Post-briefing 31 July and sniffing explained

Today, Nick (ST) is flying.  Jerzy has taken the day to do detail work on the glider, and Dave (F1) is on a rest day.

15m task is 545.9 km, racing task (i.e., no large turn areas); the task setters are "setting short tasks to allow pilots to conserve energy before the contest)"!  First south, then a short leg to the west, north, then to directly east of Uvalde, and return. 

Start altitude is 10,000'.  Trigger temp is 94F, max 102F at 1730L.
At launch, they expect 2-3 kts; 14-1600 local, 3-5 kts, 1600-1800 5-7 kts.

Grid time is 1240, no launch before 1310.  Sniffer at 1230ish.  I see the Arcus rigging just outside the tent at 1130.

18m task is racing, 548.7 km, open class 593.8 km racing.

Here's the promised picture of our new antenna system:

 Also, in our mailbox this morning, we got a business card that you don't see everyday in Canada! Nice to see they have their priorities straight!

Sniffing - what the heck is that?

I wrote down the exchanges on the radio yesterday between the Arcus (high performance two-place glider) and Contest Director.  There were wispy tendrils of cloud not worthy of the name cumulus that were briefly appearing on the southern horizon.

1231  Launch from the front of 15 million bucks (might be 20 or 25) of highly polished glass
1236  Towplane to sniffer, still on tow - "not strong"
1237 "Good hunting" (sniffer releases)
1239 "Climbing thru 3900'; 1/2 to 1 kt"
1241 "3700' moving to racetrack" (the racetrack is a feature to the north of the airfield).
1242 CD to grid "1st launch remains 1300"
1245 "4500' 2.5 kt net climb"
         CD - "will stay with 1300 1st launch"
1246  "98 (sniffer) signing off"

The goal is to get the fleet into the air as soon as lift supports nearly a hundred gliders safely.  Brief, information filled exchanges.

 First launch was within 10 seconds of 1300 - just like yesterday.

Just thought you might be interested!

I watched the sniffer flying on ST's PowerFLARM screen back at the tie-down area - you could watch him move from thermal to thermal, and see his instantaneous climb rate, from several miles away.  I can't wait to install mine (technology can be a substitute for talent).  Collision avoidance and transponder warning - just other benefits.


Dan