AirTalk.org Aviation discussions newsgroups   Archives   FAQ   Search   Memberlist   Usergroups   Register   Profile   Log in to check your private messages   Log in  Competition I.D. Goto page 1, 2  Next          AirTalk.org Forum Index -> Sailplanes View previous topic :: View next topic   Author Message Ray Lovinggood Guest Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 12:06 am    Post subject: Competition I.D. Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification numbers and/or letters? Who decided they were necessary? When? Why? etc... (It's cold, gray, wet, and winter and I was just wondering about the history of competition I.D.'s.) Ray Lovinggood Carrboro, North Carolina, USA LS-1d, 'W8' as in 'WAIT' for me!!! Back to top Andy Durbin Guest Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 1:47 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. Ray Lovinggood <REMOVE_TO_REPLY.vison (AT) intrex (DOT) net> wrote Quote: Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification numbers and/or letters? Who decided they were necessary? When? Why? I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type was. Andy (GY) Back to top John H. Campbell Guest Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 2:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. They started as numbers, possibly assigned as rankings as of some date as the more prominent pilots of the 1950s had the low numbers, or maybe they were just first in line, I forget. Dick Schreder was "1", A.J. Smith "2"... Then 2 alpha characters, George Moffat "XX"..., 2 alpha-numeric, John Seaborn "A8"..., 3 characters came in about a dozen years ago as the 2 character supply ran out, Tom Knauff "JOY"... Back to top Sam Fly Guest Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. Andy Durbin wrote: Quote: Ray Lovinggood <REMOVE_TO_REPLY.vison (AT) intrex (DOT) net> wrote Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification numbers and/or letters? Who decided they were necessary? When? Why? I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type was. Andy (GY) Andy, it was 1-26 camera and film...I still have two 1-26 instamatic camera in a mount and 10 rolls of film in the freezer...Any one interested in a deal ? Sam Fly (7F) Back to top Doug Hoffman Guest Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use them?"? -Doug Quote: From: [email]a.durbin (AT) netzero (DOT) net[/email] (Andy Durbin) Organization: http://groups.google.com Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring Date: 15 Dec 2003 05:47:30 -0800 Subject: Re: Competition I.D. Ray Lovinggood <REMOVE_TO_REPLY.vison (AT) intrex (DOT) net> wrote in message news:<britum$42go4$1 (AT) ID-49798 (DOT) news.uni-berlin.de>... Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification numbers and/or letters? Who decided they were necessary? When? Why? I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type was. Andy (GY) Back to top John Shelton Guest Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. That's easy. And I think that George Moffatt made reference to that in his book when he commented that Hugh Bickel was particularly thoughtful for painting the nose of his glider red. When I am out there on course having not seen any of the nearby gliders for an eternity and catch a glimpse of someone rolling into a climb, there is nothing more encouraging than to look up and see R1 painted under the wing instead of the number of a fellow doofus. (In the case of R1, it would mean that I am way out in front, lost and in deep kimchi, or under one of Roy Cundiff's old gliders) "Doug Hoffman" <dhoffman (AT) journey (DOT) com> wrote Quote: So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use them?"? -Doug From: [email]a.durbin (AT) netzero (DOT) net[/email] (Andy Durbin) Organization: http://groups.google.com Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring Date: 15 Dec 2003 05:47:30 -0800 Subject: Re: Competition I.D. Ray Lovinggood <REMOVE_TO_REPLY.vison (AT) intrex (DOT) net> wrote in message news:<britum$42go4$1 (AT) ID-49798 (DOT) news.uni-berlin.de>... Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification numbers and/or letters? Who decided they were necessary? When? Why? I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type was. Andy (GY) Back to top Marc Ramsey Guest Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. "Doug Hoffman" <dhoffman (AT) journey (DOT) com> wrote... Quote: So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use them?"? Uh, would you prefer "Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05 minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW YOU!!!!" Marc Back to top Sam Fly Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:12 am    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. Doug, I think it is a safety item to be able to identify a glider near you and you wish to communicate with him/her. You sure cannot read the N number as they are too small. Sam Fly Doug Hoffman wrote: Quote: So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use them?"? -Doug From: [email]a.durbin (AT) netzero (DOT) net[/email] (Andy Durbin) Organization: http://groups.google.com Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring Date: 15 Dec 2003 05:47:30 -0800 Subject: Re: Competition I.D. Ray Lovinggood <REMOVE_TO_REPLY.vison (AT) intrex (DOT) net> wrote in message news:<britum$42go4$1 (AT) ID-49798 (DOT) news.uni-berlin.de>... Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification numbers and/or letters? Who decided they were necessary? When? Why? I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type was. Andy (GY) Back to top Fantsu Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:00 am    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. "Doug Hoffman" <dhoffman (AT) journey (DOT) com> wrote Quote: So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use them?"? Faster to say and easier to remember, bigger to see, more reasons needed? Plus set the pilot in the competition feeling ;) h Back to top CH Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:27 am    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. how do you know the right frequency mate? In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first. In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not see the comp sign under the wings close. CH "Marc Ramsey" <marc (AT) ranlog (DOT) comREMOVE> wrote Quote: "Doug Hoffman" <dhoffman (AT) journey (DOT) com> wrote... So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use them?"? Uh, would you prefer "Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05 minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW YOU!!!!" Marc Back to top Marc Ramsey Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:05 am    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. CH wrote: Quote: how do you know the right frequency mate? In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first. In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not see the comp sign under the wings close. I know not where you are, but here in the US we normally use one of the two frequencies assigned (more or less) to gliders. In a comp, we always have a specified safety frequency. For general flying around, we often have agreements on what frequencies will be used in specific areas. If I can see the tail markings, I can almost certainly avoid. I save screaming on the radio for those occasions when I can tell whether the markings on the wing are mylar or painted... Back to top Doug Hoffman Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:48 am    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. Good answer. Thanks, Marc. Although I have to say that often there is a glider "way up there" when I enter his thermal and there is no way I can read his numbers. So you must mean when we get fairly close, which obviously you do as you phrased your answer. Stiil, makes sense as you say. Regards, -Doug Quote: From: "Marc Ramsey" <marc (AT) ranlog (DOT) comREMOVE Reply-To: "Marc Ramsey" Newsgroups: rec.aviation.soaring Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 14:28:04 -0800 Subject: Re: Competition I.D. "Doug Hoffman" So much for history. Isn't the real question now: "Why do we still use them?"? Uh, would you prefer "Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05 minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW YOU!!!!" Marc Back to top Ray Lovinggood Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:57 am    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not, say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the glider's registration? The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and not their registration numbers? My glider is registered as N564L and the competition number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good enough (Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we needed 'vanity numbers?' Ray Lovinggood Still Wondering in Carrboro, North Carolina, USA At 08:18 16 December 2003, Marc Ramsey wrote: Quote: CH wrote: how do you know the right frequency mate? In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first. In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not see the comp sign under the wings close. I know not where you are, but here in the US we normally use one of the two frequencies assigned (more or less) to gliders. In a comp, we always have a specified safety frequency. For general flying around, we often have agreements on what frequencies will be used in specific areas. If I can see the tail markings, I can almost certainly avoid. I save screaming on the radio for those occasions when I can tell whether the markings on the wing are mylar or painted... Back to top Fantsu Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. "Ray Lovinggood" <REMOVE_TO_REPLY.vison (AT) intrex (DOT) net> wrote Quote: So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not, say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the glider's registration? The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and not their registration numbers? My glider is registered as N564L and the competition number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good enough (Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we needed 'vanity numbers?' Maybe because there would have quite a lot of same IDs. And here in Europe in many countries there are only numbers, so clashes would have been inevitable. Of course there are still clashes in worlds, but probably not so many. In most countries (I think) the soaring association takes care that no two IDs coincide. h Back to top Ray Lovinggood Guest Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Competition I.D. In America, it is possible to get a specific FAA registration number (if it hasn't been claimed by others), so I would think the possibility of using part of the registration number as the I.D. If one or two or three letters can be reserved by the country's soaring association, why couldn't the same association keep track of the registration numbers? Don't misunderstand: I like my 'vanity' number, W8 as opposed to using part of my registration, N564L. I was just trying to learn the 'who's, what's, when's, why's, how's, etc. I also believe in America, the FAA would not allow me to get a 'vanity' registration number that ends in W8. I don't think there can be a letter followed by a numeral in the registration number. Ray At 12:18 16 December 2003, Fantsu wrote: Quote: 'Ray Lovinggood' wrote in message news:brmoeo$4sb5d$1 (AT) ID-49798 (DOT) news.uni-berlin.de... So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not, say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the glider's registration? The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and not their registration numbers? My glider is registered as N564L and the competition number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good enough (Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we needed 'vanity numbers?' Maybe because there would have quite a lot of same IDs. And here in Europe in many countries there are only numbers, so clashes would have been inevitable. Of course there are still clashes in worlds, but probably not so many. In most countries (I think) the soaring association takes care that no two IDs coincide. h Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First         AirTalk.org Forum Index -> Sailplanes All times are GMT Goto page 1, 2  Next Page 1 of 2   Jump to: Select a forum Aviation----------------alt.aviationAviation safety EnhancementPlanes, gliders and flying in AustraliaAviation et pilotage (Français)rec.aviationAviation (Aerobatics)Hot air, gas balloons and airshipsHang-gliding, paragliding, foot-launched flightAircraft Design & BuildingInstrument Flight RulesAviation (Classifieds)Military AircraftNaval AviationAviation (Miscellaneous Topics)Owning AirplanesAviators (General Discussions)Aviation related productsAircraft RestorationHelicopters and rotary wing aircraftsFlight SimulationSailplanesAviation (Students)Light aircraftFlying related activities in the UK Airports----------------alt.airportsEdinburgh Airport Glasgow Airport Humberside Airport Luton Airport Aberdeen Airport Glasgow Prestwick Airport  You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2006 phpBB Group SEO toolkit © 2004-2006 webmedic.