THE JULY 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 July 1 to 11:59 PM July 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:

Thermal:
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:

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

STANDINGS:

Thermal:

2 Meter Class E-Gliders:

Krazykayak
Glider: Radian (with flaperons cut in)
Thermal: 2 meter Electric
Date and Time of flight: July 11th 1p.m
Duration of flight: 49:51
Location:zeeland Michigan
Max Altitude: 1875 ft
Weather Conditions: Sunny, 88 degrees. Wind light

JumpySticks
Glider: Radian Pro
Thermal: 2 meter E-Glider
Date and Time of flight: July 15, 2012 12: Noon
Duration of flight: 29:24
Location:Milton, Louisiana
Max Altitude: 1568 Ft
Weather Conditions: Partly sunny, hot 85 degrees. Wind light and variable

chickenwing
Glider/plane: Radian 2m
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of Flight: 2012/07/14 2:30PM
Motor Run: 30 sec
Duration of flight: 19:33
Max. Altitude: 844 feet
Location: Ninety Six, SC

Tim Lynch
Glider: Graupner Elektro Junior S - with Thermal Scout & Eagle Tree Altimeter
Thermal: 2 meter E-Glider
Date and Time of flight: July 8, 12:30 PM
Duration of flight: 18:56
Location: Sportsplex @ Coral Springs, FL
Max Altitude: 1073' AGL
Weather Conditions: Partly cloudy, upper 80's, light winds

Blunight
Glider: Radian 2m
Thermal
Date and Time of flight: July 19, 2012 2:00pm
Duration of flight: 17:58 (after 30 sec motor run)
Location:Brainerd, Minnesota
Max Altitude: 1175
Weather Conditions: Partly cloudy, 78 degrees, wind 0 – 5mph

Pilottube
Glider/plane: Radian 2m
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of Flight: 2012/07/10 13:43
Motor Run: 25 sec
Duration of flight: 11:25
Max. Altitude: 700-800 feet (estimated)
Location: Palencia, Spain


Open ClassE-Gliders:

Forest Flyer
Glider: High Aspect (Art Hobby)
Thermal: Open class 3.1 m E-glider
Date and Time: July 22, 2012, 2:45 pm
Duration: 72 minutes 03 seconds (climb of 20 seconds already subtracted)
Location: Terre Haute, IN, USA

Leadchucker-Warren
Glider/plane: Pulsar 3.2 RES
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of Flight: 31.7.12 @ 1755
Weather: Partly Cloudy,+83F, Wind 090* @ 10 kts
Motor Run: 200m
Duration of flight: 38.10
Max. Altitude:1895 ft AGL
Location:Local schoolyard, Janvier,NJ

leaktech
Glider: SkyBench Viking
Thermal: 3 meter E-Glider
Date and Time of flight: July10th, 2012 3:45pm
Duration of flight: 24:48
Location: Phoenix AZ
Max Altitude: 1400 Ft Thats a guess.
Weather Conditions: Partly sunny, hot over 100 degrees. Wind light and variable

Paul Murphy (Murph)
Glider: Elipsoid 110" with CAM2 Altimeter
Thermal : Open Class E-Glider
Date & Time of Flight: July 8, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Duration of Flight: 23 Min. 43 Sec. with 19 Second motor run already deducted.
Location: BrattelBrook RC Field @ Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Max Altitude: 1,764 Feet
Weather Conditions: Sunny, in the High 80's with a 10 MPH wind gusting to 25 MPH and rolling Cumulus Clouds.

320pilot
Glider/plane: Pulsar3.2 REF
Thermal or Slope: Thermal
Date and Time of Flight: 2012/07/24 7:10PM
Motor Run: 17 sec
Duration of flight: 20:43
Max. Altitude: 1400+?
Location: Vermont, near Enosburg

Hand Launch:

nigel sheffield
glider: blaster dlg
Thermal hand launch
date time: 24/7/2012 10:30am
duration of flight: 47 mins.
location yorkshire UK.

Blunight - a.k.a. Trent
Glider: Neos 1.5m
Thermal: Hand Launch
Date and Time of flight: July 3rd, 2012 11:30pm
Duration of flight: 24:02 mns
Location:Brainerd, Minnesota
Max Altitude: 1085 Ft
Weather Conditions: Partly sunny, hot 80 degrees. Wind 0-3 mph

Slope:

Name : Paraskevas Hadjianastasiou aka Friday
Glider Name : Topmodel Albatros 2,44
Thermal or Slope : Slope
Date & Time : 03/7/2012 - 17:05
Duration : 01:18:42(10secs to altitude already excluded)
Location : Spata, Greece (Attica)

Name : Paraskevas Hadjianastasiou aka Friday
Glider Name : Topmodel Albatros 2,44
Thermal or Slope : Slope
Date & Time : 03/7/2012 - 17:02
Duration : 00:15:28 (3secs motor to get to lift already excluded)
Location : Spata, Greece (Attica)

Second slope soaring flight. Wind was at 15kn, but flight last longer. I am even more into that.

Thanks

Blunight - a.k.a. Trent
Glider: Neos 1.5m
Thermal: Hand Launch
Date and Time of flight: July 3rd, 2012 11:30pm
Duration of flight: 24:02 mns
Location:Brainerd, Minnesota
Max Altitude: 1085 Ft
Weather Conditions: Partly sunny, hot 80 degrees. Wind 0-3 mph

I had a great day with many 7-9 mn flights. About an hour into flying I launched into a nice thermal and rode it to 600 ft. About 12 mns into the flight I was beginning to loose lift when I noticed a pair of Hawks circling 100 yards up wind; I took a chance and joined them -WOW!
At 1085 ft the plane was getting real small then disappeared into a cloud
(a first for me) needless to say I bailed out and was able to see the glider again. So far, this flight is a personal best for me – height and time aloft - with a DLG.

Trent

Originally Posted by blunight

Blunight - a.k.a. Trent
Glider: Neos 1.5m
Thermal: Hand Launch
Date and Time of flight: July 3rd, 2012 11:30pm
Duration of flight: 24:02 mns
Location:Brainerd, Minnesota
Max Altitude: 1085 Ft
Weather Conditions: Partly sunny, hot 80 degrees. Wind 0-3 mph

I had a great day with many 7-9 mn flights. About an hour into flying I launched into a nice thermal and rode it to 600 ft. About 12 mns into the flight I was beginning to loose lift when I noticed a pair of Hawks circling 100 yards up wind; I took a chance and joined them -WOW!
At 1085 ft the plane was getting real small then disappeared into a cloud
(a first for me) needless to say I bailed out and was able to see the glider again. So far, this flight is a personal best for me – height and time aloft - with a DLG.

Trent

Man....I gotta get one of those DLG planes.

Congratulations on that personal best!

Originally Posted by blunight

Blunight - a.k.a. Trent
Glider: Neos 1.5m
Thermal: Hand Launch
Date and Time of flight: July 3rd, 2012 11:30pm
Duration of flight: 24:02 mns
Location:Brainerd, Minnesota
Max Altitude: 1085 Ft
Weather Conditions: Partly sunny, hot 80 degrees. Wind 0-3 mph

I had a great day with many 7-9 mn flights. About an hour into flying I launched into a nice thermal and rode it to 600 ft. About 12 mns into the flight I was beginning to loose lift when I noticed a pair of Hawks circling 100 yards up wind; I took a chance and joined them -WOW!
At 1085 ft the plane was getting real small then disappeared into a cloud
(a first for me) needless to say I bailed out and was able to see the glider again. So far, this flight is a personal best for me – height and time aloft - with a DLG.

Trent

Cool, good flight, really exiting stuff and scary too!
Still too windy and rainy here for any kind of chance of long thermals but I hope for some better weather soon. I will keep trying, love these dlgs though.

Congrats Trent,

Back in May I followed a Turkey Vulture up a thermal with my 2 meter Pegasus. It was a personal best for myself as well. It gives the term "For the Birds" a whole new meaning.

Great Flight,

Murph

JumpySticks
Glider: Radian Pro
Thermal: 2 meter E-Glider
Date and Time of flight: July 4rd, 2012 12:15pm
Duration of flight: 22:10
Location:Milton, Louisiana
Max Altitude: 1584 Ft
Weather Conditions: Partly sunny, hot 85 degrees. Wind light and variable

Had a couple more good flights today.

The first one was a contender at 17:38, but I choked the landing...108 feet from launch...

The second one was not real long, but while preparing to land I noticed a cloud of bugs surrounding me, and they were rising in a thermal column straight above my head. I brought the plane over and managed to hang in this low level lift for about 5 minutes.

For today's Big Sky entry, I probably could have stretched it, but it was the third flight and the neck was getting stiff, so I played with a lot of aerobatics and the plane just kept getting higher. I pulled a couple of full crow/full flap dives during the flight. The second one was nearly straight down, following where the altitude curve maxes out. With full flap and crow the plane dives at about 35mph straight down.

I can beat all of those. My Radian disappeared into a cloud 24 hours ago and I have not seen it since.

Since it was at a thermal flight, I don't worry. I mostly fly slope this days...!

So watch out... I am heading to the slope...!

LOL

Originally Posted by Watdazit

I can beat all of those. My Radian disappeared into a cloud 24 hours ago and I have not seen it since.

I feel for you. It's never fun losing a plane to the sky gods.

If I remember correctly, you put your name and address on it, right? So at least there is a chance that it could come back to you. And hey, it would be fun to see just how far away it got.

Name : Paraskevas Hadjianastasiou aka Friday
Glider Name : Topmodel Albatros 2,44
Thermal or Slope : Thermal
Date & Time : 03/7/2012 - 17:05
Duration : 01:18:42(10secs to altitude already excluded)
Location : Spata, Greece (Attica)

Came back, with a huge huge smile.

I was on top of the slope, but thermalling...! For long...

Temp was 36Celcious and a rather dry day. Winds were 12Kn ENE.

Immediately as I set up on the slope, I felt the wing to stop and goes. I waited a bit to check if there is a certain cycle and voila...! A cycle of thermal was present with a distance of 3min.

I launched and the party begun...! 01:18:42 after just my 4th flight at gliders... Someone is generous with me. I just couldn't believe it. It was awesome. I was in a pool of thermals. They seemed to pop everywhere. If i had used a 30sec run I may even brake the current contest record.

Thanks jumpy and everyone, for really inspiring me to get better

Isn't it tricky to write your name and address on the glider ? I mean if it makes any damage, someone will come looking for you... With bad intentions I may say

Originally Posted by FRIDAY_2008

Name : Paraskevas Hadjianastasiou aka Friday
Glider Name : Topmodel Albatros 2,44
Thermal or Slope : Thermal
Date & Time : 03/7/2012 - 17:05
Duration : 01:18:42(10secs to altitude already excluded)
Location : Spata, Greece (Attica)

Came back, with a huge huge smile.

I was on top of the slope, but thermalling...! For long...

Temp was 36Celcious and a rather dry day. Winds were 12Kn ENE.

Immediately as I set up on the slope, I felt the wing to stop and goes. I waited a bit to check if there is a certain cycle and voila...! A cycle of thermal was present with a distance of 3min.

I launched and the party begun...! 01:18:42 after just my 4th flight at gliders... Someone is generous with me. I just couldn't believe it. It was awesome. I was in a pool of thermals. They seemed to pop everywhere. If i had used a 30sec run I may even brake the current contest record.

Thanks jumpy and everyone, for really inspiring me to get better

Isn't it tricky to write your name and address on the glider ? I mean if it makes any damage, someone will come looking for you... With bad intentions I may say

Fantastic time, sounds like you really had some fun!
I have my name and address on one glider but decided to not put it on others as it could do some damage especially as there is a motorway nearby and if it hits a car doing 70mph plus could be pretty bad! but then I think if it caused that much damage the police would find me anyway I'm sure!
But most likely it would just come down in a field or tree and not cause any damage and it would be nice to get back your glider.
Constant rain here again so no thermalling to report apart from a couple of 5 or 6 mins with dlg when the rain stops and the sun comes out now and then.

Originally Posted by FRIDAY_2008

Name : Paraskevas Hadjianastasiou aka Friday
Glider Name : Topmodel Albatros 2,44
Thermal or Slope : Thermal
Date & Time : 03/7/2012 - 17:05
Duration : 01:18:42(10secs to altitude already excluded)
Location : Spata, Greece (Attica)

Came back, with a huge huge smile.

I was on top of the slope, but thermalling...! For long...

Temp was 36Celcious and a rather dry day. Winds were 12Kn ENE.

Immediately as I set up on the slope, I felt the wing to stop and goes. I waited a bit to check if there is a certain cycle and voila...! A cycle of thermal was present with a distance of 3min.

I launched and the party begun...! 01:18:42 after just my 4th flight at gliders... Someone is generous with me. I just couldn't believe it. It was awesome. I was in a pool of thermals. They seemed to pop everywhere. If i had used a 30sec run I may even brake the current contest record.

Thanks jumpy and everyone, for really inspiring me to get better

Isn't it tricky to write your name and address on the glider ? I mean if it makes any damage, someone will come looking for you... With bad intentions I may say

You should have your name and address in any plane you fly. Folks must take responsibility for their actions or our civil society suffers.