[RCSE] WHERE"S LEVEL SIX?

[Skip Miller]

Jim,   You make a good point.  Personally, 1977 was a very good year for me. I have a very interesting level 4.99 voucher that has on it winning the World Championships in South Africa and winning the Nationals in California overall in the same year for the contest side. I had completed everything in that year except the 8 hour slope flight. Dan Pruss, a close personal friend, and arguably one of the all time LSF program supporters, developers,  and promoters, was in debate with me on the importance of the 8 hour slope flight.....a quick recap. I spent two(count them) TWO 6 1/2 hour attempts flying my AQUILA  on a sight south of Boulder, Colorado(lookout mountain) on 2 different occasions to try and complete  my level V in that same year(1977) I thought that would be a fitting end(I did my goal and return with the Aquila(100 inch) as well. I then tried an attempt at Table mountain above Coors...it snowed! After those three  failures, and frustrated , I then made a trek to California to visit Fred Weaver( he said" it always blows from the sea Skip duuuh" to EASILY  get it...RIGHT.?..! It blew from the EAST both attempts..... so I gave up..... which brings me to the Pruss conversation. "Dan, how about I TRADE my World Championship WIN for the 8 hour slope flight" " I still have enough contest points for the Level V(I would have been the 4th or 5th level V(yes I would have been after Weaver and Steve Work,  if he / LSF agreed. He convinced me of" Skip, it's not so much the event / achievement...it's the journey.... and YOU have NOT completed the journey. and at that point.... I actually got it. You see , everyone gets tested by the same measuring stick on the LSF program...change it , and it affects all that have gone before.(same reason I don't want the cross country course to the church at the Nationals ever changed.... I really haven't paid much attention to this thread, BUT, you either make it to a level V or you don't...measured on the same stick as the very first level V...and the same stick as all the rest.   As for myself , I some how rationalized, I will always be a level 4.99999...and really appreciate and honor all the level V's that have achieved that great award. As for the LSF program  excellence( and the LSF Level V IS excellence) is what is achieved by making it to level V.....You either make by the rules , or you don't.   Now  for some fun... how about the level VI (SIX) that would include a 5 hour thermal flight, a 75 mile distance flight, a National Championship Overall win( no not just a class win) ,a World Championship win, a USA team member(team manager would count as it is MUCH more difficult  to be a TM then a pilot!...trust me on this) a Triad win.... A World Record(not some meager "national " record,that's an inside Colorado joke) a "Masters" win (yes it did exist in the past too)...Let's see...who would be the FIRST LEVEL SIX.... More achievement.....and then Level 7 ..consecutive WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP win(maybe 4).........Now that's what I'm talk'in about!!!!(don't take the last paragraph too seriously guys...although it's been my experience that the best ideas ALWAYS get laughed at... at first....maybe I should reconsider that 8 hour....hmmmmm.   skip ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim McCarthy To: soaring@airage.com Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 5:49 PM Subject: [RCSE] LSF Discussion Wow, no end in sight here. The SSA (Soaring Society of America) Achievement Program for full size soaring has stood the test of time (60+ years I believe). Why not the LSF Program?  For those Level II’s or III’s needing contest points one week at the Nats will give you all the points you need plus the opportunity to learn from the best.  No matter what compromise someone comes up with it won’t stand the test of time. The reason is for those that want to be the best and be measured by their true skills they will put in the time and effort to become Level V or IV or whatever.  For those that finish the “watered down” version they can never state that they became Level V.  People all over will then be saying that Level V in this program is only as good as Level III in the LSF program or whatever.  It’s pretty amusing to me that those that want the new program aren’t willing to do this task or that.  I think Skip Miller is Level IV.9 because he refuses to go do the 8-hour flight. I don’t think anyone can argue Skip’s credentials he just won’t be Level V. Daryl Perkins, Level I. Joe Wurts, Level ?  Their choice.  Anyone care to argue their skill level? In the end there are lots of ways to be measured but to be in that “Elite” group you had to walk where those who have succeeded before you walked.   Jim McCarthy Not as good as many, but proud top be Level V