SSB Contest Mentor Program --- 2004

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• Region 9, Hobbs, NM
• Region 9, Parowan, UT

Soaring Society of Boulder Contest Mentor Program

The SSB is a very dynamic and active club s been in existence since 1959. Current SSB membership stands at about 130 pilots. The club operates out of Boulder, Colorado, a great mountain flying locale. In the summer, club pilots can jump mountain ranges from 17,000+ feet. In the winter, while other clubs around the nation are closing the hanger doors for the year, our wave season is just opening the exploration of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Only a handful can say the same. The club instructors run active training programs, ranging from primary training to cross-country training. More information about SSB is available at http://soar.boulder.co.us

During summer months, the club organizes soaring camps to various airfields generally within an easy day's drive from Boulder. Soaring camps are a great way for pilots to share their experiences with each other. Camp locations tend to be selected for their potential for good soaring, and also for their access to other recreational pursuits while not flying. Excellent local and cross-country flights can be made. Recent camps have taken us to fine soaring sites like Dalhart, TX, Salida, CO, etc.

Every year the club runs the "Summer Soaring Series", a heated contest among club members. The purpose of the series is to encourage cross-country soaring by the club members of all abilities and to select a club champion in each of the three divisions (gold, silver, and bronze). In addition, a number of the club members compete in SSA sanctioned regional and national contests.

With the purchase of the high performance 505, the Contest Mentor Program (CMP) idea came naturally as an extension of the existing club activities. Long time club member Mark Terry, the chief flight instructor, championed the concept through many discussion groups at several local brewpubs. In the end, the CMP was designed to introduce club members to cross country flying in a contest environment. Members would have the opportunity to attend SSA sanctioned regional or national contests, fly with experienced mentors in two place club ships, and learn about contest flying in a safe, supervised environment. Club members would experience all aspects of contest flying, including equipment considerations, effective crewing, planning a successful task strategy, and finally, flying in a contest. Duties would be shared among a number of club participants, thus exposing the maximum number of club members to the contest environment.

The club Board of Directors approved the concept and the 505 was slated to go to Parowan, UT and Hobbs, NM to participate in region 9 sports class contests. The glider got new contest numbers (SSB, of course!) and it was ready to go. After exhaustive process of selecting team members that satisfied all the stringent criteria (including but not limited to skill level, charming personality, tolerance to hot weather, strong stomach, an innate ability to steal hotel towels, etc.) three team members, the cream of the crop, were selected for each contest team.

First was Parowan. The SSB team, lead by contest mentor Mark Terry, and three team members Mark Norris, Dan Burgeois, and Joe Britton had great fun and placed well on the score sheet. There were 7 contest days scheduled, 6 of which ended up flyable. Quote of the week: "I was getting low around 15,000 ft, when I decided to play it safe and go with single digits, taking a 9 kt thermal up to cloudbase."

Within a week of coming back from Parowan, the 505 was on the road again. After an epic journey from Boulder at an average 51 mph, and getting stuck at the world-renown UFO conference at Roswell, NM the team safely arrived to Hobbs. The Hobbs SSB team, lead by contest mentor Pedja Bogdanovich, and three team members Dave Taylor, Hans VonMichaelis, and Michael McLean kept the club membership updated on the daily fun by sending reports to the club members. Hobbs presented mixed, sometimes challenging weather, however all 6 contest days were flyable. Day to day reports and pictures can be viewed at http://www.tiptop.com/soar/cmp/2004/Hobbs It was an eye-opening experience for all the participants. Having done this, all agreed there is no way that the amount of preparation, work, skill or time required to successfully, enjoyably, participate can be communicated without actually being in the competition. The teams exhibited great enthusiasm and great camaraderie. Team members not flying on the day had valuable crewing experience. Every day team efficiency on the ground and in the air was further fine-tuned. The team operations were honed where we could quickly and efficiently navigate, fly, and reconfigure tasking in real time. The score sheet reflected that.

The SSB Contest Mentor Program was a huge success. Not only were all team members exposed to all aspects of contest flying, and learned a tremendous amount in a safe environment, but also the fun meter went off the scale!

Two contests and two landouts later, when the glider arrived back home in one piece everyone in the club agreed the program was a great idea. Big thanks to SSB for forward thinking and making the Contest Mentor Program possible.

P.S.:
- Two of the team members have already bought their own private gliders, while a third member is in the process of buying.
- SSB participants are already lining up for the chance to compete this year.

--- Pedja Bogdanovich & the SSB team