THE DECEMBER BIG SKY INTERNATIONAL
LONGEST DURATION CONTEST FOR ALL ELECTRIC AND HAND LAUNCHED GLIDERS
THERMAL SOARING AND SLOPE SOARING
RULES AND INFO:
Contest will run from 12:01 am December1 to 11:59 PM December 31 Eastern US time.
The contest is for ALL electric or hand launched gliders or airplanes of all sizes, all materials and all controls. The contest is intended to help motivate you to develop your thermal and slope soaring skills.
The contest is open to all gliders, e-gliders and, if you like, e-airplanes too. If it glides, it qualifies.
In Thermal Duration, the contest is split into three classifications, 2-meter and under E Gliders, Open class E Gliders and Hand Launch Gliders.
You can post as many times as you like using as many planes as you like, but only one will be counted per pilot per category regardless of what kind of plane you are flying. You can replace a shorter time with a longer time any point during the contest. You can fly as many flights as you like.
Goal - longest duration thermal and slope flights without use of the motor.
THE PLANES:
* Any electric motor system or unpowered hand launch glider. (No winches or Hi-Starts).
* Any wing controls and any wing span
* Any construction
BIG SKY - ELECTRIC THERMAL SOARING
1) From a fresh hand or ground launch you can run the motor for up to 30 seconds, then you turn the motor off and you can not restart it. Reclimbs are not permitted. If you restart the motor the flight time is no good.
2) Motor time starts as soon as you apply throttle. This is an LMR, Limited Motor Run contest with a pretty long motor run allowed so that the motor run itself does not provide much advantage to anyone. Many will choose to shut off the motor in less than 30 seconds. No credit for shorter motor runs.
3) Soaring time starts when the motor goes off. Either you time the whole flight and subtract the motor run or you use two watches, one to time the motor run and one to time the flight. I have multiple timers on my radio so I can do this with my radio alone. How you do this is up to you.
4) You can time your own flight if you wish. You are on your honor. Time is truncated to the second. No fractions and no rounding. Read the seconds only.
5) Landing must be within 100 feet of the original launch location or the flight does not count. Landing must be on the ground/grass or pavement. Landing in a tree, bush, structure or other elevated spot that would not normally be a landing spot does not count. There are no other rules around the landing.
6) Time stops when the glider comes to a rest. So the clock keeps running if you clip a branch, or go to land and bounce back into the air. When the plane stops, time stops.
7) You can launch as many times as you like but each flight has to be from a fresh launch from the ground/hand. No reclimbs permitted.
8) Report your best time of the day by posting here. You can post as many times as you like, but only the best one will count. You can fly as many days as you like to work toward your best time. The goal is to achieve personal bests in the fun atmosphere of a contest.
BIG SKY - HAND LAUNCH THERMAL SOARING
1) Soaring time starts at release of the plane.
2) You can time your own flight if you wish. You are on your honor. Time is truncated to the second. No fractions and no rounding. Read the seconds only.
5) Landing must be within 100 feet of the original launch location or the flight does not count. Landing must be hand catch or on the ground/grass or pavement. Landing in a tree, bush, structure or other elevated spot that would not normally be a landing spot does not count. There are no other rules around the landing.
6) Time stops when the glider comes to a rest. So the clock keeps running if you clip a branch, or go to land and bounce back into the air. When the plane stops, time stops.
7) You can launch as many times as you like but each flight has to be from a fresh launch.
8) Report your best time of the day by posting here. You can post as many times as you like, but only the best one will count. You can fly as many days as you like to work toward your best time. The goal is to achieve personal bests in the fun atmosphere of a contest.
BIG SKY - SLOPE SOARING
1) From a fresh hand or ground launch you can run the motor for up to 5 seconds, if you need it to get into the lift. I would expect most slope flights will have no motor run but some sites need a boost to the lift.
2) Motor time starts as soon as you apply throttle and is subtracted from the total flight time.
3) Soaring time starts when the motor goes off. Either you time the whole flight and subtract the motor run or you use two watches, one to time the motor run and one to time the flight. How you do this is up to you.
4) You can time your own flight if you wish. You are on your honor. Time is truncated to the second. No fractions and no rounding. Read the seconds only.
5) Landing has to be within 100 feet of the original launch location or the flight does not count. Landing must be on the same level as the launch. Landing down the slope or up in the trees does not count. You must come to rest in a "normal" landing spot and be able to walk over and pick it up. I realize this can vary by slope site so you are on your honor as to whether this was a normal landing.
6) Time stops when the glider comes to a rest. So the clock keeps running if you clip a branch, or go to land and bounce back into the air. When the plane stops, time stops.
7) You can launch as many times as you like but each flight has to be from a fresh launch from the ground or hand. No powered reclimbs permitted. If you restart the motor the flight does not count.
8) Report your best time of the day by posting here. You can post as many times as you like, but only the best one will count. Try as many days as you like to get your best time of the month.
For either contest you report the results via post.
Report Format:
Your Name - Real or RCGroup Name - your choice
Glider/plane name and wingspan:
Thermal, Hand Launch or Slope:
Date and Time of flight:
Duration of flight:
Location: Nearest City and State or Country
Comments - You are welcome to report anything you like about the day, the flight. Pictures, videos, gps plots, etc are welcome but not required.
I will maintain the thread and keep the second post updated with the top 10 Thermal (2 meter class) top 10 Thermal (Open class)and top ten Slope reports. Only one flight of each type will be recorded in the standings for each pilot. A new better time will replace the original.
THREAD CONTENT -
This thread is for contest reports and for discussion about the contest only.
Contest Records:

2 Meter Class:
Andy Grose (dee-grose)
Glider name:Radian
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight:April 19, 2012 11:20am
Duration of flight:1:38:04 (after 30 sec motor run)
Location:Tanner, Alabama
Max Altitude: 3028ft AGL

Open Class:
Palo Lishak (aka TENDER in RCGroups)
Glider name: supra Stork electric
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight: October 29th 2011, start of flight 15:50 CET
Duration of flight: 1:45:40 (11 s climb with motor)
Location: Oponice near Nitra, Slovakia

Hand Launch:
Marin Rudolph (MMR)
Glider name: Arrow Legend DLG
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight:6/24/12 11:00AM
Duration of flight: 51:43
Location: Wilson, NC

Slope:
Hunnerbunner
Duration: 2:33:14
Date: 4/26/11
Location: San Diego, CA

Hand Launch:
nigel sheffield
Glider name: blaster 2 DLG
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight:2/12/2012 12.03pm
Duration of flight: 8:38
Location: Yorkshire UK.

Nice and sunny this morning with light(ish) winds from the west. Not bad for December in Yorkshire lol! I actually managed 2 thermals the 1st one being 8:37.
I was tough though winds coming over houses and down hill so I had to throw through the sink over the top of the houses and search quick for some lift and make sure I got back round b4 running out of sky-not ideal but very challenging and fun.
Been a while since I found a thermal, I'd almost forgotten how to do it lol.
If it stays nice will go out again after lunch! Gotta make the most of these days!

2 Meter
vicrider
Chrysalis E
Thermal
2/12/12 12:30
22:49 after 30 sec motor run.
Claremore, Oklahoma


Windy, About the limit of what I want to fly in. I found some lift but was weak and hard for me to stay in it because of the wind.

2 meter:

Vicrider
Chrysalis E
Thermal
30:31 after 30 sec motor run
12/15/2012 12:30 pm
Claremore, Ok

Pilottube
Glider name: Radian 2m
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight: 9/12/2012 13.37
Duration of flight: 9:01
Location: Castilla y Leon, Spain.

Open class:

Gil Gauger
Eagle RES-E 4 meter
Thermal, (ALES)
Dec 5, 2012 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Duration of flight: 15:00
Location: Westport, IL USA
Partially cloudy, mid 50 deg F, wind 5-8 mph

James leaktech
Sky Bench Viking MK1
Thermal
12/3/2012 3:20pm
28:04
Phoenix AZ USA

Hand launch:

nigel sheffield
Glider name: blaster 2 DLG
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight:2/12/2012 12.03pm
Duration of flight: 8:38
Location: Yorkshire UK.


Slope:

744 Drv and friend.
(Note: Mr DRV had to briefly trade transmitters with a less experienced flier to execute a landing. He is not eleigible for the grand prize but the flight deserves recognition. Pete.)
Glider name: Radian Pro
Thermal or Slope: Slope
Date and Time of flight:9/12/2012 13.25pm
Duration of flight: 46 mins
Location: Discovery Bay, Hong Kong
Conditions: 20 deg C with high cloud and a 10-15 kt wind, no thermal activity.

nigel sheffield
Glider name: blaster 2 DLG
Thermal or Slope: slope
Date and Time of flight:19/12/2012 10:33pm
Duration of flight: 8:18
Location: Yorkshire UK.

Nice work, guys. You got them in before I remembered to put up a post for this month's standings.

It was foggy today so I was only able to fly the Yak but I continue to be really impressed with the power of these little motors. I also saw something I've never seen before. There was a guy out mulching leaves with his mower. In December. In Minnesota. At this rate I won't even have to break out my winter boots in order to trudge through the snow to go flying.

Open Class: thermal
James leaktech
Sky Bench Viking MK1
Thermal
12/3/2012 3:20pm
28:04
Phoenix AZ USA

Been flying some lately. It was a lovely November here. Most days were 78*F or more in the early days of November. Tee shirts and shorts. : ) Today I was looking for shade at 3:15PM. In the car, it's turn on the AC or open the windows.

The Viking goes to about 150 meters in 25 seconds. Today was one of those days where the lift is everywhere. The hang gliders folks launch one mountain over from my flying park. One of them was about 500 meters high when I arrived and was going up when he specked out. Suspect he was planning to land somewhere south east of the normal LZ instead of close to my flying park. I kept circling up and diving back down to 300 meters until the sun was too low to do it's work. When the lift died it was bad sink everywhere and was down from pretty high in a short time.

James

James

WOW, all you people with flight of halsf an hour, i have been trying to catch a goof thermal for about 2 months now and only managed to find ones that let me hold altitude, not gain, oh well it is something i guess. I will time my next flight to see how it compares to all of you. amazing work to the rest of your, you continue to inspire me to renew my efforts.

Originally Posted by Vortex000111

WOW, all you people with flight of halsf an hour, i have been trying to catch a goof thermal for about 2 months now and only managed to find ones that let me hold altitude, not gain, oh well it is something i guess. I will time my next flight to see how it compares to all of you. amazing work to the rest of your, you continue to inspire me to renew my efforts.

Keep practicing and it WILL happen, you will find that a certain time of day will produce the most thermals, often 11am is best around here in the spring/summer but winter is 12 ish but usually very weak and not big enough to climb.
In summer I usually go down for 10:30 and fly for a couple of hours searching for thermals and in that window there is usually some thermal acticivity when its sunny and calm ish, but sometimes thermals are there even when it's not sunny, it depends of lots of things so you never know when you will find one.

Gil Gauger
Eagle RES-E 4 meter
Thermal, (ALES)
Dec 5, 2012 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Duration of flights: 10:00, 10:01, 9:59, 12:00, 15:00
Location: Westport, IL USA
Partially cloudy, mid 50 deg F, wind 5-8 mph
Comments - First decent day since completion of my new ALES plane. All flights were to 200 meter cutoff (Winged Shadow Sky Limit) with talking timer started at motor cutoff for purpose of reporting to this thread. Made no attempt at unlimited duration flight. All landings inside half meter of target. Mega 22/30/3 with 12-6 folder on 3cell 2250 lipo. Thanks to FB Bill McGavic for the photo.

Welcome to the leader board, Gil.

Maximum duration is not the limit of the hobby but it is the limit of this contest (NOTE: That was meant to be humorous.)

Had a couple of 4 and a bit minute flights with dlg this morn in very poor conditions!

744 Drv
Glider name: Radian Pro
Thermal or Slope: Slope
Date and Time of flight:9/12/2012 13.25pm
Duration of flight: 46 mins
Location: Discovery Bay, Hong Kong
Conditions: 20 deg C with high cloud and a 10-15 kt wind, no thermal activity.

OK I have a confession with the above flight. I went up the hill with two mates. One has just been introduced to gliding and had a new unflown ASW, the other is a RC mate who only flies power. Anyway the ASW friend wanted me to fly his glider so I got that in the air and handed the controls to him. I then launched my RP. However, half an hour later he said that he would prefer if I landed his glider. I handed my controls over for 5 mins while I got the ASW on the deck.

Now as far as I can see there is no rule about only having one pilot ...... so does this count? Mitigating circumstances .... I was busy introducing someone to this hobby and I also think my power mate is hooked now too!!

Pilottube
Glider name: Radian 2m
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight: 9/12/2012 13.37
Duration of flight: 9:01
Location: Castilla y Leon, Spain.

After 20 secs launch I was in an area with nice lift, not too high, just were I like it to be.

Originally Posted by pilottube

Pilottube
Glider name: Radian 2m
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of flight: 9/12/2012 13.37
Duration of flight: 9:01
Location: Castilla y Leon, Spain.

After 20 secs launch I was in an area with nice lift, not too high, just were I like it to be.

Is this the new version of spot the ball???
I can see a dot at top of the screen and a dot between the trees, my money is on the dot at the top!

Had a go with dlg this morn and lots of flights round the 1:30 mark but I could not get any better then 1:55, gonna try again this aft seeing as its calm ish! But in between dlging I am supposed to be painting the kids bedroom( or is it the other way round?)

That's a sweet looking glider Gil. Wish I had the funding for one of those.

I've been flying most days at the park. Getting 5-10 minute flights can't seem to get past 10 lately. I'm arriving too late for the good air. Some of the locals are meeting tomorrow AM. I'll try to beat my best time then.

James