I am rarely motivated to add to other conflicting opinions, but have a
little different perspective on the competition thing. Bear with me, please.
Way back in grade school I could outrun anyone my age. When I entered high
school, I could outrun anyone there. My chances for getting into college
hinged totally on getting an athletic scholarship in track. I competed gung
ho with that in mind. It got me a 4 year college tuition scholarship. I paid
for everything else by working and also supported a wife from my sophomore
year on. I was a daddy in my senior year, too. Staying competitive in track
was *essential* to graduating.
After graduation and WW2, at 25 I entered a career selling field for 40
years that required staying competitive. It was *essential* to making a
decent living.
I'd been a free flight enthusiast early 1940's but got tired of chasing the
things. Latter 1960's, I heard about the fledgling sport of R/C sailplanes.
I was intrigued with the idea of thermalling and landing nearby. After a
couple of years of bad experience with poor radio equipment I got a Kraft 3
channel proportional, designed some originals, heard of "contests" and
decided to attend.
I desperately needed an escape from a very taxing personal situation in
which my most beautiful 2nd wife, Patricia, was becoming progressively
disabled. I also had some curiosity about what the other guys were flying. I
came with original designs such as the 150" span Miskeet (See the Misc. Pics
file) at http://genie.rchomepage.com/.
My escape at home was building original sailplanes. When it was possible, I
escaped to contests. I liked hanging out with the flyguys and watching those
beautiful ships fly. I won my share and a win would give momentary ego
gratification, but I never considered it a big deal. It wasn't *essential*
to anything important. Pat's illness put the proper perspective on what was
important.
After Pat went into a nursing home in Jan. 1975, I was all torn up, but
could then easily escape to contests. After she made me a widower, still
escaping to contests, my NWSS Season's Ranking got better. In 1990 at age 69
I went for the Season Championship. I got it in both 2 Meter and Open Class.
We had some 150 guys competing on the circuit then, when a $200 sailplane
was a rarity. Now we have about 50 and a $200 sailplane is a rarity for
totally different reasons.
I did not like myself that year. Usually enjoying the guys and flying, I
got picky about rule bending, guys sandbagging and anything that I thought
put me at a competitive disadvantage. It wasn't the usual laid back fun. I
concluded being the "champ" was not worth the militance and decided *never
again*.
I don't know what motivates otherwise mature, grown men to strive to be
competitive in this game. There is no logic to it. You'll spend far more
money going to contests than you'll ever get back.The rest of the world
cares not about your ranking. Your family likely cares not and may resent
your participation. It will not get you "15 minutes of fame" on the world's
stage. If you're a smart-ass, egotistical, obnoxious competitor it won't get
you respect or make friends for you. In the 'eternal scheme of things', how
you did in sailplane contests is without meaning.
Having deplored winning sailplane contests, let me point out what, IMHO, are
greater satisfactions in this wonderful activity.
Learning how to launch your ships higher and higher. Learning how to more
consistently locate and core thermals, Improving your landings. Learning to
trim your ship for optimum performance. Doing all this with hand-eye
coordination, purist fashion because of the challenge involved. Making
friends in the hobby. Keeping friends made in the hobby. Making new ones.
Having fun hanging out with the guys and gals. Sharing ideas. Being helpful.
Maintaining respect of the others. Enjoying the beauty and fascination of
flight and the ever-changing panorama of sky and clouds, breathing the fresh
air.
Lastly. . .contributing back to the hobby. That means by research and
experiment learning things to pass on to others. The ARF is killing this.
Nothing new is learned. I used to save so many posts in my "Worthy R/C
Posts" e-mail folder, but now so few. Well, of late, at least we are getting
some good stuff about casting lead.
Please tell us. . .other than ego satisfaction, just why do you want to win
sailplane contests????? What is it that's so *essential* about this form of
competition???
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