dHarban wrote: Ed, let me lay it out for you from the standpoint of a Level IV LSF member who is exclusively flying powered gliders now and who has a clear and enthusiastic vision of the future of powered glider flying.
Failing to provide some reasonable way to distinguish between those who complete their achievements via the SAP and those who complete their achievements via an ESAP will substantially cheapen the achievement for those who have come up through the existing SAP program -- at least in the immediate future.
The declining number of participants in the SAP is the result of two factors. The one we all obsess about is the overall decline in participation in RC soaring competition. The other one, which is related to the first, is that over the years it has become much more difficult to complete the SAP achievements -- especially the Level IV and Level V tasks. While advances in technology have made the Flight Tasks more easy, reduced competition opportunities combined with substantial improvements in skill levels at the top have made the existing SAP (especially Level V) much more difficult than they were back in the day when I completed my Level IV. Back then there were ample "Club Level" comps with 20 or so participants to make the Level V wins achievable in combination with a couple of top 20 percent finishes in abundant regional or national competitions. Had I not gotten side tracked with sailboat racing, I had no doubt that my Level V could be easily completed within a couple of years.
Not any more. Competitions are farther and fewer and with less entrants. The meets big enough to qualify for Level V are more than amply loaded with competitors which regularly podium place in national and international comps.
So we start up an ESAP in an exciting field of competition where, frankly, the numbers are pretty good and the skill levels are not up to the general standards of SAP comps. I am sure that someone will take exception to this, but whether we like it or not, this is the truth. It will change, but not overnight.
So no matter how you slice it, in the early years of the new ESAP, it will be easier to achieve any particular level of achievement than it currently is with the SAP. Yet the guy who achieves any particular level of the ESAP gets to display the same "badges". The issue is not about scarcity or abundance. Its not about SAP guys selfishly wanting to "protect their turf". Its about respecting the accomplishments of the SAP guys by not cheapening their achievements.
In time the ESAP may become as difficult, or even more difficult than the SAP. But until that time, we should respect the difference.
Happy Landings,
Don
I have been contemplating your post. What I write here is not necessarily relevant to this discussion so feel free to skip this post. It is just that it stuck me how each of us has a very different situation and a different set of challenges in order to complete the SAP or a new eSAP. Thus we see various parts of the SAP to be the "hard part".
First, I would agree that even in a healthy glider club like ours, getting more than 10 pilots out for a club contest is a challenge. If one depends on club contests for their contest requirements than few will have any hope of ever getting past level 3. I would bet that 80% never make Level IV.
However, because our club is active in the Eastern Soaring League, I have an abundance of contests with 20 or more pilots within 4 hours of my field, so that has not been a concern.
And I have the good fortune to have an abundance of winches at my disposal, including my own.
Cross Country/Goal and Return has been more of a challenge in that I live in a fairly congested area of Long Island. But through my ESL contacts I know of several opportunities to do at least the 1 K and 2K G&R requirements. 10K is another matter but still, I think my ESL contacts would make that possible. Or I can pack up the car and go to the NATs and fly the cross country course.
Slope soaring is not something my area is well known for but even with that, there are sites where the winter wind (sometimes 10 degrees) will hold long enough for at least a 4 hour slope flight, if one does not fall asleep during the flight. ;)
From what I have read, the thermals in the Northeast are no where near as abundant or as rich as they are in other parts of the country. 30 minute flights are rare where I live but they do happen. And I do have one 90 minute thermal flight to my credit, though not related to the SAP.
So, while I am not actively working the SAP, the opportunities are there for me. But that is not the case for many.
In my opinion, e-launched soaring will take over as the dominant form of thermal soaring in this country within the next 5 years. It is just so much easier than hauling around winches and hi-starts. Contest are so much easier to set-up and run. No line breaks, no pop-offs and no set-up and break down of the winches. Bigger contests can be run from smaller fields and by smaller clubs. You don't need 12 winches to fly a 12 man flight group, for example.
Once you are in the air, then you face the same challenges that anyone else faces. But ALES contests are bursting out all over. We have been running an ALES contest monthly at or club for over 2 years. It is quite popular but still we rarely get more than 10 pilots.
This year we will hold our first ESL ALES contest. Based on what I am seeing around the country I went through the effort to figure the practical upper limit of pilots we can support for this contest. We will set a limit of 48 pilots for the event an there is a reasonable chance we will hit that number.
So, I don't know if it is harder or easier to complete the tasks than it was 30 years ago. But I do agree that creating an eSAP program will make it more achievable as there will be more large contest opportunities. Ya still gotta find that working slope site and that cross country G&R location but using e-launch will make that easier too.