How about an electric sailplane award

[Rolling Thunder]

Hey everyone,what do you think about having an awards showcase for longest flight duration(s) for thermal & slope planes.In other words no motors are to be used
Pilots who reach a set time then get a award icon next to their names in the awards showcase
I dont want this thread to be the place to post it in.I'd rather have someone else who is more knowledgible in sailplanes to do it.
Just throwing it out there to see if anybodys interested in doing it & if the wattflyer staff would approve such an award

[Rolling Thunder]

Really??.....no one thinks its a good idea to add this award to ones "award showcase" underneath theire avatar picture
I would think this award would be one of if not the most difficult & most technically challenging awards one could achieve in our hobby
Anybody can strap a 2200kv mtor & 4cell lipo to a stryker & go 100mph (not that there isnt a cool factor in that) but trying to fly with no motor for a duration takes much more skill imho

[kenchiroalpha]

Hi
I agree +1
Take care
Yours Hank

[Rockin Robbins]

Well I don't have a sailplane right now but I do have my Slow Stick. With all the interest I could nab a nice logo for my siggy pic with IT! Go for it. This could be fun.

[FlyWheel]

I suggested this myself many moons ago, with pretty much the same reaction. there is a thermal duration contest currently under way, maybe the two ideas can be integrated.

[Rolling Thunder]

obviously the 1st person that comes to mind has got to be AEAJR .
And since he's a community moderator he already has the power to start such an award
How about it aeajr.....any interest? (p.m. sent)

[AEAJR]

Just saw this. Sorry I have not commented.

Sounds like an interesting idea, with one hitch, this is Wattflyer, a site dedicated to electric flight. Seems a bit out of place to post showcase awards for gliders that dont have motors.

I am all for accomplisment badges, but not sure the site management is going to see the point. After all, at one point we had a forum for gliders/sailplanes. That was killed and folded into high perfomrance, which never made any sense to me at all.

You have my support, you know I have worked to try and keep sailplanes alive as a discussion topic on Wattflyer, but I question whether Wattflyer is the right place for this award.

If you want to recognize flight durations then start a Big Sky event like the one I started on RC Groups in February. There was no real interest here. I ran it for several months on RCG but have now turned it over to one of the other forum members so he can take leadershp there.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1480732

This is run as an e-glider event there. I would say the first step would be to do the same here, but there has been no support.

You can do the same for pure gliders just by starting a thread. If there is not enough support to get participation in a user run duration event, why should management add a showcase badge? Think about it. Even as a moderator who loves gliders, I don't see the point. There is just not a whole lot of interest.

Start the contest and prove me wrong.

[tampaflyer]

Originally Posted by AEAJR

Just saw this. Sorry I have not commented.

Sounds like an interesting idea, with one hitch, this is Wattflyer, a site dedicated to electric flight. Seems a bit out of place to post showcase awards for gliders that dont have motors.

I am all for accomplisment badges, but not sure the site management is going to see the point. After all, at one point we had a forum for gliders/sailplanes. That was killed and folded into high perfomrance, which never made any sense to me at all.

You have my support, you know I have worked to try and keep sailplanes alive as a discussion topic on Wattflyer, but I question whether Wattflyer is the right place for this award.


+1
If you want to recognize flight durations then start a Big Sky event like the one I started on RC Groups in February. There was no real interest here. I ran it for several months on RCG but have now turned it over to one of the other forum members so he can take leadershp there.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1480732

This is run as an e-glider event there. I would say the first step would be to do the same here, but there has been no support.

You can do the same for pure gliders just by starting a thread. If there is not enough support to get participation in a user run duration event, why should management add a showcase badge? Think about it. Even as a moderator who loves gliders, I don't see the point. There is just not a whole lot of interest.

Start the contest and prove me wrong.

yes i agree... sailplane, duration, slope not really...

[AEAJR]

Originally Posted by tampaflyer

yes i agree... sailplane, duration, slope not really...

Why not slope?


The League of Silent Flight recoginzes slope duration as a clear soaring accomplishment task.
http://www.silentflight.org/lsf-program/lsf-tasks

[AEAJR]

I see that there is a duration contest running already. The name confused me.
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63151

[Don Sims]

Perhaps a certain motor run time then thermal duration? If you gents come up with a award that ties into WF, let me know.

[Rolling Thunder]

Ooops...I hadnt even thought about it having to be tied in with e-flight,but you guys are correct.It should be e- glider thermal duration award

Now who wants to make up the rules on how to achieve such an award......<----- this guy means it out of my league

[AEAJR]

Originally Posted by Rolling Thunder

Ooops...I hadnt even thought about it having to be tied in with e-flight,but you guys are correct.It should be e- glider thermal duration award

Now who wants to make up the rules on how to achieve such an award......<----- this guy means it out of my league

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1480732

[Rolling Thunder]

well...lets not be like the chinese & just totally rip off someones elses idea
lets give it the old college try

I do like the idea of any e-plane,any size,any motor though
(title changed to better reflect the spirit of the thread)

[AEAJR]

Originally Posted by Rolling Thunder

well...lets not be like the chinese & just totally rip off someones elses idea
lets give it the old college try

I do like the idea of any e-plane,any size,any motor though
(title changed to better reflect the spirit of the thread)

The rules and contest design at that link are 100% mine. I used to run this for my club and just carried it over to RCG.

You are absolutely encouraged to use any or all of it exactly as it stands. Just copy and past it if you like. I would be flattered.

[Rolling Thunder]

Hey Im wondering if it would be better to have a long timed flight like say an hours flight with the use of a motor during the flight or would it be better to have a shorter thermal flight with a motor run up to start as you & Don have suggested

I see a lot of pilots with radians & easystars & Ive never seen them thermal longer than about 15 minutes myself.But using the motor seems to get them around an hour.Just wondering which way would be more more challenging as well as enjoyable to all the pilots who would like to participate in achieving such an award showcase

[Don Sims]

Also, don't forget to get some talented person to design the award. Maybe 1/2 hour duration then on up to bladder failure time?

[AEAJR]

Originally Posted by Rolling Thunder

Hey Im wondering if it would be better to have a long timed flight like say an hours flight with the use of a motor during the flight or would it be better to have a shorter thermal flight with a motor run up to start as you & Don have suggested

I see a lot of pilots with radians & easystars & Ive never seen them thermal longer than about 15 minutes myself.But using the motor seems to get them around an hour.Just wondering which way would be more more challenging as well as enjoyable to all the pilots who would like to participate in achieving such an award showcase

Nothing wrong with this. Man with the biggest battery wins. Not a lot of skill needed. Get a nice 3M glider and stack a pair of 5000 mah packs on it. Stay up for hours.

[FlyWheel]

Originally Posted by Rolling Thunder

Ooops...I hadnt even thought about it having to be tied in with e-flight,but you guys are correct.It should be e- glider thermal duration award. <snip>

What about a winch? They're electric. Or electric powered tow planes?

Originally Posted by AEAJR

Nothing wrong with this. Man with the biggest battery wins. Not a lot of skill needed. Get a nice 3M glider and stack a pair of 5000 mah packs on it. Stay up for hours.

Then don't you dare call it a sailplane award, because it won't be. Call it what it is, a flight endurance award.

You would sure feel silly giving a "sailplane" award to someone who put an oversized battery pack in his or her stryker, now wouldn't you?

[Rolling Thunder]

So using aeajr contest rules what kind of time(s) are we talking here.
I wouldnt want it to be something only high end sailplanes could acheive.
This award would differ slightly from aeajr's contest in that no one is competing against each other but rather are competing against a set flight time duration.

Originally Posted by Don Sims

Also, don't forget to get some talented person to design the award. Maybe 1/2 hour duration then on up to bladder failure time?

P.M. sent to "flying burrito's" productions

[Rolling Thunder]

so does 30 minutes of thermaling sound doable
Im kinda partial to 20 minutes but thats because ive never gotten over 15 myself

[Rolling Thunder]

no word yet from flying burritos productions.Anyone else interested in designing an award icon
It would have to look like something that would signify a 30 minute thermal flight

[Rolling Thunder]

Aeajr would you be interested in taking over this idea
You could start a new thread.It looks like Dons on board with it & judging by the number of views this thread has got it looks like theres some interest.
You would just have to come up with an awards icon

[groundrushesup]

Originally Posted by Rolling Thunder

Aeajr would you be interested in taking over this idea
You could start a new thread.It looks like Dons on board with it & judging by the number of views this thread has got it looks like theres some interest.
You would just have to come up with an awards icon

Wow Guys - I am so sorry it took so long to get back to you - Somehow I didn't get the PM notification and I been busier than the proverbial one-legged feller if you know what I mean.

I'd be happy to take a shot at designing it - is it gonna be like the Speed demon and Kilowatt icons?

Let me know - I promise to check my PMs from now on

GRU

[Rolling Thunder]

Yes Gru,it would be exactly like those icons
Looking for something that would signify a 30 minute thermal flight.Not sure if anyone wants a longer flight award than that right now,many thanks-RT