F3B Slope Flying Regional Championship (RCS-Hang)

However, the steady, fresh westerly wind, blowing at 7 to 10 m/s, gave the less experienced pilots a bit of a hard time, while the winner was able to pull off two perfect rolls with his Acropendler model just before landing.

The new landing evaluation criteria introduced last year contributed to the competitors’ rankings. Anyone who wanted to force a landing among the top contenders inevitably ran the risk of receiving a zero score due to the model flipping over or a hard landing. To make matters more difficult, there was no completely level area available for the landing field—only a gently sloping hillside.

Observing the flights of the top-ranked pilots made it clear just how crucial the collaboration between pilot and “mechanic” is, especially during slope flying. While only the pilot’s name appears in the rankings, success comes solely from the 100% commitment of both the pilot and the helper.

Finally, a note on the regulations: I am convinced that, based on the current regulations—though some minor adjustments and clarifications would certainly be necessary—competitions can be held that are ideally suited to the possibilities of slope soaring, provided the following conditions are met:

• a suitable flying site with alternative options in case of wind shifts
• a well-coordinated organization with enough volunteers
• favorable weather.