Why Do We Fly Sailplanes
Even though we are talking about 3 competitions being held in Uvalde Texas, we should look at why we all enjoy this sport. Whether you are spending afternoons at the club running operations or enjoying a day with your family giving rides, we all enjoy the company of those who share the love of flight. Many pilots enjoy the challenge of flying a long OLC flight or trying to improve their personal best XC flight. The more honorable of us donate their time to instruct and raise the new generation of pilots. No matter what gives you joy in aviation, we can all acknowledge the camaraderie we share as glider pilots. Competition flying gives you an opportunity to extend your flying family. For the past three years I have tried to make as many contests as possible. The result is, I am having the best time of my life. My family has increased exponentially since I was able to fly some west coast contests. So, if you are looking to stretch your wings, instruct in your club, volunteer to help with a contest near you, fly a contest and bring a friend or just take a young adult for their first glider ride. You will have a smile on your face at the end of the day.
At the pilots meeting, the weather forecast said it was going to be a good day but not quite as good as yesterday. Cloudbases were expected to get to 9,500ft later in the day, but rain and some storms were also predicted. Mark ran an efficient meeting and kicked us out in a very timely fashion. Of course, most of us did not mind staying since the outside air temperature was around 95 degrees. After the meeting, some of us decided to take advantage of a great coffee shop called the Local Fix. It is on the main drag of Uvalde very near the intersection of the airport turnoff. There you will find superb pastries, breakfast selections and of course, all kinds of specialty coffees. The portions are large, the cost is fair, and the service is fantastic. I would recommend stopping by and saying hello. They are very glider friendly.
In the 18 Meter Class, they were sent from Start C to Mc Kinley, Farias, El Caballero and then Finish. The racing task distance was 275miles. They were the second class to get airborne since Open had 3 aircraft that self-launched, so it proceeded very quickly. Right off tow, they climbed to 5,500ft (airport elevation is 941ft) and by the time they started, most 18-meter ships were able to get to 8,500ft. Unfortunately, all the class’s max start altitude was 6,500ft and everyone had to come down to that altitude to start. Most of the competitors delayed their start to let the cu fill in on track. Going south of the direct line to the first turnpoint seemed to make a difference. Decision making on where to turn was easy, this was a racing task. On the second leg everyone went straight on course. This was a straight downwind leg and an easy run. The third leg course decisions seemed to favor the more southern route from the direct course. There were small showers around 25 miles from the turnpoint competitors had to deal with. Later starting pilots had a more difficult time with this leg. If you went slightly south of the direct leg your climb rates, L/D and achieved speeds were significantly higher than a more direct course. This was due by taking a different line of clouds. Final glides for the 18-meter class were very stress free. Most started their glide from about 80 miles out. I looked at several traces and many gliders took significantly different paths to the finish, but all arrived pretty much at the same time. Scores for the 18-meter Class were very tight. This race is going to be something to watch. Rick Indrebo finished in third with Gary Ittner in second. Gary just won the Sports Class, just 2 days before traveling to Uvalde. He is going to be tough to beat. In first was another good friend of mine, Jerzy Szemplinski who finished with a speed of 94.35mph. The top 7 pilots were all within 2 mph of Jerzy.
The 20 Meter Class also had a racing task that went from Start E, Chupader, El Jardin, Diversion Dam, Leaky and Finish. We were the last class to get airborne and Team 98 was the last aircraft to launch. It was easy to get up to cloudbase but we had to wait a little to let the clouds fill in just like the 18 meter pilots. The first leg was a little weak with clouds that seemed to call your name and invite you to a 7 knot climb only to spit you out in a weak, broken circle. Once we approached the first turnpoint, things started to get better. Staying high seemed to work as the lift was better coalesced above 4,500ft MSL. The further we went along the route, the better the lift and the higher the cloudbases. Stop by and take a look at Adam Woolley’s Facebook posts about the 20 meter flights. He gives a different perspective to all our flights. I’m looking forward to flying with him during the contest. For the day, Rob Cluxton and David Hart finished in third with Team 98 in second. Adam Woolley finished in first with a handicapped speed of 83.34mph.
Now for the Open Class, well, they had a pilot drop out due to an airspace penalty, so they lost their class. The pilots are still happy and looking forward to practicing for the WGC in Uvalde next year. I have the pleasure of knowing most of them and I thoroughly enjoy their company. It was funny to see Keith Essex and Jim Lee goofing off after getting their ships put up, squirting each other with a water hose. John Cochrane is always a very serious, professional persona in public. However, during a glider competition, he is one of the most pleasant people you want to be around. Jeff Banks is from Alaska and he has been a regular on the competition circuit for the last two years. My pilot, Pete Alexander is his mentor for the competition. Jeff is soaking up all of Pete’s knowledge and putting it to good use. I wish I knew Bruce Taylor better. I know we would have a great time telling stories over a pint. For contest day 1, John Cochrane finished in third with Jim Lee in second. Keith Essex won the day with a speed of 94.51mph over 308 miles. This was 6.5mph faster than Jim Lee. I am sure Jim will come back with a great flight to give Keith a run for his money.
It is again getting late, and I need to get prepared to fly tomorrow. I hope you have enjoyed this post. We will continue tomorrow evening.
Cheers,
Rich Owen
Team 98 Backseater