it evolved and have no current/future desire to see it move further
- I think Soaring as a sport could be at a cross roads.

Do we (all Soaring) put our effort/strategy into producing a World
Champion or do we increase our population hoping that increase in
numbers produces a World Champion. (or does a WC even matter?)

Just a thought as I entered my next years contests

WH

ps - I do not believe great Soaring geography is the key - I am on my
4th Sr's - the Soaring is not spectacular like UT - so I rule out
geography IMHO

From the perspective of a new glider pilot, I think we should focus on
our base. We need more people flying gliders. As the base grows, we
will have more to draw from in the contest arena.

XC flying and competition flying are probably two of the main reasons why
pilots don't vanish after learning to fly and getting bored with local
flying. That's one reason that UK clubs promote going for badges to a
newly soloed pilot: almost immediately converting them to a single seat
glider and starting to work toward getting their bronze and silver badges
with gold and diamonds a more distant goal.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

On Monday, November 26, 2018 at 10:24:09 AM UTC-7, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Mon, 26 Nov 2018 08:59:28 -0800, John Foster wrote:

On Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 1:49:38 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
As a fairly new contest pilot but one that enjoys the entire sport.

It is interesting to me that Nephi OLC/XC Camp set for next June has a
wait list and the Sr's is already has 39 pilots registered - yet
Mifflin and Elmira have less then 10 total.

I have looked at the pilot survey and have chatted allot abut Soaring
and the focus. Since I have experience in the Olympic movement, saw
how it evolved and have no current/future desire to see it move further
- I think Soaring as a sport could be at a cross roads.

Do we (all Soaring) put our effort/strategy into producing a World
Champion or do we increase our population hoping that increase in
numbers produces a World Champion. (or does a WC even matter?)

Just a thought as I entered my next years contests

WH

ps - I do not believe great Soaring geography is the key - I am on my
4th Sr's - the Soaring is not spectacular like UT - so I rule out
geography IMHO

From the perspective of a new glider pilot, I think we should focus on
our base. We need more people flying gliders. As the base grows, we
will have more to draw from in the contest arena.

XC flying and competition flying are probably two of the main reasons why
pilots don't vanish after learning to fly and getting bored with local
flying. That's one reason that UK clubs promote going for badges to a
newly soloed pilot: almost immediately converting them to a single seat
glider and starting to work toward getting their bronze and silver badges
with gold and diamonds a more distant goal.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

I wish we had the support from our national organization in the US that you guys in Britain have for your clubs.

On Mon, 26 Nov 2018 20:55:49 -0800, John Foster wrote:

On Monday, November 26, 2018 at 10:24:09 AM UTC-7, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
XC flying and competition flying are probably two of the main reasons
why pilots don't vanish after learning to fly and getting bored with
local flying. That's one reason that UK clubs promote going for badges
to a newly soloed pilot: almost immediately converting them to a single
seat glider and starting to work toward getting their bronze and silver
badges with gold and diamonds a more distant goal.

I wish we had the support from our national organization in the US that
you guys in Britain have for your clubs.

I agree that the BGA is an active and helpful organisation[*], but the
push for new solos getting to at least Silver badge level is done at club
level.
[*] its main contribution here is probably to publish 'Laws and Rules for
glider pilots', an A5-sized booklet of just under 70 pages. Its well
written, logically organised and covers pretty much all the legalities of
flying gliders in the UK.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 5:10:50 AM UTC-7, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Mon, 26 Nov 2018 20:55:49 -0800, John Foster wrote:

On Monday, November 26, 2018 at 10:24:09 AM UTC-7, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
XC flying and competition flying are probably two of the main reasons
why pilots don't vanish after learning to fly and getting bored with
local flying. That's one reason that UK clubs promote going for badges
to a newly soloed pilot: almost immediately converting them to a single
seat glider and starting to work toward getting their bronze and silver
badges with gold and diamonds a more distant goal.

I wish we had the support from our national organization in the US that
you guys in Britain have for your clubs.

I agree that the BGA is an active and helpful organisation[*], but the
push for new solos getting to at least Silver badge level is done at club
level.

[*] its main contribution here is probably to publish 'Laws and Rules for
glider pilots', an A5-sized booklet of just under 70 pages. Its well
written, logically organised and covers pretty much all the legalities of
flying gliders in the UK.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

I think it was 20 pages when I got my Bronze in 1978.

I believe an FAI Silver is still required to attend any instructor course in the UK though the instructor types have broadened a bit since I was last there.

Until the DC-10 Paris accident and the Tenerife collision, an FAI Silver Badge was worth a 50UKP discount on insurance per pilot. A four pilot syndicate could save 200UKP annually. The cost of those accidents was enough to pull the glider owners/operators into the big pool.

Frank Whiteley

On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 7:10:50 AM UTC-5, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Mon, 26 Nov 2018 20:55:49 -0800, John Foster wrote:

On Monday, November 26, 2018 at 10:24:09 AM UTC-7, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
XC flying and competition flying are probably two of the main reasons
why pilots don't vanish after learning to fly and getting bored with
local flying. That's one reason that UK clubs promote going for badges
to a newly soloed pilot: almost immediately converting them to a single
seat glider and starting to work toward getting their bronze and silver
badges with gold and diamonds a more distant goal.

I wish we had the support from our national organization in the US that
you guys in Britain have for your clubs.

I agree that the BGA is an active and helpful organisation[*], but the
push for new solos getting to at least Silver badge level is done at club
level.

[*] its main contribution here is probably to publish 'Laws and Rules for
glider pilots', an A5-sized booklet of just under 70 pages. Its well
written, logically organised and covers pretty much all the legalities of
flying gliders in the UK.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

I think this is 100% true - to get more pilots flying "locals are required" and we have lots going on. It is all appreciated.

The questions a
"Is growing numbers of XC glider pilots the mission both Local and SSA?"
"What do Locals need?"
"What success stories do we have and can they be duplicated?"
"is there any ideas than can help the Mission?"

Success Story - in our area the Albatross club ran two well attended seminar in the winter. This year they are repeating it. 50 - to 60 active XC pilots.

I started this thread because I saw so few people signed up at really nice contests and my mentor when asked about his success in Soaring always Replies "You have to show up"

While I am an extremely competitive person and would be so Happy if the US had a WC victory - I believe to first priority is get more people to show up

WH