Tony de Groot <>
writes:

I just sent an email to David Glover and Davis Straub thanking
them for letting us compete at the Big Spring Hang Gliding competition. Having a
sport class or a single surface class allows newer competition pilots like
myself to get the feel of what it's like to be involved in a Hang Gliding
competition. I think that having a sport and single surface class gives newer
pilots a starting point to then go on and enter the topless, open class
competitions.


I also think that the sport class is an end in itself. I have flown single
surface to topless to demoing rigid gliders and have enjoyed each but think I
will settle for something like a Sport 2 to Discuss type glider as my final
glider. This type of glider works the best for the area I fly. For me the joy of
a light handling and fun glider outweighs the desire for glide at all costs.


I would like to go to competitions to try my best with the equipment I have and
meet with other like-minded pilots to challenge ourselves in flight.


I think if you want to increase the base of competitors you need to have a fun,
but challenging competition for people flying easy to fly, average wings. If
people have a good time at these events then the popularity will grow.


Along with the competition a fun event also ads to the competition. You should
have seen how much fun was had by the top competitors in the spot landing
competition at Big Springs.


Challenging tasks, fun events, social parties, single surface, sports class
topless and rigid, why not have all events at medium to big competitions? It
sure worked well at Big Springs.


Below is the email I sent to Davis.


I just wanted to thank you and David Glover for letting us participate in this
years Big Spring Hang Gliding competition. Having the single surface and sport
class division is a great way to learn about competition without getting blown
out of the air by the best pilots in our first competition.


Thank you for letting us participate in the daily checking of the weather and
picking our own tasks. You really made us feel like we belonged. The daily
updates of our small accomplishments from the day before and the applause from
all the pilots was very cool.


In the end we learned about Gap Scoring and got more familiar with our GPS's and
how to use them. We were also happily surprised at how friendly and approachable
all the pilots were in the various divisions.


We would love to come back and enter other competitions. I think next time we
want to enter the sport class division.


Thanks again for all your effort and support.