[LASS Soaring] "Waaaa! I got a zero landing and forgot my SuperAVA Rudder! SWC Update!"

[GordySoar at aol.com]

We started off the day with the pilots meeting as usual, and as usual, I  was 
in trouble without having even said antything!
 
"For those of you wondering who got chosen for the first launch of the  
contest...GordySoar!"
 
Of course that's when I realized that I had forgotten to pack my Super AVA  
rudder!  Barry Kennedy stepped up and let me use his AVA (set up by John  
Luetke of HKM USA, Sharon fame...perfectly!).
 
ALL eyes were on me and I found out very dramatically that the SWC winches  
are maybe the most powerful I have ever experienced.  Coupled with really  
short lines, the AVA was ripped from my hand and was rocketing up (the perfect  
word!) the line.  The ping was fantastic and I would say that I had likely  more 
than 100' altitude on every plane that launched with me, which included  some 
moldie unlimiteds!!
 
That made the shake out round pretty simple, 4mins, the AVA was a spec at  
less than 1min, with out ever turning. It just went up the escalator the whole  
way out.  For not being my plane or radio, I still  managed a nice 10  point 
landing. Landing spots are shaped like a home ladder, with 7 boxes about  16" 
square (?), 5,10,15, with the middle box a 25, but a hand sized spot in the  
middle of that for 35. (I chose not to hit that spot all day, in order to keep  
that orange paint off my models).
 
I doubt you'll find anyone who feels these aren't the strongest winches  
around, couple with short lines, there is NO, ZERO, NONE stretch, so I wasn't  the 
only one surprised by the first tap to tension ripping the ships into the  
air.  Having said that nothing folded because of that or their  strength.  There 
were one or two hand strikes that took off tails and maybe  one woodie that 
ended in dust, but all in all, fun stuff.
 
After two flights with Barry's AVA I decided to bail out of RES because it  
was too much screwing around for Barry and me.  That left Unlimited to  focus 
on.
 
I brought the World's Heaviest Carbon Supra and the Sharon and did some  
practicing with both, but this morning just seemed to me to be Sharon weather  
(for me) so I flew her all day.
 
DP on the other hand hadn't flown his Supra prior to Friday, but he seems  to 
have it dialed in because I know for sure that he has at least one 35 notched 
 in his score card.  He is flying fantastic so will likely be there at the  
end!  He DOES love to win :-)
 
I was surprised at how 'friendly' this event is from every aspect.   The 
flight crews, CD, winch masters, scoring judges, everyone has been going out  of 
their way to insure a fun event for all.

Lines have been taking a beating, mostly retrieve lines because the  winches 
are ripping the retrieve lines off the spool so fast (I think), but not  a 
single competitor has complained, its that friendly of an event.
 
Don't have a timer for this round???  No problem, every free pilot is  right 
there ready to fill in.  (cept for the Soaring Junkie team, they are  too 
focus'd on winning  to chat :-)  Edgar is flying at a top level so  you can bet 
he'll be in there too. His Sharon has been always in good shape  altitude wize I 
think each round.
 
Skip Miller is in the zone with his Perfect and in fact the Colorado guys  
have chosen the Perfect to be there number one ship from what I saw at a  glance.
 
The F3J World Juniors of course are killing us as is expected and I think  
the world of them, all great young guys, all with a smile, all the time. (they  
remind me of my son!).
 
I don't want to leave anyone out of the spotlight, but there are so many of  
the fun and famous...but Darwin (AMA Soaring Columnist and CD) has been  
fantastic in every way.  We all kid him about his decisions but he has  really made 
this contest in to a fun and competitive event.
 
Mike Lee, Charlie Miller, Mike Versuh, Jim Monaco, Joe Nave, Barry Kennedy,  
George Joy, Mike Smith, Arthur, Paul Anderson, Merrill Brady, Daryl Perkins,  
check the pilots list and you will see great guys and great pilots who  
consistently attend and enjoy!
 
PLANES:  Perfects, Supras, Shadows, AVAs, Topaz, Sharons, Icons, Super  AVAs, 
Superiors.... A really nice looking ship is the new Shadow from Soaring  
USA...140" ship, looks gorgeous.  Haven't flown one but its pretty...I  guess sort 
of a Sharon or Perfect type ship.  AVAs, Supras, Sharons,  Perfects all 
popular because of their track records, all doing well and all  durable too.  The 
Supra is still Super, and the Perfect seems to be doing  it job for it's pilots 
(who every last one has nothing less than raves about  their experiences with 
it so far).  Likely it is the prettiest ship out on  the flight line, well 
maybe second compared to the Sharon.  But having said  that, I have seen some 
pretty darn gorgeous Supras with personalized color  schemes.  I saw one of the 
Team Futaba guys with one done up in their  orange and black colors and its 
nothing short of striking.
 
Skip is sporting the only all blue (sort of Volz blue) sailplaine I have  
ever seen, and what's crazy is you CAN see it...so much for needing green  :-)!
Some of the AVA recovers have turned out really sharp also.
 
Okay FOOD, tonight was the BBQ on the field.  Chicken and Beef  Brisquet 
(sp), with potatoes, and homemade biscuits baked in a thin layer of  butter, very 
light, not gooey!  And a really nice red Texas style  sauce....it may have 
been great but because everyone was soooo hungry, it seemed  like Ruth Chis!
 
Well I can barely see, my eyes are toasted from the sun and dust and wind,  
but it feels good.
 
Tomorrow is two rounds of normal flight times and the final flight of the  
addem-up.
 
The weather?  Its supposed to suck, just like the last two days :-)  Might 
even snow...in Wisconsin :-)
 
Gordy
zzzzzzzzzzz
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