Gary Osoba <<email>> writes:

We need not guess at what competition pilots want.

During the 2008 Big Spring Invitational and with the help of meet organizers, I conducted a survey looking at several key questions. The participating pilots represented a broad range of experience and hailed from diverse regions. Collectively, they have much experience with competitions and various venues. To encourage as much veracity as possible, the responses were required to be submitted in writing and the pilots were assured that these would be held anonymously. A total of 150 responses (answers to the questions) were tallied, with a goal of identifying the relative importance of the issues.

Here are the cumulative results, ranked in order of importance. The valuation was based on a 1 to 10 system, whereby the top factor, if given a perfect "1" by every respondent, would have factored in at "1".

Cumulative Rank Consideration for Meet Planning

#1: 1. 7 Maximum Number of Flyable Days

#2: 2. 1 Good Racing Conditions

#3: 2. 7 Readily Landable Terrain, Easy Retrieves

#4: 4. 0 Sanctioning Points

#5: 4. 2 Good Restaurants, Night Life, and Accommodations

#6: 5. 0 Proximity to Other Major Meets in the Same Time Period

Additionally, one quantitative issue was asked of the pilots. "What is the highest cloudbase you are comfortable flying to without oxygen in a racing environment?" The mean average response, by far, was 13,000' msl.

It is clear from the responses that maximizing the number of flying days at any competition is the top priority, followed by good racing conditions and readily landable terrain with easy retrieves. By these measures alone, no other venue that I am aware of in the US even comes close to the record (a rather long one now) of the meets at Big Springs, TX. Additionally, the consistent and excellent conditions do not normally pierce the maximum height pilots are willing to fly to without oxygen- which adds additional expense, complications, and results in less safety. For an example, big mountain conditions usually require oxygen and present much more turbulence, etc.

Please feel free to share these results with your readers and the individuals who make decisions regarding competition venues. I would like to add that I have no agenda in this regard, and although I was a founding regional director of the USHGA I have not even been a member of it for many years now.

Although David Glover consulted me about the weather and other matters involving flight conditions before selecting Big Spring as a meet location, I have no stake whatsoever in the meet. When asked and able to, I have been happy to serve as an unpaid volunteer assisting in weather analysis and task planning. However, I have done the same for several other venues and do not have a personal bias toward any site.