SOARING
Our June event is a part of the Ohio Vallery Soaring Series. The contest type is usually either Altitude Limited Electric Soaring (ALES) or F5J, an international event. Both events begin with a maximum of a 30 second motor run.
In ALES, pilots launch to a preset altitude and then must keep their planes aloft for exactly 10 minutes and then land as close as possible to a landing zone dedicated to each pilot. Points are deducted for the number of seconds off of 10 minutes. Bonus points are added for being close to the landing point.
In F5J, pilots can launch to any height they choose, but the higher they launch, the more points are lost. The ideal time is 9 minutes, 59 seconds. If a pilots goes over that time, they will lose the landing bonus. As in ALES, points are deducted for the number of seconds off of 10 minutes. Deciding on launch height adds another level of strategy and decision making.