Author: Dave Garwood
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 43,44,45,46,47,48
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Midwest Slope Challenge 2008

by Dave Garwood

THE MIDWEST Slope Challenge (MWSC) is the longest continually running RC slope soaring event in the US. The 15th annual edition, held May 15–18 last year, hosted 25 pilots from Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Nassau, Bahamas.

The MWSC is run by the Wings Over Wilson (WOW) club, which is located in Lucas, Kansas, near Wilson Lake in Russell County. The contest site—the Wilson Lake Reservoir—features a 100-mile shoreline, surrounded by hills that are suitable for slope soaring in several wind directions.

The flying opportunities on both public and private land are enhanced by a high level of cooperation from the US Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the lake, and the generosity of local cattle ranchers who allow us to fly from their land. In addition to having treeless hills and plenty of wind, this part of Kansas is home to three slope-soaring designers and kit makers: Eaton Air RC, Edge RC, and Leading Edge Gliders (LEG).

Many find central Kansas and the MWSC to be a superb flying vacation destination. Several pilots stay at Wilson Lake for a week or more of relaxed flying before and after the event.

Thursday, May 15 was a practice day on the MWSC calendar. It was a travel day for some and a flying day at Palmer’s Pasture for others. The evening’s activities included the registration meeting and a social time with old friends.

MWSC 2008 Trophy Winners

Overall Champion

  1. Joe Chovan (Syracuse, NY)

Foamie Combat

  1. David Day (Crosby, TX) — Combat Wings Cyclone
  2. Cory Shantz (Littleton, CO) — Combat Wings XR
  3. Joe Chovan (Syracuse, NY) — Windrider Aviation EPP Bee

ODR Class

  1. Joe Chovan (Syracuse, NY) — CR Aircraft Fun-One
  2. Jack Barry (Lincoln, NE) — Eaton Air Duster
  3. Larry Blevins (Knoxville, TN) — Magnum Models Cobra Racer
  4. Erik Eaton (Hays, KS) — Eaton Air Bad Voodoo
  5. Jim Baker (Lincoln, NE) — CR Aircraft Fun-One

Unlimited Racing

  1. Joe Chovan (Syracuse, NY) — Soaring USA Trinity
  2. Dennis Brown (Wichita, KS) — Mike Bailey 100-Incher
  3. Joe Hosey (Topeka, KS) — Steve Drake Gulp

Warbird Racing

  1. Joe Chovan (Syracuse, NY) — Leading Edge Gliders F-80 Shooting Star
  2. Dennis Brown (Wichita, KS) — Caudron C.714
  3. Dave Garwood (Albany, NY) — Leading Edge Gliders P-63 Kingcobra

MWSC 2008 Sponsors

MWSC 2008 Workers

  • Mike Tallman — Contest Director (CD), AMA District IX vice president
  • Alden Shipp — Event director
  • Larry Purdy — Far pylon judge, WOW vice president
  • Kent Palmer — Far pylon flagman, WOW field safety officer; field setup and equipment
  • Scott Sielge — Far pylon flagman, WOW member
  • Wilson Hardy — Far pylon flagman
  • Randy Linderman — Far pylon flagman
  • Erik Eaton — WOW president, T-shirt designer
  • Justin Ammon — F3F course setup, F3F CD
  • Steven Ammon — F3F pylon signalman

On Friday, a decision was made at the 9 a.m. pilots’ meeting that, in view of the predicted 6–12 mph northwest winds, the contest would start with the Combat match at Jim Lawson’s hill. Winds started out light and eventually peaked at roughly 15 mph from the northwest.

Sixteen pilots flew five rounds of competition. Top-gun pilots in full-contact aerial combat with nigh-indestructible gliders were David Day, Cory Shantz, and Joe Chovan.

The northwest wind continued for a few hours, and those with light models—especially light models with flatter airfoils and longer wingspans—flew until 7 p.m. Cory Shantz bungee-launched an Unlimited-class sailplane to get in a few practice laps. After calling it a day, several pilots had dinner at Linda’s Cafe, a Lucas landmark.

Saturday morning’s forecast was for clear skies and winds from the northeast at 10–20 mph, making Minooka Park on the south side of Wilson Lake the choice location for the One Design Rule race (ODR). Minooka is a pleasant and productive slope-flying site in northeast winds from 5 mph up. In 20 mph winds, a rock-and-roll flying day at Minooka sticks in your mind for weeks.

Wind direction and velocity were variable, but 20 pilots flew five rounds of ODR. Not all fliers finished all heats; there was some running down the hill to retrieve airplanes. With four aircraft in an ODR heat there are close turns, close finishes, and a few bumps and grinds along the way. Joe Chovan, Jack Barry, Larry Blevins, Erik Eaton, and Jim Baker were the smoothest and steadiest fliers.

The age range of the ODR pilots spanned more than five decades. At one end were the gray-hairs, including some who have been flying ODR since it was first specified by the Torrey Pines Gulls club in San Diego more than a decade ago. At the other end were 11-year-old Steven Ammon and 7-year-old Darren Ammon, who were capably coached by their father, Justin Ammon. Both lads finished several heats impressively in some difficult flying conditions. With the early start Steven and Darren are getting, they could become hard-to-beat slope racers and slope combat pilots if they continue flying RC gliders.

With ODR racing completed near 1 p.m., the winds appeared strong enough to start the Unlimited race. Eleven pilots flew in this class, with two sailplanes in each heat, flying until double elimination. Some heats were exciting, while some did not finish because of lack of lift. In some cases, heats were reflown. After 27 heats, we saw an exciting close finish between Joe Chovan and Dennis Brown that determined first and second places. Joe Hosey took the third spot.

We had plenty of daylight left and enough lift for the foam warbird class to run. The first three places were determined after two rounds, and the CD and pilots jointly decided to call it a day. The three fastest warbird racers were Joe Chovan, Dennis Brown, and the author.

Saturday evening saw 44 pilots and guests at the awards banquet. The Lucas K-18 Cafe owners, Barry and Amanda Maupin, did their usual outstanding job of catering a memorable family-style prime rib dinner. Special guests who were recognized included landowners Jim and Marge Lawson and their son Virgil; landowners Kent and Anne Palmer and their daughter Marley; CD Mark Tallman; and Lester Tacha and his wife Crista, representing the US Army Corps of Engineers at Wilson Lake.

Ranger Tacha is the specialist with the Corps with whom WOW works to coordinate the MWSC. We are indebted to and grateful for the cooperation of the Corps and the generosity of the landowners to give us five flying locations at and near the lake so we can fly in five wind directions.

In addition to attractive wood trophies for the racing classes, an Overall Grand Champion award was given in recognition of the 15th year of the event. To be eligible, a pilot had to fly in Combat, ODR, and Unlimited classes. Joe Chovan scored the highest in the three classes combined and was awarded a JR X9303 2.4 GHz radio system, courtesy of Horizon Hobby and the WOW club.

The pilots’ and workers’ raffle awarded 40 prizes, and we very much appreciate the generosity of the makers and suppliers who contributed items for the drawing.

Since all four scheduled races were completed on Friday and Saturday, Sunday was available for open flying, again at Minooka Hill. We had an unexpected pleasant bonus event when the WOW club asked if we'd like to run an F3F race.

F3F is an international slope-racing format in which one pilot at a time competes against the clock and flies a 10-lap course in the fastest possible time. The course requires the same turn-marking equipment as other slope races, but it uses a sound-signaling system instead of flagmen to notify the pilot that the end of the course is reached and he or she can turn. The pilot stands at the center of the course, and signalers at either end send an electronic beep at the “okay to turn” time.

Assembled pilots said yes to the WOW club’s offer. Justin Ammon, Alden Shipp, Eric Eaton, and Steven Ammon quickly set up timing and signaling equipment and staffed the course. Justin explained the basics to the F3F beginners and offered coaching as we got into the groove.

Nine pilots flew as many rounds as they cared to and finished the 10 laps in times ranging from 59.15 seconds to 139.0 seconds. The models flown ranged from a Maple Leaf F3B Icon and other fiberglass, 120-inch-span, full-house sailplanes to a Steve Drake Gulp, with other foamies and fiberglass gliders rounding out the paddock. This was a treat for some of us who had not flown F3F, and it was a terrific way to end a four-day slope-soaring event.

After F3F racing, the wind swung to the southeast and we moved to the “main hill” at Lucas Park, overlooking the dam at Wilson Lake. We had a pleasant late afternoon and early evening, flying almost any sailplane we brought. This “peaceful, easy feeling” flying is what attracts many pilots to Wilson Lake as a flying vacation destination.

Many thanks to the WOW members and volunteers who made this MWSC fun and memorable—especially Alden Shipp, Larry Purdy, Kent Palmer, Scott Sielge, Wilson Hardy, Randy Linderman, Erik Eaton, Justin Ammon, and Steven Ammon. Count me in as one competitor and vacationer who plans to be back for the 2009 event.

Visit the WOW club web site for information about the 2009 MWSC: www.midwestslope.com

Dave Garwood [email protected]

Sources:

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.