Moscow Glider Meet

Moscow Glider Meet…

By Don Hart

The 25th annual Orrin Crooks Memorial Glider Meet was held July 15-16. The meet was held at Wicks field on the University of Idaho campus (that’s the large field across the Moscow-Pullman highway from MacDonalds). This event consists of precision thermal duration tasks of five, seven or nine minutes. The pilot can choose the target time after the launch, depending on lift and wind conditions. The task time begins when the glider leaves the winch line and stops when the glider touches the ground or ground based object (such asa tree). Landings are scored from 100 points to zero depending on the distance from a 50 foot landing line. Each inch distant from the landing line deducts one point from the perfect 100 score. A perfect flight, ending exactly on the task time and with the nose of the glider on or within an inch of the landing line, is worth 1000 points. Deviations over or under the task time and the distance away from the landing line detract from the perfect score.

There were three classes flown depending on the size or control capabilities of the glider. The two meter class, open class and RES (rudder, elevator, spoiler) class. To qualify for two meter the glider cannot exceed a two meter wingspan. Any glider qualifies for the open class. The RES class is restriced to gliders with rudder, elevator and spoiler flight controls, but any wingspan.

Many of the participants have competed in this event for most of not all of the years it has been held from its inception by Orrin Crooks in the early 1970’s. Bruce and Colleen Bumgarner took over the meet in 1976 after Orrin’s death from a heart attack. Orrin is remembered fondly for getting many fliers into the sport (both powered and un-powered) as well as for promoting glider flying as a competitive event in this area.

There were 31 entries, though some of these represent a single flier entering in two or more classes. The 23 pilots came from throughout the northwest, but most live on the east side of the Cascades. Two women competed this year. Pilots in the open class were further divided into expert (15 pilots) and competitor (six pilots) classes. Palouse Ridge Runner pilots who competed were Bruce Bumgarner (open competitor), Les Grammer (open expert and two meter), Tim Lynch (open expert), and Don Hart (RES).

Planes ranged from the venerable all wood construction RES Olympic II from the 1970s, to the exotic composite construction multifunction open class ships. I flew an Olympic II that I built in 1976 – it’s gone through some transformations, and the only truly original part was the wing. Bruce flew his Alcyon, an “experienced” open class ship of wood construction that he’s flown for several years. Les and Tim flew the high tech composite ships using programmable radios to control all the flight controls and configurations (e.g. launch, search, thermal, and landing).

The planes are launched using electric winches that are capable of getting the planes to over a thousand feet altitude if the pilot has mastered the zoom launch. The winches run from battery power, augmented this year with a generator and large battery chargers. There were several delays due to equipment failures (a common occurance) including tow line breakage and a faulty solenoid. There were enough winches and retrievers available to keep the action going.

Weather conditions were remarkably calm, considering that in many years strong winds have been a major factor in the event. Temperatures were moderate, in the 80’s rather than near 100 as we’ve experienced some years.

Les did very well, winning both two meter and open expert classes. Bruce won the open competitor class. I was happy to finish in sixth place in RES, and to complete the meet having flown all nine rounds without breaking my glider. Tim was unable to finish the meet due to problems with his glider’s control system.

This is a low intensity, laid back type of competition. The experts are happy to help the novice flier, and relationships between all the fliers are friendly, though there is a bit of ribbing between some contestants who have met at this meet for many of the last 25 years. An expensive, high tech glider is not required to be competitive, but practice is essential to winning.