Rough Weather “Sweeps” March Contest Schedule
By Dan G., MVSA Webmaster
Tomorrow’s Thermal Duration makeup contest will be a no go due to a forecast of 17mph winds gusting to 30mph.
The announcement was made via the club’s Google Group within the last hour by contest CD and MVSA Contest Coordinator Bob G.
“TD makeup contest is cancelled,” Bob G. wrote. “Weather has made a clean sweep of MVSA contests scheduled for March 2022. “You pays your dues takes your chances.” The field is still wet and wind is forecast for 17 gusting to 30. Not to mention the temperature.”
The is the second attempt at holding the monthly TD (Thermal Duration) contest in march and the forth club event to be postponed / cancelled this month. While conditions are nowhere near perfect for every contest the decision to hold a contest or not is determined according to field condition and weather.
The planes flown in the club perform best between 3 and 5 mph. Marginal flight conditions start over 15mph. These conditions are challenging for pilots and aircraft. High and gusting winds create dangerous launches for gliders both on motored winch and rubber hi-start launching. They also make landing dangerous for both the planes and the pilots.
Weather conditions for R/C Soaring in St.Louis can be challenging – from the windy / cold conditions causing cancelled contests to the brutal 90-100 degree summer days. The conditions are less than ideal. Summer contests are often started earlier due to the heat.
As of this writing, the forecast for next Saturday’s Hand Launch contest looks favorable – 58 degrees, wind 5-10 out of the west with intervals of clouds.