Hi Bob, as a beginner to contesting let me offer my opinion.
#1 - shortening the launch line will not help beginners. It will then put a premium on the zooming ability of the pilot and the plane. I need all the help I can get at finding thermals and it is easier to do so from way up high. I do appreciate that more rounds == more flying however one of the reasons I *do* attend contests is that I get to launch on a winch instead of a histart and get an opportunity to fly from a decent starting height. The expert glider guys know where thermals are, can locate and core them pretty regularly and so shortening the line will not penalize them as much.
Personally I liked the "handicap" the pilot. They already do this to some degree in ESL -- a Sportsman class and an expert class. Once you have won a contest in Sportsman you move up to Expert. That said, handicapping the pilot similar to what they do in golf won't work. In golf you have the USGA (and other worldwide organizations) that limit certain things about the equipment -- whether it is size of the club, bounce of the ball, flexibility of the shaft, whatever. Golf is primarily a pastime related to competition, whether it is competing against yourself, a buddy or a whole field of tournament players and so therefore there is an inherent desire by most to "play fair" and use equipment that complies with the rules. Soaring on the other hand is primarily a technical hobby turned into a contest. With a hobby this closely related to engineering and aeronatics it is natural that many, if not most, will try and push whatever technical limits exist and not want to comply with whatever set of published rules exist. Just look at the skegs vs. AMA rules and this everlasting debate. I do not think everyone would like any more mandates than we already have unless flying in a one-design class (I liked the idea of a Sovereign class that I heard about a few years ago).
Ok, back on topic. It'd be nice to hear from other beginners to contesting why they do or do not enter. I like contests, when I can get to them for several reasons. I like contests because:
- I get to meet many very experienced pilots who can help me excel in my hobby, and there are no better glider pilots than those who go to contests.
- everyone, with two exceptions, of the people I have met have been courteous, kind and willing to go out of their way to help a beginner/intermediate.
- I do not care that I come in close to last place every time.
- I get to fly off of a winch that puts my plane 20% - 50% higher than off the histart.
- I like looking at the scoreboard on any given round and *hoping* that my name is higher than someone else, even if they crashed.
- I like contests for the thrill of landing. This could be whether it is coming in hot for a landing with all eyes on me, or plopping the plane down on the tape, or coming in for a landing with some guy who I do not know offering reassuring thoughts in my ear, or even landing off the field and having someone join me in the long walk of shame.
- Finally, I like contests because when I first started Gordy said I should! ;-)
Happy holidays to you all.
Stuart -- frozen in CT, high of about 10 degrees and snow today, 50 degrees by Thursday.
Bob Johnson wrote:
<snip>Handicapping either planes or pilots is an exercise in futility.
If you have a desire to encourage less experienced flyers to enter contests, I offer the following:
1 - Shorten the winch line to something in the neighbourhood of 400-450 feet in an attempt to reduce the launch height. Keep the task times in the 5-7 minute range. This should give more flights in an event, which I believe beginners will find attractive. Limiting winch power to limit launch height would be nice, but that will never happen.
Happy Holidays from the frozen tundra.
Bob Johnson Fond du Lac, WI
RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
