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topic: John Burke (30 articles)

2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Tue, Sep 28 2021, 8:50:00 pm MDT

What a great competition

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Almost every one had an extremely fun time flying in Casa Grande last week. Six days out of seven were flown. It was great that we didn't fly the one day that we didn't. Rain on the day after. Rain on the day before.

Really enjoyed the day that we flew in the weakest conditions. Really enjoyed the day Zac and I climbed so high and just finished much faster than anyone else.

Task calls were very appropriate for the limited number of hours of daylight in late September.

We had great support from the volunteers especially at the launch. Launch conditions were excellent.

Scoring was very rapid and it was taking place remotely in Colombia. The trackers worked great after the first day (don't know what caused the problem on the first day).

You can review the races here: https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/blog__day_7 with Replay.

Day seven is quite interesting: https://airtribune.com/play/5526/2d

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Sat, Sep 25 2021, 11:33:56 pm MDT

Day 7, task 6, narrative

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

The task:

My flight:

I hang on this time behind Bobby Bailey and he finally flies straight and to a turning pilot. I join up and there is a reasonable amount of lift around (less than 200 fpm). The pilots climb up together and we get to 6,300' a couple of times before taking the second clock at 2:15 PM. We are all outside the start cylinder and have to go back to get the second start time.

We all head out together and there are little bits of lift here and there but not much worth turning in. I make a few turns then head for Casa Grande Mountain and not finding anything there keep going east to the spot where I found good lift before when I came in second for the day. We've got an north northwest wind, the same as on that previous day, and I'm looking to get away from the hill, sort of in the lee and over some clear looking field.

At 1,600' AGL I find the lift and climb to 6,600' drifting in a 9 mph north northwest wind toward the first turnpoint. I nick the turnpoint and head southwest toward the Baker turnpoint. The few pilots that I see are quite a ways below me.

I quickly find more lift and climb to 6,500' before it gives out. I find good lift again and climb to 6,700' in a 15 mph northwest wind. The lift has been easy to find and the climbs, while not great, are plenty strong enough. I want to be high going into the hills before Baker.

I can see three gliders ahead lower than me but near the turnpoint and climbing, or at least circling. At the base of the hills I stop to get as high as possible climbing to 6,100' before heading into the turnpoint. A few pilots in front are turning a bit lower than I. I don't see Robin higher.

I hit the turnpoint and climb to 5,800' and then head north with Pete Lehmann just to my west. I had seen two pilots heading north very low as I came into the turnpoint. Probably Zac and Phil.

I'm heading into a 9 mph north northwest wind but it looks good ahead with wide open fields that look like they are hot. But, the sink is bad, averaging 400 fpm down, with spots of 900 fpm down.

I turn east to get out of the sink and out of Indian territory, but it does no good. I'm looking all over but soon find myself on the ground with Tyler right behind me.

Robin got to 7,600' at the second turnpoint and was down to 1,500' AGL heading north. He didn't get any substantial lift until he got to Arizona City. He was the only one to make it to goal.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Sat, Sep 25 2021, 10:44:18 pm MDT

Day 7, task 6 results

Bill Soderquist|Butch Peachy|competition|Davis Straub|Greg Kendall|J.D. Guillemette|Jason Boehm|John Simon|Konstantin Lukyanov|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Phill Bloom|Ric Caylor|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Tyler Borradaile|Willy Dydo|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/results

Task 6 (open):

# Name Glider Time
(h:m:s)
Distance
(km)
Total
1 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 03:01:54 81.73 1000.0
2 Bill Soderquist Ww T3 63.95 764.9
3 Jason Boehm Wills Wing T3 60.35 736.1
4 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 59.67 731.2
5 Jd Guillemette Moyes RX3.5 57.07 704.1
6 Willy Dydo Wills Wing T3 136 55.26 686.4
7 Butch Peachy Moyes RX 3.5/S4 54.55 677.8
8 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 53.06 655.4
9 Ric Caylor Moyes RX5 Pro 52.78 649.9
10 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 52.13 641.8
11 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 52.25 640.3

Final:

# Name Glider T 1 T 2 T 3 T 4 T 5 T 6 Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 977.8 988.7 927.1 820.1 77.7 420.0 4211
2 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 766.7 930.0 573.5 699.5 117.2 466.4 3553
3 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 843.0 917.0 776.6 423.9 45.5 470.9 3477
4 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 672.5 832.3 763.4 211.0 102.2 731.2 3313
5 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 295.2 510.0 795.3 514.6 117.9 1000.0 3233
6 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 739.6 566.6 732.3 410.5 0.0 655.4 3104
7 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 984.8 200.1 577.8 512.0 145.4 641.9 3062
8 Greg Kendall Moyes RX 3.5 457.5 489.0 845.1 702.6 75.8 451.5 3022
9 Willy Dydo Wills Wing T3 136 792.2 243.0 378.3 680.6 162.0 686.4 2943
10 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 794.9 253.3 886.8 226.0 117.6 640.4 2919

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Sat, Sep 25 2021, 8:59:40 am MDT

Day 6, task 5 results

Bill Soderquist|competition|Davis Straub|Greg Kendall|Jeff Chipman|John Simon|Konstantin Lukyanov|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Owen Morse|Phill Bloom|Rob Cooper|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Tyler Borradaile|Willy Dydo|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/results

Task 5 (open):

# Name Glider Distance
(km)
Total
1 Willy Dydo Wills Wing T3 136 34.30 162.0
2 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 29.85 145.4
3 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 19.44 117.9
4 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 19.36 117.6
5 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 19.24 117.2
6 Bill Soderquest Ww T3 18.23 112.6
7 Jeff Chipman Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 18.17 112.3
8 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 16.53 102.2
9 Rob Cooper Wills Wing T2C 15.97 98.3
10 Owen Morse Wills Wing T3 154 12.29 78.7

Cumulative:

# Name Glider T 1 T 2 T 3 T 4 T 5 Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 977.8 988.7 927.1 820.1 77.7 3791
2 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 766.7 930.0 573.5 699.5 117.2 3087
3 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 843.0 917.0 776.6 423.9 45.5 3006
4 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 672.5 832.3 763.4 211.0 102.2 2581
5 Greg Kendall Moyes RX 3.5 457.5 489.0 845.1 702.6 75.8 2570
6 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 739.6 566.6 732.3 410.5 0.0 2449
7 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 984.8 200.1 577.8 512.0 145.4 2420
8 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 794.9 253.3 886.8 226.0 117.6 2279
9 Willy Dydo Wills Wing T3 136 792.2 243.0 378.3 680.6 162.0 2256
10 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 295.2 510.0 795.3 514.6 117.9 2233

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Day 6, task 5

Fri, Sep 24 2021, 9:14:50 pm MDT

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

After the gust, the upper level clouds covered the sky. The pilot briefing was postponed twice to 12:30 PM from 10:30 AM. The clouds were still there but there was a little bit of blue way off to the east.

The task committee has tasks for both classes and after significant discussion about whether there would be any lift, Jamie says the task is on with a late launch. I have to setup my glider and get out there quickly.

The Sport Class launches first and soon they are all on the ground. Open class pilots are reluctant to launch once again after they see no one sticking.

A few of us get in line and I line up behind Robin Hamilton. It is already after the first start clock at 3:30 PM.

Bobby Bailey pulls me up and find lift just to the west. He makes some quick turns, the line goes slack and then the quick link breaks when the line goes tight again. I'm off at 844' AGL on a very weak day.

But, Bobby had been turning because there was lift there so I went to find it right away and starting climbing at 63 fpm with a 10 mph wind out of the west pushing me down the course line.

Went back up wind after climbing to 1,250' AGL drifting toward the resort. Found nothing but sink, went back east to get in the same line I had been in and found 6 fpm. Five minutes later I was able to move a little to the south and found 50 fpm climbing to 1,600' AGL

By now a few other pilots came and joined me and we just circled and circled drifting down the course line. We continue circling and climb to 1,900' AGL. We drift 9.5 km and take 50 minutes. It's 4:31 PM and the sun is getting close to the clouds in the west.

With the wind blowing at 10 mph out of the west northwest another pilot, likely to be Konstantin, and I head out. I'm able to find 100 fpm and four pilots join me. Heading out again I find 20 fpm to 1,800' AGL with the pilots still following.

After that there is not much as we stretch it out past the intersection of I8 and I10. Robin, Phil and I land in the same field.

Willie Dydo went out earlier and got the furthest on his own. Tyler got to ten kilometers past us. The sun was behind the clouds at this point.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Fri, Sep 24 2021, 11:37:52 am MDT

Gust front in the morning on Friday

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|weather

Five of us were out by the launch area standing by our gliders as the gust front came through. Lasted probably fifteen minutes.

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Thu, Sep 23 2021, 5:31:20 pm MDT

Day five, no task, day is cancelled

competition|Greg Kendall|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|video

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/results

JD was measuring the south wind at 14 mph gusting to 22 mph. Lots of blowing dust in the field, which is quite discouraging. No pilots were willing to launch (other than Bill Bennett). Lots of task and launch time changes to no avail. That doesn't even count the cu-nimb that was forming over the second turnpoint (which the task and safety committees weren't noticing).

Meet director cancels the day as it gets later and later.

Bill Bennett launches after the day is canceled.

Note about the third task.

Replay, https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/blog__day_3, shows that it was the fact that Zac and I climbed to over 9,000' that determined the outcome for that day.

Zac left a gaggle east of Casa Grande mountain where he was at the bottom to come joined Pete Lehmann and I climbing faster to his south. Four pilots (excluding Greg Kendall, who took an earlier clock) were out ahead of us and high and doing well. While they got to the turnpoint first and headed back before we did, we were able to climb the highest 4 km before the turnpoint. This gave us a big advantage.

Phil and Tyler got stuck low coming back. We were 500 to 1000 meters higher than Simon and Hamilton. Soon only Simon was ahead and he got a bit low east of the mountain coming back. We came into the south end of the mountain high and quickly climbed. Robin was just to our east but not climbing nearly as well.

We climbed to over 2,500 meters and went on final glide to goal while everyone else was working to get up or stay up.

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Wed, Sep 22 2021, 9:40:23 pm MDT

Day four, task four, results

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Greg Kendall|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Greg Kendall|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

Greg Kendall|John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

competition|Greg Kendall|John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

competition|Greg Kendall|John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/results

Task 4 (open):

# Name Glider Distance
(km)
Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 70.89 820.1
2 Greg Kendall Moyes RX 3.5 54.69 702.6
3 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 54.10 699.5
4 Ric Caylor Moyes RX5 Pro 54.13 698.4
5 Gary Anderson Wills Wing T3 144 54.02 697.2
6 Willy Dydo Wills Wing T3 136 52.75 680.6
7 Jd Guillemette Moyes RX3.5 51.60 662.1
8 Ian Snowball Moyes RS4.5 47.64 592.9
9 Rob Cooper Wills Wing T2C 40.79 518.7
10 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 40.06 514.6

Cumulative:

# Name Glider T 1 T 2 T 3 T 4 Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 977.8 988.7 927.1 820.1 3714
2 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 766.7 930.0 573.5 699.5 2970
3 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 843.0 917.0 776.6 423.9 2961
4 Greg Kendall Moyes RX 3.5 457.5 489.0 845.1 702.6 2494
5 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 672.5 832.3 763.4 211.0 2479
6 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 739.6 566.6 732.3 410.5 2449
7 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 984.8 200.1 577.8 512.0 2275
8 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 794.9 253.3 886.8 226.0 2161
9 Gary Anderson Wills Wing T3 144 727.3 568.6 139.8 697.2 2133
10 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 295.2 510.0 795.3 514.6 2115

Neither Sport or Open Class pilots make goal.

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Wed, Sep 22 2021, 6:47:03 pm MDT

Day four, task four, narrative

John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

The Task:

With the wind blowing 11 mph out of the south southeast at launch the task committee, at the last minute, changes the task to first send us out to the northwest to the edge of the mountains north of the sailplane port at Estrella, west of Maricopa and then back to the hotel when the winds are forecasted to lighten up.

Having learned their lesson the Sport Class pilots are happy to let us Open Class pilots go first and check out whether there is any lift or not. I launched sixth and Jim Prahl drug me around the sky not finding much and I worked -30 pm after pinning off at 2000' AGL. I leave that to find actual lift that overcomes my sink rate downwind to just south of the launch. 132 fpm is what I'm happy to be in.

Most of the thermals over the next hour in the start cylinder average less than 100 fpm, but I'm finally able to climb to 6,000' along with John Simon and Zac. Half a dozen pilots are near the top of the low stack and a few more are scrounging down below. Pilots are spread out looking around for better lift but little is to be found.

Unfortunately I was at 6,000' four minutes before the first start clock and lose 800' before the start gate opens and I head out. I'm following three pilots so it looks okay. I quickly find 100 fpm and climb to 5,500' before it peters out.

Heading to the northwest with John Simon and Jeff Galvin nearby I keep searching and not finding anything. Down to 300' AGL west of the stock yards I hit some lift and start turning. Jeff lands below me and John Simon is just as low in the next field to the north.

A few turns and the lift goes away no doubt pushed to the northwest toward the power lines at the edge of the field. I don't see John working his way up in the field on the other side of the power lines. Soon I have to land making a safe and graceful return to earth.

It isn't long before we see a gaggle of four pilots circling right up over us. Another pilot lands with us and then Willie Dydo comes in at 300' and proceeds to climb up and out. Another pilot lands in the field to our north.

Looking from our balcony on the sixth floor of the hotel I don't see anyone at goal. The Sport Class also had an out and return task to the southeast. I saw one Swift that looks like it made it back.

So close (this is where the guys out front get low for the first time):

I'm at 280' AGL finding lift, but not enough. Zac and John find lift north of the highway and climb up.

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Wed, Sep 22 2021, 1:16:09 am MDT

Day three, task 3, Results

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Greg Dinauer|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Greg Dinauer|Greg Kendall|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Greg Dinauer|Greg Kendall|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

Greg Dinauer|Greg Kendall|John Simon|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

Cumulative:

# Name Glider T 1 T 2 T 3 Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 977.8 988.7 927.1 2894
2 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 843.0 917.0 776.6 2537
3 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 766.7 930.0 573.5 2270
4 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 672.5 832.3 763.4 2268
5 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 739.6 566.6 732.3 2039
6 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 794.9 253.3 886.8 1935
7 Greg Kendall Moyes RX 3.5 457.5 489.0 845.1 1792
8 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 984.8 200.1 577.8 1763
9 Greg Dinauer Aeros Combat 12 722.1 509.3 470.1 1702
10 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 295.2 510.0 795.3 1601

Four Sport Class pilots make it back to the hotel, Leonardo, Tim, LJ, and Sujeta, her first competition and first goal.

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Tue, Sep 21 2021, 9:50:13 pm MDT

Day three, task 3, preliminary results

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Greg Kendall|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Greg Kendall|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

Greg Kendall|John Simon|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Time
(h:m:s)
Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 01:32:06 927.1
2 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 01:35:23 886.8
3 Greg Kendall Moyes RX 3.5 01:58:12 845.1
4 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 01:50:27 795.3
5 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 01:52:52 776.6
6 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 01:53:26 763.4
7 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 01:57:24 732.3
8 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 02:30:05 577.8
9 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 02:30:39 573.5
10 Gennadiy Khramov Wills Wing T2C 02:54:01 484.1

Four Sport Class pilots make it back to the hotel, Leonardo, Tim, LJ, and Sujeta, her first competition and first goal.

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Tue, Sep 21 2021, 7:53:45 pm MDT

Day three, task 3, narrative and preliminary results

competition|Greg Kendall|John Simon|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

The Task:

The Sport Class wanted to go before the Open Class today and they had a 12:30 PM launch time with the first start clock at 1 PM and a total of six start clocks. The Swifts would launch first before the Sport Class and the Open Class would launch after the Sport Class.

The Swifts and the Sport Class pilots were all towed up and they promptly all landed back at the launch area. This set the tone for the next couple of hours. Only a few Sport Class pilots wanted to relaunch right away and the Open Class pilots were reluctant to get going after seeing how no one was sticking.

The task committee shortened the Open Class task given that no one was launching and pushed back the start time fifteen minutes to 2:15 PM with four start times. The launch cylinder had been reduced to 3 km given the forecast for light winds. This proved not be that great an idea, at least for some of us.

The Open Class launch was open starting at 1 PM (or maybe 1:15) but only a couple of Sport Class pilots were willing to be towed. They quickly landed back at launch. Finally around 2 PM, Bill Bennett launched in Open Class and that finally got other pilots to consider the possibility. With an open launch and many pilots still reluctant to go, I launched third or fourth with Bobby Bailey towing. One tug, the 914 tug from Whitewater with Johnny Thompson towing, was out of commission.

Bobby tried his tight spiral (not that tight) on me and then must have seen some pilots thermaling up a few kilometers to the southeast and drug me over to them. It was nice to see pilots actually climbing. Bobby had reported earlier that no one was getting above their tow height.

The four of us climbed to 4,400' before the lift gave out and Greg Kendal, at least, headed out on the course. He might have the second clock as I was on tow at the first start clock at 2:15 pm.

A few of us went back to the northwest and hooked up with some light lift and a couple of extra pilots at about 1,300' AGL just southwest of the launch. It averaged less than 100 fpm.

With a 9 mph northwest wind we drifted back to the southeast as the third start time approached. At 2:45 PM (the third clock) I was still at less than 4,000' and getting close to the edge of the start cylinder. A few pilots had already drifted outside the cylinder. I was with two other pilots.

I moved over and was working 50 fpm as I crossed the start cylinder still drifting. Still at less than 4,000' I moved east half a kilometer, one kilometer outside the 3 km start cylinder and found 330 fpm, the best lift so far by a wide margin. Three of us worked it.

I was able to climb to 6,700' with two pilots just below me, 2.34 km outside the 3 km start cylinder. I sure was wishing we had a 5 km start cylinder at that point as I didn't want to go back to take the last clock from that far out. I took off at 15:02 for the Casa Grande Mountain.

Stopped for a few turns in 230 fpm as I passed three pilots who had been out ahead and then out to the mountain after a 13 km glide and a lot of sink right along its western edge. Found rough lift on the eastern side of the mountain that was rough at first with a north northwest wind at 5 mph.

At 300+ fpm I climbed up to 8,000' with Zac coming in below me, but climbing up to me. We headed out to the east southeast toward the turnpoint. I had only two very light layers on, a thin thermal shirt and speed sleeves, but the air was quite pleasant if a bit cool.

We quickly found more lift and then climbed at over 350 fpm to 9,100' just 4 km from the turnpoint. We turned back into the head wind (10 mph) found a little bit of lift then found 400 fpm again on the east side of Casa Grande mountain to 7,900' which made of a safe and easy glide 20 kilometers into goal even against a 10 mph north northwest head wind.


https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/results

Task 3: open:

# Name Glider SS Time
(h:m:s)
Lead.
Points
Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 14:45:00 01:32:06 33.0 927.1
2 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 14:45:00 01:35:23 31.0 886.8
3 Greg Kendall Moyes RX 3.5 14:15:00 01:58:12 92.7 845.1
4 Robin Hamilton Aeros Combat 13 14:45:00 01:50:27 36.2 795.3
5 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 14:45:00 01:52:52 36.6 776.6
6 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 14:45:00 01:53:26 31.4 763.4
7 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 14:45:00 01:57:24 23.8 732.3
8 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 14:45:00 02:30:05 22.1 577.8
9 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 14:45:00 02:30:39 21.7 573.5
10 Gennadiy Khramov Wills Wing T2C 15:00:00 02:54:01 484.1

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Tue, Sep 21 2021, 9:57:48 am MDT

Day three, task 3

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Live Tracking: https://lt.flymaster.net/bs.php?grp=4085

Replay: https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/blog__day_3

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Mon, Sep 20 2021, 9:01:49 pm MDT

Day two, task two

Butch Peachy|competition|Greg Dinauer|John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

Play Back: https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/blog__day_2

Open class task:

Not much of a flight:

Johnny Thompson tows me up again right after the Swifts and a couple of early birds at 12:37 PM. The lift is still weak near the hotel so I have to go west to hook up with the Swifts and other pilots and even there it's less than 200 fpm to 5,700' MSL. Lots of thermaling in little more than zero.

At about 7 or 8 minutes before the second clock at 1:45 PM the pilots around me northeast of the hotel head toward the edge of the start cylinder I'm thinking that it's too early and head the other direction to find much better lift than the zero we were giving up on. I climb to 5,800' and then head for the northeast edge of the cylinder.

As I fly to get out of the start cylinder I see a few pilots flying back, some of them quite low, so it looks like they are going back for the third or fourth clock. I keep going and find about eight pilots a thousand feet below me trying to get up three kilometers outside the start cylonder. Now I have a quandary.

I'm high with one other pilot who left the start cylinder with me. My desire is to just forget these guys down low cause I'm positive that there is much better lift just a few kilometers further along. But do I really want to leave eight other thermal finders and go out alone? I spend 10 minutes not climbing circling over these guys who aren't climbing either. Then we find 95 fpm and climb to 4,900'.

Finally, as I watch the pilots from the third clock come in low under us, I've had it and head out leading toward where I had previously thought there was much better lift. The pilots I'm with are not helping at all.

I find 267 fpm near the northeast end of the Casa Grande air field and climb to 5,400'. Of course, the other pilots joined me.

I lead out again and find over 300 fpm to 5,100' just before the first turnpoint at Signal Peak. My hangers ons join me.

I lead out again taking the turnpoint and heading for the foothills to the south. I've got a 6 mph head wind and I go for the hill sides that should gather the thermals. I stop for 100 fpm for one turn but I'm thinking that there is better lift a bit further in. I'm wrong.

Got fooled by the 300+ fpm lift in the previous thermal so I was not ready to take 100 fpm.

It's all sink the rest of the way down the hills to the flats and a premature landing.

Zac took the fourth clock and he was first to goal. Phil Bloom and John Simon who took the third clock came in right behind him. Konstantin Lukyanov from Russia was the last pilot into goal.

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/results

Task 2

# Name Glider Time
(h:m:s)
Distance
(km)
Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 02:31:02 83.71 988.7
2 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 02:46:53 83.71 930.0
3 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 02:47:39 83.71 917.0
4 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 03:19:26 83.71 832.3
5 Jeff Chipman Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 80.73 725.7
6 Butch Peachy Moyes RX 3.5/S4 78.36 701.1
7 Ian Brubaker Wills Wing T2C 67.85 632.6
8 Gary Anderson Wills Wing T3 144 58.29 568.6
9 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C 154 58.10 566.6
10 Jason Boehm Wills Wing T3 56.71 561.5

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 1967
2 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 1760
3 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 1697
4 Konstantin Lukyanov Moyes Litespeed RX 1505
5 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C 154 1306
6 Gary Anderson Wills Wing T3 144 1296
7 Greg Dinauer Aeros Combat 12 1231
8 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 1185
9 Jeff Galvin Wills Wing T3 154 1181
10 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 1048

Leonardo Ortiz was the only Sport Class pilot at goal on day one. Leonardo and Tim Delaney were the only two Sport Class pilots at goal on day two.

Chris Zimmerman is out with a blown motor on his Swift, so only two Swifts left. Greg Chastain won day two and is in the lead overall.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Mon, Sep 20 2021, 11:22:32 am MDT

First Task Play Back

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Day One Play Back:

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/blog__day_1

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Sun, Sep 19 2021, 10:57:09 pm MDT

First Task Results

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

competition|John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

competition|John Simon|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/results

Task 1 (open class):

# Name Glider SS Time
(h:m:s)
Lead.
Points
Time
Points
Total
1 Tyler Borradaile Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 14:30:00 01:41:41 87.0 409.6 984.6
2 Zac Majors Wills Wing T3 144 14:30:00 01:41:42 91.7 409.2 977.4
3 John Simon Aeros Combat C 12.7 14:15:00 02:01:06 93.1 281.2 841.0
4 Jeff Galvin Ww T3 154 14:30:00 01:58:41 72.3 294.7 812.6
5 Davis Straub Wills Wing T3 144 14:15:00 02:09:06 102.4 238.4 792.1
6 Willy Dydo Wills Wing T3 136 14:15:00 02:08:29 89.5 241.6 789.4
7 Phill Bloom Moyes RX 3.5 Pro 14:30:00 02:05:30 68.9 257.4 763.7
8 Ian Snowball Moyes RS4.5 14:30:00 02:05:27 39.5 257.6 738.1
9 Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann Wills Wing T2C-154 14:30:00 02:08:34 63.8 241.2 736.2
10 Gary Anderson Wills Wing T3 144 14:30:00 02:08:55 54.1 239.4 723.8

No results for sport class yet.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Sun, Sep 19 2021, 10:49:34 pm MDT

Day 1, task 1

Brian Porter|John Simon|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Robin Hamilton|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|Zac Majors

The task and my flight:

There is a 5 km start cylinder around the launch at the Francisco Grande Hotel airfield (desert). The first leg is about over the Casa Grande airfield to a 2 km cylinder around Signal Peak. Signal Peak is under the 8,000' bottom of the Phoenix Sky Harbor Class B air space, so you don't want to be too high.

The second leg is to the tiny paved airfield at Sarita to the east southeast out in the flats, 400 meter cylinder. Next head north over a bit of no man's land to the intersection at Magma, which is also under the Phoenix airspace. Finally back to a sort of empty field that might have had a dirt air field years ago at Valley.

The forecast was for strong southwest winds aloft which might make getting back to Valley a bit of trouble. Forecast also said no cu's , but there are plenty around. I'm assuming that the heavy rain yesterday softened the lift near the hotel.

Robin Hamilton decides to launch later so I'm first to launch in order but behind two early birds and three Swifts. Two Swift pilots (Brian Porter and Steve Morris) are in France for the new Swift 3 so we don't have our five Swift Pilots. Chris Zimmerman is flying a motorized Swift with a gas motor.

Jonny Thompson tows me up to 2,000' AGL on the four stroke Dragonfly and there is light lift around. I'm able to climb to 4,500' (3,200' AGL) but not more than that. Others seem to be able to get higher but that's as high as I get over the next hour.

Towed up at 1:15 PM, I take the second clock at 2:15 PM at 2300' AGL and head northwest toward the Casa Grande airfield. I'm basically alone.

I quickly find the best lift so far at 270 fpm and climb up to 5,000' MSL. Heading to the cu's to the north of the airfield I find 370 fpm and climb to 7,000'. I'm almost 3 km north of the course line (going for the clouds) and heading for Phoenix airspace.

I nick the turnpoint at Signal Mountain below the airspace and head down south along the foothills toward more cu's. Finally I hit the lift at 1,300' AGL over the hillsides and climb at over 400 fpm to 7,900' (way out from under the airspace) with JD hanging around.

No more mountains to fly as we head off toward Sarita to the east. I'm 2km south of the course line now. There are some cu's out there so it doesn't look so bad, but I'm not expecting at much as I just got at the west facing hill sides with a westerly 5 mph wind.

I take 100 fpm just before Sarita and nick it at 3,300' AGL before heading north toward Magma. There are bigger cu's over Coolidge a little west of the course line, but smaller cu's ahead to the north. I see Zac Majors from the third clock catch up with me as I pass by Coolidge. A few other pilots also. John Simon who started at the second clock also is just a few hundred feet below.

I work 200 fpm east of Coolidge and then head off north to the east of Zac at his elevation at 5,500'. It's a ten kilometer glide before we find 150 fpm with Zac just above me and I'm down to 1,000' AGL.

Zac and Tyler Borradaile work better lift just to my east as I work 150 fpm to 4,700'. I made an attempt to find better lift on the peak just to the northwest given the west wind but that didn't work out as Tyler and Zac found better lift drifting to the east under the same cu that I was under. They just hung there as Zac (at least) knew that they were in first place and didn't need to take any chances or rush out ahead as goal wasn't that far away).

I quit the 150 fpm and headed north seeing that there were cu's and sunlight ahead. Nothing seemed to work whenever I turned in lift so I got to the Magma turnpoint at 2,200' AGL and headed south, with a line of cu's ahead of me.

Finally I hit 260 fpm just south of the cotton fields (I thought that they didn't have any water this year as the Colorado River is so far down and they are the least senior water rights holders) around the turnpoint. That lift got me to 5,200' about 4,000' AGL and with 13 km to goal the race was on.

Arrived with three pilots on the ground. Looks like thirteen pilots made goal.

Results should be out soon. Daniel Velez in Colombia is doing the scoring remotely.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

Sat, Sep 18 2021, 5:44:57 pm MDT

Are the monsoons still here?

Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|photo

Jamie Shelden|photo|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

Photo by Jamie Shelden

Heavy rains today, the day before the start of the SCFR. Rain in the desert. Will the field be passable?

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

July 25, 2021, 12:07:01 pm MDT

Number of pilots allowed has risen from 24 to 45

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

Looks like that means that Bobby's and April's tugs are coming out with Jim Prahl from Wilotree Park.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

July 15, 2021, 5:59:13 pm MDT

Forty one pilots registered and paid

Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

Looks like we'll have enough pilots to have the tugs brought out from Wilotree Park. Likely we'll also have Gregg Ludwig and his super trike also.

2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 25, 2021, 8:57:36 pm MDT

Forty five pilots have registered

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

Thirty eight have paid (and I assume committed to coming to the competition). With four more paid (and committed), then the tugs are going to be coming out from Wilotree Park. If all forty five want to come there will need to be an additional tug, which is very possible.

All thirteen of the Sport pilots have paid. Twenty three of the twenty seven registered open class pilots have paid. It sure looks like there will be forty two at least that will pay and commit to coming to the competition.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 22, 2021, 11:16:26 pm MDT

Five Swift pilots have registered

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

Two have paid and committed. What's up with the other three?

If they all come I think that that would be the biggest Swift competition in the US ever.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 21, 2021, 8:48:01 pm MDT

42 pilots have registered

Jamie Shelden|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

Now, forty two pilots have registered for the SCFR including four Swift pilots, thirteen sport class pilots and twenty five open class pilots. To bring out two tugs from Wilotree Park, Jamie says that she needs to have forty two pilots registered and paid.

Thirty one pilots have paid. Eleven pilots haven't paid.

Jamie writes:

Entry Fees: The entry fee for the competition is $275 (does not include tow fees) if paid by August 1st. After August 1st, $375. Entry fees are required in full to complete your registration and to secure your entry.

So we'll probably know by August 1st who is committed to coming to the SCFR. You might also want to make your room reservations.

She also writes:

We will initially accept only 24 pilots and they will be accepted in the order of payment of registration fees. If we fill up with 24 paid participants, additional pilots will only be accepted after we have at least 18 more (for a total of 42) confirmed. Once a total of 42 pilots have registered, we can then accept all 42 and confirm the tugs from Florida once all 42 pilots have paid their registration fees.

Personally I think that there is a bit more flexibility and we could do okay with thirty or so pilots and actually with more than forty two, but those arrangements haven't been finalized yet. It depends, again, on how many pilots commit to coming and the tugs from Wilotree Park will definitely not come out unless forty two have committed.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 16, 2021, 8:26:37 MDT

Race to Register and Pay

Jamie Shelden|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

To secure your slot in the SCFR you need to register and pay Jamie Shelden at <<jamie>>. Just like the race for the first twenty four slots, there is now a race for the next eighteen with two pilots already secured and ten on the waiting list. But being on the waiting list means nothing. Crossing the finish line before others means getting in your payment of $275 before the number of pilots goes to eighteen paid in addition to the twenty four already confirmed.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 15, 2021, 7:08:58 MDT

Francisco Grande reservations

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/blog/accommodation-at-the-francisco-grande-resort

Accommodation at the Francisco Grande Resort

Please make sure to reserve your room at the Francisco Grande as soon as possible. Individual reservations must be made as follows: Individuals must identify themselves as part of Santa Cruz Flats Race, and provide us with guest name, type of room, check-in and check-out dates. Any requests for special arrangements must be made at the time of this call. The Francisco Grande Hotel and Golf Resort toll free reservations line is 1-800-237-4238.

After August 1, the resort releases any unused rooms in our block, so if you wait until after that date, there may not be anything left.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 14, 2021, 4:46:34 pm EDT

24 pilots confirmed, 25 pilots paid.

Jamie Shelden|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

Jamie has written previously:

We will initially accept only 24 pilots and they will be accepted in the order of payment of registration fees. If we fill up with 24 paid participants, additional pilots will only be accepted after we have at least 18 more (for a total of 42) confirmed. Once a total of 42 pilots have registered, we can then accept all 42 and confirm the tugs from Florida once all 42 pilots have paid their registration fees.

I take that to mean that 18 (now 17) additional pilots need to register and pay before Jamie will call for the tugs from Wilotree Park. You pay by sending $275 to <<jamie>> after you register.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 14, 2021, 12:50:02 pm EDT

Register and pay the entry fee ASAP

Jamie Shelden|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/pilots

Check and see how many pilots are confirmed. On Monday morning there were 31 registered, but 42 need to be registered and paid to bring the tugs from Florida. Twenty two pilots were confirmed on Monday morning, so two "open" slots left.

See Jamie's requirements re registration and payment here: https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/info/details

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 7, 2021, 8:04:36 pm MDT

Registration to open on Friday

Jamie Shelden|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

https://airtribune.com/santa-cruz-flats-race-2021/info/details

Jamie says that registration will open on Friday, June 11th at noon Pacific Daylight Time.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 7, 2021, 3:01:59 pm MDT

Register and pay next week

April Mackin|COVID|Jamie Shelden|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021

"Jamie Shelden" <naughtylawyer> writes:

We're really happy to be organizing the Santa Cruz Flats Race again this September after a year off due to COVID. But, I wanted to explain the tug situation so everyone understands how registration and payment will work this year. Thanks to Sonora Wings, we have two dragonflies in Casa Grande. If we have no more than 22-24 pilots, we’ll be covered with these local dragonflies. However, if we have more than 24 pilots register, we will need to bring tugs from out of the area. This is where the issues start. Bob Bailey and April Mackin are able to transport two dragonflies from Florida via trailer. This requires removing the wings and carefully packing them into a trailer and driving them across the country to Casa Grande. Bob and April have done this nearly every year that we have held the event and we are eternally grateful. Here’s the hitch though: the cost of driving the trailer out to Arizona is the same if we put one tug or two tugs in it and that cost is extremely high. What this means is that it is only cost effective to pack up the trailer and bring 2 dragonflies. Bringing just one would make towing very very expensive.

So, we are in a situation where we can have either two or four dragonflies at the Santa Cruz Flats Race, but not three. If we have 42 people register, pay and commit to attend, all is great. But, if we have only 30, the tow fees to each pilot would be prohibitively expensive. With this in mind, it is critical that pilots register, pay registration fees and commit to participate no later than one month before the start of the competition.

When registration opens in about a week, we will initially accept only 24 pilots and they will be accepted in the order of payment of registration fees. If we fill up with 24 paid participants, additional pilots will only be accepted after we have at least 18 more (for a total of 42) confirmed. Once a total of 42 pilots have registered, we can then accept all 42 and confirm the tugs from Florida once all 42 pilots have paid their registration fees.

I realize this is complicated, but we don’t want to wait until the week before the competition starts to determine how much tow fees will be and we don’t want to risk having more than 24, but fewer than 42 pilots because that would make tow fees in excess of $550/person.

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2021 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

June 1, 2021, 10:36:36 MDT

Jamie Shelden is going back to Casa Grande

Jamie Shelden|Risk Retention Group|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2021|USHPA

The competition will be held September 19th through the 25th. The USHPA and the RRRG consider Jamie to be a worthy and reliable meet organizer.

Be prepared for high rental car rates and airlines making up for pandemic era loses.

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