Back to the Lone Star STOL Contest, I have to comment on what a great event this was. Thursday morning I was looking at the weather and it was looking pretty grim. I called Tony and neither of us thought there would be any flying due to the weather forecast. Jim Crane and Bill cam over Thursday in their Carbon Cubs for lunch and got me fired up to even if we didn't get to fly. hanging out with everyone is always fun anyway. I checked the forecast and saw a window Saturday afternoon that the contest might take place. I called Tony and he saw that as well. We realized we would rather be in Gainesville and not get to fly than we would to be at home and find out they flew. I found out later our wives were talking back and forth an didn't want us moping around all weekend either. We also figured out if we didn't leave on Thursday we wouldn't get there so we did.
Met up with lots of folks we have flown with before and met a lot of new people as well including some guys in their early 20s. There was an air about the whole event that was infectious. It was raining all day Friday but everyone was having a good time. We had a meeting about the grass runway, walked out and looked at it and decided it was not going to work due to the amount of rain the previous night. The ramp was inspected and found the best place for the runway and moved all the TV equipment in a matter of an hour or so which had taken a day or better to set up originally. The pilot briefing was held and decisions were made. Doug comes from the Ultra Four, King of the Hammers baja truck racing and brought his experience and several of those organizers to this event. Registration was a breeze as all of our info was on computer from our online pre-registrations. IIt was obvious from everything that was going on that this wasn't their first rodeo. It was also obvious that Doug had done his homework. He talked to a lot of people and learned what was good and bad at other events. Line judging accuracy was one concern people had. I noticed way more identifying marks on the runway at this event and lots of line judges who had all been there since early Thursday preparing.
One thing I noticed in the briefing was that this is professional, this event was not just a couple good old boys seeing who could land the shortest. There was a full blown TV crew, sponsors and prize money. It was about letting everyone out there see what we were doing and what it is all about. The enthusiasm was infectious. Young people flying, the Fat Tire Cowboys put together baskets for the first place winners in every category full of pilot friendly cool stuff, airport staff was phenomenal and very helpful. Hanger owners opened their hangers and cooked out feeding all of us. Everybody was excited I think. It started from the top and trickled down.
Saturday was bleak in the morning but all those forecasts were showing ceilings and visibility in the afternoon conducive to flying. After lunch word went out and everybody started getting ready. Was kind of a mess getting everybody in sequence because of the change in runway use. Pilots who were camping were south and other parking was north but it all worked out and we got to play in the mud a bit. The airboss was good and I was glad I had my new Trig radio so I could monitor ground ops while waiting and still hear what was going on on the airboss frequency. Bush was 3rd flight after Heavy and Light Touring and we had good winds down the runway and a slight cross from the east but not bad. Have been in to many of these with quartering tailwinds that are no fun. Ceiling was a little low and mad fora flatter approach but was pretty happy with both take-offs and landings. People were blowing my phone up texting and stuff. I guess Jughead was saying I was in first but that was only the first flight because Tony scratched his landing but he more than made up for that on the second flight. We were 2 feet apart on the take off but 20 feet apart on the landing. We didn't know at the time what the numbers were and didn't realize we would get a 3rd run. After everyone flew we still had decent weather so we all got one more run. The take off felt great I was keyed up cause it felt real good, we had better wind and I didn't feel like I left anything behind me. Turns out Tony and I both had 76 foot take offs. When I was coming down final I was seeing consistent 34 mph ground speed every time I glanced at it. It felt great and I told myself I just gotta aim just past the line and not scratch. I was feeling great down the whole line, i thought this is it and just short of the line it was like the wind stopped and I dropped and the burst of power did nothing. I was upset and it probably showed cause I didn't even dump my flaps. Up until that point I though I might actually have Tony and knew after that that I didn't cause I knew he took advantage of the wind. Once I saw the numbers later I felt better cause he got me in the second round. He and I fly together weekly and I knew he would beat me but for an instant I thought I might have got him. There were a lot of fun calls and texts afterwards with Thrustline Mark and Kevin. the awards were fun as well. Jughead MCing and all broadcast live. He had to comment on my Muck boots which i wore all weekend except when i was flying. Learned that lesson at paul Claus's Geo Cache years ago when Dianna Duncan loaned me hers. I guess Jughead was an F15 driver and there is evidently a riff between them and F16 drivers so he tried to get a dig in on Tony but he is kinda like a duck and just commented about a certain F15 squadron with a crew chief pilot affair and that joke was done. Cathy and Chris (Tony's wife) drove up and got to see the final round and were our ride home since we had to leave our airplanes there probably till Friday looking at the weather. They don't like mud bugs so they went out to eat while Tony and I chowed down on some really good craw fish.
It was an amazing weekend with a lot of comradery, professionally run by great people with a great group of volunteers and I can't wait for the next one. Doug raised the bar and I think the next one will be even better. If you haven't watched the video the whole contest video is posted on LoneStarSTOL.com along with the results from every class.
Mike Sisemore took this picture of Cathy and I. Can you tell i was stoked.
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