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Event info

The 16th Big Spring National Series, site of the 2007 World Hang Gliding Championship, the finest cross country hang gliding competition site in the US. Big Tasks (world records), smooth thermals, unrestricted landing areas, easy retrieval on multiple roads, consistent cumulus development at 1 PM, air conditioned head quarters, hanger for setup, free water and ice cream, welcome dinner, live tracking, many drivers available, strong safety record, highest pilot satisfaction rating.

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Flying site

Big Spring, one of the best cross country hang gliding competition flying sites in the world, is located in the Texas panhandle, USA. We usually fly big distances every day at Big Spring so be prepared physically.

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Prize funds and scoring categories

  • Open Class
  • Sport Class
  • Swift Class

Event info

The 16th Big Spring National Series, site of the 2007 World Hang Gliding Championship, the finest cross country hang gliding competition site in the US. Big Tasks (world records), smooth thermals, unrestricted landing areas, easy retrieval on multiple roads, consistent cumulus development at 1 PM, air conditioned head quarters, hanger for setup, free water and ice cream, welcome dinner, live tracking, many drivers available, strong safety record, highest pilot satisfaction rating.
Also easy airport access to Midland-Odessa airport, inexpensive accommodations, plentiful infrastructure (restaurants), great community support, superb meet director.

Practice, Check-in and Welcome on Saturday, August 4th.

Live tracking with Flymaster trackers provided.

The competition is USHPA and CIVL sanctioned so USHPA NTSS and CIVL WPRS points will be awarded

Maximum 80 (60 class 1) pilots.

Helpful Instructions: http://ozreport.com/2018BigSpringhelpful.php

Payment here: http://ozreport.com/2018BigSpringpay.php

The easy way to do waivers: http://ozreport.com/onlinewaivers.php

Waivers: http://ozreport.com/waivers.php

Flying site

Big Spring, one of the best cross country hang gliding competition flying sites in the world, is located in the Texas panhandle, USA. We usually fly big distances every day at Big Spring so be prepared physically. This is not Europe.

Big Spring, the county seat of Howard County, is at the "crossroads" of Interstate Highway 20, U.S. Highway 87, State Highway 350, Farm Road 700, and the Missouri Pacific line. The City is in a rocky gorge where the northern limit of the Edwards Plateau and the southern most hills of the Caprock converge. It is named for the "big spring" in Sulphur Draw, a historical watering place for coyotes, wolves, and herds of buffalo, antelope, and mustangs.

The McMahon Wrinkle Airport, formerly Webb AFB, has a ten thousand foot main runway and additional taxis ways.

The region consists of 904 square miles with a population density of 37.20 residents per square mile compared to a statewide density of 79.54. Howard County and Big Spring are located in an area where three ecological regions merge. To the north and east are the western Rolling Plains; to the south is the Edwards Plateau; and to the west are the southern High Plains (also known as the Llano Estacado or the Staked Plains).
When we are there in August it is normally dry although there are occasional thunderstorms. The prevailing winds are out of the south, but August winds are normally calmer than other summer months. Cumulus clouds appears almost every day at about noon.

We only fly at Big Spring during the competition in early August. Cloudbase varies from 7,000’ MSL to 12,000’. Elevation at Big Spring is 2,500’. Thermals are normally 300 to 600 fpm (your climb rate), although they can be 900 – 1000 fpm. The prevailing wind is south, but we come for the light winds and hope to do mostly closed tasks.
The inversion breaks around noon and we don’t start launching until we see the cu’s forming. Thermal activity lasts through 7 PM. We’ll normally start the tasks at 2 PM.

The reason why Big Spring is often called the best cross country hang gliding competition flying site in the world is proven by several record made there. For Example:

The longest task ever called and made in a competition was flown there with five pilots making goal – 215 miles (346 km).

The 100 km out and return world record rigid wing: http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=7858
Type of record: Speed over an out-and-return course of 100 km
Performance: 51.42 km/h
Date: 2003-08-02
Course/Location: Big Spring, TX (USA)
Claimant Davis Straub (USA)
Hang glider: AIR Atos C


Take off - 2,573 feet ASL - 32°13'5.93"N, 101°31'32.42"W
Winds: Southerly 5 – 15 mph
It is located on the town airfield.
Take off method: Dragonfly aerotow. 1 pilot at a time.
Precautions: Stay west of the main runway. Don’t fly low over any of the prisons.

Landing - 2,500 feet ASL
There are plenty of places for landing in the area. Cotton fields, peanut fields, open plowed fields, grass and bushes in uncultivated areas. The towns are very spread out.

See flying site videos:
The 2007 Worlds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9IapewHfEY

Spot Landings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFyDADuSLeo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUfMbbhYPpk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KITzUrOTi_o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX0RYTUybGk

Selection and entry fee

80 slots available. 50 Open Class slots. Sign up and pay early to reserve a spot.

Entry fee $250, Aerotow fee - $450 - due at check-in

Flex wing, Sport Class, and Rigid wing classes.

Your waivers and payment here: http://ozreport.com/2018BigSpringpay.php

After the registration please follow your status on Pilots' page.
Here is the list of statuses and conditions:

Waiting list – Registered and not yet received signed waivers and medical forms nor payment. There is no actual waiting List.

Waiting for payment – Registered and received signed waivers and medical form but not payment.

Missing Requirements – Registered and received payment but we have not received correct signed waivers and medical form.

Confirmed – Registered and received signed waiver and medical form and payment. You are in the competition.

Prize fund and scoring categories

Trophies as per USHPA rules.

Daily prizes are given out from the sponsors.

Entry fees kept low instead of offering prize money.

General schedule

Official Practice Day, Saturday August 4th - Schedule of Events

In order to fly you must have completed check-in with Belinda Boulter in person and paid Lori Brown for your tows.

Check-in 9 am to noon, 1 pm to 4 pm, airport terminal
https://goo.gl/maps/zr11VQKfYEJ2

Launch open for practice flights 1 pm to 2 pm, 4 pm to 5 pm

Welcome Dinner, hosted by the Big Spring Convention and Visitors Bureau 7:30 pm, Dora Roberts Center, Comanche Lake Park
https://goo.gl/maps/cExqGd8pbe72

Daily schedule

Pilot briefing first day - 10 AM
Pilot briefing subsequent days - 11 AM
Launch normally open between noon and 1 o'clock
Start window normally 2 PM

In previous years launch open and start were often later.

Accommodation and Activities

Accommodations: http://ozreport.com/accommodations.php

More here: http://ozreport.com/pub/images/BigSpringHotelInformationTripAdvisorOrder.pdf

How to get here

Big Spring is in central Texas on the south end of the panhandle. The airport is on the west side of town. Go to the airport terminal.

Big Spring, TX 79720, USA
Big Spring, Texas United States

Plane

The nearest international airport is in Dallas.

Downloads

Waypoint files

Organizers

Belinda Boulter
Meet Director
Davis Straub
Meet Organizer

Contacts

Socials

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Category Tagline Participant Email Phone Description Price
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Tasks and results

Task 1

06 Aug, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 119.8 km — Race to goal

Replay:
Task results:
Comp. results:

Task 1

06 Aug, 2018

Class 1, Class 2, Class 5 — 254.9 km — Race to goal

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Task results:
Comp. results:

Task 2

07 Aug, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 111.5 km — Race to goal

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Comp. results:

Task 2

07 Aug, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 95.6 km — Race to goal

Replay:
Task results:
Comp. results:

Task 2

07 Aug, 2018

Class 2 — 106.5 km — Race to goal

Replay:
Task results:
Comp. results:

Task 3

08 Aug, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 149.1 km — Race to goal

Replay:
Task results:
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Task 3

08 Aug, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 81.3 km — Race to goal

Replay:
Task results:
Comp. results:

Task 3

08 Aug, 2018

Class 2 — 107.4 km — Race to goal

Replay:
Task results:
Comp. results:
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