Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
It's official
Both contests are over, and we have the following results:
World Class
1. Francois Pin2. Tom McKnight3. Jay Campbell
1-26 Class
Congratulations to all, and have a safe trip home!1. Key Dismukes2. Jeff Daye3. Ken Ekman
Monday, June 7, 2010
Monday 1-26 contest report
Finally, some good weather!
After frontal passage, Monday's forecast was for 5,000+ agl thermals with tolerable winds aloft. CD Rick Sheppe called a Turn Area Task from Bermuda High to Kirk Airbase with 8 mile radius, and Anson Co. with 23 mile radius. Many great flights for the day, but the best of the class was Key Dismukes flying Kevin Anderson's borrowed #192. Key smoked the field for 87.1 miles at 27.6 mph.
Weather looks good again for Tuesday so hopefully we get another day in, making a valid contest.
Jeff Daye, #039
After frontal passage, Monday's forecast was for 5,000+ agl thermals with tolerable winds aloft. CD Rick Sheppe called a Turn Area Task from Bermuda High to Kirk Airbase with 8 mile radius, and Anson Co. with 23 mile radius. Many great flights for the day, but the best of the class was Key Dismukes flying Kevin Anderson's borrowed #192. Key smoked the field for 87.1 miles at 27.6 mph.
Weather looks good again for Tuesday so hopefully we get another day in, making a valid contest.
Jeff Daye, #039
A day to race
We had a truly outstanding racing day today. Cloudbase was over 6000 feet and the lift exceeded 5 knots in the early afternoon.
The World Class got a 132-mile Assigned Task, and the winner was Tom McKnight. Here's a picture of Tom (from a previous day):
The 1-26ers flew a 3-hour Turn Area Task, and the winner was Key Dismukes, who was happy to find the runway after a long final glide.
The World Class got a 132-mile Assigned Task, and the winner was Tom McKnight. Here's a picture of Tom (from a previous day):
The 1-26ers flew a 3-hour Turn Area Task, and the winner was Key Dismukes, who was happy to find the runway after a long final glide.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sunday 1-26 contest report
Sunday looked great, with the exception of the local pine trees bending and swaying in the breeze. After 4 out of the 7 PW-5's landed back at BHSS for relights, and with measured winds aloft at 26 knots, CD Sheppe waited as long as possible but finally cancelled the 1-26 task for safety reasons. The PW-5 task was cancelled shortly afterwards.
With frontal passage in the wee moring hours of Monday, better conditions are expected for the next three days. We have to have at least TWO more contest days to have a contest!
All the best to past Association President Kevin Anderson, who underwent surgery last week. I know he is following the contest closely on-line while on the mend, and we wish him a speedy recovery and return to the cockpit. Kevin, your #192 is in VERY capable hands with Key Dismukes- first place for 5 days in a row!
Stay tuned for more updates,
Jeff Daye, #039
With frontal passage in the wee moring hours of Monday, better conditions are expected for the next three days. We have to have at least TWO more contest days to have a contest!
All the best to past Association President Kevin Anderson, who underwent surgery last week. I know he is following the contest closely on-line while on the mend, and we wish him a speedy recovery and return to the cockpit. Kevin, your #192 is in VERY capable hands with Key Dismukes- first place for 5 days in a row!
Stay tuned for more updates,
Jeff Daye, #039
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Saturday 1-26 contest report
Even though Saturday looked promising, blow off from a huge thunderstorm in the SW corner of North Carolina helped to cool soaring conditions in the Contest area in mid-task. Best flight of the day was turned in by Bob Hurni #190, who managed 22 miles in very difficult conditions.
Your author made a start along with Ron Schwartz #480 and Charles Cook #153 at about 4,300 MSL, made about 8 miles out on course and penetrated into the first cylinder, and then was barely able to get back to Bermuda High for a 'landout' back at home base.
There were some great landout stories away from the airport, but to a person the pilots have reported friendly and helpful landowners in the upstate of South Carolina. Many 1-26'ers and most PW-5's landed out Saturday.
Pilots attended another great cookout at Bermuda High Saturday night, sponsored by Bermuda High (grill fire and Frank Reid's personal fire truck demonstration notwithstanding)! Allan Silver gave a great presentation on emergency bailout procedures (Canopy, Belts, Butt!!) and his line of Softie parachutes.
Sunday promises better soaring conditions, but with the approach of a weak cold front the winds aloft are picking up. Tasking promises to be a challenge for CD Rick Sheppe.
Jeff Daye, #039
Your author made a start along with Ron Schwartz #480 and Charles Cook #153 at about 4,300 MSL, made about 8 miles out on course and penetrated into the first cylinder, and then was barely able to get back to Bermuda High for a 'landout' back at home base.
There were some great landout stories away from the airport, but to a person the pilots have reported friendly and helpful landowners in the upstate of South Carolina. Many 1-26'ers and most PW-5's landed out Saturday.
Pilots attended another great cookout at Bermuda High Saturday night, sponsored by Bermuda High (grill fire and Frank Reid's personal fire truck demonstration notwithstanding)! Allan Silver gave a great presentation on emergency bailout procedures (Canopy, Belts, Butt!!) and his line of Softie parachutes.
Sunday promises better soaring conditions, but with the approach of a weak cold front the winds aloft are picking up. Tasking promises to be a challenge for CD Rick Sheppe.
Jeff Daye, #039
Contest midpoint
At the end of today, we will have been racing for 4 days in the 1-26 Class and 5 in the World Class. That's the halfway point for both.
Our weather has not been spectacular, but all indications are that it will improve. Spirits are high, the evening parties are outstanding, and we are all looking forward to the second half.
Our weather has not been spectacular, but all indications are that it will improve. Spirits are high, the evening parties are outstanding, and we are all looking forward to the second half.
Report from 039
Hello sports fans, 1-26 drivers, and ships at sea:
Your 2010 1-26 Championships are underway at Bermuda High Soaring School in Jefferson, SC.
The Monday, May 31, the first practice day was rained out. Tuesday, June 1, the second practice day allowed most 1-26'ers to fly locally for at least a couple of hours. The best flight of the day was turned in from Ken Ekman, #160, who flew and completed the PW-5 task! The PW-5 National Championships are running concurrently with the 1-26 Championships as it has for the past 3 years or so.
Wednesday, June 2, the first contest day had CD Rick Sheppe calling a Turn Area Task from Bermuda High to Hartsville, Camden, and return. Three pilots finished the task by getting high and working a fairly narrow lift band between about 4,700 - 3,500 msl. Key Dismukes (flying Kevin Anderson's #192) won the day at 24.1 mph for 60.3 miles, your author (#039) came in second at 20.8 mph for 52 miles, and Ken Ekman (#160) third at 17.8 mph for 44.5 miles. After several memorable retrieves, everyone was back at the field and assembled safely.
Thursday, June 3, we gridded late and launched around 2:15 p.m., but it soon became evident with 100 fpm lift to 2,100 agl that a task was not possible so CD Sheppe cancelled the task. Some pilots landed immediately to head to the hotel pool, and some stayed aloft to fly locally for an hour or so.
Weather forecast remains hot, with a chance of thunderstorms for the next several days. So stay tuned for more updates!
Regards,
Jeff Daye, #039
Your 2010 1-26 Championships are underway at Bermuda High Soaring School in Jefferson, SC.
The Monday, May 31, the first practice day was rained out. Tuesday, June 1, the second practice day allowed most 1-26'ers to fly locally for at least a couple of hours. The best flight of the day was turned in from Ken Ekman, #160, who flew and completed the PW-5 task! The PW-5 National Championships are running concurrently with the 1-26 Championships as it has for the past 3 years or so.
Wednesday, June 2, the first contest day had CD Rick Sheppe calling a Turn Area Task from Bermuda High to Hartsville, Camden, and return. Three pilots finished the task by getting high and working a fairly narrow lift band between about 4,700 - 3,500 msl. Key Dismukes (flying Kevin Anderson's #192) won the day at 24.1 mph for 60.3 miles, your author (#039) came in second at 20.8 mph for 52 miles, and Ken Ekman (#160) third at 17.8 mph for 44.5 miles. After several memorable retrieves, everyone was back at the field and assembled safely.
Thursday, June 3, we gridded late and launched around 2:15 p.m., but it soon became evident with 100 fpm lift to 2,100 agl that a task was not possible so CD Sheppe cancelled the task. Some pilots landed immediately to head to the hotel pool, and some stayed aloft to fly locally for an hour or so.
Weather forecast remains hot, with a chance of thunderstorms for the next several days. So stay tuned for more updates!
Regards,
Jeff Daye, #039
Monday, May 31, 2010
Welcome dinner
Thanks to Jayne and Frank for making us feel welcome and for providing tonight's dinner. After the dinner we had our safety briefing:
And here's Frank standing behind the official contest podium:
Thunderstorms
Today was the second practice day for the World Class and the first (of two) practice days for the 1-26s.
But it was not to be. A low pressure system is creeping by and by noon the thunderstorms had started. We're keeping our eye on the good weather coming in behind the trough.
To add insult, Pat Tuckey's RC model suffered an inflight structural failure this morning (before the rain started). The plane is repairable, but not before Pat gets home after the contest.
But it was not to be. A low pressure system is creeping by and by noon the thunderstorms had started. We're keeping our eye on the good weather coming in behind the trough.
To add insult, Pat Tuckey's RC model suffered an inflight structural failure this morning (before the rain started). The plane is repairable, but not before Pat gets home after the contest.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
First contest flights
It was the first official practice day today.
We had sixteen launches, on a day that was forecast to be weak and possibly overdeveloped.
Fortunately, the cumulus thinned as cloudbases rose, eventually reaching 4500 feet above ground. The gliders were evenly divided between PW-5s and 1-26s, with a couple of the homebased long wingers participating. Between 3pm and 5pm, the lift peaked at 4.5 knots.
The day ended with a most everyone making it home, and smiles all around. Jayne did all the towing (thanks, Jayne!)
Tomorrow we'll have an actual practice task.
We had sixteen launches, on a day that was forecast to be weak and possibly overdeveloped.
Fortunately, the cumulus thinned as cloudbases rose, eventually reaching 4500 feet above ground. The gliders were evenly divided between PW-5s and 1-26s, with a couple of the homebased long wingers participating. Between 3pm and 5pm, the lift peaked at 4.5 knots.
The day ended with a most everyone making it home, and smiles all around. Jayne did all the towing (thanks, Jayne!)
Tomorrow we'll have an actual practice task.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Contest season
The contest season has begun in style. We are hosting (concurrently) the 2010 1-26 Championships and the 2010 World Class Nationals. See the contest website for more information.
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