Wills Wing
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Oz Report

topic: Kinsley Sykes (29 articles)

The life of a meet organizer

Thu, Jul 19 2018, 6:05:28 pm MDT

I completed 120 pages of documents just for the insurance part of the competitions that we have organized

CIVL|Larry Bunner|Midwest Championships 2017|video|weather

And we are forever grateful to be able to follow the original work done by Larry Bunner for the Midwest 2017 competition. Here is the required bid information for a Category 1 competition. You have until September 1st to fill this out and submit your bid.:

https://www.fai.org/document-compression/24747

Annexe A – Bid Information


  • The following information must be provided in support of your bid.
  • A bid will be refused if some of the information is missing.
  • This template has to be followed: same items in the same order.
  • Additional information of the bidder’s choice may also be included at the end of the bid (see point 35)

  • This document will form part of the FAI Organiser Agreement. It is binding. Key information (like the entry fee) cannot be changed later without CIVL Bureau and Plenary consent.
  • Documentation required in support of the bid is noted in Annexe B.
  • Outline of the budget must follow the template as per Annexe C.

1. Name of Championship

See FAI document: Naming FAI Competitions available at: http://www.fai.org/fai-documents under Organising an Event.

2. Location(s) of Championship

3. Proposed Dates of Championship

4. Competition allowing the organiser to bid

State here which competition allows you to bid.

To be eligible, the NAC making the bid shall, as a minimum, have held a national championship or FAI Category 2 competition with a minimum entry of 50 pilots for Cross Country events or 30 pilots for Accuracy and Aerobatics events, on the proposed site(s) within the four years before the bid is received.

5. Local Organiser (LOC)

Party designated in the Organiser Agreement who will have contractual responsibility for organising the event, and will sign the Organiser Agreement.

The party has written approval and endorsement of the holder of the Sporting Powers (see point 6).

6. Sporting Power

Party having the sporting power in your country.

  • It can be the National Airsport Control (NAC).
  • It can be another entity (a federation for instance) to which the NAC has delegated its sporting powers. If this is the case, a letter of information has to be sent by the entity to the NAC.

The Sporting Power will also have to sign the Organiser Agreement

7. Detailed Schedule of Championship

  • Free and official training days.
  • Registration.
  • Mandatory Safety Briefing.
  • Opening ceremony.
  • Mandatory training task.
  • Championship flying days.
  • Closing ceremony.

8. Organisers, Directors and Key Officials

Include brief note on qualifications, experience, languages, etc.

For all events:

  • Organisation/Event Director.
  • Meet Director.
  • Safety Director.
  • Meteorologist.
  • Launch (or drop) Marshal.

For Cross Country:

  • Scorer.
  • Live Tracking Manager.
  • Goal Marshal.

9. CIVL Coordinator, Steward, Judges, Jurors

  • At the time of the bid, the CIVL Coordinator will be the CIVL President or the appropriate Committee Chairperson. If the bid is accepted, the Coordinator will be the CIVL Steward as soon as he is appointed.
  • In Accuracy, the Chief Judge and Event Judges will be appointed by CIVL in consultation with the LOC. The Chief Judge will then appoint other Judges in consultation with the LOC. All Judges should be the same at the test event and at the event.
  • In Aerobatic, the Chief Judge will be appointed by CIVL in consultation with the LOC. The Chief Judge will then appoint other Judges in consultation with the LOC. All Judges should be the same at the test event and at the event.
  • The CIVL Jurors will be appointed in due time by the CIVL Bureau.

10. Pilots Entry

Specify the maximum number of pilots allowed overall.

You may want to justify this number in relation to the site and flying conditions.

Reminder:

The maximum number of pilots per nation and the team size will be defined in the championship Local Regulation, which is subject to CIVL approval.

11. Entry Fee

Define the Entry Fee for the Championship:

  • For Pilots.
  • For Teams Leaders and Assistants.
  • What is included in Entry Fee.

Reminder: See Section 7 Common 5.1.2 for the minimum expected to be included in the Entry Fee.

Define what will be optional or subject to additional charges, such as tow fees, retrieve, lunch packs, equipment hire, etc.

12. Test Event

  • Dates of Test Event.
  • Pilot qualifications (open selection or specific criteria if any).
  • Entry fee for Pilots, Teams Leaders and Assistants.
  • What is included in Entry Fee. (see 11. above)

Reminder:

See Section 7 Common 2.4.5 and 12.1.1 for general requirements.

See Section 7 Common 12.3.1 for the minimum International Participation required.

13. Launch sites

Add general comments on suitability of sites for proposed event, competition history, accessibility, availability, permission for use.

For each site, list:

  • Take-off direction(s).
  • Height above valley.
  • Configuration, surface, size of take-offs and rigging/preparation areas.
  • Number of ramps.
  • Hazards (cables, pylons, trees, etc.).
  • Facilities (car park, shelter/shade, water, refreshments, toilets, etc.). 

For winch/aero tow sites:

  • Airfield details, size, wind directions, facilities, etc.

For Accuracy:

  • Height difference between take off and target area.

For Aerobatic:

  • Height above water when reaching the flying ‘box’.

14. Distance/access to launch site(s)

  • Road access: for cars or only 4-wheel drive vehicles or organisers trucks?
  • Cable car or mountain railway to take-off area?
  • Parking available part way up?
  • Organiser transport arrangements to sites.

For Accuracy and Aerobatic:

  • Shuttle time from the landing area to take-off area.

15. Task flying area XE "Task flying area"

  • Type and suitability of terrain.
  • Unlandable and built up areas difficult to avoid.
  • Suitable goal landing fields and height AMSL.
  • Suitable ‘bomb-out’ .
  • Local road quality for retrieves, road traffic problems.
  • Any prohibited flying or landing areas.
  • Include a map or a link to an online map showing airspace, turnpoints, major features, typical tasks (see Annexe A).

For Accuracy and Aerobatics:

  • Target location and specificities.

16. Airspace XE "Airspace"

  • Free to what height above take-off and task flying areas?
  • What limitations? Restricted/prohibited areas?
  • What permission or exclusions required? How likely to be granted?
  • Frontier crossing arrangements?

17. Weather

  • Details of any sites prone to low clouds, possibility of wave or foehn, best time of day for thermal upslope, possibility of residual lift late in the afternoon, known turbulence areas.
  • Weather data and type of conditions to expect during the period selected for the event.
  • Recommended maximum wind speed: on launch and for task flying.

18. Meteorology XE "Meteorology"

  • What arrangements will be in place for daily forecasts during the event and the relevant experience of the forecaster.
  • Details of satellite weather monitoring, most reliable web resources for forecasts, automatic wind station monitoring, webcams, etc.

19. Transport XE "Retrieves"

  • Details of transport provided to launch, organisation vehicles, vehicles to be provided by competi­tors, etc.
  • How retrieve/check-in will be organised.

20. Safety issues

In general:

  • Local meteorological conditions (areas of rotor, strong valley winds, etc.) or local terrain features (pylons). 
  • Task setting/task style/scoring ideas to compensate.
  • Comments on pilot qualifications/skill levels required.
  • Details of any fatalities or serious accidents on the site or in the task flying area in the past 5 years.

21. Rescue XE "Rescue" /Medical Services

  • Information on experience of on-site doctor/paramedic, first aid arrangements, medical first response in tasks area.
  • Helicopter availability including response times.
  • Helicopter landing space for each site.

22. Safety Management Plan

States here what your safety management plan will be.

Reminder:

FAI has published ‘Guidelines in the event of a casualty or of a serious accident’. Please be aware of this document and its sections:

  • Advise Regional ATC Centre and also local ATC organisation.
  • Raise NOTAM.
  • Insurance to cover liability, rescue charges, etc.
  • Advise local police.
  • Advise local ambulance, hospital and other medical services.
  • Arrange medical doctor rota to cover the event also to cover any post-mortem
  • examination and inquest.
  • Arrange site facilities, including a control room and incident room.
  • Appoint officials: Event Director and Deputy Director, Event Safety Officer, Public Relations Officer.
  • Investigate laws, rules and procedures that apply at the event site or sites, for accidents, injuries, fatalities and air accidents.
  • Make plans for dealing with accidents and incidents: release of names, control actions, incident log, official statements after the event, immediate actions, follow-up actions, dealing with press and media, witnesses, details of injured or deceased, National accident investigation procedures, continuance of event, facilities for victim’s team, report to FAI; Injury, illness or death of participants or spectators.

23. Transmissions

  • Radio XE "Radios" s: details including any restriction on frequencies or types of radio, particularly 2m, and any licence requirements.
  • Mobile/Cell ‘Phone Coverage: availability of local SIM cards. Details of best network coverage within the competition area.

24. Liaison with police, military, public services

  • Their familiarity with this type of event. Past experience? Assistance expected?

25. Insurance XE "Insurance"

  • Insurance requirements pilots will be required to provide (third party, personal, repatriation…).
  • Detail of what will be available to be purchased on site.
  • Details of Organisers’ Liability cover for the event (including public liability and CIVL officials).

Reminder:

The LOC must arrange insurance coverage in an adequate amount in connection with the event including public liability insurance meeting the applicable legal specifications. This coverage must be presented to the FAI at the earliest opportunity.

The FAI, its respective directors, employees and assigned event Personnel must be designated as additional insured parties for liability claims.

26. Event Headquarters XE "Headquarters"

  • Location and size of rooms for briefings, registration, equipment checks.
  • Office facilities: AV equipment, office equipment, communication systems (phones, wifi, etc.).
  • Internet access available for Officials.
  • Internet access available for competitors.

27. Local facilities

  • General outline of availability and average prices of hotels, camping sites, apartments and other accommodation.
  • Proximity from event HQ of: car hire, shops, restaurants/bars, repair facilities, etc.

28. Competition website

  • Outline of the anticipated website design/content, which should be the main means of disseminating information about the championship.
  • Confirm that this will be in place prior to the test event, and updated prior to the main event, with all relevant information, at least 6 months before the start of the event.
  • An interactive online registration and payment facility is desirable.

29. Visas, Vaccinations

  • Will any FAI member be refused entry to the country?
  • Details of visas required for visitors from FAI member nations.
  • Details of any vaccinations recom­mended for competitors (or provide web addresses for information).

30. Early arrivals:

  • State any date before which competitors should not arrive.
  • Give details of arrangements for pilots if early arrival is possible (access to launch, etc.).

31. Customs and equipment importation:

  • Information on custom arrangements for temporary importation of gliders and other competition equipment. If necessary, customs at main entry points for the event should be informed of the nature of equipment that will accompany pilots.
  • List entry points that have already been contacted or notified.

32. Medals, etc.

Medals and diplomas will be provided for free by CIVL, but transportation and custom are paid by the organisers.

  • State here if there are any other forms of recognition or prizes.

33. Media coverage, merchandising

  • Outline of plans to promote the event.
  • Media coverage planned before, during and after the event.
  • Facilities for spectators (virtual and physical).
  • Filming/video opportunities.

Reminder:

Coverage produced by LOC or local partners may have to be provided to FAI for international use without any rights restrictions, limitations and costs. FAI retains the right to use any audiovisual coverage of the event without limitation in space or time.

Are also subject to FAI regulation as per Organiser Agreement (obtainable on request at FAI): international distribution; merchandising and hospitality rights; intellectual property, FAI marks and exposure, event logo, mascot…

34. Sponsorship

  • Secured or expected sponsors if any.

Reminder:

If the FAI requests exposure and the LOC has a specific possibility to secure event sponsors of the same products or services categories as the FAI main partners for a major sponsor position, FAI shall be contacted in order to agree on a solution.

FAI shall exercise its right up to 6 months prior to the event. Before this time limit, the LOC may ask the FAI to grant full release from this obligation or to specify which categories have to be reserved.

35. Finance

  • Anticipated sources of finance (local, government, sports authorities, NAC, etc.) and percentage of budget expected from pilot entry fees.
  • Provide an outline budget (see Annexe C)

36. Any additional information in support of the bid:

Name:

Position in Organisation:

Date:

Signed:

Annexe B – Support Documentation


  1. Letter of support from the NAC or delegated entity.
  2. Letter of information from the delegated entity to the NAC (if applicable).
  3. Letter of support from the local authorities.
  4. Map of the area.

Annexe C – Budget

See the Excel file. https://www.fai.org/sites/default/files/civl/documents/cat_1_budget_annexe_c_-_v2018.xls

2017 Midwest, Vlog 3 »

June 16, 2017, 8:21:47 MST -0600

2017 Midwest, Vlog 3

After the first day of competition

Midwest Championships 2017|video

https://youtu.be/nv2tySnyPos

This video covers the winners of task 1 and pilot briefing for task 2 (which was canceled due to low/weak lift and high winds).

2017 Midwest, Vlog 2 »

June 15, 2017, 7:57:13 MST -0600

2017 Midwest, Vlog 2

The first day of competition

Midwest Championships 2017|video

https://youtu.be/oNlYpOfHkc8

2017 Midwest, Vlog 1 »

June 14, 2017, 7:06:53 MST -0600

2017 Midwest, Vlog 1

Wills Wing's turn to log it

Midwest Championships 2017|video

https://youtu.be/yZREHtibq0Y

2017 Midwest, a video look »

June 13, 2017, 6:54:22 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, a video look

A look around

Midwest Championships 2017|video

https://youtu.be/32ko6enNiJ8

2017 Midwest, my thoughts »

June 13, 2017, 8:48:59 CST -0500

2017 Midwest, my thoughts

Two weeks in Wisconsin

Midwest Championships 2017

We loved being and flying in Wisconsin. It was a wonderful week of competition flying. Eastern Wisconsin is so beautiful and there are landing areas everywhere so you are completely comfortable flying anywhere.

Flying started out a week before the competition on a very weak Saturday after a strong rain storm the previous day. I sure was hoping that we wouldn't have the situation of eighty pilots hanging together in a very weak thermal like the ones we experienced that day. Thankfully that didn't happen during the competition even when we had a weak day or two. There was plenty of room and numerous thermals so that everyone kept out of everyone else's space.

The area around Whitewater is dotted with lakes, small patches of forest and open farm lands. Because of the cold and wet Spring the corn fields were often not planted yet and if they were the corn was only two or three inches high. There were plenty of grass/hay fields with low growth also. One day I did land in a soybean field with the plants just sticking their leaves out of the ground.

Three days before the competition we again had good flying conditions and two days before the competition we had epic conditions which very robust lift and light winds. I had plenty of opportunities to try out various combinations of varios to see what I liked about each one. I'll be reporting more on that later.

With a high level of participation, far beyond what the organizers expected, there were plenty of skilled pilots and tough competition to liven up the meet. We flew in all directions and conditions from a day when almost everyone had to relight to cu filled skies with thermals wherever you went. I really loved the times that I got low and had to dig my way out of whatever I had managed to get myself into.

In my opinion there is no point in flying, if you are flying alone without a goal. I want to fly with others who are striving to do their best. The closer the better and the more helpful the better.

I'm hoping that we all come back to Whitewater next year.

2017 Midwest, the organizers' thoughts »

June 12, 2017, 6:14:35 CST -0500

2017 Midwest, the organizers' thoughts

At least Greg Dinauer's

Dragonfly|Facebook|Greg Dinauer|Jamie Shelden|Midwest Championships 2017|weather

Greg Dinauer <<gdinauer>> writes:

Organizing a major sanctioned hang gliding competition is something that Larry, Kris and I have always talked about and, indeed have attempted in the past. Plagued by low turnouts, and of course, the always dubious weather up here in the Midwest, we just lost interest.

This year we finally decided to give it another go. With the lack of sanctioned competitions, due to the complexity of negotiating the minefield of insurance imperatives, and the huge gap in years of having any large scale events like this, we agreed it was a perfect storm of wide open doors.

In October we started drawing up plans. Since then every door has opened, even though the insurance hurtle almost discouraged us out of it. We always had the back-up plan that if only 20-25 pilots signed up and we skimped on everything, we could just pull it off without having to dig too deeply into our new glider funds.

So when after merely five days of the event registration being open, I received a late night call from Larry and Kris confirming that we had 60 registered pilots, I felt like the co-inventor of some unique product that just went nationwide overnight.

Of course we had to have another meeting at Larry’s home (the geographical midpoint) to access what to do about the monster we created. We wanted to limit it to 60, but before we knew it there were 80 pilots registered. So we had to draw a sharp line in the form of strict deadlines to control every ones flying sickness for this event. The glee we shared with the break in the really gloomy weather in the upper Midwest over the prior month well; it was just another of those open doors which seemed as inexplicable as Kris’s “need” to schedule during a full moon. If he is silently gloating, he deserves to be.

In as much as we considered every contingency, now that the competition is over, there were weak places; places that we could have better addressed, had we not also been competitors ourselves. Better communication with the launch process volunteer staff, management of civilities like: the portable bathrooms and waste containers, and the damp condition of the ground, particularly on the first day, are among them.

With all that, the pilots’ response was overwhelmingly positive, and while the soaring was not particularly epic, we did have one or two good days along with some challenging ones.

I really want to say that the three of us never scuffled with each other over decisions or ideas (often done over Larry’s favorite beer), in spite of the daunting insurance mitigation forms that Larry labored endlessly over. Our individual tasks in this came about more or less naturally; just three flying buddies cooperating to make a bigger dream happen.

We want to again thank everyone including the pilots, tug pilots, all the selfless volunteers, and the (more than patient) local pilot community for participating in what we feel was a bit more like what these events use to be. I, for one, while watching Rhett’s vivid green dragonfly depart this morning couldn’t help but feel a bit sad to see it end.

Will we do it again next year? We’ll see. A lot of the busy work is done and as with Jamie, Davis and other organizers in the past, we have learned a lot.

2017 Midwest, day 7, the podiums »

June 10, 2017, 4:11:31 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 7, the podiums

Simon and Myrkle win

competition|Midwest Championships 2017

https://airtribune.com/midwest-2017/results

2017 Midwest, day 7 »

June 10, 2017, 4:05:59 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 7

It blows

Facebook|Midwest Championships 2017

https://www.facebook.com/groups/456553944685782/permalink/472285089779334/

The forecast was correct (we knew three days in advance):

NWS forecast: Sunny, with a high near 89. Windy, with a southwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

Hourly shows southwest surface winds at 21 mph at noon gusting to 31 mph, rising to 24 mph gusting to 38 mph at 3 PM then slowly decreasing. Forecast for 8 AM – 10 mph.

NAM 3 forecast:

1 PM:

Lift: 500 fpm
TOL: 4,300’
Cloudbase: No cu’s
Surface winds: southwest 24 mph
TOL wind: southwest 40 mph

4 PM:

Lift: 500 fpm
TOL: 4,300’
Cloudbase: No cu’s
Surface winds: southwest 24 mph
TOL wind: southwest 42 mph

The day was cancelled because of the high winds.

2017 Midwest, day 6, task 5 »

June 9, 2017, 10:57:55 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 6, task 5

The luck can be good or bad

Bruce Barmakian|Facebook|Flytec 6030|Greg Dinauer|James Stinnett|John Simon|Midwest Championships 2017|Niki Longshore|Raul Guerra|video|Zac Majors

Zac Majors called a task to the east given the west winds.

Here is the forecast for the day:

NWS forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Hourly shows north northwest surface winds at 9 mph.

NAM 3 forecast:

1 PM:

Lift: 500 fpm
TOL: 3,600’ (RAP 13 – 5,000’)
Cloudbase: No cu’s
Surface winds: northwest 8 mph
TOL wind: northwest 16 mph

4 PM:

Lift: 600 fpm TOL: 5,000’
Cloudbase: No cu’s or cu’s at 5,600’
Surface winds: northwest 5 mph
TOL wind: west northwest 12 mph

Op40:

TOL: 5,000’
55 degrees
North northwest wind 6 – 10 mph
Reasonable chance of cu’s
Winds move to more westerly later in the day

The cu's were forming as we got pulled up into the air at 1:20 PM. The lift was weak under the cu's but we just held on and climbed slowly getting up to cloud base which was low at 5,000' as forecasted.

Up and down in the weak lift as we tried to stay near cloudbase. I lost track of the time for a few minutes and then realized I was out of place as the start window approached. Found 300 fpm and climbed back to over 5,000' but I was three kilometers from the edge of the start cylinder when the window opened.

Niki was right under me and I told her that I was going to take the first start clock despite being way behind. She decided to wait for the next start window.

I figured that I could use the pilots ahead to mark the thermals and if they slowed down I could catch them.

There was a cu-filled sky to the southeast but quite a ways off the course line to the north. I followed behind the lead gaggle until I lost most of them by the third thermal. The lift was still weak for me and I'd gain 1,000' before running off to the next one as I got near cloud base.

After climbing to 4,900' in the third thermal it was clear that I would have to venture out into the blue to the south to get near the course line and because basically there were no more cu's any where near the direction to the first turnpoint. Raul Guerra had joined me and we spread out looking for little forming wispies.

We found one but it provided only 129 fpm to 4,800'. We headed due south to the next forming wispies and down to 1,400' AGL and after searching around we connected. This thermal was almost 300 fpm and we hung on until 6,400'. The wind was perfect and we drifted right to the turnpoint as we climbed.

Greg Dinauer had come in under us. We heard later that he had lost his flight instrument and was relying on us to tell him where the lift was. He was circling right with us and climbing right with us even though we would have been very hard for him to see.

It was a short glide to the next turnpoint at Burlington airport and while there were little bits of lift we didn't stay but for a few turns before heading to the Bong turnpoint to the southeast. We probably should have worked the available lift a bit more and gained some altitude, but the cu's ahead looked good as did the dry fields below them.

Soon I was on search mode big time. I had lost track of Raul and needed any lift to keep me in the air. Heading over a series of drier fields I felt a little bump. I pushed back upwind into the 7 mph northwest wind and the lift improved. It was weak and broken at first but I was going up from 800' AGL.

I gained about 1,000' and then James Stinnett came in under me at 350' AGL. He was very happy to see me going up. We climbed to 5,100' at almost 300 fpm on average and again drifted toward the turnpoint to the east.

I noticed that a number of pilots who were ahead of us had landed out. As James and I topped out I saw Raul about a 1,000' below us heading for the goal. My 6030 said we had goal by over 1,000' so James and I went on glide.

It's 20 kilometers to the goal but there is a 2km goal cylinder to keep us away from the airfield as it is a drop zone.

There were no clouds a little past the turnpoint at Bong so I was a little cautious at first. Then sped up as I saw that my glide ratio greatly exceeded the required glide ratio and I was not hitting any big sink. It was a breeze making it into goal.

As I worked my way down from 1,000' AGL I noticed that the pilot before me landed going east. The wind had been out of the west or northwest the whole flight. I wondered what's going on.

I had not looked out to the east to see Lake Michigan. There was a sea breeze and that is why all the guys in the first gaggle other than John Simon and Bruce Barmakian are on the ground (or so it appears). James and I got high at the turnpoint, higher than most pilots so we had no problem dealing with the sea breeze.

Zac talks about his flight here: https://www.facebook.com/zacmajors/videos/vb.584324602/10155349211799603/?type=2&theater

2017 Midwest, day 6, task 5 »

June 9, 2017, 8:09:29 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 6, task 5

Looks like five competition days

Bart Weghorst|Bill Soderquist|Bruce Barmakian|competition|Davis Straub|Fabiano Nahoum|James Stinnett|John Simon|Kevin Carter|Konrad Heilmann|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Midwest Championships 2017|Mike Degtoff|Moyes Litespeed RX|Niki Longshore|Pete Lehmann|Phill Bloom|Roger Irby

With Saturday predicted to be too windy it looks like Friday is the last competition day.

Niki on launch:
Niki launching
Photo by Mike Degtoff.

https://airtribune.com/midwest-2017/results

Task 5:

# Name Glider Time Total
1 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 01:16:23 954
2 Bruce Barmakian Icaro Laminar 13.2 01:21:44 881
3 Kevin Carter Wills Wing T2C 01:22:16 874
4 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 01:15:55 853
5 Reinaldo Niella WillsWing T2C144 01:25:46 837
5 Bill Soderquist Moyes RX3.5 01:25:27 837
7 Robert Dallas Wills Wing T2C 154 01:27:00 815
8 Patrick Pannese Wills Wing T2C 154 01:28:45 807
9 James Stinnett Wills Wing T2C 01:19:38 797
10 Luke Waters Wills Wing T2 154 01:35:34 749
11 Fabiano Nahoum Icaro Laminar 14.1 01:36:05 740
12 Niki Longshore Moyes LSRX 3.5 PRO 01:26:40 736
13 Bart Weghorst Wills Wing 154 T2C 01:35:47 726
14 Roger Irby Wills Wing T2C 154 01:38:41 720
15 Konrad Heilmann Moyes Litespeed RX3.5 Technora 01:30:18 712
16 Davis Straub Wills Wing T2C 01:40:26 698
17 Alfredo Cabezas Moyes RX 01:41:28 687
18 Rich Cizauskas Aeros Combat 01:54:34 642
19 Pete Lehmann Wills Wing T2-154 01:44:53 630
20 JD Guillemette Moyes Litespeed RX3.5 01:55:09 599
21 Bill Comstock Wills Wing T2 02:05:54 544

2017 Midwest, day 5, task 4 »

June 8, 2017, 7:56:05 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 5, task 4

Many Brazilian pilots here

Bruce Barmakian|cart|Derrick Turner|Fabiano Nahoum|Glen Volk|John Simon|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Mark Dowsett|Midwest Championships 2017|Mike Degtoff|Moyes Litespeed RX|Niki Longshore|Pete Lehmann|Robin Hamilton|Rohan Taylor|Sara Weaver|Steve Rewolinski|Zac Majors

Photo by Mike Degtoff.

The forecast for the day:

NWS forecast: Increasing clouds, with a high near 79. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Hourly forecast is for a 9 mph west southwest wind

There is a front to our west.

NAM 3 forecast:

1 PM:

Lift: 600 fpm
TOL: 6,000’
Cloudbase: No cu’s
Surface wind: southwest 10 mph
TOL wind: southwest 12 mph

4 PM:

Lift: 300 fpm
TOL: 5,000’
Cloudbase: No cu’s
Surface wind: southwest 11 mph
TOL wind: southwest 15 mph

With the approaching front, cirrus clouds could shut down the lift early.

OP40:

1 PM:

TOL: 5,000’
53 degrees
Southwest wind 7 - 8 mph
No cu’s

Four models show no lift at 5 PM, 2 (RAP 3 and HRRR 3) show good lift then.

The major feature is an approaching front. I have the task committee move the task up an hour so that we can have a better chance of flying before the front gets here. That proves to be an important change.

The cloud from the front are already encroaching upon us as we start launching at 12:20. I get towed up into no lift and only find a little before landing. A few pilots find the lift and a few more land for reflights.

Despite the nearby mid level clouds associated with the front pilots find lift and get up over 6,000'. Niki and I launch again and climb up to 3,000' AGL. Our thermal stops there and I go west to find more lift. Just as I leave the pilots upo wind of us circling low find lift and Niki heads for them Her radio doesn't work so she can't tell me what's up. I land soon. She gets up and goes on to take the second clock.

With the weak lift the pilots who take the second clock are able to quickly catch the pilots who took the first clock twenty minutes before them. Pilots are just working hard to stay up and drift to the northeast toward the turnpoint 39 kilometers away.

Only David Brito Filho is able to make goal at the East Troy airfield.

Task 4:

# Name Glider Time Distance Total
1 David Brito Filho Willswing T2Cx 144 02:12:20 76.15 991
2 Ollie Chitty Moyes Rx5 PRO   72.73 873
3 Robin Hamilton Moyes RX3.5   68.42 832
4 Alvaro Figueiredo Sandoli WW T2C144c   65.99 813
5 Fabiano Nahoum Icaro Laminar 14.1   65.00 803
6 Niki Longshore Moyes LSRX 3.5 PRO   63.60 784
7 Glen Volk Moyes RX 3.5   60.53 753
8 Krzysztof Grzyb Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5   56.45 725
9 Pete Lehmann Wills Wing T2-154   56.45 708
10 Bruce Barmakian Icaro Laminar 13.2   53.64 691

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Ollie Chitty Moyes Rx5 PRO 3072
2 Alvaro Figueiredo Sandoli WW T2C144c 2970
3 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 154 2933
4 Glen Volk Moyes RX 3.5 2888
5 Robin Hamilton Moyes RX3.5 2884
6 Bruce Barmakian Icaro Laminar 13.2 2786
7 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 2721
8 Jonny Durand Moyes LSRX 3.5 PRO 2670
8 Steve Rewolinski Icaro Z9 2670
10 Krzysztof Grzyb Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 2638

Task 4:

# Name Glider Time Total
1 Sara Weaver Wills Wing Sport 2 135 00:51:17 971
2 Knut Ryerson Aeros Discus C 00:51:33 954
3 Rick Maddy Wills Wing U2 160 01:02:03 772
4 Richard Milla Wills Wing U2 145 01:03:48 751
5 Matt Pruett WW U2 145 01:03:52 750
6 Dan Lukaszewicz Wills Wing U2 01:06:06 724
7 Douglas Hale Moyes Gecko 01:12:26 659
8 Mark Dowsett Moyes Techno-Gecko 01:20:33 583
9 Greg Sessa Wills Wing U2 160 01:21:14 577
10 Ty Taylor Wills Wing U2 160 01:26:48 530
11 Kelly Myrkle Moyes Gecko 01:47:55 377

The pilots at the Sport Class goal:

Your editor coming out of the cart:

Photo by Mike Degtoff

Derrick Turner coming out of the cart:

Photo by Mike Degtoff.

2017 Midwest, day 4, task 3 »

June 7, 2017, 11:18:56 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 4, task 3

Light winds

John Simon|Midwest Championships 2017

The task is a triangle with a 14 km start cylinder centered around Palmyra:

I was the first pilot to get towed up. Jim Prahl took me to the north and just barely inside the 14 km cylinder whose edge is just upwind of the launch. The wind was out of the east at about 10 mph, but I was able to stay near the start cylinder as I drifted west in each weak thermal.

I was alone and getting high slowly as other pilots struggled below me. Bart joined me and we climbed to 5,000'. Finally I found a good thermal and climbed to over 7,000'.

The launch was going well and other pilots were now in the air and climbing. I'd been been circling  for half an hour and now the cold was getting to me at 7,000'. I had the feeling that my hands (covered by thin gloves) were getting frostbit. I had half an hour to go.

Finally the window opened and half the field was ready to go from on high and at the edge. Ollie and Zac were a bit higher and out in front the rest of us were chasing.

Majors, Chitty, Bunner, Straub, Simon, Weghorst, Guerra, Volk and Dinauer were in the lead as we go on an 11 km glide into the blue. There had been a few wispies near the launch and the edge of the start cylinder which provided us the visual clues to the thermal that got us high at the start. Now there were no cu's ahead.

We were heading for a good sized lake which would kill the lift if we were on the downwind side of it. We were heading for a turnpoint at the south end of the lake. Half way there we found a thermal in the blue. It averaged over 400 fpm and that got us back over 6,500' before we raced ahead to the west.

No lift on the way to the turnpoint. We turned around at 2,900' AGL and headed into the wind with Majors, Simon, Chitty and Bunner out in front. They weren't hitting anything. It did not look good. Zac was just flying straight.

We were heading for three small lakes, not some nice open brown baking fields. Zac went right over the northern most lake and kept on going. Chitty, a few hundred meters behind Zac turned over a brown field and Zac immediately turned around to come back.

Raul and I found lift a little further back as we were down to 1,100'. Bunner was turning a little further south down to about 600' AGL. We all came together except Larry who had to stay in what he had. Chitty, Majors, Guerra, Volk, Simon, and Straub all climbed up together and then headed out at 5,000' with Chitty in the lead.

It's only 6 km when we find 400+ fpm to 6,500'. All six of us plus Bart get up, then Chitty headed out in front.

I followed Majors to the northeast while every else followed Chitty to the east. Unfortunately I missed the thermal that he found and had to go searching on my own which slowed me down a bit.

It got slow for every one as we approached the turnpoint at Lakeland.  I hooked up with John Simon. Majors and Chitty jumped ahead and got around the turnpoint first with Chitty in the lead.

Once we made the turnpoint it was an easy flight back to the flight park.

2017 Midwest, day 3, task 2 »

June 6, 2017, 10:32:59 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 3, task 2

The results

André Wolfe|competition|James Stinnett|John Simon|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kevin Carter|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Larry Bunner|Mark Dowsett|Midwest Championships 2017|Moyes Litespeed RX|Robin Hamilton|Rohan Taylor|Sara Weaver|Steve Rewolinski|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/midwest-2017/results

Task 2:

# Name Glider Time Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 154 02:04:27 916
2 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 02:17:56 857
3 Alvaro Figueiredo Sandoli Wills Wing T2C144 02:20:39 851
4 James Stinnett Wills Wing T2C 02:20:35 850
5 Robin Hamilton Moyes RX3.5 02:13:44 839
6 Larry Bunner Wills Wing T2C 144 02:20:49 827
7 Kevin Carter Wills Wing T2C 02:14:16 822
8 Ollie Chitty Moyes RX 5 02:23:38 803
9 JD Guillemette Moyes Litespeed RX3.5 02:18:19 783
10 Andre Wolf Moyes Litespeed RX 3,5 PRO 02:24:00 779

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 1460
2 Alvaro Figueiredo Sandoli WW T2C144c 1449
3 Steve Rewolinski Icaro Z9 1448
4 Andre Wolf Moyes litespeed RX 3,5 PRO 1442
5 James Stinnett Wills Wing T2C 1407
6 Robin Hamilton Moyes RX3.5 1362
7 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 154 1353
8 Jonny Durand Moyes LSRX 3.5 PRO 1324
9 Ollie Chitty Moyes Rx5 1304
10 Krzysztof Grzyb Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1206

Task 2:

# Name Glider Time Total
1 Greg Sessa Wills Wing U2 160 01:39:42 1000
2 Erik Grabowski Wills Wing U2 145 01:40:17 978
3 Ty Taylor Wills Wing U2 160 01:43:18 927
4 Rick Maddy Wills Wing U2 160 01:43:39 922
5 Ricardo Vassmer Bautek Fizz 01:51:05 842
6 Mark Dowsett Moyes Techno-Gecko 01:55:31 803
7 Knut Ryerson Aeros Discus C 01:56:17 797
8 Charles Cozean Wills Wing Sport 2 02:01:48 754
9 Richard Milla Wills Wing Sport2 155 02:07:58 710

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Greg Sessa Wills Wing U2 160 1405
2 Mark Dowsett Moyes Techno-Gecko 1141
3 Erik Grabowski Wills Wing U2 145 1102
4 Charles Cozean Wills Wing Sport 2 1074
5 Rick Maddy Wills Wing U2 160 1064
6 Ty Taylor Wills Wing U2 160 1045
7 Ricardo Vassmer Bautek Fizz 960
8 Richard Milla Wills Wing Sport2 155 937
9 Knut Ryerson Aeros Discus C 915
10 Sara Weaver Wills Wing Sport 2 135 524

2017 Midwest, day 3, task 2 »

June 6, 2017, 10:00:27 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 3, task 2

A sky full of cu's

Greg Dinauer|Jeff Chipman|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Larry Bunner|Midwest Championships 2017|Niki Longshore|Raul Guerra|Robin Hamilton

The forecast for the day:

NWS forecast: Sunny, with a high near 74. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph.

North northeast surface wind, 13 – 15 mph noon through 3 PM, 11 mph after that.

NAM3 forecast:

1 PM:

Lift: 597 fpm (other models similar)
TOL: 5,632’ (other models similar)
Cloudbase: No cu’s (All other models show no cu’s except NAM 12, which shows TOL 1,000’ higher)
Surface wind: north northeast 11 mph (other models show 9 – 15 mph)
TOL wind: north northeast 19 mph (other models vary between 15 and 23 mph)

4 PM:

Lift: 577 fpm (other models vary between 398 and 736 fpm)
TOL: 5,964’ (other models vary between 5,301’ and 7,289’)
Cloudbase: No cu’s or 6,000’
Surface wind: north northeast 12 mph (other models vary between 9 and 12 mph)
TOL wind: north northeast 14 mph (other models vary between 14 and 19 mph)

SkySight (between 1 PM and 4 PM):

Lift: 400 – 450 fpm
TOL: 4,000’ – 6,000’ (6,000’ – 7,000’ to the south later)
Cloudbase: No cu’s
Surface wind: north northeast 8 – 12 mph
TOL wind: north northeast early at 20 – 22 mph calming to 14 – 16 mph later

OP40:

1 PM:

TOL: 6,700’
42 degrees
North northeast wind 11 mph at surface level and 18 mph at TOL
Thin cu’s possible

4 PM:

TOL: 7,700’
39 degrees
North northeast wind 11 mph at surface level to 14 mph at TOL
Thin cu’s possible

Actually the cu's formed early and they were maybe 1,000' thick and very plentiful.

Niki Longshore, Larry Bunner, Raul Guerra, Greg Dinauer, Kip Stone and I along with a few others took off in early bird. The lift was weak but we managed to climb to 4,700'. We had to go searching after that and hung in zero or less for a good while until Larry showed us the lift to our west, downwind. We all got under him and all climbed to 6,700'.

The wind was blowing 11 to 13 mph out of the northeast so that we were drifting rather quickly to the edge of the 15 km start cylinder so we headed back upwind to the inviting cu's. I found 180+ fpm under an expansive cu and slowly climbed up from 4,700' to 6,900' as I drifted at about the right speed downwind toward the edge of the start cylinder in time for the second clock. Larry took the first one.

Hitting the edge of the start cylinder high ten seconds after it opened was reassuring. Greg and Niki were just behind me. About twelve gliders were below. Jeff Chipman pushed out in front about 1,000' lower and I was just behind him.

The next two thermals came in quick succession at 350+ fpm to 7,000' so I was flying at first at 80 km/h downwind then 85 km/h speed over the ground with an 11 to 18 mph tail wind. We were all pushing it just leaving good lift just before cloud base.

Four kilometers before the first turnpoint we turned in 280+ fpm and I left at 6,500'. Perhaps I should have stayed longer. There were good looking cu's ahead.

On the glide from that last thermal around the turnpoint and off toward the west southwest I lost 4,000' in 16 km, down to 2,500' (1,700' AGL). Niki was nearby also low and Krzys was just above us. Robin Hamilton had gone out in front and stayed higher. He was to our north over Beloit.

Niki and I spent the next fourteen minutes working lift that at best averaged 60 fpm to 3,000', but slowly died out as we searched and searched in the 11 mph wind. Krzys got even lower just a kilometer away down to 1,000' AGL. Robin worked weak lift over the town of Beloit from 2,500' AGL. Everyone else was behind us working whatever they found from higher altitudes.

Back down to 2,500' MSL Niki and I went searching but didn't find anything. Bart Weghorst landed with us.

The whole area was very weak and pilots worked and worked to get any lift. Krzys was able to finally get up as was Robin and the rest of the pilots around us.

Looking over the flight in detail I see that I should have stayed in the lift four kilometers from the turnpoint for another 500 feet at least. I would have had thermal markers out in front if I had done so. Also there was just a bit of bad luck finding weak lift to stay in that didn't pan out.

Many pilots made goal. Some very quick. The replay is great.

https://airtribune.com/play/2518/2d

2017 Midwest, day 2 »

June 5, 2017, 8:17:24 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, day 2

A bit too windy

Midwest Championships 2017|weather

NWS forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

The 25 mph gust is forecasted only for 11 AM. Launch wind speed forecasted to be 16 mph northeast.

NAM3 forecast:

1 PM:

Lift: 477 fpm (other models vary between 0 and 517 fpm. But most basically agree with NAM3)
TOL: 3,313’ (other models vary between 2,651’ and 4,307’)
Cloudbase: No cu’s (All models show no cu’s)
Surface wind: northeast 13 mph (other models basically agree)
TOL wind: northeast 18 mph (other models vary between 17 and 24 mph northeast)

4 PM:

Lift: 477 fpm (other models vary between 0 and 537 fpm)
TOL: 3,644’ (other models vary between 3,313’ and 4,638’)
Cloudbase: No cu’s
Surface wind: northeast 14 mph (other models vary between 12 and 16 mph northeast)
TOL wind: northeast 25 mph (other models vary between 18 and 25 mph northeast)

SkySight (between 1 PM and 4 PM):

Lift: 350 – 400 fpm
TOL: 3,000’ – 4,000’ (2000’ – 3000’ at 1 PM)
Cloudbase: 3,000’ – 4,000’ (2000’ – 3000’ at 1 PM)
Surface wind: northeast 10 – 12 mph
TOL wind: east northeast 16– 20 mph

The models more closely match each other than yesterday giving greater confidence in the forecast. For sure strong northeast winds at TOL. Low TOL at under 5,000’ likely between 3,000’ and 4,000’. Strong inversion between 3,000’ and 4,000’ rising during the day. There is a chance for thin cu’s.

I’d say a more difficult day than Sunday and also a later day like Sunday with lower TOL, low climb rates, and stronger winds aloft.

Temperature at TOL: 53°. Five degrees warmer than yesterday at a much lower altitude.

Better conditions on Tuesday.

The meet officials determined that overall conditions were not conducive to safe tasks. Local readings were 18 mph gusting to 24 mph, http://w1.weather.gov/data/obhistory/KJVL.html, and the winds didn't quite down until 7 PM.

We organized a big group to go ride single track at Cam-Rock Park https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/577682 and we loved the park.

2017 Midwest, day 1 »

Mon, Jun 5 2017, 6:23:59 am MDT

The Results

Midwest Championships 2017

Most pilots got minimum distance:

https://airtribune.com/midwest-2017/results

# Name Glider Time Total
1 Steve Rewolinski Icaro Z9 01:16:19 711
2 Andre Wolf Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 Pro 01:22:13 663
3 Glen Volk Moyes RX 3.5 01:26:22 638
4 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 01:26:40 633
5 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 01:31:55 603
6 Alvaro Figueiredo Sandoli Ww T2C 144 C 01:32:15 598
7 Jonny Durand Moyes LSRX 3.5 Pro 01:39:36 571
8 James Stinnett Wills Wing T2C 01:43:28 557
9 Robin Hamilton Moyes RX 3.5 01:54:53 523
10 Krzysztof Grzyb Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:55:14 521
11 Linda Salamone Wills Wing T2C 01:58:55 510
12 Ollie Chitty Moyes RX 5 02:02:08 501
13 Mitch Shipley Wills Wing T2C 144 02:17:24 464
14 Bart Weghorst Wills Wing 154 T2C 02:22:27 452

Jonny is flying the Moyes Gecko for the first two days as he gave Andre his glider. Andre's was damaged in shipping. Art's should arrive today.

Mitch Shipley is also towing, flying a Dragonfly. Linda Salamone did well.

There were five start times. All the pilots who made goal got the last start time which was very likely long before they actually made their start.

Jonny landing back at launch
Jonny landing back at launch.

Zac helping Majo with her glider
Zac helping Majo with her glider.

Sara Weaver ready to launch
Sara Weaver ready to launch.

Discuss "2017 Midwest, day 1" at the Oz Report forum   link»   »

2017 Midwest, day 1 »

Sun, Jun 4 2017, 4:06:21 pm MDT

The heavy penalty for success, it's my own damn fault

Blue Sky|Midwest Championships 2017|Niki Longshore|weather|World Pilot Ranking Scheme

Here's the forecast for the day:

NWS forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

NAM3 forecast:

1 PM:

Lift: 477 fpm (other models vary between 0 and 756 fpm)
TOL: 4,307’ (other models vary between 994’ and 8,945’)
Cloudbase: No cu’s (one other model shows cu’s at 8,283’)
Surface wind: northwest 10 mph (other models vary between 8 and 14 mph west northwest to northwest)
TOL wind: northwest 15 mph (other models vary between 14 and 20 mph west northwest to northwest)

4 PM:

Lift: 338 fpm (other models vary between 0 and 577 fpm)
TOL: 5,632’ (other models vary between 994’ and 8,283’)
Cloudbase: No cu’s Surface wind: northwest 13 mph (other models vary between 8 and 14 mph west northwest to northwest)
TOL wind: northwest 18 mph (other models vary between 12 and 18 mph west northwest to northwest)

SkySight (between 1 PM and 4 PM):

Lift: 350 – 450 fpm
TOL: 6,000’ – 7,000’
Cloudbase: 5,000’ – 7000’ disappears after 4 PM
Surface wind: northwest 8 – 12 mph
TOL wind: west 18 – 20 mph
Convergence: west northwest to east southeast Palmyra to Burlington and Richmond to Lake Geneva forming later in the day

With all the rain yesterday I would expect the the climbing conditions to be less like Friday and more like last Thursday. But in addition we will have stronger wind conditions than either day which should increase the difficulty.

The task:

https://airtribune.com/midwest-2017/blog__day_1

I'm doing the weather and I am on the task committee also. I wanted a 15 km start cylinder to deal with the wind and weak lift, but we compromised at 12 km. That didn't turn out well for me.

We trekked over to the Palmyra Municipal airport for its east-west runway to go with the forecast of an west northwest day with winds up to 20 mph at top of lift. Nice big grass runway 250 feet wide, plenty of room for two launch lines.

The launch wasn't until 1 PM. When we got there at 9:45 AM cirrus covered most of the sky. As the day progressed cu's formed to the northwest in an east west line. By around 12:30 PM this thin line of cu's were over the airport but rapidly moving to the south. Other cu's were way way to the southeast.

With the cu's rapidly disappearing as we started launch, things did not look good. Basically a blue sky with some remnants of the cirrus moving away to the south.

I was nineteenth to launch and pinned off at 2,200' AGL. I had felt a tiny bit of lift after a tow through sinking air. All the pilots ranked higher than me in WPRS points were below me having not found much lift after getting off tow.

I started working the weak stuff at 54 fpm just trying to stay up. I saw two Litespeeds turning near me and way below me so it seemed like a few of us were out there trying to get up. One of them may have been Niki Longshore. The rest of the pilots disappeared back to the launch. We were 2 km south of launch and starting out at 2,200' AGL.

Let me just say that again. All the higher ranked pilots other than these two didn't get up and went back and landed to get another tow up later.

I kept turning and found 214 fpm while Niki and the other Moyes pilot kept turning close by but way lower. I was hoping that they would hang in there with me and that we would be able to get together and fly the course together.

I had taken off at 1:17 PM. The start window on the 12 km start cylinder opened at 2 PM. I was facing a 14 mph west northwest wind. This presents a very tricky problem that I was most concerned about. Could I get high and also stay inside the start cylinder?

I climbed to 5,000' at 1:35 PM. I was way higher than anyone else. Unfortunately I was also alone as Niki and the other Moyes pilot went back to the launch as they weren't able to climb with me. Drat.

Then I spotted two other pilots near me but again way way low. Would they find some lift? I was only 5 km from the start but I didn't think that I would be able to make it back to the launch into a 14 mph headwind even from 4,200' AGL.

I watched these lower pilots as I searched around under wispy cu's for some more lift to keep me up or get me higher. The inversion looked to be about 5,000'. Soon at least one of the pilots landed and I lost track of the other. They were both very low.

I had succeeded in getting high. I wasn't forced to go back to the airport to re-launch. unlike most other higher ranked pilots (if not all of them). I felt that it would be stupid to even try to do so since I had just succeeded where no one else had and where all the best pilots in the meet were on the ground or soon to be. It felt like it would be nuts to give up all my gains and go back and start again. Even though the day might be better later. It did not look good over launch with no cu's around.

I went searching for lift near nearby wispies. I found 22 fpm. Then 20 fpm near the next wispies. And that was it. I was able to stop going down but not stop being pushed by the wind to the east. I needed a strong thermal to make it possible to stay upwind of the start cylinder edge or to go upwind for a few moments.

It was now a struggle to find better lift, not just zero sink because if I started too early I would be very heavily penalized. I had to serve two masters, the need for lift and the need to stop going east. I was not able to fight them successfully. I left the start cylinder racing to get under a cu two minutes too early.

There was plenty of buoyancy as I got closer to the ground but with the strong wind there was not a thermal. After I landed in a nice grass field I spotted the vultures ridge soaring the barn. They sure weren't thermaling.

More news on how the relaunchers did later. Some were doing very well.

2017 Midwest, getting ready »

Fri, Jun 2 2017, 6:13:54 pm MDT

Too easy for some

Glen Volk|Midwest Championships 2017|Risk Retention Group

https://airtribune.com/davisstraub/tracks__122221

The open task today was to the south southeast. An easy task for some, a mere 31 km out and then return. The sky was full of cu's and cloudbase was super high.

I took off at 2:05 PM and waited on the line in sinking air until 2,100' AGL. It looked to me like there would be lift ahead under a wispy tiny cu. I was also watching a king posted glider south low over the town of Whitewater turning.

Indeed there was lift and I climbed out to 5,200' at over 300 fpm. This was way below cloudbase but with plenty of cu's ahead I wasn't concerned about getting too high. It was already cold.

I headed west southwest to get upwind of the course line which allowed me to drift with the thermals in the 6 mph west northwest winds. I was soon at 7,600' under just forming cu's. It was cold up there. The forecast was for 40°.

I was the first pilot to take on the task so I knew that I would be alone, but given the conditions I was confident that I would have no problem with the task that now looked very short.

I just ignored lift and glided for 15 km until I got down to my lower limit at 3,000' AGL (3,800' MSL). I took the next thermal at 360 fpm to 8,000' just to see how high I could get. I still wasn't at cloudbase.

It was a 9 km glide to the turnpoint with lift near it which again I ignored. Turning back I found two thermals in the blue at 400+ fpm to 7,500'.

Two more thermals, one at 480 fpm average and it was easy to take the last 16 km glide into goal as fast as possible even with 900 fpm sink before goal.

There were plenty of reflights and pilots who started later came in later.

The flight park is filling up even more. Zac and Majo made it. Glen Volk arrived as did Nene. Mitch is here which should prove interesting regarding the RRRG.

2017 Midwest, getting ready »

June 1, 2017, 11:11:48 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, getting ready

Tasks completed

Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Midwest Championships 2017|Sara Weaver

The pace of the Midwest 2017 is picking up with lots of pilots here doing tasks. Sara Weaver completed out and return sport class task by landing in the backyard of the neighbor across the street from the airport as her flight instrument beeps when she was 3 feet off the ground.

https://airtribune.com/sweaverflies/tracks__121950

Krzys and Larry completed the 85 km triangle.

The forecast and task for the day was:

Twin Oaks, 3km
East Troy, 1km
Lake Lawn, 400m
Twin Oaks, 400m

NWS: Sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.

NAM 3 forecast:

Noon

500-600 fpm lift
5000’ – 6000’ TOL
No cu’s
3 mph southwest surface wind
6 mph west wind at TOL

TOL raises 1000’ during the day. Climb rate increases to 600-700 fpm to the east Winds stay similar

Lift stops after 4 PM

Sport Class task was Palmyra and back, 28 km.

The wind turned out to be 12 mph west.

2017 Midwest, getting ready »

May 30, 2017, 8:42:20 CST -0500

2017 Midwest, getting ready

Forecasts improving

Midwest Championships 2017|weather

Tuesday (NAM 3, 1 PM): 600-700 fpm, west 37 mph at TOL.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=42.8336&lon=-88.7323#.WS10VMa1uM9

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Currently surface winds at 13 mph.

Wednesday (NAM 3, 1 PM):  600-700 fpm, west northwest 23 mph at TOL.

Thursday (NAM 3, 1 PM): 500-600 fpm, west northwest 7 mph at TOL.

2017 Midwest, getting ready »

May 29, 2017, 4:51:12 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, getting ready

Bruce, Greg and I did a nice 30 mile road ride

Greg Dinauer|Midwest Championships 2017

Greg Dinauer sends this sky picture from the airfield:

The winds were predicted to be west 40 mph at the top of lift. We took our ride on Monday early in the day and the surface winds weren't that bad. Later I road back and forth to town and it was much stronger.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1011453786

Larry says that the forecast for next week is super good. The forecast for this week is not.

2017 Midwest, getting ready »

May 28, 2017, 6:04:05 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, getting ready

Larry kept flying

Larry Bunner|Midwest Championships 2017

Larry Bunner wrote:

I did manage a three hour flight yesterday and just when it got good decided to land to spend time with Sue on my birthday. Conditions were still good two hours later so in spite of the saturated ground the soaring was good.

This place is a lot like Florida in that if the sun is shining we will be soaring.

Also we have three bands playing during the week, one special guest guitarist on another night, open jam sessions around the campfire each night, a 5km run on one of the mornings, catered breakfast at the airport every morning, wood fired pizzas most evenings and a couple super meals during the event.

Plenty of cool things to do in the area as well, like mountain bike riding on kettle moraine trails, canoeing and kayaking on the numerous lakes and rivers and even a bowling alley in town.

As I mentioned above, on such days launch later in the day. We are far north with later sunsets here.

2017 Midwest, getting ready »

May 27, 2017, 9:09:55 pm CST -0500

2017 Midwest, getting ready

A typical day with light lift

Midwest Championships 2017

https://airtribune.com/davisstraub/tracks__120937

It's hard to imagine what we are going to do with eighty pilots in the air in conditions like we saw today (Saturday the 27th of May). It's been raining for two months here. We came through four hours of rain on Friday driving from the south. Neither corn nor soybeans have been planted yet in Wisconsin (although they were in Illinois). The fields are soaking wet.

Conditions much improved much later in the day. Maybe launch at 3 PM.

http://www.midwest2017.com/

Supposed to rain tonight and on Sunday and on Memorial Day.

2017 Midwest »

May 22, 2017, 8:53:45 EST -0400

2017 Midwest

Looks like rain this coming week

Midwest Championships 2017|Quest Air|weather

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=42.8336&lon=-88.7323#.WSJPNsa1uM9

We head out from Quest Air on Tuesday taking four days to get there.

2017 Midwest »

February 9, 2017, 8:07:40 EST

2017 Midwest

More pilots signed up than can be accommodated

Midwest Championships 2017

https://airtribune.com/midwest-2017/pilots

Eighty six have registered. Fifty six have paid. Eighty pilots is the maximum.

The entry fee goes from $350 to $650 after February 28th.

2017 Midwest Championships »

Fri, Oct 21 2016, 7:20:22 pm MDT

June 4th through 10th

CIVL|Jamie Shelden|Midwest Championships 2017|USHPA

Jamie Shelden at the USHPA BOD meeting tells me that only two US USHPA and CIVL sanctioned hang gliding competitions are scheduled for 2017, both in June. I'm assuming the their meet organizers will apply for CIVL sanctioning. This isn't automatic any more. The USHPA office has handled this for the past few years.

Airtribune App is now on iPhone

Mon, Aug 3 2015, 8:53:02 pm CDT

Find it on iTunes

Airtribune|Kinsley Sykes

Thanks to Kinsley Sykes for checking each day.

Discuss "Airtribune App is now on iPhone" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Flying bicycle

July 1, 2013, 8:14:10 CDT

flying bicycle

Sort of

Kinsley Sykes|PG

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/20/tech/innovation/worlds-first-flying-bicycle/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

The flying bicycle looks like a conventional bike connected to a lightweight trailer, which houses a giant fan, fuel for the contraption's engine and the flexible fold-away wing. Both the airframe and bike are made from aircraft grade aluminum.

The bicycle can be disconnected from its trailer for inner city use, then docks to form a 'para-trike' for take-off. In order to fly, the bike and trailer are fastened together, the wing is unfurled and an electric starter fires the biofuel-powered 249cc motor. Tired Tour de France competitors might want to consider this option before taking on a particularly daunting hill climb.

The Paravelo needs a long stretch of open ground, clear of obstructions for takeoff. Once airborne, it can stay in the air for up to three hours. Once it's in the air, the flying bicycle's inventors say that it controls like a conventional fan-powered paraglider.

Thanks to Kinsley Sykes

Discuss "flying bicycle" at the Oz Report forum   link»