Congratulations to Tom Kelley “711” for his win at the 2011 US Seniors. Tom is off to a great start for this contest season.
We want to thank everyone that participated in this first contest coverage by the Soaring Cafe. Special thanks to Rick Sheppe and Frank Paynter for helping to make this a success.
It is a wonderful day here with quite a few cu's. Where is everybody to fly? As John Good was saying earlier this morning, it is like the last day of high school, everybody going away and not knowing when we will all see each other again. I hope it will ... ∞
2011 Seniors Day 6 Final Report
At the morning meeting today, Andreea Alexandrescu received a standing ovation from the assembled pilots and crews for the outstanding job the entire Alexandrescu family has done hosting the 2011 Seniors.
Ace weatherman Ray Galloway gave us the news on the weather for the day. Basically more of the same – ... ∞
2011 Seniors Day 6 Early Report
It’s Saturday morning at 0700, and I’m sitting in my camper at Seminole Lake Gliderport, sipping my coffee and watching the airport take form through the dawn and the fog. Right now I can just see the top of Bob Spitz’s camper, but in a few minutes the office, the ... ∞
Well, today dawned foggy again, but at least I wasn’t accosted by the hawk family on my run. I think I was early enough so they couldn’t see me go by in all the fog.
At the morning meeting, weatherman Ray Galloway told us that the synoptic weather conditions were pretty ... ∞
Day 4 at the 2011 Seniors dawned with thick ground fog hanging over the field. As I made my way around the field this morning on my morning ‘run’, the resident hawk family made its displeasure at my intrusion known by screeching at me for a while, and then flying ... ∞
Maximum start height: 4000’ MSL
Minimum finish height: 600’ MSL
Task A
Turn Area Task - minimum time = 2:30
ID Name Distance Radius
52 Start B 5
30 ... ∞
Weather Forecast for March 17, 2011
The model sounding suggest a cloudbase of 5,500 feet while XC Skies says blue. We are post frontal. I believe there will be Cu and a great race day. Time will tell.
Brief Forecast from www.wunderground.com
This Afternoon
Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight
Clear. Patchy fog after ... ∞
Weather Forecast for March 16, 2011
Looks like another great day. Perhaps better than yesterday. Clouds with cloudbase around 5,000 or higher.
Brief Forecast from www.wunderground.com
Today
Patchy fog early in the morning...then partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds around 5 mph becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s. ... ∞
Day 3 here at the 2011 Seniors was a boomer in every sense of the word. Clouds to die for in all quadrants. Cloud bases at about 4500’ at the start, rising to above 6000’ in the last turn area. Cloud streets and 5-6kt climbs were common. There was an ... ∞
Looks like an improvement for today. XC Skies is calling for the Top of the Lift to be higher and is calling for some Cu. Good luck out there.
A QUIET WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THE PERIOD BEGINS TODAY WITH HIGH
PRESSURE OVER THE ... ∞
2011 Senior Contest - Monday, March 14, 2011
Senior Class
Contest Day 2
Unofficial
Turn Area Task
Min Distance
107.09
Distance
175.95
Max Distance
273.29
Min Time
02:45
Task Open Time
13:26
Turnpoints
#
ID
Name
Radius
Start
51
Start A
5.0
-
22
MyakkaHead
15.0
-
13
FrostProof
20.0
-
4
Blackwater
20.0
Finish
61
FINISH
1.0
Code
Description
MT
Flight time less than minimum time.
F
No flight log.
MD
Flight less than minimum distance of 40 Miles
AB
25pt Airfield Bonus.
Score Calculation Parameters
STD Min Task Dist.
40.00 Miles
STD Min ... ∞
Day 2 of the 2011 Seniors is in the bag, and we all had a pretty good time of it. Weather seemed to be better to the south, so the CD called a 3-turn TAT; south to Myakka Head with a 15 mile radius, then ENE to Frostproof with a ... ∞
We are all aware that there are many things to handle at a contest but just a quick note that the task map on the SPOT tracking was not updated for the Monday task. Looks like the first finishers started arriving 16:45 EST ∞
I’m writing this report after stuffing myself silly at the superb Welcome dinner hosted by Andreea and Florin Alexandrescu in the ‘back hangar’ (which, according to rumor, is also where many of the Bass Pro Shop commercials are shot). You know Mike Fuller the owner is a real fishing nut ... ∞
Weather Forecast, Monday, March 14, 2011
Brief Forecast from www.wunderground.com
Today
Mostly sunny. Highs around 80. Southeast winds around 5 mph.
Tonight
Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
Hourly Forecast from www.weather.com
Surface Analysis Chart from www.aviationweather.gov/adds
Skew-T from NOAA through XC-Skies
Top of Lift from XC Skies
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
232 AM EDT MON MAR ... ∞
Preliminary Scores – Sunday, March 13, 2011
2011 Senior Contest - Sunday, March 13, 2011
Senior Class
Contest Day 1
Preliminary
Turn Area Task
Min Distance
92.15
Distance
140.09
Max Distance
190.42
Min Time
02:30
Task Open Time
13:52
Turnpoints
#
ID
Name
Radius
Start
51
Start A
5.0
-
37
Wines
10.0
-
34
Wauchulla
20.0
Finish
61
FINISH
1.0
Code
Description
MT
Flight time less than minimum time.
MD
Flight less than minimum distance of 40 Miles
AB
25pt Airfield Bonus.
NVS
Did not make a valid start.
F
No flight log.
Score Calculation Parameters
STD ... ∞
Weather Forecast, Sunday, 13 Mar 2011
The weather looks like a repeat of yesterday. Blue, light winds aloft and lift to 3000 feet.
Brief Forecast from www.wunderground.com
Today
Sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. East winds around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Tonight
Clear. Lows in the upper 40s. East winds around 5 mph in the evening becoming light.
Hourly Forecast ... ∞
711 Blog-Saturday at the Seniors
From 711's Sailplane Racing News and Views...
Now the practice day report...
Well, here we are. Ray's weather was very close to being right on. Weak thermals to 3,000 msl. I check the soundings and see the same thing.
KS and I rig next to each other and after the pilots meeting, we ... ∞
Scores – Saturday, March 12, 2011 (Preliminary)
Frank Paynter reports:
At the end of the day, Dick Butler won the day with a blazing 52 raw / 45mph handicapped – actually a great flight for such a weak day. Steve Arndt also had a great flight in his Silent 2, with the handicap working the other way ... ∞
The 2011 Seniors practice day is in the bag here at Seminole Gliderport. It was very cold last night, and there was patchy frost on the ground when I got up this morning to run (if you can call my pace 'running'). This year our morning meeting was in the ... ∞
Seniors Practice Day – Promising
Today is the practice day for the Seniors National Championship and we just launched 41 gliders in 56 minutes using 4 Pawnees. Everything went smoothly and safely thanks to the A team here (staff, tow pilots, neighbors) - THANK YOU ALL.
Andreea
∞
Frank Paynter has the SPOT Tracking setup. You will find it on out menu above labeled, "SPOT Tracking". Check it out here. ∞
Weather, Saturday, 12 Mar 2011
Today's weather is looking okay for the Practice Day at the Seniors. It will be blue with thermal tops around 5,000'. Lift may average 3 knots. Below is a brief forecast outlook, surface analysis chart, the NAM-based forecast model sounding, and the top of lift forecast from XC Skies. Finally, ... ∞
711 Reporting, Friday at the Seniors
[caption id="attachment_278" align="alignright" width="300" caption="DB and Sarah"][/caption]
711's latest blog post ...
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Butler, with their ASG 29. Dick will be flying the 2011 Seniors in the 18 Meter version. Today, he headed down to the South, first turning Chalet Suzanne. Then heading North to Montgomery. Dick reported 2.2 ... ∞
711 Blog Report for the Seniors
Tom Kelley, 711, has arrived and started reporting. Here is an early photo of ships arriving.
[singlepic id=19 w=450 h=300 float=center]
Tom reports:
Wednesday evening and everyone is back in the box or tied down and covered. Day was reported as maybe 3500 msl alitudes and 2-3 kts lift. Seems most headed South ... ∞
