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Valdez Landing Contest Winner

cubflier

MEMBER
Palmer, AK
Matt Piatt is the proud owner of yet another set of 31" Bushwheels with a 60' landing. Paul Klaus was number 2 at 74' 6".

Great show - beautiful weather.

Jerry
 
I had to depart prior to the finish. I figured that Paul's landing would be very tough to top. I might add that you made a very impressive showing, in that good looking green cub, congradulations.
pete
 
Any take-off numbers? What were the winds down the runway?

I goofed by not pushing through on Friday, thinking I could cruise over on Saturady morning which was supoosed to be and WAS really nice.

relatives showed up,,, I ended up being Mr Domestic.... wasting good flying weather furniture shopping.... they might as well shoot me...

oh no,,,, here they come gotta go...
 
Alex Clark said:
Any take-off numbers? What were the winds down the runway?

I goofed by not pushing through on Friday, thinking I could cruise over on Saturady morning which was supoosed to be and WAS really nice.

relatives showed up,,, I ended up being Mr Domestic.... wasting good flying weather furniture shopping.... they might as well shoot me...

oh no,,,, here they come gotta go...

Alex - These are from memory.

Klaus was around 54'

The McManns were around 58 and 66 or so.

There was another score around 63'.



I'm sure they will be posted soon so I don't want to try my bad memory too much. Plus my spelling of last names could be off a bit.

Wind was east down the runway and varied throughout the day so that was a factor.

Matt Piatt earned his pay as the good winds had subsided. He is SPOT ON in that Eleven. Great pilot!!

Jerry
 
Here are the Metars for the last couple days for Valdez. If I am correct (which is not usual), the STOL competition was on the 29th at 1pm and the winds at the time were:

KPVD 292351Z 07009KT 10SM CLR 11/M07 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP303 T01061067 10150 20106 53008
KPVD 292251Z 06015KT 10SM CLR 12/M08 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP294 T01221083
KPVD 292151Z 07013G19KT 10SM FEW250 14/M08 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP294 T01391078


For the three hours during the contest. Also, the airport elevation is 118' for you folks at 6000' in Colorado who are saying "How do they do it?"

I wish I could have gone this year. Too many things going on, too little time... See a bunch of ya next weekend!


KPVD 010051Z 04007KT 10SM CLR 11/M07 A3038 RMK AO2 SLP287 T01111067
KPVD 302351Z 05010KT 10SM CLR 13/M09 A3038 RMK AO2 SLP286 T01331094 10189 20133 55003
KPVD 302251Z 05013KT 10SM CLR 16/M11 A3037 RMK AO2 SLP285 T01611106
KPVD 302151Z 05014G20KT 10SM CLR 17/M09 A3037 RMK AO2 SLP285 T01721094
KPVD 302051Z 04016KT 10SM CLR 18/M08 A3038 RMK AO2 SLP289 T01781083 58010
KPVD 301951Z 05016KT 10SM CLR 18/M07 A3039 RMK AO2 SLP292 T01831067
KPVD 301851Z 05019KT 10SM CLR 18/M07 A3041 RMK AO2 SLP296 T01831067
KPVD 301751Z 04018KT 10SM CLR 19/M07 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP300 T01891067 10189 20106 58009
KPVD 301651Z 04014KT 10SM CLR 19/M06 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP303 T01891061
KPVD 301551Z 04017G23KT 10SM CLR 18/M06 A3044 RMK AO2 PK WND 04026/1526 SLP307 T01781061
KPVD 301451Z 05015G21KT 10SM CLR 17/M04 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP309 T01671044 51001
KPVD 301351Z 03016KT 10SM CLR 14/M06 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP307 T01441056
KPVD 301051Z 35007KT 10SM FEW150 SCT250 07/M06 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP304 T00671056
KPVD 300951Z 36008KT 10SM FEW200 SCT250 05/M07 A3041 RMK AO2 SLP299 T00501067
KPVD 300851Z COR 35009KT 10SM FEW200 SCT250 06/M07 A3041 RMK AO2 SLP298 T00611072 55004
KPVD 300751Z 35008KT 10SM CLR 05/M06 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP293 T00501056
KPVD 300651Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 04/M04 A3039 RMK AO2 SLP291 T00391044
KPVD 300551Z 36008KT 10SM CLR 06/M06 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP301 T00561056 10106 20056 58008
KPVD 300451Z 36006KT 10SM CLR 06/M06 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP309 T00561061 401500039
KPVD 300351Z 34003KT 10SM CLR 07/M07 A3045 RMK AO2 SLP311 T00721067
KPVD 300251Z 34004KT 10SM CLR 08/M08 A3045 RMK AO2 SLP310 T00831078 53007
KPVD 300151Z 01005KT 10SM CLR 08/M08 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP308 T00831078
KPVD 300051Z 06005KT 10SM CLR 09/M07 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP304 T00891067
KPVD 292351Z 07009KT 10SM CLR 11/M07 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP303 T01061067 10150 20106 53008
KPVD 292251Z 06015KT 10SM CLR 12/M08 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP294 T01221083
KPVD 292151Z 07013G19KT 10SM FEW250 14/M08 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP294 T01391078
KPVD 292051Z 08013KT 10SM FEW250 14/M09 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP295 T01441089 58010
KPVD 291951Z 04017KT 10SM FEW250 14/M09 A3041 RMK AO2 PK WND 06027/1914 SLP298 T01441094
KPVD 291851Z 03015G23KT 10SM FEW250 14/M08 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP303 T01441083
KPVD 291751Z 04017G25KT 10SM FEW250 15/M08 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP305 T01501083 10150 20083 55006
KPVD 291651Z 05015G26KT 10SM FEW250 14/M08 A3043 RMK AO2 PK WND 05026/1646 SLP304 T01441078
KPVD 291551Z 03018G24KT 10SM FEW250 14/M07 A3044 RMK AO2 PK WND 05026/1504 SLP309 T01391072
KPVD 291451Z 03021G27KT 10SM FEW250 13/M07 A3045 RMK AO2 PK WND 03027/1450 SLP311 T01331067 51003
 
A guy I know said he'd enter the landing contest with his wilga. Did he show? How'd he do?
 
Skukum - No Wilga


Steve - I there any way we can have a STOL contest into the wind going uphill, at sea level, post the outrageous results and just keep you guys wondering how we do it. Dang. Why inject all these facts?

Seriously wind was a friend to some but Young Will Robinson ( Matt Piatt) drew the short straw and still gave us a whoopin.

This would be about the time frame that the Bush Class Competition was held:

KPVD 300351Z 34003KT 10SM CLR 07/M07 A3045 RMK AO2 SLP311 T00721067
KPVD 300251Z 34004KT 10SM CLR 08/M08 A3045 RMK AO2 SLP310 T00831078 53007
KPVD 300151Z 01005KT 10SM CLR 08/M08 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP308 T00831078
KPVD 300051Z 06005KT 10SM CLR 09/M07 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP304 T00891067
KPVD 292351Z 07009KT 10SM CLR 11/M07 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP303 T01061067 10150 20106 53008
KPVD 292251Z 06015KT 10SM CLR 12/M08 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP294 T01221083



As you can see the winds dwindled as the event progressed. First guys out got the best wind. Everyone got the benifit of runway 6 being uphill and a certain part of wind component. Matt's round was at the end of the day. His 60' was for the most part Matt's doing.

And the crowd cheered!!!!

Jerry

PS: I hear the new rules for next year are no one under the age of 45 may enter and you must measure 45 inches at the waist.

Sorry Matt!!
 
Beautiful weather today again. I think I got sunburned.

Paul Klaus won the Bush Challenge (300 pounds of dry concrete...er-moosemeat aboard) today. He won a Denali ANR headset. His second takeoff was 80-somethin', his first was 90-somethin'.

Greg (MauleGuy, Bigrocks/Longprops) exhibited the Beech Staggerwing with a 220 MPH, 20 footAGL, right down the flightline (taxiway) fast pass that got me going. What a day. A Gulfstream 3 did a fast pass (250knots) down the runway that wasn't even 1/3 as cool as the Staggerwing. Sorry I missed you guys yesterday!

What a backdrop for an airshow, huh? BEAUTIFUL

ANyone know where the REAL OFFICIAL numbers are at?

DAVE
 
Jerry, I got the schedule from the website so I was wrong on the days I guess. It said 1pm - 4pm on Saturday, which are you GMT-8 in Valdez?

I think a fun contest would be make all the pilots fly the same plane, and load it to the same weight. The pilot steps on a scale, and they figure how much more weight to throw into the plane to compensate for his not drinking enough beer at night.

Then you have each pilot shoot a take off and landing in order, then start over, that way you minimize the wind/temp effect, THEN average all three of each and you find out who the best pilot is. Which might give you similar results, but it would be interesting.

If I lost 50lbs, it might make up for my lousy techinqe?

sj
 
Sounds like I missed another great contest.

Steve, there is almost no way to put someone in an unfamiliar plane and get a good result. Take three planes that are identical in all aspects, they fly differently. Not much maybe, but on that fine edge....

However, put each plane on a scale and bring them all to the same weight would be fun. Use your own plane, just need to be able to do it a gross.
 
steve said:
Jerry, I got the schedule from the website so I was wrong on the days I guess. It said 1pm - 4pm on Saturday, which are you GMT-8 in Valdez?

Yep we are minus 8 but I forgot and used minus 9. It takes me an extra month to start using DST. The event went way long via various delays. My only point was how the guys at the end were robbed a good breeze and still posted some impressive results. Bush Class went somewhere between 2 and 7pm or so.

I think a fun contest would be make all the pilots fly the same plane, and load it to the same weight. The pilot steps on a scale, and they figure how much more weight to throw into the plane to compensate for his not drinking enough beer at night.

So all us little scrawny guys that got bullied as children get denied our only chance to get even with you big guys? That ain't right. Maybe you should petition the "Beer Gut Challenge" as a class. That way we could all start dieting (drinking max beer nightly) now.

Dave - Were they still using runway 6 and how was the wind. 80 and 90 and change is perty darn impressive. I know he has a light no electric Alpha Male cub but he is one good hand on the controls.

Jerry
 
Reading this makes me super-bummed.... All I got to do was put together beds and buy wall paper. Plus run my mouth about wishing I was there and how a gal I used to know, would have gone with me........ so I know how well my sofa works as a bed...
To make matters worse, I went down to the plane at zero-early-hundred this morning and most of my gas was gone.

Anyone know about the proposed Kenai fly-in with the water ballon dropping contest? Some guy came to one of our EAA meetings a while back and talked about it but I have not seen anything since...
 
Well, another great showing... Many cubs and WOW...that turbine otter!...The Bush class was great as well...as one of the judges on the field...I can confirm that the wind was considerably to the advantage of the first two groups...I think we would have very different results if the wind would have been equal for all...the McMahans with T.Offs around 60' as well as Mike Stitsles 60ish take-off was impressive ... The wind was dying or flat dead when the latter groups went... Matt Piatt did a great job...60'6"...

Ron
 
cubflier said:
PS: I hear the new rules for next year are no one under the age of 45 may enter and you must measure 45 inches at the waist.
Sorry Matt!!

That should narrow the field by about three pilots...I'm KIDDING!, really, I am.
 
Sorry I missed you Ron.

yeah, another thread with some discussion of all the great ways to have an STOL competition would be good.

For the '300 pounds-of-concrete-Challenge' they used the taxiway, show-center. No more than 6 mph of wind. Only 3 guys competed. I have short, low-res. videos of each takeoff. One of the state pickup trucks parked right in front of the lift-off zone and if anyone was there and heard a guy yell "...move the pickup..." .....that was me. Sorry, but come on!!!. Anyway, a good day.

Alex, sorry about the couch thing, but you knew better when those words were coming out of your mouth, I bet. :D DAVE
 
Yeah, since it was her back when she claimed she liked flying. Before gettin hitched...
 
My friend and I attended the fly-in and really enjoyed it. We are both Tcraft owners and are quite aware that the performance is not that of a cub. That said,slow flight is something that we both do frequently and we know what it feels like and what it looks like to watch someone fly on the "ragged edge"... just before the stall. We spent full days both Saturday and Sunday adjacent to the staging area within 500 feet of the wind sock. We kept a close eye on the wind sock and were aware of what the wind was doing within 200 feet of the chalk line for the competition. That said ... in a nut shell... I believe Paul Klaus flew his Cub slower than any competitor. When you have individuals that are as good as the group that competed at this event,one,two or three miles per hour can make the difference. I suspect that Paul's Cub may be the lightest of the bunch,with perhaps the exception of Matt's Cub. Pilot weight is a big factor as well and we all know that a small gust of wind can make a huge difference in the outcome of a competition. Luck of the draw and the right place at the right time as well.

Jim

Oh Yeah! One more thing...No VG's on Pauls Cub! Hmmmm...!

Another thing... I would like to see some numbers from a radar gun on the competitors as they approach and touch down.
 
any pixs of the contest?

I would like to see any video or pixs of the contest if anybody has any, ------------anybody with the thrustline and vg's, would it made a difference?
 
The other thing that was interesting about Paul's landing in both the turbine otter and the cub was was that he flew an glideslope type approach rather than dragging it in. Great speed control. Note that his T/O and landing distances in an Otter that beat most of the cubs.
 
Just looking at the gallery of pictures it looked like a good turn out. You guys in Alaska are sure lucky to have such a aviation friendly community. It would take the Blue Angles, Snow Birds and a Stealth Jet here to get that kind of turn out.
 
So I have to ask. Were any of the winners running the AOSS on their landing gear? I saw the picture of the yellow cub with Burl's gear in the gallery and had to ask.

Also how did our favorite Mountain Goat do?
 
Gunny, No goat except the white ones on the mountain. AOSS---Can't remember, other than Matt Piatt did not have it on his 11....Chuck McMahan does I believe....I think those pictures posted are from last years competition...not this years...
 
J5Ron - thanks for that - I saw pictures of the Goat in the gallery link that Indabush posted and thought it was from this year. Interested in seeing the "offishal" results when they are posted and curious if any of the winner were using AOSS. Thanks again.
 
No AOSS on Paul K's a/c. I'll check my other photos.

Paul had 6" extended gear, though. Some would think, (I'm among them) that long gear would be an advantage for shorter take offs.
 
WELL HOORAY for Matt on wining again this year!!!
I own the 31's He Won last year.
All I can say is that kid has got to be a heck of a pilot, while competeing with some of the most elete bush pilots in this day and time. Two in a row is not an accident!
Wind or no wind its called bush flying, the pilot makes the end result happen! Got to love those arm chair quarterbacks out there sittin on the sidelines doing the what if's! CONGRADULATIONS MATT !!!!
 
djfraudman said:
The other thing that was interesting about Paul's landing in both the turbine otter and the cub was was that he flew an glideslope type approach rather than dragging it in. Great speed control. Note that his T/O and landing distances in an Otter that beat most of the cubs.

I'm an assistant guide for Paul during his dall sheep hunting season, as well as a recent cub pilot (I bought Paul's 180 h/p "heavy" cub last year). I've spent many hours grilling Paul on the finer points of his flying. He's fanatical about flying safely. One of the topics that can get him passionate is the technique of dragging the plane in and chopping power to get a short landing. Paul believes it is inherently unsafe.

Incidently, the aspect of Paul's flying skill that most amazes me is not the distance of his take-offs and landings. It's his ability to read the terrain from the air and pick his landing spot. As he flies around the Wrangel-St. Elias park where his lodge is he rarely lands in the same spot twice. With over 20,000 hours of mostly off-strip landings on mountains and glaciers, Paul bush flying skills have developed to the point where they almost seem superhuman.
 
Pictures

The link below has current pictures from the airshow as well as pictures of the Staggerwing Beech, Marc Paine's Decathlon and Chuck McMahan's cub over Columbia Glacier. Official results will be available in a day or two. I second that the wind was much less later in the day. There was a 45 minute delay for the ERA commercial flight to land before the last two groups went, in which were Chuck and Johnny McMahan. There were no hard feelings though, weather, plane and pilot all went into the equation. The level of competition was much higher this year and landing accuracy was impressive as well. The committee met Sunday evening to discuss some ways to make it even better next year and still remember the main point is FUN! Thanks to everyone who made the trip and we look forward to seeing more of you next year.

Here is the link: http://www.printroom.com/pro/joephoto

Joe Prax
Photographer
Valdez May Day Fly In
 
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