Oz Report

http://soaringspot.com/2012bsc/

http://tinyurl.com/bigspringspot

Pictures:

https://picasaweb.google.com/HGChicago/USNationalsDay1
https://picasaweb.google.com/HGChicago/USNationalsDay2
https://picasaweb.google.com/HGChicago/USNationalsDay3

The winds were stronger this morning than yesterday but it looked like there might be a chance that they would die down, or that at least we would go fly anyway. So the task committee at Larry Bunner's urging called a late task right from the beginning:

Here are the winds in mph during the relevant periods on the 25^th (today) and on the 24^th (yesterday):

25	15:15	SE 10 G 18
25	14:55	SE 15 G 21
25	14:35	S 15 G 18
25	14:15	S 10 G 21
25	13:55	S 10
25	13:35	S 6 G 21
25	13:15	S 15 G 20
25	12:55	S 10 G 18

24	15:15	S 16 G 23
24	14:35	SE 13 G 23
24	13:55	S 17 G 24
24	13:35	SE 17 G 22
24	13:15	SE 17 G 21
24	12:55	S 14 G 21
24	12:35	SE 16 G 21
24	12:15	SE 18 G 24
24	11:35	S 16 G 24

The wind did back off and we had no problems carrying/flying the gliders down to the south end of the hangars to our regular launch spot. We left the hangar around 1:15.

The launch window opened at 2:15, an hour and fifteen minutes later than normal. This was great because the cu's showed up about an hour later than normal, so the pilots were happy. Also we got all the pilots together to clear out the hangar and that made for an atmosphere of "we can do this."

We are doing ordered launch just like at the Race and Rally (and pre-Worlds). The lines were swapped today so 21 through 44 went first and 1 through 20 next.

Because we were starting later in the day the lift was already super good at the airfield and pilots were pinning off low making for a faster launch altogether. I pinned off at 800' AGL and was in great lift, taking that thermal to 7,700' after launching tenth.

There were five pilots in the thermal with me as we drifted to the northeast in a 14 mph southwest wind. The task was to the northwest to a turnpoint at Lamesa and then to the airfield at Thoka, total of 118 kilometers. The late task start called for a shorter task, but the task committee wanted a cross wind task, and as the forecast was for southwest winds, this filled the bill.

Matt Barker and I stayed with the thermal while the rest of the pilots, including Dave Gibson, headed back to the airfield. I couldn't figure out the point of doing that and we found another thermal nearby that got us to 9,600'.

I was hoping to get started early but I realized that heading west might be a good option. I had been looking for cu's in that direction and when little ones started popping I headed due west to get under them. Matt followed and we found light lift, but we were high and we could wait for a few start gates. They were ten minutes apart starting at 3:10 PM.

As I moved west I could see Derrick Turner and James Stinnett circling under a dark cu north of the some shallow lakes about 14 kilometers west of the airport. The start circle was 15 kilometer wide to help us deal with the winds, which were forecasted to be up to 22 knots southwest at 8,000'.

I raced over to them and finally found the good stuff, 900 fpm, but half way up the thermal the 3:30 PM window opened and Derreck and James headed out. I wanted to go with them, so I climbed up to over 10,500' and headed out behind them. They were heading west northwest toward the good looking clouds, so I was willing to head off with them. Lamesa was still to our northwest and the wind was from the southwest.

After a couple of thermals I could see a small rain shower between me and the turnpoint. But unlike on the first day there was no lightning and the cloud was much smaller with lots of cu's all around it. It certainly looked like it was possible to go around the rain, but I wanted to go upwind of it so that I wouldn't get caught by the rain as it pushed downwind. This meant more pushing upwind to the west.

As I approached the south end of the area that was shaded by the rain cloud I saw either Derreck or James head straight north for it seeing a big dust devil just on the east side of the shade. I decided to continue northwest and get under the cu's on the upwind side of the rain cloud. The rain was very isolated and stopped and started a few times.

Finally I found good lift under some cu's over shaded ground just to the southwest of the rain. That allowed me to get high enough to plow through the sunlit areas west of the rain (although I did hit a little bit of rain and watched a rainbow to my east and below me), toward more cu's to the northwest of the rain.

I found 400 fpm under those cu's southwest of Lamesa and had been on a great arc around the rain cloud and upwind and now drifted in the thermal right toward the turnpoint. As I looked at the turnpoint from my vantage point twenty kilometers away it did not look like an area of good lift. No decent looking cu's nearby.

After I got up I headed for some more cu's to the west of Lamesa with the idea that I would get high before going to the turnpoint. Forcing myself to go upwind a bit in a 21 mph head wind was not pleasant, but I found 300 fpm, which while weak, was needed to fulfill my criteria to getting high enough to get around the turnpoint without endangering myself.

At 9,600' I headed cross wind to the east to get the turnpoint and sure enough there was nothing near the turnpoint. I headed north from there seeing five pilot way below me (I was at 8,000') and a couple circling ahead. I went to their thermal, but it was worthless (at least at my elevation), so I kept going after a turn and went to the next cu's. I could see a dust devil ahead, but a little too far away to be a good candidate.

I scooted under a cu and after a bit of a search found a little over 300 fpm, again, not great but adequate. This thermal was enough to get me to goal. I pulled the bar in from 25 km and flew at 50 mph.

Kraig Coomber came in just before me, but started half an hour later. He took the direct route along the course line, got low past the turnpoint, but got up very quickly, found better lift than I on the last thermal and raced to goal.

Greg Chastain was the first pilot in, and the only pilot to have started at the first start time at 3:10 PM. He will take a lot of the arrival points. James and Derreck were in before me. Derrick and James, I believe, were almost as fast as Kraig following the round about route that I also took. They got there twenty six minutes earlier and will have arrival points over Kraig.

The leader after two days, Robin Hamilton and Jonny Durand went down near the turnpoint as did Zac Majors. That will shake up the standings, putting Kraig in first and Jeff O'Brien in second.

Jeff came in just before me, but started ten minutes later. He took the direct route finding strong lift to 12,000' before Lamesa and not getting low after that.

12 topics in this article: Big Spring Championships 2012, Derrick Turner, dust devil, Greg Chastain, James Stinnett, Jeff O'Brien, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Jon Durand jnr, Kraig Coomber, Larry Bunner, Robin Hamilton, Zac Majors

2012 Big Spring Championships »

July 24, 2012, 4:18:06 pm CDT

2012 Big Spring Championships

Day Three

A little windy:

Humidity 24%
Wind Speed S 16 G 23 mph
Barometer 30.02 in
Dewpoint 55°F (13°C)
Visibility 10.00 mi
Heat Index 98°F (37°C)
Last Update on 24 Jul 3:15 pm CDT

The safety committee (Jonny Durand, Larry Bunner, and Chris Zimmerman) decided that the conditions are too windy. This after apparently no one in the hangar was willing to pull their glider out and take it down to the south end of the runway to the launch area at noon. It was blowing at about twice the speed that we flew in the day before, and that was a day that was blowing enough to make for a difficult transition from the hangar to the launch area.

Yesterday we outran the storm in 20 mph winds. We saw the dust storm as we came back toward Big Spring. The storm was destructive and two people died here. The story here.

The safety committee sent Jim Rooney up in a tug and he reported 25 mph winds. Little thermal activity at about 12:15. Earlier Derrick Turner reported 25 mph in the tug during tandems. The cu's had started to form, it looked great and they would soon be over the runway.

We have flown here in these conditions previously when we went 215 miles, but today's forecast was for OD at Lubbock (140 km to the north) later in the day. So far (4 PM), that hasn't shown up.

The conditions look great for a task from Zapata:

Discuss "2012 Big Spring Championships" at the Oz Report forum link»

7 topics in this article: Big Spring Championships 2012, Chris Zimmerman, Derrick Turner, Jim Rooney, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Jon Durand jnr, Larry Bunner

The Florida Ridge Team Challenge

April 9, 2012, 8:54:32 EDT

The Florida Ridge Team Challenge

Fourteen pilots, three teams

http://www.thefloridaridge.com/pages/RidgeTeamChallenge2012.php

Derrick Turner

Derrick Turner (on the Spanish speaking team) at take off:

The Team Challenge started off Sunday with a challenging task, with C pilots required to stay in the air for one hour, and the B and A pilots two hours. They could land any where. There was a nice breeze across Lake Okeechobee reducing the lift right near the park, but lift projected to be much higher a little to the west. Scarce cu's as you can see above.

Pilots who stayed around the flight park had difficulties as they had to work their way back up wind into the weaker areas to find lift and stay within glide of the park.

This is a multi-lingual Team Challenge with a Russian speaking team, a Spanish speaking team and an English speaking team.

Scoring will be done with a multiplier formula which takes into consideration the pilot's skill level and the glider type being flown. Jeff Nibler's unique scoring system will normalize the scores to a standard score of 100 when a pilot makes his goal. The tasks will be handicapped based on pilot skill level by giving relatively easy tasks to the "C" pilots and quite difficult tasks to the "A" pilots.

Preliminary scoring for the first day has the Russian team way ahead.

Discuss "The Florida Ridge Team Challenge" at the Oz Report forum link»

1 topic in this article: Derrick Turner

Hang Gliding Marketing

April 9, 2012, 8:54:04 EDT

Hang Gliding Marketing

Down south at the Florida Ridge

http://ushpa.aero/compresults.asp

Belinda Boulter|Derrick Turner|James Tindle|Quest Air|Rob Kells

James Tindle is advertising widely and marketing within 130 miles to keep his site, the Florida Ridge, hopping, especially during the hot summer months, when things used to be (before last year) slow. You'll find him here for example: http://www.orlandohanggliding.com/. Orlando is three hours away from the Florida Ridge in way south Florida and much nearer to Quest Air and Wallaby Ranch. This also: http://www.floridahangglide.com/. Don't forget: http://www.miamihanggliding.com/.

He's done approximately 3,000 Groupon-like introductory tandem tows (Groupon and LivingSocial). He makes money on them (35% no shows), often by upgrading to one of his seven different aerotow packages. The Ridge was full of people, a good number of them getting ready for their tandem flights when Belinda and I showed up with the Oz Report World Headquarters early Friday afternoon. Derrick Turner is one of the tandem pilots.

We're right in the center of things here at the Ridge next to the office with good internet connectivity.

There were half a dozen pilots ready to get towed up at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning. I couldn't imagine that they thought they were going to stay up. Turns out many of them were Russian pilots getting their aerotowing practice in and preparing for the upcoming Rob Kells and Team Challenge.

There were two tandem operations going also. This place has always been busy, but it is busier now more than ever. They are averaging forty tandem aerotow flights a day.

Friday and Saturday were a bit windy (Saturday was averaging nine gusting to thirteen mph). Local Steve Larson says that they tow here until the plane goes backwards. It's as flat as a pancake here. Maybe that means we'll not be deterred by winds during the upcoming competitions.

Jim started with Miami Hang Gliding in 1988 (after starting hang gliding in 1980). In 2000 he opened up the Florida Ridge Flight Park where pilots can actually land on land.

Apparently it is possible to make a small fortune in hang gliding without starting with a bigger fortune.

Discuss "Hang Gliding Marketing" at the Oz Report forum link»

5 topics in this article: Belinda Boulter, Derrick Turner, James Tindle, Quest Air, Rob Kells

USHPA ranking for 2012

October 3, 2011, 8:37:17 MDT

USHPA ranking for 2012

Only your best two meets from 2011 count

(USHPA headquarters)

The ranking will be as of January 1^st, 2012:

1	Dustin Martin	1182	595	(Rob2011)	587	(SCF2011)
2	Zac Majors	1154	582	(Rob2011)	572	(Spr2011)
3	Kraig Coomber	1021	515	(FRR2011)	506	(SCF2011)
4	Paris Williams	984	539	(FRR2011)	445	(Rob2011)
5	Davis Straub	970	515	(Spr2011)	455	(Rob2011)
6	Glen Volk	969	492	(SCF2011)	477	(Spr2011)
7	Mitchell Shipley	958	525	(SCF2011)	433	(Spr2011)
8	Josef Bostik	952	507	(FRR2011)	445	(SCF2011)
9	Jeff Shapiro	929	471	(Rob2011)	458	(FRR2011)
10	Larry Bunner	919	474	(FRR2011)	445	(Spr2011)
11	James Stinnet	879	506	(SCF2011)	373	(FRR2011)
12	Chris Zimmerman	871	436	(SCF2011)	435	(Spr2011)
13	Ben Dunn	811	431	(FRR2011)	380	(SCF2011)
14	Greg Dinauer	706	489	(FRR2011)	217	(Rob2011)
15	Jeff O'Brien	660	660	(SCF2011)
16	Robin Hamilton	502	502	(SCF2011)
17	Derrick Turner	431	344	(Rob2011)	87	(FRR2011)

Notice that the Rob Kells Meet, the Santa Cruz Flats Race, the Big Spring US Nationals, and the Flytec Race and Rally are the meets that counted in 2011 (you can click on the many links above). No non US meets brought any points to this ranking despite their high value (600 NTSS points). There is always a trade off of high value versus tough competition. These domestic meets should also be important in 2012. The Santa Cruz Flats Race and the US Nationals in Big Spring attract high valued US pilots without bringing in high valued international pilots who reduce one's chances to grab 660 points as Jeff O'Brien did this year at the Santa Cruz Flats Race.

The Florida meets are always high valued as international pilots attend (it's cheap to fly from Europe and the Americas and there aren't conflicts with meets near them). The Santa Cruz Flats Race attracts California pilots as it takes place seven driving hours from Los Angeles, so you can expect good pilots there. Big Spring has the best, strongest, and most consistent conditions with substantial community support, so it is also attractive to many US pilots.

Dustin won the Brazilian Nationals (one of the three meets that count for the Nationals) in August, but likely because of continuing political conflicts in Brazil with respect to CIVL/FAI payments, the Brazilian pilots (and Jonny Durand) didn't bring enough NTSS points to the competition (500) to give Dustin enough points (550) to surpass his 587 points from the Santa Cruz Flats Race. The Forbes Flatlands was not counted at all despite being worth 600 points (due to the high level of the competition).

Will it be worth it for US pilots to go to Forbes for the pre-Worlds at the Forbes Flatlands if they are going there basically for the NTSS points? The US has three competitions worth 600 points and in 2012 we could easily have four. It is much less costly to go to these competitions then to go overseas. It is more difficult to get the highest number of points at an international competition due to the competition from other high level pilots.

Of course, there are other good reasons to go to Forbes for the 2012 pre-Worlds including practicing flying there in anticipation of flying there during the Worlds in January, 2013.

21 topics in this article: Ben Dunn, Chris Zimmerman, CIVL, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Glen Volk, Greg Dinauer, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Jon Durand jnr, Kraig Coomber, Larry Bunner, Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley, Paris Williams, Robin Hamilton, Rob Kells, USHPA, US Nationals, Zac Majors

USHPA 2011 ranking

September 30, 2011, 8:39:31 MDT

USHPA 2011 ranking

Joe and I tied for sixth

(USHPA headquarters)

http://ushpa.aero/compresults.asp

Pos	Name	Points
1	Dustin Martin	2318
2	Zac Majors	2232
3	Jeff Shapiro	1991
4	Glen Volk	1806
5	James Stinnet	1787
6	Josef Bostik	1784
7	Davis Straub	1784
8	Larry Bunner	1774
9	Ben Dunn	1664
10	Jeff O'Brien	1598
11	Chris Zimmerman	1588
12	Mitchell Shipley	1587
13	Paris Williams	1569
14	Greg Dinauer	1496
15	Tom Lanning	1370
16	Derrick Turner	1332
17	Ricker Goldsboro	1326
18	Alex Cuddy	1246
19	Patrick Kruse	1215
20	Rich Cizauskas	1170

12 topics in this article: Chris Zimmerman, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Glen Volk, Greg Dinauer, Jeff O'Brien, Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley, Paris Williams, Patrick Kruse, USHPA, Zac Majors

2011 US Nationals at Big Spring

Fri, Aug 26 2011, 8:26:20 am MDT

Quite valid

(Big Spring, TX, USA)

http://ushpa.aero/competition/ntss1/index.php

Pos	Name	Points	Comp 1	Comp 2	Comp 3	Comp 4
1	ZAC Majors	2232&NBSP;	&NBSP;582&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;572&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;560&NBSP;	(FOR2010)	&NBSP;518&NBSP;	(FRR2010)
2	DUSTIN Martin	2209&NBSP;	&NBSP;595&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;586&NBSP;	(KEL2010)	&NBSP;529&NBSP;	(FRR2010)	&NBSP;499&NBSP;	(FRR2011)
3	JEFF Shapiro	1991&NBSP;	&NBSP;542&NBSP;	(KEL2010)	&NBSP;520&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;471&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;458&NBSP;	(FRR2011)
4	LARRY Bunner	1773&NBSP;	&NBSP;474&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;449&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;445&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;405&NBSP;	(KEL2010)
5	DAVIS Straub	1766&NBSP;	&NBSP;515&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;455&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;415&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;381&NBSP;	(KEL2010)
6	JOSEF Bostik	1743&NBSP;	&NBSP;507&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;423&NBSP;	(FRR2010)	&NBSP;409&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;404&NBSP;	(SPR2011)
7	JAMES Stinnet	1632&NBSP;	&NBSP;459&NBSP;	(FRR2010)	&NBSP;449&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;373&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;351&NBSP;	(ROB2011)
8	PARIS Williams	1569&NBSP;	&NBSP;539&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;445&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;385&NBSP;	(ECC2011)	&NBSP;200&NBSP;	(MID2011)
9	GREG Dinauer	1496&NBSP;	&NBSP;489&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;450&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;340&NBSP;	(KEL2010)	&NBSP;217&NBSP;	(ROB2011)
10	CHRIS Zimmerman	1466&NBSP;	&NBSP;435&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;377&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;340&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;314&NBSP;	(KEL2010)
11	BEN Dunn	1403&NBSP;	&NBSP;432&NBSP;	(MCU2010)	&NBSP;431&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;421&NBSP;	(KEL2010)	&NBSP;119&NBSP;	(TSS2011)
12	TOM Lanning	1370&NBSP;	&NBSP;381&NBSP;	(KEL2010)	&NBSP;357&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;337&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;295&NBSP;	(ECC2010)
13	DERRICK Turner	1332&NBSP;	&NBSP;464&NBSP;	(KEL2010)	&NBSP;437&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;344&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;87&NBSP;	(FRR2011)
14	RICKER Goldsboro	1326&NBSP;	&NBSP;339&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;337&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;330&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;320&NBSP;	(KEL2010)
15	GLEN Volk	1314&NBSP;	&NBSP;477&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;439&NBSP;	(FRR2010)	&NBSP;398&NBSP;	(SAN2010)
16	MITCHELL Shipley	1308&NBSP;	&NBSP;433&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;325&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;304&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;246&NBSP;	(FRR2010)
17	ALEX Cuddy	1246&NBSP;	&NBSP;353&NBSP;	(KEL2010)	&NBSP;308&NBSP;	(SHC2011)	&NBSP;295&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;290&NBSP;	(CWO2011)
18	RICH Cizauskas	1170&NBSP;	&NBSP;334&NBSP;	(ECC2011)	&NBSP;292&NBSP;	(ECC2010)	&NBSP;276&NBSP;	(SAN2010)	&NBSP;268&NBSP;	(FRR2011)
19	JOHN Simon	1166&NBSP;	&NBSP;422&NBSP;	(FRR2010)	&NBSP;278&NBSP;	(ECC2010)	&NBSP;274&NBSP;	(FRR2011)	&NBSP;192&NBSP;	(ECC2011)
20	MARK Bolt	1138&NBSP;	&NBSP;386&NBSP;	(SPR2011)	&NBSP;293&NBSP;	(ECC2011)	&NBSP;237&NBSP;	(ROB2011)	&NBSP;222&NBSP;	(SAN2010)

18 topics in this article: Ben Dunn, Chris Zimmerman, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Glen Volk, Greg Dinauer, Jeff Shapiro, John Simon, Larry Bunner, Mark Bolt, Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley, Paris Williams, Tom Lanning, USHPA, US Nationals, US Nationals 2011, Zac Majors

The USHPA NTSS ranking (thanks to the early Australia meets)

January 19, 2011, 7:21:40 AEDT

The USHPA NTSS ranking (thanks to the early Australia meets)

It won't stand

(Forbes airfield, Australia)

http://ushpa.aero/competition/ntss1/index.php

Pos	Name	Points	Comp 1	Comp 1	Comp 2	Comp 2	Comp 3	Comp 3	Comp 4	Comp 4
1	Larry Bunner	1471	449	San2010	405	Kel2010	312	SHC2011	305	CWO2011
2	Davis Straub	1266	381	Kel2010	334	San2010	326	SHC2011	225	CWO2011
3	Dustin Martin	1115	586	Kel2010	529	FRR2010
4	Alex Cuddy	1115	353	Kel2010	308	SHC2011	290	CWO2011	164	FRR2010
5	Zac Majors	1078	560	For2010	518	FRR2010
6	Jeff Shapiro	1062	542	Kel2010	520	San2010
7	Ricker Goldsboro	945	339	San2010	320	Kel2010	149	CWO2011	137	SHC2011
8	Jeff O'Brien	938	556	Kel2010	382	MCu2010
9	James Stinnet	908	459	FRR2010	449	San2010
10	Derrick Turner	901	464	Kel2010	437	San2010

Getting ready for the 2013 Worlds.

9 topics in this article: Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Larry Bunner, USHPA, USHPA NTSS ranking, Zac Majors

2011 Rob Kells meet registration is open

Fri, Dec 17 2010, 11:47:42 am PST

Rob Kells meet registration is open

Thanks to Derreck Turner for getting this going

(Florida Ridge, FL, USA)

Derrick Turner|Rob Kells|Rob Kells Memorial 2011

https://OzReport.com/uscompetitiondates.php

http://www.thefloridaridge.com/pages/RobKellsComp2011.php

This is a great meet and a great warm up for the Flytec Race and Rally, which is now over-subscribed and has a waiting list.

Registration is also open for the Midwest Championships here: http://www.midwesthgcomp.org/. You can attend this competition after the Flytec Race and Rally and before the East Coast Championship.

Discuss "2011 Rob Kells meet registration is open" at the Oz Report forum link»

3 topics in this article: Derrick Turner, Rob Kells, Rob Kells Memorial 2011

USA team in Montecucco

August 11, 2010, 7:26:18 pm CDT

USA team in Montecucco

Thanks to Flavio Tebaldi

(Sigillo,+Italy)

Taken in the square in the center of town right after the awards ceremony:

Jeff Shapiro, Dustin Martin, Jeff O'Brien, Zac Majors, Ben Dunn
Jack Simmons, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner.

Discuss "USA team in Montecucco" at the Oz Report forum link»

8 topics in this article: Ben Dunn, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Flavio Tebaldi, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Zac Majors

pre-pre-Worlds on Montecucco (Cucco Mountain)

July 29, 2010, 3:50:44 pm GMT+0200

pre-pre-Worlds on Montecucco (Cucco Mountain)

We fly a task on the ridge line

(Sigillo,+Italy)

Ben Dunn|Derrick Turner|Mike Glennon|Pre-Pre-Worlds 2010|weather

We had ourselves a real flight on Wednesday. We being the Jeff's, Raul, Derrick Turner, Ben Dunn and his dad, Tim, Mike Glennon, Wolfi, and numerous others. The forecast for 4,000' had been for light northerly winds turning to light westerlies by 2 PM. There were plenty of cu's but the lift seemed sparse around noon as we got to launch. Plenty of pilots had set up but only a few were launching.

The winds were actually quite strong on launch, but not so strong that we couldn't setup on the west side of the road. Other pilots set up behind the road in the more protected area. Wolfi launched and did a series of low passes over the almost flat launch so it looked like it was time to launch around 1:30 PM.

The hill side is quite dry and almost flat. But with the breeze coming into the hill side you just wander off into the wind and it picks you up and you float away in smooth air. A bit disconcerting because you spend so much time next to the hill at first.

We headed south right after launch to find the thermals. They were weak at first but then I spotted Tim climbing below us back north toward launch. Once I got over him the lift rose to a smooth and fully packed 800 fpm and I called over Shapiro and others. We quickly climbed to cloud base at 7,800'.

Having found the good lift earliest I headed out south with Raul just behind. I had set a 107 kilometer task, with a thirty kilometer leg to the south, then a fifty kilometer one to the north then back to the Sigillo landing field. The sky held plenty of cus' and we were high on the north/south ridge line.

The lift had been very pleasant over launch but as we headed south the lift became less so. There were plenty of thermals on the west face but they weren't as smooth as one would like. There was quite a bit more wind than had been forecasted.

Twenty six kilometers south the valley narrows. The turnpoint that I had chosen from the maps was ten kilometers to our east, downwind away from the valley. The winds had picked up to seventeen mph and the turbulence was not a bit pleasant. Heading upwind to get more out in the flats away from the hillside did nothing to ease the turbulence at the end of the valley. We were talking on the radio about what to do next, as no one wanted to go downwind to the turnpoint.

I decided to head back north toward the launch and Derrick and the Jeff's also turned around running away from the worse of the turbulence.

It was easy flying the face of the ridgeline and sometimes there was even pleasant lift to thermal in as we headed back. The Jeff's hugged the hill side flying fast and low and only stopping now and then to thermal up a bit. I kept further out in front of the hill and climbed up at the wind mills ten kilometers south of launch. I wanted to be west of the venturi that I had experienced on the way down south just north of the wind mills.

Shapiro and I decided to head for the LZ and O'Brien headed back to launch. I went out into the valley but the turbulence was still the same. It didn't matter if you were in the" flats" or on the ridge. It was the winds mixed with the strong thermals.

Raul decided to head west to Gubbio as we came over the LZ. I watched as Shaprio got down. I had trouble getting down as I found lift all over the valley. I was right over the LZ as Jeff landed. I could feel the thermal that he was in as he tried to land. He said that he felt as though he could have turned at twenty five feet and gone back up again. He mentioned how rough the LZ was.

I was looking at other areas to land, maybe next to where we are staying at the Alba Rosa. But I was really hoping for a wind sock as the winds kept switching.

Finally the lift slacked off a bit and I was able to make a reasonable approach with a west wind. Unlike when Jeff landed it was coming straight down the LZ runway. I came in and it was smooth as could be. In fact, starting with my landing and thereafter the LZ was smooth and friendly to the landing pilots.

The pilots who flew north first instead of south as we did reported significantly less turbulence. They flew to the northern edge of the ridge line, about twenty kilometers. I had set a turnpoint a bit further north than that for our task. Eduardo from Brazil, had gone eighteen kilometers downwind wind to the east and was contemplating going to the coast which is about eighty kilometers away. There are not any airspace issues if you go due east from launch. He was able to get high and fly back against the winds to the Sigillo LZ.

On Thursday the Jeff's went up to launch around 8 AM knowing that the day would be blown out. They flew one glider (O'Brien's) taking turns, then O'Brien flew down after Shapiro top landed a few times and drove the car down. There was plenty of wind up top (45 km/h) but none next to the Alba Rosa as O'Brien landed next to our Agriturismo.

Local weather.

5 topics in this article: Ben Dunn, Derrick Turner, Mike Glennon, Pre-Pre-Worlds 2010, weather

The Flytec Race and Rally - Task 1

Mon, Apr 26 2010, 12:28:58 am EDT

Perfect timing

http://www.jonnydurand.blogspot.com/

The Blogs and Tweets:

Wills Wing pilots - Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Dustin, Zac Majors

http://rich-lovelace.blogspot.com/

http://gottafly.blogspot.com/

https://OzReport.com/twitter

http://facebook.com/ozreport

Scores on-line: http://soaringspot.com/2010frr/

While Saturday had originally looked like a possible record day in Florida with the winds two days out forecasted to be straight up the state and into North Carolina, when it came to the actual day, there was this big front that was killing people in Mississippi and was heading into Georgia on Saturday stopping the lift at the border with Florida. And in the morning on Saturday it just didn't look that great for lift with a few scattered low cu's and cirrus covering most of the state coming from the front. The froint extended down through the Gulf of Mexico and sent out a wave of clouds over southern Florida late in the day. Still Campbell Bowen was able to fly forty miles on his ATOS VXR, and he was the only one to make an attempt.

The approaching front made for a conundrum. First, would conditions in south Florida allow for a task on Sunday? Second, would the Dragonflies be able to get to Quest Air before the front arrived, or at least far enough north where they could be protected from the storm as it passed through so that they could be ready to go the next day at Quest Air? Would it be better to send the tugs north at 8 AM to get to Quest before the front got there and just abandon the first day of the competition? That was the dilemma I was faced with on Saturday night looking at the weather forecasts.

They actually showed a soarable day in south Florida on Sunday, with a low cloudbase (less than 3,000') and strong south southwest winds that would take us around the west side of Lake Okeechobee. Of course they showed the approaching front and they showed it coming fast enough to cause us problems even with a short task.

The next morning I was looking at the forecasts soon after 7:30 AM. Now it looked like the front wouldn't get to Groveland until after 3 PM. The forecast for south Florida was similar to the night before, with maybe an average 15 mph wind out of the southwest. But the tug pilots were reporting thirty mph at 800' at 8 AM. I could see Dana, Linda Salamone's daughter, and new solo pilot, flying backwards in her Falcon until she got low enough to get out of the high winds.

While we were now comfortable keeping the tugs at the Florida Ridge for the task, before sending them north, with the high overcast, rapidly moving scuddy cu's at 1,500', and the tug pilot's report of high winds, there were few pilots who were enthusiastic about our chances of flying. I was already setup from the night before and my glider was in the staging line ready to go. I figured it wouldn't hurt to try and we had gone long distances on days that looked like this before. Still there were many pilots who thought that this was an exercise in futility.

The launch opened at noon and we had five start windows ten minutes apart starting a 1 PM. Given the conditions pilots were reluctant to get started. They knew that they would be well advised to stick with their flying buddies. The start cylinder had a ten kilometer radius. The winds seemed to have died down and it wasn't at all unsafe at launch nor all that windy.

I waited for three pilots to launch: Jim Yocom, Richard Lovelace, and Mitch Shipley before I took off. There was a bunch of pilots in the launch line just behind me, so I figured I would see a lot of pilots in the air. We could see Jim Yocom turning just to the east of the field at cloud base at about 2,600', so it looked like there was lift, even though the sky was thick with cu's that were shading the ground.

I had the tug pilot drag me over to Jim and Richard who were both turning, and sure enough there was lift and we were all just below cloud base. Mitch was way down below us, so that was no help. The next pilot pulled over to us was Pete Lehmann, but he headed straight back to the launch area. So, so much for help from others.

The wind was blowing 14 to 18 mph out of the south southwest. The lift was so light and the sky so dark and the ground so shaded that we had no way to get back to the flight park or hook up with any other pilots. I had made a bad decision to not let five or six more pilots start in front of me. We three were on our own.

It was unfortunate that Jim had been hauled to the east as we really needed to start from the west side of the flight park to stay as far as possible away from the lake. Richard found a bit of lift over a gravel pit a kilometer to the east and even though I did not want to go at all in that direction I had to go where the lift was. Jim and I did not find it and were soon down to 750' just west of Moore Haven. I found a small thermal that averaged 50 fpm and stuck with it for six kilometers as it drifted me out into the bad side of the levee that surrounds Lake Okeechobee.

I was back to 1,700' with Richard on the ground just to my north and Jim soon to be on the ground just north of him. I had to head a bit back to the west to stay on the safe side of the highway that runs west around the levee. I didn't find any lift and landed with Richard.

The sky had opened up for the last five to ten minutes of my flight and there was sunshine on the ground and better defined cu's, but too far away for me to get to from my low altitude. When Richard had landed there was nothing but shaded ground. Now as we watched other pilots, mostly to our west, get high and keep going downwind in the much better looking conditions we wondered why we hadn't waited half and hour. The day had much improved in a short period of time.

Ten minutes later we saw Jeff Shapiro fly low over our heads heading north down the highway. Apparently he would soar the levee for a couple of kilometers and then land in waste deep water near a local alligator. He was apparently able to keep his instruments dry, but lost his radio in the breakdown field.

O'Brien landed near the start circle as did Derrick Turner. The task was 67 kilometers and Dustin Martin and Jonny Durand were the only pilots to make goal. Dustin was much faster starting ten minutes after Jonny and getting there ten minutes ahead of him. Lots of pilots made it at least 50 kilometers. Daniel Velez and Zac Majors were the closest to goal at the Okeechobee airfield.

Given how bad it looked before we launched and how many sour pusses we had it was great to get off a task in the restricted time slot that we seemed to have. The Dragonflies were able to make it to Quest Air and get into the hangar hours before the thunderstorms hit about night fall. Pilots hung out in the club house and Jamie downloaded flights.

It would be very hard to be camping at Quest Air on Sunday night. The place is flooded, the thunder is loud, the rain is thick and there are tornados in north Florida, as well there should be.

19 topics in this article: Campbell Bowen, Daniel Vélez Bravo, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Facebook, Flytec Race and Rally 2010, Jamie Shelden, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Jim Yocom, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Jon Durand jnr, Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann, Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley, Quest Air, record, Richard Lovelace, weather, Zac Majors

Rob Kells Competition - Task 5

Fri, Apr 23 2010, 11:05:44 pm EDT

With a brisk southeast wind we head downwind and cross wind

https://OzReport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19703

The Blogs and Tweets:

http://www.jonnydurand.blogspot.com/

Wills Wing pilots - Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Dustin, Zac Majors

http://rich-lovelace.blogspot.com/

http://gottafly.blogspot.com/

https://OzReport.com/twitter

http://facebook.com/ozreport

Scores on-line: http://soaringspot.com/2010rk/ They'll be up later, maybe not until the morning.

A great day to finish the Rob Kells Competition. We had wonderful soaring conditions and we got to see a whole new part of the state.

The forecast was for 10-15 mph east southeast winds turning south as we went to toward the west coast and to the north. The task committee's idea was to head off in that general direction. We also wanted to send the Sport Class off on a long task, sort of making it an open distance task for them, although giving them a chance to make goal.

The task setting turned into a bit of a nightmare as we changed the task three times to deal with different issues that came up as we got new information about the goals (there were 160 gyrocopters at one proposed goal) and we had two turnpoints with the same name (when it was shortened by GPSDump) and one of them was used for the last iteration of the task, so that caused more confusion.

We finally decided on a 125 km dogleg task to the northwest with a turnpoint south of Wachula, then a leg to the northeast back toward Avon Park to a little grass strip out there. The Sport Class didn't have to take the turnpoint.

Shapiro and I took the second start clock along with Jonny, Larry Bunner, as well as Jim Yocom, Ollie Gregory, and Campbell Bowen on ATOSes. I was a few hundred feet below them at the start but went soon after they did. I just let them get a little in front of me so I could see how they went. Dustin, Zippy and Jeff O'Brien would take the next clock which was the last clock. Jeff started at 800' at the flight park when the bell rang for the start at the 5 km start circle radius.

We were at the first turnpoint on highway 29 fourteen kilometers away in eighteen minutes, so with a tail wind we were moving pretty fast considering that we had to thermal in that time period also. I had left the start circle at 3,400' but climbed to 4,200' before the first turnpoint. The guys in front were within reach.

The next thirty kilometers took thirty minutes including three climbs over 4,000' one to 4,700' as we crossed some areas that would have made for difficult retrieves, I was hoping that the Sport Class guys who would be coming along later would do alright. We saw a paraglider land below us. I was just behind the leading pilots.

After a ten kilometer glide I was down to 2,300'out over a cultivate field that was a long ways away from any paved road. Yocom and Campbell had gone ahead as had Shapiro, Jonny and a few others. They were getting lower and lower and I was looking for lift. I found it over the cultivated field that they had all gone through without stopping.

It only averaged 250 fpm, but I could see the pilots in the lead in front of me getting lower and smaller as I climbed up. There was no reason to hurry to them. Larry Bunner came and joined me then went ahead to the lead pilots just as it turned on to 400 fpm. I could see half a dozen vultures far below me climbing up so I had a pretty good idea that this was the place to be as I watched all the pilots ahead spread out and struggled. Ollie came over and joined me in the thermal.

Topping out at 4,700' I moved forward to get over Jonny, Shapiro, etc. Shapiro had climbed up so I teamed up with him and he and I in the lead of the flex wing pilots took off after Ollie and Campbell in the lead with their ATOSes. We lead (following the ATOSes) for the next 34 kilometers hitting a couple of thermals but mostly on glide.

For the last twelve kilometers Jonny came and joined us after we climbed up to 4,600' coming in just over our heads. We went on glide with him. I had been gliding and climbing with Shaprio, not losing anything to him in either mode. Now I glided with Jonny for twelve kilometers, again, not losing anything to him.

Olli, who we were actually beating on glide, found the next thermal when we all decided to head west a bit to get under the clouds that we had flown next to for most of the last 34 kilometers. The lift for me was only 250 fpm as it was broken and I had a more difficult time getting in it. Derrick Turner was right below me, and Jonny and Shapiro climbed better above me. They headed out for the turnpoint five kilometers to the north before I could get up to them. I was still able to get to 4,500' but it didn't seem nearly as great as when Shapiro and I were leading the flexies (following the rigids). I was below Jonny and Shapiro now.

The next leg was thirty kilometers to the northeast and the wind had not turned south but was southeast as it had been all day. It had been right down out course line and now we were confronted with a difficult leg as the final leg, as it is supposed to be.

I had problem right away finding reasonable lift. I had been finding good lift the whole flight and now there wasn't any to be found, for me anyway. Shapiro and Jonny were finding it, but when I went to where they were there was no lift down below them for me.

A third of the way into the leg I finally found 300 fpm that got me to almost 4,000'. Jim Yocom was around and so was Larry Bunner. Dustin had caught up with Shapiro taking a route east of the course line.

A thermal almost two thirds of the way down the course line only got me back to 2,000' and it was drifting us downwind of the course line. Larry says that there were five pilots high over our heads, but that must have been Jonny, Dustin, Shapiro, etc., as if they were high, they could have easily gone to goal at that point.

Giving up on this weak thermal, I pushed to go over a large burning area, but there was no lift as the strong winds pushed the heat back away from the course line. I pushed ahead toward goal and toward some landable fields and maybe a chance for lift under a few scraggly clouds. Down to 800' I found bits and pieces of 200 fpm in lift that averaged 47 fpm. There were birds nearby that helped me see the lift a bit, but the thermal was telling me where it was and where it was drifting by sucking me toward it. I listened to that more than to the birds.

I was drifting out over a large field, maybe three to five miles on a side. I didn't want to go down and have to carry my equipment out, so that was extra incentive to stay in the thermal as well as to keep an eye on the roads if I fell out of it.

At 1,600' I got into lift that averaged 250 fpm. That was a lot more like it. I knew I was getting out of this hole now. I had drifted seven kilometers downwind of the course line. Larry and Ricker Goldsborough came over a joined me in the thermal when they saw that I had hooked a good one.

At 3,600' and 11 kilometers from goal I went on glider in a crossing wind. The 6030 said I had it no problem. Larry joined me and we raced to goal.

About ten pilots made goal. Dustin won that day with the later start time. Shapiro may have come in second. At the moment it looks as though Jonny may have won the meet. We'll know when Jamie has enough to eat and can do the down loads and get them to me.

16 topics in this article: Campbell Bowen, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Facebook, Flytec 6030, Jamie Shelden, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Jim Yocom, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Larry Bunner, Ollie Gregory, PG, Rob Kells, Rob Kells Competition 2010, Zac Majors

Rob Kells Competition - Task 4

Thu, Apr 22 2010, 10:32:02 pm EDT

A big out and return in a light wind

https://OzReport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19703

The Blogs and Tweets:

http://www.jonnydurand.blogspot.com/

Wills Wing pilots - Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Dustin, Zac Majors

http://rich-lovelace.blogspot.com/

http://gottafly.blogspot.com/

https://OzReport.com/twitter

http://facebook.com/ozreport

Scores on-line: http://soaringspot.com/2010rk/

Today's task and flight

The weather got back to the reason why we come here to south Florida, the absolutely softest soaring and cross country tasks. With a forecast for cloud base between 500' and 6000', cu's, light northerly winds, and lift at 500-600 fpm, we were ready for a big (125 km) out and return task (tomorrow we can go to the northwest, maybe to the beach). We also called a good 45 km task for the sport class to the east and then south, the task that they couldn't do the day before.

We launched the sport class guys first, but it was too early for a bunch of them and they had to relaunch again after the open class. Their time starts when they cross the start cylinder, so it doesn't matter so much when they launch. We try to make it as easy as possible on them.

I was off early again as per usual and I did pin off from Bobby Bailey at 1,000'. It was weak down low but I managed to climb out to cloud base at almost 4,500' with the lift getting progressively better as I got higher. I spent the next hour quietly at cloudbase waiting for everyone to get ready to go at the last start clock.

Fifteen minutes before the last start clock the lift gave out and we all spread out to find the next thermal. I went one direction toward some thermaling pilots and others went the other direction to a cloud. That turned on and now I was down at 3,000' with pilots 1,500' over my head as the time ticked down and the lift was weak. Jesus, why did I spend all that time and get nothing in return? Of course, it was completely pleasant up there and I didn't have to wait in line.

I was low at the start so I couldn't go with the first high guys. Very disappointing. I had to struggle to get back into the game, and it would be very hard to catch the fastest guys.

The first turnpoint was off to the west northwest on highway 29. The fast guys were out there quickly working a few thermals to make the 14 km. Being behind I could see thermals and gaggles ahead and that let me catch up with pilots who started higher. I hooked up with Larry Bunner and half a dozen other pilots and we found strong lift after the first turnpoint which made for a fast glide into the second turnpoint. Past the turnpoint, Larry and I got down to 2,000' being out in front, but found some good lift with help from the pilots behind us and climbed to over 5,500'.

I could hear Dustin, Shapiro, O'Brien, and Zippy seven or eight kilometers out in front and went on a long fast glide to try to get close to Shapiro. Gliding fourteen kilometers in eleven minutes I came to the spot where Shapiro had reported the lift. I found it after a couple of minutes searching and it got up to 800 fpm to almost 6,000'. Jeff was just up the road three kilometers so I had moved quickly to get as close as possible.

It was then a glide to the far turnpoint to the west and I got within less than four kilometers I saw Julia leading the pack and coming back quickly. Followed by Jonny, O'Brien, and four or five others. There was some lift at the turnpoint, but not strong enough to hang out in for long so it was a six kilometer glide down to 2000' to get under the cu's and back in the lift. There were a couple of pilots around to help including Konrado.

I scooted southeast over to the cu where Steve Larson was turning in his green Exxtacy. That was 400+fpm and got me to over 5,000'. I knew it would be a long glide to the next cu's so I wanted to get as high as possible.

I went on glide with Larry Bunner co-incidentally just off to the north. I headed east northeast to get under some clouds and he headed east southeast for something that I didn't see if anything.

I came in under the weak looking cu's, low but didn't find anything. Konrado blew by heading east and I decided to join up with him as two is better than one. We were down to 1,500'. He found the lift quite a ways away from the road, so I was happy that he did and we slowly climbed out as we drifted toward the next turnpoint.

I left with him just above me and we got the turnpoint and headed out over a difficult retrieval area at less than 2,000'. He flew through some lift and didn't stop. I stopped as I wanted to at least be able to be retrieved. The lift was only 200 fpm, but it got me high enough that I knew that I could make the next road. I saw Konrado get lower and lower and then I lost sight of him.

Derrick Turner came in under me and I figured well at least I would have someone to fly with making it back in difficult conditions. I was hearing from the boys that they were getting close to goal and we weren't that far back.

Derrick and I flew over to Konrado who had indeed gotten very low and was working himself back up in a good thermal. We joined him and finally the good lift came up to us and we climbed above him to 5,400' before heading toward the last turnpoint. Three pilots came in way below us. Derrick and I spread out, him to the right of the clouds me under the first set but him under the next set. Konrado took a route further to the west to head for some other clouds that he saw building.

Derrick and I loss lots of altitude not finding any lift, but taking the turnpoint and then heading west down highway 78 with no or few cu's nearby to give us any guidance to where the lift was and down to 2,200'. Konrado in the meantime found convergence or something like that, flew south and then over to the turnpoint with little lost of altitude and then continued on toward goal.

Derrick and I struggled in zero sink hoping for something to turn on. Then Derrick decided to risk it and head south over the canal. I followed then found some good lift to the northeast of where he was turning. This was over 200 fpm, which at the time felt very strong. This got us high enough to make goal as we were only thirteen kilometers out.

Jonny was the first pilot in by about five minutes. Dustin, O'Brien, Shapiro and Zac came in a bit later. Zac got low on final five kilometers out and had to thermal back up.

13 topics in this article: Bobby Bailey, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Facebook, Jamie Shelden, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Larry Bunner, Rob Kells, Rob Kells Competition 2010, weather, Zac Majors

The LMR NTSS formula exposed

October 9, 2009, 7:48:14 PDT

The LMR NTSS formula exposed

What difference does it make?

(USHPA headquarters, Colorado Springs, CO, USA)

The CWG/LMR proposal is to count each entrant as bringing 1% or 6 points (assuming the maximum was 600 points). US NTSS ranked pilots bring additional points as per the chart below:

Pilots ranked:	Points brought:
1-5	3.0%
6-10	2.9%
11-15	2.7%
16-20	2.4%
21-25	2.0%
26-30	1.5%
31-35	0.9%
46-40	0.0%
41-45	0.0%
46-50	0.0%
>50	0.0%

Now the LMR proposal actually changes the maximum to 1000 points, but that makes absolutely no difference and it is easier to use the existing 600 points maximum to be compatible with results from the previous year (2008) which uses the 600 point maximum.

Foreign pilots are counted as warm bodies only, and only one foreign meet over two years counts.

Again, Dave Wheeler has graciously volunteered to determine what the outcome would be if this system was applied to the 2009 hang gliding competitions. This is the result of his analysis:

Competition	Validity
Competition	Original	New
Forbes Flatland	507	417
Bogong Cup	472	268
NSW State Titles	144	364
Rob Kells Memorial	600	419
Flytec Race & Rally	560	395
East Coast Championship	300	300
King Mountain Nats	300	300
Big Spring US Nats	482	359
Santa Cruz Flats Race	447	376

Most meet got fewer points, one got more, two stayed at the minimum. There was a general flattening out of the differences between meets, as about the same number of pilots attended them and the quality of pilots counted less.

So how did this affect the top ten in the NTSS ranking? Here's how:

The new ranking based on the LMR proposal:

Pos	Name	Points	Comp 1		Comp 2		Comp 3		Comp 4
1	Glen Volk	1766	477	(Crz2008)	459	(BSI2008)	435	(FRR2009)	395	(Spr2009)
2	Dustin Martin	1761	520	(Crz2008)	461	(RKMC2009)	461	(BSI2008)	319	(FRR2009)
3	Jeff O'Brien	1678	480	(LCPW2008)	476	(Crz2008)	378	(FRR2009)	344	(Crz2009)
4	Zac Majors	1511	400	(Crz2008)	394	(FRR2009)	374	(BSI2008)	343	(Spr2009)
5	Jeff Shapiro	1471	444	(Crz2008)	406	(For2008)	327	(FRR2009)	294	(Spr2009)
6	Derrick Turner	1451	513	(Crz2008)	347	(Crz2009)	310	(Spr2009)	281	(BSI2008)
7	Davis Straub	1318	463	(For2008)	376	(BSI2008)	247	(Spr2009)	232	(Crz2009)
8	Chris Zimmerman	1289	432	(Crz2008)	315	(RKMC2009)	285	(Spr2009)	257	(BSI2008)
9	Phil Bloom	1197	502	(Crz2008)	244	(CXC2008)	239	(Crz2009)	212	(RKMC2009)
10	Ben Dunn	1190	330	(CXC2008)	318	(NSW2009)	279	(Crz2008)	263	(FRR2009)

Here is the original ranking:

Pos	Name	Points	Comp 1		Comp 2		Comp 3		Comp 4
1	Glen Volk	2096	616	(FRR2009)	530	(Spr2009)	477	(Crz2008)	473	(RKMC2009)
2	Dustin Martin	2093	660	(RKMC2009)	520	(Crz2008)	461	(BSI2008)	452	(FRR2009)
3	Jeff O'Brien	1968	536	(FRR2009)	480	(LCPW2008)	476	(RKMC2009)	476	(Crz2008)
4	Zac Majors	1826	559	(FRR2009)	461	(Spr2009)	406	(Crz2009)	400	(Crz2008)
5	Jeff Shapiro	1708	463	(FRR2009)	444	(Crz2008)	406	(For2008)	395	(Spr2009)
6	Derrick Turner	1654	513	(Crz2008)	416	(Spr2009)	413	(Crz2009)	312	(RKMC2009)
7	Davis Straub	1560	463	(For2008)	389	(For2009)	376	(BSI2008)	332	(Spr2009)
8	Chris Zimmerman	1523	451	(RKMC2009)	432	(Crz2008)	383	(Spr2009)	257	(BSI2008)
9	Ben Dunn	1337	373	(FRR2009)	330	(CXC2008)	329	(RKMC2009)	305	(Spr2009)
10	Phil Bloom	1334	502	(Crz2008)	304	(RKMC2009)	284	(Crz2009)	244	(CXC2008)

Again not much has changed in the top ten.

So why are we going to all this trouble if it doesn't make any difference? Or you could ask, why are some meet organizers opposed to this particular part of the LMR proposal if it doesn't make any difference? Again the cream rises.

Well, it is a good thing that the top ten stays the same essentially, because that means our competition system is robust. We can make drastic changes to how we calculate who are the top pilots and it doesn't matter, the top pilots are the same top pilots. It's good that we can't jigger the system to choose those pilots whom we may favor for extraneous reasons.

But, of course, the question is would this new proposal bring in new competitors because it would be perceived, even if it isn't the case, as more egalitarian? Is perception enough to change reality?

Also, assuming that other meets spring up for whatever reason, do they now seem valuable because they can have about as many points as the "big" meets because presumably the warm bodies count for so much (although it is not clear that they do)?

Discuss "The LMR NTSS formula exposed" at the Oz Report forum link»

10 topics in this article: Ben Dunn, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Glen Volk, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Rob Kells, USHPA, Zac Majors

Changing the NTSS formula

October 8, 2009, 7:40:09 PDT

Changing the NTSS formula

Does it really matter that much?

(USHPA headquarters, Colorado Springs, CO, USA)

I've adopted the proposals first proposed by paraglider pilots for changing the NTSS points brought to a meet by NTSS ranked pilots in my proposed changes to the USHPA Competition Rulebook. You can find the proposed changes in this document. This is the proposed change:

1. Each competing pilot in the meet (a competing pilot is one who has duly registered and flown at least one competition day) who is NTSS ranked 80_th or higher brings points to the meet in accordance with the following schedule:

Pilots ranked 1_st - 15_th: 45 points
Pilots ranked 16_th - 30_th: 30 points
Pilots ranked 31_st - 45_th: 20 points
Pilots ranked 46_th - 60_th: 15 points
Pilots ranked 61_st - 75_th: 10 points
Pilots ranked 76_th- 80_th: 5 points

Previously it was:

Pilots ranked 1_st - 10_th: 45 points
Pilots ranked 11_th - 20_th: 30 points
Pilots ranked 21_st - 30_th: 20 points
Pilots ranked 31_st - 40_th: 14 points
Pilots ranked 41_st - 50_th: 9 points
Pilots ranked 51_st - 60_th: 6 points
Pilots ranked 61_st - 70_th: 4 points
Pilots ranked 71_st - 80_th: 2 points

In addition this change:

1. Foreign pilots are welcome and allowed in USHPA Sanctioned competitions.

Pilots ranked 1_st - 100_th: 45 points
Pilots ranked 101_st - 200_th: 30 points
Pilots ranked 201_st - 300_th: 20 points
Pilots ranked 301_st - 400_th: 15 points
Pilots ranked 401_st - 500_th: 10 points
Pilots ranked 501_st - 600_th: 5 points

Previously it was:

The NTSS ranking is made up only of U.S. pilots. However, the NTSS recognizes, for the purpose of points calculation, an equivalent foreign pilot's ranking according to the most current WPRS ranking with the top 20 places equal to the top 10 U.S. pilots and the WPRS ranking 21 through 40 equal to the NTSS 11 to 20 and so on up to WPRS 140 through 160 equal to NTSS 70 through 80.

As you can see my proposed change to the NTSS competition program involves giving NTSS ranking points to more pilots so that they bring more points overall to competitions that they attend upping the perceived value of those meets (and thereby encouraging others to attend).

Dave Wheeler, who volunteers to do the NTSS ranking on the USHPA, graciously volunteered to see what difference this proposal would have made in the 2009 meets. Here is the result of his analysis:

Here is how the overall validity of the 2009 hang gliding competitions changed under this proposal:

Competition	Validity
Competition	Original	New
Forbes Flatland	507	522
Bogong Cup	472	487
NSW State Titles	144	159
Rob Kells Memorial	600	600
Flytec Race & Rally	560	600
East Coast Championship	300	300
King Mountain Nats	300	300
Big Spring US Nats	482	555
Santa Cruz Flats Race	447	525

Here is how the top ten ranked at the end of the year (2009). First the new ranking under the new proposal:

Pos	Name	Points	Comp 1		Comp 2		Comp 3		Comp 4
1	Glen Volk	2221	660	(FRR2009)	611	(Spr2009)	477	(Crz2008)	473	(RKMC2009)
2	Dustin Martin	2125	660	(RKMC2009)	520	(Crz2008)	484	(FRR2009)	461	(BSI2008)
3	Jeff O'Brien	2012	575	(FRR2009)	481	(Crz2009)	480	(LCPW2008)	476	(RKMC2009)
4	Zac Majors	2007	599	(FRR2009)	531	(Spr2009)	477	(Crz2009)	400	(Crz2008)
5	Jeff Shapiro	1801	496	(FRR2009)	455	(Spr2009)	444	(Crz2008)	406	(For2008)
6	Derrick Turner	1789	513	(Crz2008)	485	(Crz2009)	479	(Spr2009)	312	(RKMC2009)
7	Davis Straub	1622	463	(For2008)	401	(For2009)	382	(Spr2009)	376	(BSI2008)
8	Chris Zimmerman	1581	451	(RKMC2009)	441	(Spr2009)	432	(Crz2008)	257	(BSI2008)
9	Ben Dunn	1409	399	(FRR2009)	351	(Spr2009)	330	(CXC2008)	329	(RKMC2009)
10	Phil Bloom	1383	502	(Crz2008)	333	(Crz2009)	304	(RKMC2009)	244	(CXC2008)

Original top 10:

Pos	Name	Points	Comp 1		Comp 2		Comp 3		Comp 4
1	Glen Volk	2096	616	(FRR2009)	530	(Spr2009)	477	(Crz2008)	473	(RKMC2009)
2	Dustin Martin	2093	660	(RKMC2009)	520	(Crz2008)	461	(BSI2008)	452	(FRR2009)
3	Jeff O'Brien	1968	536	(FRR2009)	480	(LCPW2008)	476	(RKMC2009)	476	(Crz2008)
4	Zac Majors	1826	559	(FRR2009)	461	(Spr2009)	406	(Crz2009)	400	(Crz2008)
5	Jeff Shapiro	1708	463	(FRR2009)	444	(Crz2008)	406	(For2008)	395	(Spr2009)
6	Derrick Turner	1654	513	(Crz2008)	416	(Spr2009)	413	(Crz2009)	312	(RKMC2009)
7	Davis Straub	1560	463	(For2008)	389	(For2009)	376	(BSI2008)	332	(Spr2009)
8	Chris Zimmerman	1523	451	(RKMC2009)	432	(Crz2008)	383	(Spr2009)	257	(BSI2008)
9	Ben Dunn	1337	373	(FRR2009)	330	(CXC2008)	329	(RKMC2009)	305	(Spr2009)
10	Phil Bloom	1334	502	(Crz2008)	304	(RKMC2009)	284	(Crz2009)	244	(CXC2008)

No change in positions, just an increase in the overall points and a bit more spread out. Ben Dunn came out worst.

So, under my proposal the cream still rises to the top, in exactly the same order, as it turns out. But the perception has subtly changed. Now smaller less well attended meets have higher relative value. The message for the future is that you might do well to attend these meets and gather points.

Also these meets may be perceived as having more value to pilots not yet in the top ten and therefore encourage their attendance. Overall, this proposal can be seen as tempering the "elitist" nature of the NTSS by spreading the points out more.

Next on the agenda, what does the LMR proposal due to the NTSS ranking?

Discuss "Changing the NTSS formula" at the Oz Report forum link»

12 topics in this article: Ben Dunn, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Glen Volk, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, PG, Rob Kells, USHPA, World Pilot Ranking Scheme, Zac Majors

One mistake after another, part 2 »

September 3, 2009, 9:12:23 MDT

One mistake after another

Learning (or not) on the fly

Chris Zimmerman|Derrick Turner|Jonah Lehrer|US Nationals

Lehrer writes (page 51):

Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford, has spent decades demonstrating that one of the crucial ingredients of successful education is the ability to learn from mistakes.

Lehrer writes (page 54):

When an expert evaluates a situation, he doesn't systematically compare all the available options or consciously analyze the relevant information. ... Instead, the expert naturally depends on the emotions generated by his dopamine neurons. His prediction errors have been translated into useful knowledge, which allows him to tap into a set of accurate feelings he can't begin to explain.

On the second day of the Big Spring US Nationals, I was off again a half hour after the launch window opened, in between Chris Zimmerman (the first one to launch) and Derrick Turner. With three tugs we were all pulled to the same spot so we got together right away. This was a good crew to hang out with.

There were clouds to the east of the airfield, and I hung with Derrick Turner who was finding good lift so things were good. The winds were 15 mph out of the south and we had a similar task to the day before.

I stuck with Derrick and we worked together taking the start at four minutes after the window opened. Again on this day your time started when you crossed the 15 km start cylinder edge. Chris was a bit below us and not helping much. At this point I felt it was a good idea to head out in front with Derrick, with lots of clouds ahead. I knew that there would be pilots behind us trying to catch up. I could hear my team mates on the radio.

We (the US National team members) were trying to fly together but I was out in front on the first day and was now out in front again, so I wasn't getting any help from my team mates. This is unfortunate, and if I had been more patient on launch I could have been with them instead of with Chris and Derrick. I could have been in radio contact with them and been next to them. It would have been nice to be in radio contact with Derrick.

For the first hour Derrick and I flew together helping each other pushing to the left (southwest) side of the course line getting under the clouds. I was drawn to the clouds, what I was not noting as well as I should, and what caused trouble, was that I was not aware, on an emotional level that the wind was out of the southeast, right down the course line. We were seven kilometers left of the course line, just to get under the clouds, but we really didn't need to stay this far off the course line. It's a lot faster if you actually fly on the course line.

Nine kilometers south of Lamesa I headed out first and lost track of Derrick. He headed a little more to the north than I did. We were heading for a thick dark cloud street that headed off to the north northwest. When we got to it we both climbed up under it to cloud base, but he was 1.4 km to my north and didn't see him.

At this point I was emotionally torn between going under the really nice cloud street, that appeared to me to be going downwind back toward the course line, or to go parallel to the course line but south of it, as I had been doing. I still thought that the wind was out of the south like the day before so I wanted to stay south of the course line.

Derrick ran up the cloud street and I had to run to the clouds further off the course line. He got much closer to the course line and had much better lift under the cloud street. This put him much closer to the turnpoint and much higher than me. This got him to goal twenty minutes before I got there.

4 topics in this article: Chris Zimmerman, Derrick Turner, Jonah Lehrer, US Nationals

Big Spring US Nationals

August 9, 2009, 11:01:51 pm CDT

Big Spring US Nationals

Task One

(Quest Air, Groveland, FL, USA)

We start off with a bang. The weather forecast was for 500 to 700 fpm to 8,000' MSL (we're at 2550' at Big Spring) at the start and higher later. There are supposed to be some clouds, but thin ones and maybe not that many. It was forecast to be 52 degrees at cloud base and 95 on the ground.

The winds were forecasted to be 15 mph or a bit higher up in the air and 10 mph on the ground, perfect for launching. Given these winds it would not be possible to come back to Big Spring. But we didn't want to just go downwind (or at least I didn't).

I came up with six possible tasks for the task committee (Jeff O'Brien, Glen Volk and I) to look over. They chose the first one (I had no preference), a 100 mile dog leg to the north northwest (325 degrees) and then north northeast (25 degrees) to the Town and Country air field just south of Lubbock, Texas, a place that we had been to numerous times before.

With the higher winds on launch we got the opportunity o launch from just outside the hangar where all are gliders were stored. We were allowed to carry our gliders into the wind (much easier than rolling them back to the standard launch area to the north) and launch next to where the emergency helicopter takes off. The launch opened at 1 PM and the start window opened at 2 PM.

Given the strong winds we decided to leave the start times open. When you crossed edge of the 15 km start cylinder your start time started. With few clouds and plenty of wind we figured that few people would have a chance to play the start clock game and we didn't want to disadvantage anyone arbitrarily.

No one seemed to want to get in the launch line. Finally I suited up and launched first at 1:30, a half hour after the launch window opened. Larry Bunner was right behind me.

As I came off the cart we (the tug pilot, his plane, me and my glider) got lifted up strong into the air. I saw 1,900 fpm on my twenty second averager on my 6030. I had never seen such a high value before. This lasted for fifteen seconds and then we settled down to 900 fpm.

I was only on tow for eighty seconds pinning off at 1,400' AGL when I was climbing faster than the tug. There wasn't lift where I thought it was (what I just passed through), but I found 400 fpm just behind and to the west of the launch line and the game was on. I climbed out drifting north at 26 mph (the wind speed). There were quickly forming (and deforming) cu's at about 8,000'.

I climbed to a little over 7,200' then headed west to get under another cloud and to get to the west in order to be able to follow the streets north (in the south wind) to the turnpoint. After climbing to 8,000', I again headed west toward some little cu's to get up again to the west before heading out on the course line.

I was by myself (having launched first) but I could listen to the Jeff's and Zac to my east. They were doing well.

I was down to 6,500' and not finding good lift and had to cross the cylinder to find a good thermal to 7,500'. The rest of the US National team (minus Dustin) came my way crossing the start cylinder five minutes after me. I didn't see them even though O'Brien was only a little over a kilometer away.

I headed off on my own to the northwest with a few little forming cu's ahead widely spaced. It was a thirteen kilometer glide for me as the three others climbed up off to my west pretty much where I left them. I was down to 1,300' AGL.

There were marginally more cu's to the northwest, southwest of the course line (which was to the north northwest). I wanted to stay on the upwind side of the course line so I would run to the west to get to the cu's and then drift in them to the north. The others followed behind off to the east. The wind was 20 mph out of the south southwest (172 degrees).

I kept forcing the issue going west to get to the next wisp, four kilometers west of the course line. The others (the Jeff's and Zac) were still downwind of the course line but doing well.

Just south of Lamesa Jeff O'Brien spotted me climbing to his west and came in 1000' under me. Zac and Shapiro continued climbing to the east. I left with 7,200' and Jeff followed 1000' below. I radioed back when I found lift over Lamesa and Jeff was right there climbing under me.

I left that thermal at 7,800' and headed toward the turnpoint northwest of Lamesa while Jeff stayed 1000' below me in the thermal. Jeff climbed to 8,400' while I went out in front heading for some little wisps.

As again I headed west to get to the wisps. Jeff decided to just head down the course line and see what he could find. I was finding weak lift. Zac and Shapiro were following me and finding better lift. O'Brien glided for 20 km and down to 1,300' found 400 fpm and reported back that he was low but climbing at 400 fpm. This good lift got him in the lead.

I came in under O'Brien at the turnpoint, but now 3,500' below him. While I climbed out at the turnpoint drifting north, Shapiro, Zac and Volk came over and we all hooked up with me just below them.

It was pretty easy from there on out. Jeff O'Brien and Derrick Turner were high above the three of us. We let Derreck and O'Brien go out in front and find the next thermals. We had no problem making it into goal.

The goal was grassy and easy for landing in the strong winds next to the hangars. Then we could break down inside the hangars. After we broke down and were about to load our gliders Dave Gibson and some other pilots showed up. I don't think that Bill Soderquist made it in.

Those who have scored so far:

#	Pilot	Glider	Time	Total Points
1.	Derreck Turner	Moyes Litespeed S5	02:44:16	979
2.	Jeff O'Brien	Wills Wing T2C 144	02:59:58	871
3.	Zac Majors	Wills Wing T2C 144	03:01:02	864
4.	Glen Volk	Moyes Litespeed RS 4	03:03:05	846
5.	Jeff Shapiro	Wills Wing T2C 144	03:06:27	819
6.	Larry Bunner	Will Wing T2C 144	03:09:03	794
7.	Davis Straub	Wills Wing T2C 144	03:11:37	788
8.	Terry Reynolds	Wills Wing T2C 144		360
9.	Tom McGowan	Moyes Litespeed S5		354
10.	Art Cayer	Wills Wing Sport 2		271
11.	John Beckley	Moyes Litespeed 4		166
12.	Pete Lehmann	Wills Wing T2C 154		134

23 topics in this article: Ben Dunn, Bill Soderquist, cart, David Glover, Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Facebook, Flytec 6030, Glen Volk, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, John Beckley, John Hesch, Larry Bunner, Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann, Pete Lehmann, Terry Reynolds, Tom McGowan, US Nationals, weather, Wills Wing T2C, Zac Majors

Comparing the Wills Wing T2C-154 with the T2C-144 (Part 1)

What size is the "right" size?

Comparing the Wills Wing T2C-154 with the T2C-144

Fri, Apr 3 2009, 8:32:45 am EDT

Over the last northern hemisphere spring and summer season I flew the Wills Wing T2C-144 (144 sq. ft.). Over the last Australian summer (in January and February) I flew the Moyes Litesport 4 (151 sq. ft.). Recently I have been flying the Wills Wing T2C-154 (154 sq. ft.) and a few days back I had my second longest flight of the year (starting January 1^st both here and in Australia) on it.

I was quite comfortable with both the T2C-144 and the Litesport 4, but wanted to give the 154 a chance at winning me over. It has two characteristics over the 144 that are appealing. With a lighter wing loading it would likely climb faster in thermals and it would also launch at lower speeds at shallow launches with light winds, like I expect to find again at Laragne during the Worlds in June.

I had flown a T2-154 previously one evening in Casa Grande just briefly and "felt" that it was "too big." I had flown a Talon 154 previous to that and also "felt" that it was "too big." But those flights were one off's and too short overall to be of much value in making an evaluation. Now I had the opportunity to fly a 154 over an extended period to see really how it "felt."

I've now had seven flights on the 154. My last flight was 213 km from Quest Air north northwest to west of Lake City, Florida. The flight lasted almost five hours including plenty of time waiting around in the start circle.

After spending six weeks flying the Litesport 4 I was really enjoying my flying. When I jumped on the T2C-154 it "felt" much different. It was easy to tow and very easy to land, but it "felt" much bigger in the air than the Litesport 4 or the T2C-144. It "felt" like I wasn't nearly as much in control of the glider as I had been when I was flying either of the other two gliders. I would get bumped by the air and the glider would go off in one direction or another and I had to work hard to get it back around.

I was not really enjoying the flying, although I did well and had long flights on these first two flights. I had no problem actually flying it and the glider was straight and well behaved while gliding fast or thermaling. It just "felt" like it was "too big."

After the second day this "feeling" was gone. I thought at first that perhaps the air was just better on the third day so I asked Dustin how he felt about the air, and he said that it was more turbulent than average. So it wasn't the air. It was me.

After that the glider "felt" just fine. I had no problems thermaling it or gliding with it. It lands as easy as could be. Obviously I had changed and my body was now "wired" to fly the T2C-154.

I weigh 175 pounds. I hook in at 212 pounds. Here are the specifications for the two gliders:

Specification	T2C-144	T2C-154
Area (ft^2)	144	154
Span (ft)	32.3	33.5
Aspect Ratio	7.3	7.4
Glider Weight (lbs)	71	73
Hook-In Weight (lbs)	160-235	185-285
Optimum Body Weight (lbs)	140-180	180-200

Notice that I fit in near the top end of the 144 (but not all the way at the top end). Wing loading for me is 1.97 lbs/sq.ft. on the 144. My wing loading on the 154 is 1.85 lbs./sq.ft.

On Monday I got back on a T2C-144. The lift was very light and I was off first. I was a bit uncomfortable with the glider, again, my body now had to rewire itself. I hung in there and slowly worked my way up. Carl Wallbank on a Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 and Derrick Turner on a Moyes Litespeed S 5 were able to slowly out climb me getting about 100' higher over a ten minute period as we went from 1,100' to 3,100'. I think Derrick's wing loading is 2.2 pounds/sq.ft.

I didn't get comfortable with the 144 during the flight that lasted about half an hour for me. I went out in front as others held back and worked weak lift and I went down. Apparently soon after I landed the lift improved, but no one went on the course and everyone stayed inside the start circle flying back to Quest and just circling around all day.

While I was flying the 144 I was hoping that I was on the 154 given how light the lift was. The mind works in strange ways.

Steve Pearson, the T2C designer, weighs in at 155 pounds and loves to fly the 154. He said that in competition he would fly the 144. He states that it is not the size so much (at least for those folks in the hook-in weight range of both gliders), but how they "feel" about the qualitative aspects of each of the actually very different gliders.

This is part one of my comparison and after a get quite a few more flights back on the 144, I'll come out with part 2.

Discuss "Comparing the Wills Wing T2C-154 with the T2C-144 (Part 1)" at the Oz Report forum link»

6 topics in this article: comparing gliders, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Quest Air, Steven "Steve" Pearson, Wills Wing T2C

2009 Flyer Cup, Task 4 »

March 28, 2009, 1:43:14 pm EDT

2009 Flyer Cup, Task 4

Looked like a good day in the UK

(Quest Air, Groveland, Florida, USA)

Derrick Turner|Dustin Martin|Flyer Cup 2009|Quest Air

As has been the case over the last two weeks the winds were strong out of the south southwest. The low clouds were whipping by and there was lots of vertical development all around with very dark bottomed clouds nearby.

When the clouds would come over the winds would drop down so it looked like there might be times where it was safe and easy to launch. But a front was approaching from the northwest and there was lots of rain associated with it. The radar showed the rain to the north.

I setup a series of tasks, as the Brits wanted to fly if they could. The final one was to the north northwest 87 km to John Travolta's place at the Greystone airfield. The start time was set late at 3:30 as things clamed down a bit.

Jeff was involved in teaching and Dustin in making pods, so only Derrick Turner was available to hold up our end of the task. I wasn't that excited about the possibilities and the safety so didn't launch.

With large black bottom clouds over the field, the pilots took off and Carl was smart enough to hold on to 3,500' as Rhett took him southwest to under the darkest part of the cloud. Gary got off at 2,000' so he had to repeatedly go back upwind to find lift and then drift quickly northeast.

Things began to improve and finally five pilots got up and slowly headed north. The winds died way down at Quest, but the pilots had to keep gliding into the wind to stay near the course line and not be blown into the Ocala National Forest.

The flying was slow and it took 3.5 hours to get 70 km. But according to Gary it was great fun.

Near the goal they came over an area where a cu-nimb had dumped a bunch of rain and was now shaded out. They weren't quite able to make it in landing about 20 km short.

http://ozreport.com/data/2009flyercup/93R_flyercup.htm

http://ozreport.com/data/2009flyercup/93R_flyercup_tsk.htm

http://ozreport.com/data/2009flyercup/93R_flyercup_tot.htm

GBR 6724
USA 6238

Discuss 2009 Flyer Cup, Task 4 at the Oz Report forum link»

4 topics in this article: Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Flyer Cup 2009, Quest Air

Big Spring Internationals, day seven, Friday »

August 8, 2008, 11:29:00 CDT

Big Spring

133 miles dogleg to the northwest

The results are found here: http://soaringspot.com/BSI2008 (flex wing) and http://soaringspot.com/BSIR2008 (rigid).

David Glover, meet director, blogging: http://2007worlds.blogspot.com/

Jeff O'Brien blogging here: http://hang6.blogspot.com

Task here.

Cu's beginning to appear at 11:15 AM. Forecast for 18 knot winds out of the south or southeast. Some chance of overdevelopment.

The over development doesn't appear, so we are good to go. There are plenty of clouds around at 1:30 as we start launching and they only get better by 2:45 when the flex wings leave the start circle for the 133.3 mile task.

The task to Tahoka to the north northwest then to Morton to the northwest seems to be about normal for Texas. Not to long, but long enough to present a bit of a challenge. It is a dog leg that requires some cross wind flying on both legs, at least according to one of the wind forecasts.

There were a number of big black cu's north of the airport and pilots were hanging out near cloud base. I just can't get up to cloud base (10,000') and could only find light lift. I had pinned off in a nice thermal, but left it when it slowed down at 7,500' then couldn't find good lift for the next hour in the start circle, in spite of the fact that I kept hearing reports of 800 fpm.

With almost all the pilots high near cloud base and a cloud street in front of us toward the turnpoint 69 miles to the north northwest we took the first start time with me being drag along from below. I figured that we'd find a strong thermal at some point and I'd be able to catch up.

There was good lift and plenty of it under all the cu's. You just had to get over sunny ground and under the cu. I (and I'm sure this was true for everyone) was averaging 600+ fpm to over 9,500'. Forty six miles out I was able to catch up with Jeff O'Brien and Dustin, but I didn't see Kraig or Glen. Jeff was very helpful for a while after that telling me where he was getting up. Dustin also.

We were battling a cross wind and not getting nearly as high after I hooked up with these guys. Derrick Turner also came by and we flew together a short ways. The turnpoint was visible ahead and I came in under Jeff and Dustin and Kraig four miles to the southwest down wind of it still not climbing fast and only to 7,500'

I ran out up wind to get the turnpoint at the small airport and turned west even though the goal was to the northwest along the paved road as I was getting a bit low. There were still lots of clouds around and I saw a good looking one to the west. I found 600+ fpm again and got back up to over 9,000'

Jeff and Dustin had gone to the northwest and were north of me. I decided to keep pushing more westerly as there were more clouds in that direction and the wind was a bit cross from the south. It looked like it was getting very blue along the course line where Jeff and Dustin were.

Derrick and Paul came into a thermal a few thousand feet below me ten miles past the turnpoint. It looked like I might have a little help on my off course line path. I was soon five miles to the south of the course line. The lift after the first couple of thermals was much weaker, the clouds smaller and much further apart. It was a game of carefully selecting places to find lift. I was out in front and so far alone.

Derrick caught me 20 miles from the turnpoint as I was down to 1,500'. From then on we flew together. The goal was 45 miles away and the cu's were sparse.

Twenty six miles out just east of the town of Sundown we finally found another strong thermal and climbed to over 10,000'. We then went on a fourteen mile glide over the town of Whiteface with the numbers on our varios showing that we could make goal (but we were a long ways out). Derrick started a little bit above me and went out first this time. I followed but to his left going more westerly as I had been doing ever since the turnpoint. There were thin cu's ahead but I wanted to get to the southerly most one and have the best chance to finding lift by going under all of them.

As I watched Derrick to see if he would hit anything I found 155 fpm at 1,900' AGL with the numbers to goal still positive, but not very positive. I was still eight miles out.

I just drifted in the light lift as I had been positioning myself to be south of the goal and south of the course line in the southerly flow ever since the turnpoint. The wind was 21 mph at 171 degrees, so it was all working out. Derrick was getting low and not finding any lift to my north, but still he had positive numbers.

I drifted for a couple of miles climbing, saw that my altitude above goal prediction was over 1,000', turned and glided to goal with no dramas. Derrick landed just two miles short. I was the forth pilot into goal.

Dustin had been flying with Jeff O'Brien and I believe near Glen and Kraig. He was in the lead overall, but with only less than 100 points. Instead of just staying with these guys he made a break on his own hoping to get to goal first or at least early.

It didn't work out and he came in after me. Glen was the first pilot in, following my Jeff, then Kraig. Forty minutes later Jeff Shaprio and John Hesch made goal.

Lots of pilot flew over 100 miles and it seemed just like a good old regular day here in Big Spring. Lots of cu's, lots of nice smooth lift, strong winds, and plenty of great flying. Another day in hang gliding paradise.

6 topics in this article: Big Spring Internationals 2008, David Glover, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Jeff O'Brien, John Hesch

Big Spring Internationals, day five, Wednesday »

August 7, 2008, 0:48:19 CDT

Big Spring

Flying away from the clouds and Edouard

(Laragne-Montéglin, France)

The results are found here: http://soaringspot.com/BSI2008 (flex wing) and http://soaringspot.com/BSIR2008 (rigid).

David Glover, meet director, blogging: http://2007worlds.blogspot.com/

Jeff O'Brien blogging here: http://hang6.blogspot.com

This place gets more incredible each day. Edouard, the tropic storm, came this morning, and when I looked out the trailer at around 7 AM, the there was Edouard filling half the sky from northeast to southeast. Like this (8:30 AM):

Big Spring is just to the west of the cloud at the bottom of the panhandle.

The soaring forecast said that there would be plenty of lift and no cu's where we were throughout the day with Edouard staying just to our east. But already the clouds from the tropic storm were over our heads at 11 AM. Hoping for the best we called a mere 105 mile dogleg task to the west. We hoped to outrun the clouds (it seemed like it was already too late) by first going straight west, then a 45 mile southwest leg just to make for a difficult task.

Now we thought that we would shorten the task to just 60 miles, if it looked bad, but we somehow forgot to do this.

We got out to the tarmac and it was completely shaded. In fact the shade was almost every where. There was a little blue to the west, and some to the northeast. There were thick clouds overhead and covering almost the whole sky. Still the task was on.

The rigids got pulled up first and when they stuck, the flex wings went right away, with no delay. Amazing. We were soaring in conditions that looked completely non soarable.

The lift was light though. But what do you want when it appeared that there should be none? I pinned off at 2,000' AGL and starting working 80 fpm. The idea was to just stay up and see what could happen. The wind was 10 mph out of the northeast, so were were quickly drifting away from the airport and climbing slowly.

For the next forty five minutes we yo-yoed back and forth between 1500' AGL and 2000' AGL going back and forth to the airport and then drifting to the west. A area free of thick tropic storm clouds formed to the north of the airport in an area that we couldn't get to and cu's started forming there. It was the promise of better conditions, but we weren't able to go that far upwind. It was completed shaded where we were to the west of the airport.

This kind of flying (in light lift) really concentrates the mind and is very intense. You are doing everything that you can to stay up and stay in the game. You have no idea whether you will continue to be able to stay up or not. You watch all the other pilots around you are any clue of better lift. I love the intensity.

After forty five minutes we found better lift (200 fpm) in the same place that we had been flying, with all its shade and we climbed to 4,000' AGL and started the task at the second (and final) start time. There were spots of sunlight on the ground to the north so a few of us headed in that direction.

Working both spots of sunshine and lots of shaded areas we found good lift (much better than the first forty five minutes) and climbed to over 8,000' MSL. The wind was blowing strong out of the east northeast.

I was flying with Jeff O'Brien. Dustin was way behind (don't know why). Jeff Shapiro was to our south. I couldn't see too many other pilots. There was blue sky about fifty miles to the west but we were getting plenty of lift in the shaded area and the few sun spots.

I lost Jeff and hooked up with Derrick Turner and we worked thermal after thermal, being careful to get high (over 7,000') and half way to the Andrews turnpoint we found 350 fpm to 9,000'. The lift was even rough at times. This was so strange as it was so dark and the cu's were so far away.

Twenty miles before the Andrews turnpoint (60 miles out) I left some lift just because it was too rowdy. I had had enough of that. There looked like there would be lift ahead as were were getting to the edge of Edouard and there were cu's in the blue ahead.

I raced over to them now for the first time a little lower than Derrick and they were working. There were now lots of cu's around us and ahead. Derrick was just over me and working the cu's also before the turnpoint. It looked like we had it good (although it really had been good in the shade).

Seven miles out from the turnpoint I was over 7,200' finding bit and pieces of lift and on glide to get the turnpoint. But as I got close to the turnpoint suddenly the sink decided to show up strong, much stronger than it had been at any point of the flight.

I raced and got the turnpoint but now I was flying over the town falling at over 1000 fpm. I wasn't sure that I would make it to the other side. I saw Derrick turning just on the other side of town and came in under him at 1,300' AGL. I had started the glide at 4,000' AGL and just fell out of the sky.

I didn't find what he was turning in. The wind was blowing 20 mph out of the east northeast. I went chasing the thermal and found myself quickly over an area full of oil wells cross crossed with invisible power lines. I was down to 1,000' AGL and working anything I could find. I would do anything to keep from landing.

I spent the next 20 minute drifting 7 miles under 1,500' AGL working lift that averaged 50 fpm, with lots of sink when the lift wasn't slightly positive. I was positive that I was not going to land. There were cu's overhead and their shadows were moving fast. They were forming and dying in five minutes. It looked like I should be able to get up, but I was low and just barely hanging on.

Finally I did find something to climb up in, while I was drifting away from the course line, to where I was 10 miles to the north of it. I wasn't aware of this at the time as I was not looking at the arrow on my 6030 as I was too concerned about falling out of the sky. I sure didn't see it when I made the turnpoint. And when I was low and drifting I was only looking at the altitude numbers to see if I was getting a net gain from all my circles.

I thought that I was following right along the highway to the goal, but I was following another highway to the west northwest instead of west southwest. Finally after I got high again, I realized that I was going the wrong way. Dustin would take a similar path fifteen minutes after me as that's where the clouds were. I was just going in that direction because that was where the wind was blowing me.

These cu's were on the edge of the tropic storm. Here's what it looked like at 6:30 PM:

The little crescent facing to the northwest was where we flying. You can see the cu's in that area.

I got up and headed for the cu's to the south west to try to get back on the course line and to follow the cu's to goal. Unfortunately I just wasn't patient enough in the lift that was weaker than it looked like. I landed out in what looked like nowhere, but fortunately it was only a few miles from the next main road that crossed our task path. Dustin later right over my head.

This task was the most intense flying so far (even though each day has been very intense). The conditions were impossible, but still it was soarable. Folks made goal (see the results). We flew over completely shaded ground. I flew low over unlandable area. The focus was very tight on this day.

And only a 105 mile task on a day where you normally wouldn't even go outside to fly.

8 topics in this article: Big Spring Internationals 2008, Blue Sky, David Glover, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Flytec 6030, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro

The pre-Worlds, day one

Thu, Jun 26 2008, 11:51:03 pm MDT

Pre-Worlds - 1

Scott Barrett, on an Airborne C4, won the first day by a large margin

http://hang6.blogspot.com/

http://www.chabre2009.com/

With a forecast of northwest winds at eight knots at launch level (4000'), the meet organizers say that launching at Laragne-Chabre will not be possible (for 120 pilots) so we headed to the southwest facing launch at Aspres. The idea was that the winds will calm down and turn west during the day.

We took a 40 kilometer drive to the Aspres launch, a launch that we haven't see so far, and what do you know it was beautiful, far nicer than the Laragne-Chabre launch. Covered with grass and wildflowers, huge, top landable, and with a nice steep launch (after a long less steep launch) with grass and not scree.

It was blowing lightly over the back, but it was also coming up the face. This leads to "dust" devils, which they say never happen at this site. Later gliders will be spun around, and one pilot, Radek, will be flipped over while hooked in rupturing his ACL.

The task committee called a 130 km task back to Laragne LZ at the campground. Not way up into the high mountains, but high enough. The forecast called for strong lift and cloud base between 8,000' and 10,000' depending on where you were (this proved to be quite accurate).

I got off second in my line (there were three) and as I got up it was great to see the whole launch was covered with almost 120 gliders. The lift was a bit weak out in front, but as soon as I got over launch it was more than strong enough. I had been told that this is not really a cross country site, but it must be under different conditions than what we experienced yesterday.

I was off an hour before the first start time and the air was soon filling with competitors. We spread out along the ridge line and there were cu's every where. It was easy to repeatedly get up to cloud base. I noticed that pilots kept out of the clouds. Perhaps they were concerned that the height limit restrictions rule would be implemented if they didn't. Any way it was nice to be able to see every one.

Almost every one took the first start time as we were all high (7,800') and it had been good the whole time. Ten minutes before the start window opened I couldn't get back right to cloudbase after spending most of the time prior to the start window just staying out of the clouds, so I started a few hundred feet lower than the top most guys. Why does this happen?

It was a race to the east northeast to the next mountain range and when we got there the lift was a bit too strong and rowdy for me. I hung on for a few turns before going for smoother stuff down the course line.

As we progressed east along the range the conditions were strong and we were diving into the mountains getting up pretty well to 8,000'. It was 22 km to the first start point just west of the town of Gap and as I got there there were pilots every where. The second turnpoint was out in the flats east of Gap, but we worked a low ridge line and then a nice rock face north of the course line to get high enough to make it and have some extra altitude to get to the next hill before crossing a lake. The lift in front of the rock face was strong and broken and you didn't want to get too close to it.

I headed for the hill past the second turnpoint before the lake and just got over the top at 5,000'. There was an exposed face to the south and Scott Barrett, who started twenty minutes after us, had caught me and we were climbing together over a high tension power line just below the lead gaggle. This thermal got me to the highest I was all day at 9,300'.

From that altitude it was a quick jump over a large lake (Lac de Serre-Poncon) to the ridge line to the south east (Dormilouse). We'd been told that the ticket was to fly down this ridge line even though it was way off course line, and don't worry about turning. I climbed up the ridge, got on top and headed straight for the next 5 km. But where were the pilots on the ridge? They were all to my right out in the valley more on the course line. What's with that?

After 5 km there was no one in front of me on the ridge (and me in a new and strange location) and it was clear that the pilots were flying along the course line which takes them over an unlandable canyon. I turned right and joined the other pilots. What a fool.

It was a fourteen mile glide with a little stop to try to get higher into a large mountain, Blayeul, with a tower on top. The safe landing areas had long gone by the wayside and now it came down to getting over this mountain. But just as I got to the side of it, the shadow from the large high cloud (output from a towering cumulus) shaded the mountain side and everything around it. I found lift on the north side but the air was tossing my glider around and I was just barely holding on at this point.

Scott and all the lead gaggle was just above me working their way high enough to get over the mountain. They would make it. I would get as high as the top of the mountain (7,000'), but not high enough to fly over it. I tried to climb up it, but got flushed.

I climbed up again and tried to run around it following three other pilots but again got flushed into the unlandable canyon. I found a stream bed that was plenty wide and landed in it downwind up hill without damage to the glider and only a few minor scrapes for me.

I got a ride out from some forest workers and found Natalie on a hill side in the valley that I landed in and then another pilot in the creek bed. It turned out that there was a couple of other pilots nearby, including Derrick Turner. The unlandable canyon turned out to be pretty popular.

Natalie had aimed for a small landing field, but couldn't get the glider down, so went up the hillside at the end of the field and landed in the bushes. We scrambled up the hillside on our hands and knees to get to her and her glider. Amazing.

Jeff O'Brien made it over Blayeul as did Zippy. Jeff Shapiro landed with nine other pilots in a field on the north side of Blayeul. Lots of broken aluminum. Jack Simons was further back.

After Blayeul Scott stayed in the sunny areas (there was lots of shade from the high level cloud) to the east of the course line and took his time getting to the last turnpoint past Blayeul, near Digne les Bains. After the turnpoint, those pilots in front of him were low while he, Gordon Rigg and Gary Wirdhan had preserved their altitude by going slow and staying in the sunshine.

The last leg of the course was cross wind and over a difficult forested section that stopped most of the pilots who made it that far. Scott went on final glide at 15 to 1 and made it in twenty minutes in front of every one else.

Discuss "The pre-Worlds, day one" at the Oz Report forum link»

6 topics in this article: Derrick Turner, Gordon Rigg, Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Pre-Worlds 2008, Scott Barrett

Oz Report in Laragne-Montéglin through the weekend

June 23, 2008, 6:37:06 pm +0200

Laragne - the weekend

Beautiful

(Laragne-Montéglin, France)

The flying continues to be spectacular here in Laragne, with light west southwesterly winds Saturday and cu's filling the sky. I unfortunately broke a downtube and scuffed my leading edge material (UVM Mylar - that will cost me) on an aborted launch on the south side in light conditions, so I didn't get to enjoy the flying today. I'll be ready tomorrow though as all was repaired quickly.

The Dutch team is beginning to arrive. Derrick Turner is here from Florida and had a nice flight. The Australians, Monica and Scott are here and Scott enjoyed himself, launching late. Katarina is here, but didn't fly yet.

The two Jeff's, Jamie, Nicole and Jack Simons are on their way from Munich and should arrive Sunday evening.

Saturday night and the place is a party with various functions going on. Music and barbequing and the Euro Cup.

Pictures from Gary and Gil around Laragne. Gil did a 180 KM triangle on Thursday and hit the high peaks. Gary gives us shots of the Laragne-Chabre ridge and the surrounding area including Laragne-Montéglin.

The flying Sunday was likewise spectacular with the late cu's. Yesterday one ATOS VQ pilot flew for six hours finally getting a chance to relax and have a good glide late in the day under the convergence clouds. Balasz and Attila arrived early Sunday afternoon.

Scott Barrett and Davis launching on Sunday on the south launch, the lower south launch, in about a five mph breeze. Run these videos in slow motion to get the full effect. You can use Windows Movie Maker to do this.

On Saturday morning Bernard Kurtz, who runs the local hang gliding museum (housed in a garage at 300 Euros/month), supplied the old gliders to be setup in the landing zone at the campground. One glider in particular is interesting in that it was the glider that provided the French name for hang glider: Delta Plane. Here is Bernard holding up the glider:

The shop that sold these original gliders was on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees near the Arc de Triumph. The documentation consisted on a single sheet of paper, one side for the instructions on how to set up the glider and the other on how to fly it.

More photos from the show here.

Jeff O'Brien blog.

Discuss Laragne - the weekend at the Oz Report forum link»

6 topics in this article: Bernard Kurtz, Derrick Turner, Jamie Shelden, photo, Scott Barrett, video

Shapiro ranked number 1 in the US

May 11, 2008, 9:20:24 EDT

Shapiro

Based on his good result at the Santa Cruz Flats Race

(Francisco Grande, Casa Grande, Arizona)

http://www.ushpa.aero/competition/ntss1/index.php

Pos	Name	Points
1	Jeff Shapiro	1459
2	Davis Straub	1450
3	Jeff O'Brien	1427
4	Dustin Martin	1236
5	Chris Smith	1144
6	Zac Majors	1058
7	Michael Williams	1038
8	Derrick Turner	970
9	Glen Volk	913
10	Jack Simmons	885
11	Jack Slocum	875
12	Chris Zimmerman	843
13	Linda Salamone	714

Discuss Shapiro at the Oz Report forum link»

7 topics in this article: Davis Straub, Derrick Turner, Dustin Martin, Glen Volk, Jeff Shapiro, USHPA, Zac Majors

Confidence keeps you up

May 1, 2008, 2:17:35 pm CDT

Confidence

Fly with the big boys, stay with the big boys

(Francisco Grande, Casa Grande, Arizona)

André Wolfe|Derrick Turner|Mike Barber

Derrick Turner «derreck» writes:

As you have recently posted on the Oz Report, I pulled off a very fortunate 5^th place finish in the recent Santa Cruz Flats competition. So was it glider performance?

The first day was my 2^nd flight on this brand new out of the box glider with no special comp tuning. My only adjustment was to turn down the tip-wands a notch So why did i do so unexpectedly good?

Well, part was luck (a big part) and part was confidence. After the 2^nd day and flying with Andre Wolf for more than hour, side by side and finally winning the day by maybe 100ft, I realized something. I could at least keep up with top pilots (in certain conditions). The equipment that I had at hand (Moyes Litespeed S5) was every bit as good as theirs and that gave me a big boost in confidence.

I was now determined to show that my win was not a fluke, day after day I was able keep up and sometimes beat the best in the world in the end it was glider performance. My glider gave me confidence that my hefty 280lb hook-in weekend pilot abilities could keep pushing and reaching for the horizon.

So what is the best glider out there? The one that gives you confidence to fly your best. Be that a Falcon or a Litespeed. I would like to thank Moyes for my great glider and Mike Barber for his mentoring and sharing some of his great wisdom.

Discuss Confidence at the Oz Report forum link»

3 topics in this article: André Wolfe, Derrick Turner, Mike Barber

The final day - Santa Cruz Flats Race

April 27, 2008, 7:52:02 PDT

Day seven SCFR

What happened?

(Francisco Grande, Casa Grande, Arizona)

The flex wing results.

The rigid wing results.

The Swift result.

The blogs of pilots here:

http://www.goflyxc.com/