Something to ponder: Pulpit Team Challenge?

[Batman]

In the interest of initiating some higher thinking that doesn't involve Tow Releases, Weak Links, Speed Links, or Sausage Links ...

A light bulb went off in my head while reading this month's Hang Gliding magazine. Since I've been involved with CHG(P)A, there has been a decline in the organization and competition aspect of the annual Pulpit Fly-In. Usually the Pulpit Flight Director is named a few weeks ahead of the Fly-in, or as has happened a few times, the day of. Teams are usually thought of at the last minute or even after the event has concluded to maximize mileage gained.

While reading the article on the Tennesse Tree Toppers Team Challenge, I question why we haven't been inspired to do something at that level in our own area. We have a large community of pilots that extends most of the Eastern Seaboard from Florida to Maine. With a little aforethought and planning, we could really turn the Pulpit Fly-In into something that will bring pilots from outside of the DC/MD/PA area. Right now, we are lucky if anyone actually cares about the "Award" ceremony, as its really just another fly day with a few more people included outside of the DC norm.

While not thinking this is an immediate implementation or even an easy one, it might be something that would bring more visibility to hang gliding in the DC area and become something we could be proud of.

I'm going to take a download all the documents from the TTT website that talks about all the things they've taken into consideration with organizing their event and try to digest the "Hows" of what they've done. They've already created the wheel, we could just learn to roll it into our area.

Anyone else think this is a good idea?

P.S. Tad - you can come too if you don't bring up anything controversial!

C

[RedBaron]

I think this is a great idea. More effort could and should be put into building a local competition event that takes place in the mountains. I'm all for it.
The weekend needs to be called last minute, even if that means you sacrifice numbers. We don't have steady conditions and even the 1 week-in-advance Bacil forecast ain't bulletproof. That's why the focus of the fly-ins has been food, booze and charity. I think we should pick three weekends in a row this Spring and encourage everyone serious about it not to take on big commitments for those weekends. Everybody needs to be prepared to rock and roll on short notice for truly good flying. It's either that or a 75% probability of $50-100 wasted on gas and a whole weekend sacrificed for nothing.
That said, on the next good weekend with plenty pilots out, why not organize teams and spice things up a little bit? It doesn't always have to be a Fly-In, you know. Check this link out for inspiration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgLGSrr5poE

[Batman]

Unfortunately a lot of planning needs to go into an event like this, it needs to be a hardset date so out-of-the-area pilots can plan to attend as well. Acceptance that the weather might not cooperate unfortunately is inherent to our sport, but the good thing is pilot in this sport already know and accept it.

My idea of a Pulpit Team Challenge exceeds a local group-up and fly, I'm actually visualizing an event equal to the TTT Team Challenge. That will take much planning & coordinating.

[Dan T]

I attended the tennessee tree toppers team challenge and it was a lot of fun. There were several things they did that were essential to making it work. The first is they had 4 or 5 dedicated people who were there everyday rain or shine. These people organized the day, arranged for catered breakfasts, kept score in accordance with the scoring format, brought in guest speakers, etc, etc. They also have room enough for at least 40 people to camp. This was a major undertaking for sure.

They have two sites on opposite sides of the valley so they can launch with winds in either of the two opposite prevailing conditions. The week we flew we flew the entire contest at the secondary site. We'd have to be prepared to shuttle from the Pulpit to Fisher Road/Bills hill to achieve similar versatility. If I remember right Fisher Road is closed to us and the owner Bills hill might not be (as well as the Pulpit LZs) amenable to 20 or more gliders landing in his field all week long. Unless we address all of these issues in advance, I suspect that we would be ill prepared to hold such an event.

I don't want to splash cold water on your idea. I think it would be a blast. But I think our fly in is sized about right. I don't know why we can't do it less formally 3 or 4 times a season. Put together a team of 3 or 4 pilots each, show up on Saturday morning and fly XC for two days.

DanT

[Flying Lobster]

Unfortunately a lot of planning needs to go into an event like this, it needs to be a hardset date so out-of-the-area pilots can plan to attend as well. Acceptance that the weather might not cooperate unfortunately is inherent to our sport, but the good thing is pilot in this sport already know and accept it.

My idea of a Pulpit Team Challenge exceeds a local group-up and fly, I'm actually visualizing an event equal to the TTT Team Challenge. That will take much planning & coordinating.

The TTT Team Challenge is a tough act to follow (BTW, I believe the TTT have a trademark on that name) but it works because the club here takes an active interest in promoting new xc pilots. In other words, pilots of very high caliber xc and comp experience are willing to spend a week mentoring newbies. I'm doubtful you could get that in the DC area for a whole week--but I think it's a great idea in principal and would love to see it happen. And you have the advantage that paragliders can also participate--the TTT don't allow them off of their sites.

marc

[RedBaron]

Unfortunately a lot of planning needs to go into an event like this, it needs to be a hardset date so out-of-the-area pilots can plan to attend as well. Acceptance that the weather might not cooperate unfortunately is inherent to our sport, but the good thing is pilot in this sport already know and accept it.

The usual response. You can get all the planning done and deploy your troops when the weekend is right. All it takes is a group of dedicated individuals and smart planning. We don't have the luxury of a hill facing different wind directions. We don't even have a particularly broad wind speed window for any of our ridge sites. I said it before, I say it again, a hardset date in our area makes no freakin' sense if flying is the primary objective.