Gliding at Parowan, UT

[TangoWhiskey]

This week is the U.S. Sports Class Nationals in Parowan, UT.

I have a friend helping there; he and his partner own an ASH-25. They're not competing, but did bring it with them to fly. Here's a couple pictures.

The first is contest gliders coming back to land:

And this one is the ASH-15 (his ownership partner flying):

Notice the difference in the wings in the two pictures? He explains:

Notice the droop on the outboard wing. When you go to Landing flaps, the inboard flaperons go down 40 degrees while the outboards go slightly negative so they act more like spoilers and reduce adverse yaw. The negative setting pushes down the wingtips a bit.

 

[tonycondon]

Nice pictures Troy! I've got several friends flying the contest. They had a day or two off for wind.

And its probably an ASH-25, not -15

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Nice pictures Troy! I've got several friends flying the contest. They had a day or two off for wind.

And its probably an ASH-25, not -15

You're right about both--he said they were grounded for wind, and he got to enjoy some naps!

And my typo; fixed. It's a -25.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

More details:

ASH-25mi to be specific (m for motor, i for fuel injected)

Yesterday was a crazy day. Great forecast, put a long line of cirrus sat over the field until mid afternoon cutting down the lift. I was hoping to fly at 3 but didn't get up until 4 and had to get down by 5:30 before all the contest gliders started returning. That being said, it was a great flight with lots of lift up to 16K.

 

[jnmeade]

Nice pictures. I've never flown there but a couple of friends do regularly. One lost his canopy over one of the canyons.
We had a junky day with little lift at Muscatine.

 

[Anthony]

Where are the engines?

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Where are the engines?

The ASH-25 has one! It deploys and stows (and lines the prop up automatically) remotely, from the cockpit. My friend says that IF he's going to try to start in flight and gain more altitude, he does it OVER a field he can land in if it won't start! Smart!

 

[tonycondon]

my understanding is that ~80% of new gliders built today have some sort of motor in them, either sustainer or self launch. electric power is becoming available as well which has a lot of advantages.