Radio Control: Soaring
Dan Pruss
In case you were wondering what might be going on this summer, or in some cases whether there will even be one, let the records show the soaring fraternity is optimistic. If you are interested in contests either as a competitor or as a spectator, take a look at the following calendar.
Contest Calendar
- June 16–17 — NSS contest for all districts
- July 4–8 — F3B World Championships, Belgium
- July 14–16 — Canadian Nationals
- July 21 — Great Race IV (S.O.A.R.)
- July 22–23 — LSF Last Chance contest
- July 23–27 — LSF International Tournament
- July 29–August 5 — AMA Nationals
NSS
Stan Pfost, president of the National Soaring Society, announced a nationwide event to be held June 16–17. Coordinator for the event is Dick Crowley, and coordinators for the respective AMA districts will be the NSS vice-presidents.
The scheduled task will be the AMA "Three Flights for Fifteen," and the entry fee is $15.00 for the two days. Non-NSS members who enter will also receive an NSS membership and a copy of Sailplane.
No Sailplane-class distinction has yet been announced. For further information contact your regional NSS vice-president or:
- Dick Crowley
16413 E. Stanford Place Aurora, CO 80015
F3B World Championships
The second World Championships for RC sailplanes are scheduled this summer at an airfield near Brussels. The first Championships were held in 1977 in Pretoria, South Africa. With airfares to Europe now more competitive and reasonable, you might want to give this event some thought.
You can show support for the U.S. team by displaying the event logo. As with events such as the Olympics, the U.S. teams depend on public support. While some other countries receive state support, that is not the case in the U.S.—and that's not a complaint.
For easing the financial burden, fund-raising chairman Lee Renaud will send a decal and a sew-on patch for each $5.00 donation to:
- FAI RC Soaring Team Fund
P.O. Box 4319 Irvine, CA 92716
Your support helped achieve an impressive victory two years ago. The team of Steve Work, Terry Koplan, and repeat team member Skip Miller needs your support.
Canadian Nationals
This three-day event will be held at Huron Park, about 20 miles north of London, Ontario. Contest Director Bud Wallace announced that Unlimited, Standard, and Two-Meter classes will be flown. Winches will be provided only for Open and Standard classes, and hi-starts for the Two-Meter class. Stand-Off Scale will also be scheduled; either launching device will be provided and permitted in this event.
On-campus housing is being planned and camping is available for $15. For further information contact:
- Bud Wallace
1060 Eastmount Ave. Mississauga, Ontario L5E 1Z3 Canada
LSF International Tournament
Overview
This tournament is part of a two-year program that began last August. Qualifiers from the 12 regionals have already been notified. If you missed one of last year's events or were only a "bridesmaid," you will have another chance at the top.
On Sunday and Monday, July 22–23, the Last Chance contest will be held. This two-day contest will be flown under the same rules as the 1978 Regional Tournament. Ten qualifiers will then compete in the Tournament. For further information contact:
- Warren Tiahrt, LSF Secretary
7647 Twilight Court Clarkston, MI 48016
Tournament tasks and rules
- Tasks: six-minute duration and a four-lap cross-wind speed/distance event.
- The previously announced no-repeat/no-landing coupled with the speed/distance task will not be used.
- Time for the speed/distance task begins at the moment of low release.
- Two-hundred-meter tow lines — tied off at the winch drums — will be used for all tasks.
- Four rounds (eight tasks) will be scheduled; all scores count.
A banquet, in the best tradition of past S.O.A.R. Nats, is scheduled for Thursday, July 26. Friday will be the contest rain date.
Frequencies
An important note from the LSF Secretary: the biggest obstacle in staging large contests has been frequencies — or lack of them. The saturation point was reached in 1976 at the last S.O.A.R. Nats when 206 pre-registrations were logged; at that time about 20% of fliers still used 27 MHz. With 27 MHz now all but impractical for RC sailplane use, contestants are requested to be prepared to use any and all available frequencies so that all qualified fliers can participate. This is especially directed to fliers in the Last Chance contest.
Site and local arrangements
S.O.A.R. has been given the reins to host the Tournament and has assured the League's front office that the contest will be conducted with the same degree of attention and dedication as past S.O.A.R. Nats. The site is Lewis University — the same site and facilities as for the old S.O.A.R. Nats — now with a Romeoville, Illinois address. So it's Lewis/Romeoville instead of Lewis/Lockport: same site, new address.
Great Race IV
Great Race IV, also announced by S.O.A.R., is scheduled for Saturday, July 21 — the day before the LSF activities. Major points:
- The course remains the same 76-kilometer countryside course established in 1976.
- There will be no relaunching on the course. However, a team may launch as many times as it chooses from the launch site and then travel as far as it can on the 76 km course.
- Longest distance wins; in case of a tie, best time wins.
- Specialized chase vehicles and launching equipment will not be required by individual teams. Launching equipment and timers will be provided by S.O.A.R.
The course area has produced dozens of two-hour flights, many three-hour flights, and one four-hour, 32-minute flight. Cross-country flights have reached up to 32 miles. While the planning committee regards the chances of completing the full circuit from a single launch as slim, the course has been flown in well under three hours. Tune up your favorite ship and prepare for Great Race IV — it should be much less work than in the past.
For further information contact:
- Neil Liptak, CD
325 O'Neil St. Joliet, IL 60436
AMA Nationals
This year the AMA Nationals will be in Lincoln, Nebraska. The site has been labeled excellent, so keep the wagon packed and circle the calendar for this one. The geography suggests this event could attract the largest soaring turnout ever at an AMA Nationals.
Attend them all and you could qualify for "Gypsy of the Year."
Dan Pruss Rt. 2, Box 490 Plainfield, IL 60544
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
