Relatively Safe Pilot Competitions

[Slick Goodlin]

So it came up at the airport recently that maybe instead of trying to get non-pilots out to the airport like everyone else seems to want to, why don’t we do some kind of pilot event?

But what?

My first thought was some sort of STOL event but the last thing I want to see is some dummy stall on short final or initial climb. That and I don’t think I have anything competitive…

A race is out, much as I want to see a handicap race like the old King’s Cup.

I’m hoping to get to an egg drop the weekend after next and will be taking notes on how that goes.

Maybe some sort of spot landing contest? Any of you guys ever been in one of those and if so, how did it go?

[David MacRay]

Similar to the egg drop. Flour filled paper lunch bag bombing.

Are fly in breakfasts and poker runs not things anymore?

There’s a rather large spaghetti dinner event in Washington State, I think is back post pandemic.

[Slick Goodlin]

Are fly in breakfasts and poker runs not things anymore?

Maybe? I was thinking of something more competitive but maybe I don’t fully understand poker run rules. They’re entirely random chance, aren’t they?

[Nark]

I’ve done flour drops and spot landings competitions.

Got my ass handed to me by a 17 year old in a rented 150.

Never the less…

Brought good attention to the airport.
It helped there was a food truck there too.

[Slick Goodlin]

We were going to do a pumpkin drop last year but it turns out there’s not a lot of overlap between pumpkin season and reliable flying weather season. Flour of course works year-round and this egg drop I’m trying to get to doesn’t seem like it’s super well thought out. I’m expecting to see a six foot diameter target.

As to the spot landing competition, how do they work? Obviously there’s a spot and you land on it but how’s it measured and scored?

[Colonel]

I am a fan of flour bombing. When it gets dropped in the cockpit at low altitude and you go IMC, memories are created.

[Nark]

We were going to do a pumpkin drop last year but it turns out there’s not a lot of overlap between pumpkin season and reliable flying weather season. Flour of course works year-round and this egg drop I’m trying to get to doesn’t seem like it’s super well thought out. I’m expecting to see a six foot diameter target.

As to the spot landing competition, how do they work? Obviously there’s a spot and you land on it but how’s it measured and scored?

There is a reference line, about 500’ down the run way threshold. We did ours on the grass adjacent.
Rules are simple: measured touchdown point AFTER but as close to the reference line as possible. You have 2 attempts. Anything prior is a no-go, and counts as an attempt.
As soon as the main wheels touch down and you don’t bounce, that spot is measured. So there is no points for StOL. The key is full stop, best of 2 attempts.
The kid that won was 17’ I think. #2 was 20’ something.
I think I was 7-10th with 40’ish.

[Slick Goodlin]

There is a reference line, about 500’ down the run way threshold. We did ours on the grass adjacent.
Rules are simple: measured touchdown point AFTER but as close to the reference line as possible. You have 2 attempts. Anything prior is a no-go, and counts as an attempt.
As soon as the main wheels touch down and you don’t bounce, that spot is measured. So there is no points for StOL. The key is full stop, best of 2 attempts.

Was the reference line anything that would mark if touched? How were touchdown points marked? Just a good spotter? How was time managed to minimize down time between attempts, if at all?

The kid that won was 17’ I think.

I like this part a lot. All proficiency, no way to win by just throwing money at the problem without matching effort.

[Nark]

If I recall: the reference line was a 2’ wide (or so) white spray painted line.
Marked by a spotter.
It was at a controlled field. I *think* max 3 plane in the pattern at a time. We notified the controller we were part of the competition and they held the left pattern for us.
Free flow of traffic otherwise. Not a super busy place.

Coffee, donuts and tall tales is the best way to keep the attention of the crowd.
Food is always a motivator.

[Slick Goodlin]

Awesome, thanks. I’ll put something together to bring to the local COPA chapter and see what they want to do with it.