I am a little worried...

[Steve_JR]

I am thinking of getting back into R/C but in a different way. I have been out of flying for about 4 years but I used to fly helicopters and planes all the time. I got pretty good with both but starting off brand new with everything I am considering doing sailplanes. As far as the full scale stuff is concerned I love to fly in them but I don't know if I want to sit on the ground and fly them. I am young and am afraid I will get too bored. Now I know this is kind of an impossible question to ask but do you guys find that flying sailplanes is more fun than flying helis or planes? I don't have the money to just do all of them again and with $$$ being an issue I love the idea of not having to buy fuel and just cruising around in the sky. Just I am afraid that I will get bored very quickly. Now I know you are probably saying "just try someone elses out for a couple tries" but I tend to get excited about stuff then a month or two later lose interest... kinda sucks. I love composites and having all carbon airframes is probably the coolest thing ever and I am thinking of doing F3J related flying. Do you guys find long term enjoyment from sailplane flying over other powered types of aircraft?

[Ollie]

About 90 to 95% of R/C powered flyers carry their fuel or electric energy that makes them over come unseen air and gravity. The power flier's attitude in the unseen air is against the problem but the difference in soaring flight means the flyer must find and use the energy in the unseen air such as thermals, wind shear (DS) or slope lift. Every soaring flight means flier must use the unseen air energy.

Here a story about a flyer's attitude to unseen air:
"TK was dragged out to a power field on a Sunday morning to see an old
friends immaculate 1/3 scale Piper Cub that he had just finished over the
winter fly for the first time. Well, after they got the motor and
everything straightened out on the ground, he asks TK to take the first
flight, "just in case". He wasn't expecting to do the test flying as it
was a big power club and there were lots of "experts" in attendance, but he
didn't want to see his friend break his model either so he agreed to take
the first flight. So here is a senior guy, a brand new 1/3 scale Piper
Cub, a glider guy to do the test flying, and the club "experts" have now
broken away from running gas thru their engines on the ground to checking
this out like a bunch of vultures.

"TK taxis the Cub out, takes off, trims it out, starts backing off the
throttle a bit and the engine sputters and quits. Next thing he knows guys
are screaming up and down the flight line, "DEAD STICK - - DEAD
STICK." He's like thinking to himself, no big deal, got flying speed, got
altitude and over the field, why are these guys screaming... so he goes to
set up an approach and the wing gives a bobble. He sets the Cub in a
thermal turn and spends the next 10 minutes specking it out. Brings it
back down, sets up a nice approach on their paved strip, and rolls it out
to his feet... and yells DEAD STICK."

[Ollie]

Steve said,"Just I am afraid that I will get bored very quickly."

Join the LSF.
http://www.silentflight.org/
You need a goal which improves your flying skills. It will challenge your flying skills for a long time in the future. Perhaps it will impove your character beyond just fun.

[Steve_JR]

Thanks ollie I really liked that, checking out the website now. -Steve

[Andy W]

Do you guys find long term enjoyment from sailplane flying over other powered types of aircraft?

Yes, MUCH more than over other types.. it's always a challenge. I fly only electric-powered sailplanes (did have an HLG but just electrified it).. launch into any part of the sky, sit back, and enjoy..
..a

[Ollie]

Steve,
Please read about a master R/C sailplane flyer, Joe Wurts:
http://www.charlesriverrc.org/articles/flying/joewurts_xcattempt.htm

[Charged]

Participate in competitions .F3J is very exciting and interesting and it puts your skills to the test .You'll see that its very hard to be the first .

[may fly]

I've built all kinds of models since I was a child and that was over 50 yrs ago. Gliders are what I always come back to, A1, A2, RES, full- house, even little hand launch free flight gliders and full size gliders too. With gliders every flight is a challange and every flight is a little different and every flight has the potental to be a great flight that you will remember forever. There is something magic about soaring. You can keep it simple or get as deeply involved in high-tech aerodynamics, construction and meterology as you like. There is always something new to learn. If you like airplanes and flying, you won't get bored with gliders.
Bill

[schrederman]

As one who flys both, R/C sailplanes, and real ones, I can tell you that both are difficult to fly WELL. I have both distance diamonds and I'm not really interested in the altitude task, but contests are too expensive in full scale. In R/C soaring, the difficulty comes in reading the air, and what the glider's doing in it, standing on the ground. I actually think flying an R/C sailplane WELL is more difficult than flying my real one, WELL. R/C contests aren't 2 weeks of travel, spending, and driving, as the real soaring contests are. I find that I enjoy the R/C as much or more than flying the real thing.

Just my take on it.

Jack Womack

[kablair]

I never get tired of trying to make an unpowered, heavier-than-air, craft spiral upwards against gravity!

At a contest this weekend, I had a poor launch and was ~40' off the ground in 2 minutes when the plane seemed to 'bump' in the just the right way. After what felt like a million circles, knowing that a single misstep would have me back on the ground, it was up over 500' and I had a 9:50ish flight. Didn't get the landing, but catching that thermal just above ground level and riding it up was incredible fun!

-Keith

[ShredAir]

Steve, check out what some of your FL cohorts are up to: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=694353
They seem to be a fun bunch; might be worth it to hook up with them.

Dieter Mahlein, ShredAir

[Ollie]

See:
http://www.soar-fss.org/
The best club near Gainesville, FL are the OWLS.
http://www.onewinglowsquadron.org/
Ken Goodwin
352-528-3744
kennyw45670@earthlink.net

[Steve_JR]

oh man guys I dunno it is really coming down to getting a heli again or sailplane. I love the simplicity of sailplanes and the links and info you guys have been giving is great. I am driving myself nuts right now. I am so indecisive. I am now a member of the Ocala flying model club. I will check out the other clubs maybe. -Steve

[lincoln]

Just to make it worse for you, if you're a helicopter guy, you may have heard of Larry Jolly. Well, he can't make up his mind either and is also well known in the soaring world. (Ok, it's possible that at some point since I last heard he might have made a decision. But I bet not.)

It's all a matter of taste. If you get impatient, though, you may have a problem. It takes a long while to get really good. Going to contests might supply short term goals and a bit of excitement.

[emersunn]

It is more like fishing or hunting than flying most of the time. Plus the soaring pilots are always a great bunch of guys to hang out with.

[davidjensen]

I flew heli's for 8 years and power planks for 7 years before that. I too thought thermal flying would be boring. It's relaxing! Many times I would finish a heli flight and my hands would be shaking and my sphinkter would be tight. It's a rush like no other RC disipline has. But after 8 years of crashing and forking out $$$$$ for bling and blades I bailed out and went to slope soaring and now TD.

[Accu157]

Some people stopped flying powered R/C to fly sailplanes, because powered planes eventually became boring to them (Not to me... but to some I have spoken to).

[S_Dave]

Hello, Ollie,
I'm getting back into RC after 15yrs off (work, raising kids, etc.) and my first plane is a beat up old GP "Spirit" that I picked up at a ham fest flea market. I got it ready, bought a high start and took it to the local field. You were right--that was so relaxing. I've flown the old plane a lot in the last months. Last weekend, I took it out and was up for 17 minutes--thought it would never come down! So I got out some old magazines and read about LSF and sent off my application.

Here's a question for you: Was LSF always associated with AMA (that's where they said to mail my application), or is this something new?

Thanks for the good info you guys are all sharing on this thread.
Best regards,

Dave

[Ollie]

I was an member of SOAR club from 1969 to 1974. Please read:
http://skybench.com/
Use the articles:
Articles on Soaring History
and
Articles by Chuck Anderson - Soaring History

[S_Dave]

Ollie,

Thanks for that link to the very enlightening history lesson. That is very interesting reading, although it leaves you with an empty, melancholy feeling. In the age of "me" I wonder what the secret is to increasing volunteerism... Charismatic leaders are hard to find. His comment about fliers being willing to spend $$$ for equipment but balk at supporting ass'ns is probably right.

What's the answer?

Dave

[regis]

From the LSF web site (http://www.silentflight.org/)
The LSF Story: http://www.silentflight.org/History/lsfstory.pdf

From ‘66 to ‘71 - just as LSF evolved - I was stationed at Travis AFB As a member than of the North Bay Soaring Society (NBSS), it was my privileged to know some of the founders of LSF like Sam Crawford and Bob Wakerly (in ’70 I was proficient on R&E). BTW, I think there may have been some SBSS guys involved too. :D A transfer overseas (Okinawa), kids through college, finally retirement and I had to started all over with computer radios (necessary for camber, comp, butterfly, launch, speed … etc, etc). :) Regis

[onemetre]

As a heli pilot myself, I can attest to the fun of flying these beautiful craft. My advice to you... go with your instincts. It's a matter of what you want.

Rob

[Ollie]

"In the age of "me" I wonder what the secret is to increasing volunteerism... Charismatic leaders are hard to find. His comment about fliers being willing to spend $$$ for equipment but balk at supporting ass'ns is probably right.

What's the answer?"

In my point of view, the short answer is: Love of sailplane hobby-sport and leadership.

You need a group of people which love flying and a charismatic leader that has of special talent.

An ideal group has many kinds of doctor, teacher, engineer, lawyer, accountant, saleman, craftman, workman, businessman, writer, homemaker, toolmaker, athlete, policeman, etc. The leader encourages the many talents into a effective "club" to the agreed purpose. A good club member needs some unselfish personality trait. The charismatic leader needs a hugh, generous and unselfish personality and understands many other talents.

[mdennis]

For what it's worth. MHO

If dollars are a problem, sailplanes are cheaper. Especially after a crash. Dang little piecy parts for helicopters are expensive.

I fly sailplanes, (not well), and have flown helicopters. The type of attention it takes and the pressure you feel to fly a heli is different than flying sailplanes. Heli's are frantic, close in, attention to detail, with lots of noise and whirling parts. You take your attention off of it for a second and your done flying until you repair it. You get done flying one and you breath a sigh of relief that it's back on the ground with all the parts still in the same place they started. Sailplanes are quiet, and smooth, but the closer you are to the ground the higher the pressure builds inside you to stay in the air. In some air it's a slow pressure cooker in other air it's relaxing. If you get bored just bring it down to a few hundred feet or less and try to speck it out again. You can take your eyes off of it for a second, depending on altitude and your eyesight, sometimes you need to take your eyes off of it to look around for the next place to go. At the same time, you need to pay very close attention to your plane for changes in the way it is flying, for things that happened that you did not do, because how well you read your plane determines how long you fly. When you land the next thing you want to do is fly it again.


By the way, I have been flying RC since the 70's and always thought there was no challenge to flying sailplanes. I have been flying gliders for three or four years now. It seems the guys I fly with come down when they want to, I still seem to be setting up my landing about the time I come off the hook. I'm still learning.

[Ollie]

Dennis,
Your attitude to unseen air movement (good vs. bad) needs two kinds of flying. The heli flyer fight the gust (unseen air movement) but the sailplane flyer uses the friendly unseen air movement (up lift).

[rdwoebke]

What's the answer?



Dave,

There is not just one answer, but many. Chuck's article is quite a good one and I have been fortunate to have flown with Chuck and timed for Chuck on at least half a dozen occasions.

I'm not sure what to do about worker burn out. I do know the guys that run the Nats do so year after year. It is sort of a thankless job but I always try to thank them and always try to put in a good word as a "shout out". Here is my "shout out" from last year:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=549737&

Ryan

[Ollie]

Dennis,
Study the unseen air movement before launching the sailplane. Study the clues of air movement for about two minutes to 30 minutes before finding the thermal position, direction and strength. Clues:
1. Changing air from cool to warm to back.
2. Wind direction and strength from normal to other and back to normal.
3. Circling soaring birds in a thermal.
4. Dust devils and/or picking up leaves and plastic bags.
5. A bunch of starting small birds who are feeding on small bugs.
6. Fly a light, long mylar tape from a high pole.

[sekollera]

A good analogy would be sailing versus powerboating: anyone can drive a powerboat. But it takes training and an extended skillset to to keep sailboat upright, moving, and wining races. The same goes for sailplanes - you will call on a variety of skills besides the ability to take off, fly, and land in order to fly sucessfully. It is as chess is to checkers and you are always learning.

Almost all full-scale sailplane guys keep a model nearby. That outght to tell you something. Both offer a lot to someone factinated by efficient flight.

I recently met an experienced base jumper flying thermal with a small high-start. I cannot explain what he sees in thermal flying, but he is hooked.

The other things I like about sailplanes is the tremendous variety out there and that some of the today's greatest minds in aviation are involved and always pushing the limits.

Ask yourself what you like about flying in a sailplane: Is it the simple ride factor? Or are you facinated by how it stays aloft in currents of rising air. If the latter, you will enjoy the model versions wholly.

Good luck,
Adam

[Steve_JR]

Well let me put it this way, I love flying in sailplanes (full scale) and I love sailing (boats). I have been looking more and more into helis again but guess what? I think I am going to just get a sailplane and have fun. The only thing that pisses me off is how the 2.4ghz reacts to carbon fiber. I read that one huge thread about it here... seems I will try and stick with 72mhz for a while. -Steve

[cwayland]

One thing you cant forget, Powered planes will never give you that sweet hollow molded howl as they fly low high speed passes. That makes it all worth it.

The fun of sailplanes is the inconsistency. You never know how the conditions will be and your always looking for that Amazing Flight. Like with slope soaring, you're always looking for perfect hill, with perfect wind, and a perfect LZ. Then when the wind really starts ripping you can Ballast it up and run it till it blows up. Boring? Nahhhhh.

Clint

[S_Dave]

The mail brought a letter from LSF with a Level I Accomplishment Voucher. I've been watching for it, and returning from a week-long trip, spotted that LSF logo on the envelope in the pile of bills and credit card offers. Ah ha!

Reading what you gentlemen have written about LSF and volunteerism being vital, I immediately noticed that the address was handwritten. Meaning, someone had to take time out from his/her flying time to send this to me. Got me thinking....

Also, noticed on the LSF website, that my state of Georgia doesn't have a LSF coordinator listed. You guys got me thinking. Even though our club doesn't have a sailplane group and I'm just a beginner, I'm going to inquire as to whether I can make SOME kind of contribution, maybe just to take a little load off somebody somewhere. This probably veered way off topic, but I just wanted to report how your influence helped me think about things. Hope to have more good news later.

Hope y'all have a good weekend!

Dave
new LSF Aspirant :)

[bobby legue]

Right on Dave!!! If we all give a little, this sport will grow and grow.
My hat is off to you sir,
Bob

[Rusty Joe]

The LSF was a separate organization up until just a few years ago. The AMA was finding it increasingly dificult to find people to run the soaring events at the Nats. LSF stepped in to fill that need. Subsequently, the two have merged for all practical purposes.Hello, Ollie,
I'm getting back into RC after 15yrs off (work, raising kids, etc.) and my first plane is a beat up old GP "Spirit" that I picked up at a ham fest flea market. I got it ready, bought a high start and took it to the local field. You were right--that was so relaxing. I've flown the old plane a lot in the last months. Last weekend, I took it out and was up for 17 minutes--thought it would never come down! So I got out some old magazines and read about LSF and sent off my application.

Here's a question for you: Was LSF always associated with AMA (that's where they said to mail my application), or is this something new?

Thanks for the good info you guys are all sharing on this thread.
Best regards,

Dave

[kakao]

Some people stopped flying powered R/C to fly sailplanes, because powered planes eventually became boring to them (Not to me... but to some I have spoken to).

I'm definitly one of them. I've started to fly hand launch gliders first, then had 2 motor planes-they seemd to me less funn because you do not have to play with the air like in slope soaring. Later i flown my delta wing with motor on the slope but than i realized that the motor is just balast.

Now im the "just slope soaring guy" - have an electric nose on one glider but just using it in danger situations when you need to gain some extra height as im not so familiar with the glider as i would like to be.

But i fly only for 2 years now..

[steelhead]

Steve- What did you end up doing?

I have flown most everything RC except turbine power.

I currently have electrics and gas powered planes and helis. Most of the time they sit in my shop until someone I know says- hey- and wants to see one fly. Other than that, they rarely see airtime. The sailplanes on the other hand.... :)

If you like working on motors and engines and replacing broken parts and having a high pucker factor while you are enjoying your hobby, Helis are very fun. Thats why I keep one around and fly it a couple of times a year.

If you like to fly and not get messy goo on your hands and pants (and the ground) then try a sailplane. They are less expensive than helis and offer more airtime.

Buy both. The same radio will fly both (most of the time) and a ARF 2 meter sailplane isnt as expensive as one or two good heli crashes. That way you have soemthing to fly while your waiting for the parts for your heli to come inthe mail :)

Also- if your into small electrics- that Blade CX2 gets my vote. Im amazed... and probably getting one.

I have two "powered" stories to share-

Maybe 10 years ago, at a sailplane club contest, a friend of mine who had never flown anything with prop was offered to fly a .15 nitro rc combat plane made out of a foamie slope combat plane called the FLOYD. He seemed excited to try it, since he had been introduced with and only ever flown sailplanes. After spending 10 minutes zipping around the sky, rolling, looping and stalling and otherwise ripping it up, the engine quit and he brought it to the ground. When asked if he wanted another tank of fuel, he said no.

Several of us were gathered around watching and we all asked him what he thought. He said it was a lot like flying a slope sailplane, only when you wanted more lift, you pointed the nose up and moved the "flap lever" and you could climb for the whole 10 mintues. He said it was too noisy and the transmitter had a slippery feeling. He said it didnt seem like anything he'd like to get into.

The other story I'll share happened yesterday. I met a fellow in a store who was picking up something for his RC heli. I started talking with him and then we got into a 15 minute conversation about rc cars, helis and a friend of his who had a powered plane. I started asking him if he'd ever flown sailplanes and he said "What? A Glider?"

I said sure- a glider. He said no and that he had seen them in Tower Hobbies, but wasnt sure how they could be any fun. He didnt know how you got a glider in the air. So I said I had a sailplane in my car and there was a field at the end of the street and if he wanted to see a sailpalne fly. He agreed.

I pulled out my 30 inch SAL "glider" threw it to about 60 feet and proceded to search for lift. None on the first flight. By the middle of the second flight he was amazed at how easy it was to get the plane that high and was in awe by its ability to just float around when I caught a thermal that wasnt big enough to gain altitude, but was strong enough to provide zero sink. I came out of it and did a hand catch and watched his face as his cigarette fell out of his mouth and asked how I got the plane to not fall. I said watch this as I launched again and did some loops and other wierd things you can do with 2 servos and ended with a handcatch.

The conversation quickly changed to "how much does it cost?" and "I never even thought that sailplanes could be fun- that was awesome!" and "What other types of sailplanes are there?" And ended up talking for another 10 minutes while I flew and otherwise enjoyed the overcast and bordering on foggy afternoon.

When I told him that I fly 15 foot sailpanes on a racecourse against other teams on a 70 mile long course all while being driven around in the back of a pickup truck, he just about had a mind blowout. http://www.xcsoaring.com/


I've never been bored with sailplanes, and I started flying them when I was 12 in the 80's. I feel that sailplanes expand your mind while your having fun, and helis give me a quick fix. But it's a fun quick fix :)

Dean

[bobthenuke]

Just to make it worse for you, if you're a helicopter guy, you may have heard of Larry Jolly. Well, he can't make up his mind either and is also well known in the soaring world. (Ok, it's possible that at some point since I last heard he might have made a decision. But I bet not.)

It's all a matter of taste. If you get impatient, though, you may have a problem. It takes a long while to get really good. Going to contests might supply short term goals and a bit of excitement.


From what I've read in the past couple of days, he's still quite involved in gliders...check out the Nats results. ;)

Having flown full size and model gliders, and having been involved in modeling of flying machines of various types for over 50 years, I keep coming back to gliders/sailplanes as the more "elegant" and rewarding (at least to me) flying style, for lack of a better term. This is meant as no offense to anyone who prefers other means of flying, but is my opinion. As stated by Jack (Schrederman), there may be even more of a challenge to RC glider flying as opposed to the full size.

It's incredibly rewarding to be setting up a landing and then catching and working some lift to go right back up again or to just toss a hand launched glider into the air and spend 10 minutes or an hour chasing lift before it finally lands.

...bob

PS, loved your story, Ollie. :)

[Jim Bacus]

About 90 to 95% of R/C powered flyers carry their fuel or electric energy that makes them over come unseen air and gravity. The power flier's attitude in the unseen air is against the problem but the difference in soaring flight means the flyer must find and use the energy in the unseen air such as thermals, wind shear (DS) or slope lift. Every soaring flight means flier must use the unseen air energy.

Here a story about a flyer's attitude to unseen air:
"TK was dragged out to a power field on a Sunday morning to see an old
friends immaculate 1/3 scale Piper Cub that he had just finished over the
winter fly for the first time. Well, after they got the motor and
everything straightened out on the ground, he asks TK to take the first
flight, "just in case". He wasn't expecting to do the test flying as it
was a big power club and there were lots of "experts" in attendance, but he
didn't want to see his friend break his model either so he agreed to take
the first flight. So here is a senior guy, a brand new 1/3 scale Piper
Cub, a glider guy to do the test flying, and the club "experts" have now
broken away from running gas thru their engines on the ground to checking
this out like a bunch of vultures.

"TK taxis the Cub out, takes off, trims it out, starts backing off the
throttle a bit and the engine sputters and quits. Next thing he knows guys
are screaming up and down the flight line, "DEAD STICK - - DEAD
STICK." He's like thinking to himself, no big deal, got flying speed, got
altitude and over the field, why are these guys screaming... so he goes to
set up an approach and the wing gives a bobble. He sets the Cub in a
thermal turn and spends the next 10 minutes specking it out. Brings it
back down, sets up a nice approach on their paved strip, and rolls it out
to his feet... and yells DEAD STICK."

I remember writing that story about my friend Tom Kallevang (TK) on RCSE

[Ollie]

I copied your story, Jim. I liked your story. I knew Tom Kallevang when he was a teenager. I guessed the "senior guy" was Carson. Was I right?

[jtlsf5]

The LSF was a separate organization up until just a few years ago. The AMA was finding it increasingly dificult to find people to run the soaring events at the Nats. LSF stepped in to fill that need. Subsequently, the two have merged for all practical purposes.

This is not correct. LSF is a separate organization from AMA and always has been. For years AMA ran a separate Nats event under the direction of the NSS (the designated SIG for soaring) while LSF was running its own soaring Nats. Finally in 1993 AMA's soaring attendance was so dismal coupled with NSS membership/particpation waning that AMA asked LSF to step in and take over as the SIG in charge of the NATS. From that time on the LSF/AMA Nats were the one Nats event. This is how it continues today.

LSF continues to be a separate entity and will likely always be.

Jim Thomas, LSF 5-68, 20 year soaring Nats volunteer and particpant

[jtlsf5]

I remember writing that story about my friend Tom Kallevang (TK) on RCSE

A number of years ago while I was still living in Washington state, I went with a couple of friends to their local power field. One friend was still a bit new to RC and took his 1/5 Cub off, got it high, then the motor crapped out. He immediately yelled dead stick and without asking, handed me the TX. I burned off the altitude, landed the plane and rolled it up to his feet, doing a 1/4 turn on the ground to park it 2' from him.

Yeah, soaring makes you a better all around pilot. Not to be brash, but anyone can hang a plane on a prop until the fuel runs out. Once the tank is empty soaring pilots have it all over wet fliers, we land dead stick every flight!

JT

[Jim Bacus]

I copied your story, Jim. I liked your story. I knew Tom Kallevang when he was a teenager. I guessed the "senior guy" was Carson. Was I right?

If my memory serves you are correct, sir!

[ChuckA]

This is not correct. LSF is a separate organization from AMA and always has been. For years AMA ran a separate Nats event under the direction of the NSS (the designated SIG for soaring) while LSF was running its own soaring Nats. Finally in 1993 AMA's soaring attendance was so dismal coupled with NSS membership/particpation waning that AMA asked LSF to step in and take over as the SIG in charge of the NATS. From that time on the LSF/AMA Nats were the one Nats event. This is how it continues today.

LSF continues to be a separate entity and will likely always be.

Jim Thomas, LSF 5-68, 20 year soaring Nats volunteer and particpant

1993 Nats Soaring entries were so low because LSF scheduled their tournament two weeks later at the same location. Some years, I couldn't get off work to fly in the Nats but that year I had finished one test program and had not received funding approval for the next so I was able to attend both. Many were not so lucky. With only about 30 to 40 entries, the contest was much more manageable and one of the most enjoyable Nats I have attended.

[nuevo]

The mail brought a letter from LSF with a Level I Accomplishment Voucher.Congrats on starting a fun and satisfying journey.

Even though our club doesn't have a sailplane group and I'm just a beginnerJust so you know, there is a very active sailplane in Atlanta. Take a visit to http://www.atlantasoaring.org, and then drop by their field. They fly in Duluth... and a great bunch of guys.

[jtlsf5]

1993 Nats Soaring entries were so low because LSF scheduled their tournament two weeks later at the same location. Some years, I couldn't get off work to fly in the Nats but that year I had finished one test program and had not received funding approval for the next so I was able to attend both. Many were not so lucky. With only about 30 to 40 entries, the contest was much more manageable and one of the most enjoyable Nats I have attended.

Wasn't the 93 AMA Nats at Amarillo? Typically, AMA had their event after the LSF event, which also added to the low turnout. I still think it was an organizational problem, as LSF was always well attended.
Jim