Day 1 Update

It’s the first day of the the 29th Senior Contest, with balmy temperatures and Florida skies filled with cumulus clouds - conditions that would be appreciated by most soaring pilots anywhere, at any time.  They are even more welcome this year to pilots - most of those here - that have been enduring severe cold and rough winter weather.

Today proved not as good as several days during the practice period.  Cloudbases were 1000 to 1500 feet lower than yesterday, and most pilots reported some low points and slow sections; around 10 pilots either outlanded or started their engines (the entry list includes plenty of motorized gliders).  But the best speeds were above 60 mph - dramatically better that could have been expected almost anywhere north of Florida.

The winner of the 2.5-hour task was Karl Striedieck (veteran of many a Senior Contest, and winner of more than a few) who did 69 mph over 174 miles.