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Enjoy a night camping under the stars at The Pulpit, launch site for the Festival. Friends, a warm campfire, and great views of the valley below await you. So why not take a few hours off of work, arrive early, set up your gear, then kick back and relax? It's a great way to start a weekend of flying!
If the weather permits, star-gazing will also be one of the evening's highlights, with a large-diameter astronomical 'scope provided by Mark C.
If you are staying at a nearby hotel or Cowan's Gap State Park, don't let that keep you away from a fun time: The Pulpit is just minutes away from McConnellsburg, and only 15 minutes from the park entrance.
Note: Unless prior arrangements have been made, at least one person at each camp site at The Pulpit must be a registered Festival participant, because camping space is limited.
Weather permitting, Saturday is Day One of the Festival's Just-For-Fun XC Competition. Individuals and teams (3 to 5 pilots) may enter. Hang-II/P-2 pilots flying with the sponsorship of an Observer are also encouraged to enter.
♦ 9:00 - 10:00 : Pilot Registration/Raffle Entry : The Pulpit.
Pre-Registrations and On-Site Registrations will be handled on Saturday morning; all pilots competing at the Festival must check in, so that we can distribute T-shirts and information packets, and determine your handicap rating for scoring the competition.
We'll also be collecting fees for the Saturday night cookout and selling tickets for the raffle (lots of exciting prizes this year!).
Remember: On-Site registration and T-shirt costs are $15 each.
♦ 10:00-10:30 : Pilot's Meeting : The Pulpit.
The Flight Director will call the flight tasks for the day, after reviewing weather conditions and safety issues with the Task Committee. Remember to review the Flight Director's Message about the competition, if you haven't already done so.
Visiting pilots, please make sure that you have reviewed the Site Information for the Pulpit, and have signed the Pulpit Waiver.
♦ 11:30 - 4:00 : Prime Airtime!
Depending on weather conditions, this time of day will probably be the best for long distance, thermalling flights. For spectators, a good time to see pilots launch will probably be around noon.
♦ 11:00 - 1:30 : Hang Glider Display
This event allows spectators to get a close-up look at a hang glider and find out how hang gliders fly. A glider will be assembled at the Pulpit launch site, and pilots will be on-hand to answer your questions about how gliders are controlled. Learn about the use of parachutes, radios, and avionics. Hang gliding videos will be shown, and promotional items from the United States Hang Gliding Association will be available. We love answering questions about our sport! Just let anyone at the Festival "HQ" know that you'd like to learn about hang gliding and we'll talk your ear off.
♦ 3:00 - 3:30 : Kid's Kite Give-Away : The Pulpit
A kid's drawing for three kites will be held Saturday afternoon at the launch site.
Note: If flying activities are relocated on Saturday, we will try to give away the kites on Saturday evening, prior to the cook-out.
♦ 5:00 - 7:00 : Spot Landings and Other Contests
Depending on weather conditions, this time of day usually features smoother, calmer air. So pilots who are attempting precision spot landing and other contest tasks often make their attempts during these hours.
In a spot-landing, a pilot attempts to land as close as possible to a target. For bomb-drops, a small packet of flour is dropped by a pilot toward a target, from an altitude of at least 100 feet. This is another good time for spectators to watch pilots launch and land.
♦ 6:00 - 7:00 : Pilots, please report your results to the Flight Director (assuming he's back from his own XC flight!)
♦ 6:00 - Late : Cook-Out, Raffle, and Music : The Pulpit
Saturday night features a cookout for which CHGPA and MHGA will provide the main course and beer; a contribution of a few dollars will be requested to help cover costs. Aside from the main course, this is a pot-luck dinner, so bring a dish of some kind to share. You can't go wrong with a green salad, potato salad, pasta salad, or a dessert. The fun continues after dinner, with a raffle at which you'll have a chance to win videos, T-shirts, posters, cash, and many other fun prizes!
Note: The Saturday night party will be held at the Pulpit even if the day's flying activities are relocated due to weather conditions.
Sunday is Day Two of the Festival's Just-For-Fun XC Competition. A second day of flying should make it clear which team will be the winner!
♦ 11:00 - 11:30 : Pilot's Meeting : The Pulpit.
The Flight Director will call the flight tasks for the day, after reviewing weather conditions and safety issues with the Task Committee.
♦ 11:30 - 4:00 : Prime Airtime!
Depending on weather conditions, this time of day will probably be the best for long distance, thermalling flights. For spectators, a good time to see pilots launch will probably be around noon.
♦ 11:30 - 4:00 : Spot Landings and Other Contests : More!
Pilots continue their attempts at the precision landing and other contest tasks.
♦ 11:00 - 1:30 : Hang Glider Display
This event allows spectators to get a close-up look at a hang glider and find out how hang gliders fly. A glider will be assembled at the Pulpit launch site, and pilots will be on-hand to answer your questions about how gliders are controlled. Learn about the use of parachutes, radios, and avionics. Hang gliding videos will be shown, and promotional items from the United States Hang Gliding Association will be available. We love answering questions about our sport! Just let anyone at the Festival "HQ" know that you'd like to learn about hang gliding and we'll talk your ear off.
♦ 4:00 and Onward : Reporting of Final Scores & Awards Ceremony
As Sunday draws to a close, the results of the second day of flying will be collected and the winners of the competition will be determined. Trophies for the top three individual scores and a plaque for the top scoring team will be awarded.
We hope to do this in the late afternoon and early evening, but if conditions are such that the meet cannot be scored by the end of the day, then the winners will be announced and awards will be presented at a subsequent club meeting.
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