2011 Southwestern CL Championship Results and Photos

[David Russum]

The Southwestern CL Championships were held Sept 3 and 4 in Dallas Tx.  Saturday (OTS, Classic and Racing) was a typical hot Dallas summer day, but Sunday was a different story with the tropical storm bringing in cooler and windier air (but no rain).  The start of flying on Sunday had to be moved an hour earlier to try and beat the winds.  The first round wasn't even complete and the wind was already 15-20 mph, with gusts close to 30 mph...if that wasn't bad enough, the "turbulator ridge" - the elevated railroad tracks and the tree line north and east of the circles - stirred the air up even more.  Both Doug Moon and Darrell Harvin lost planes, and most fliers decided to pass on their second round flights.

We were happy to have special guests Low Wolgast and Leroy Black from Arizona and Mike Ostella from New Jersey.

Congratulations to Mike Greb - winner of the 2011 District VIII trophy.

[David Russum]

Sunday pictures.

[PJ Rowland]

Doug's crash according to him was "awesome" .. Nothing left of it - Wind caught it during the clover. You never like to see people crashing.

[Mike Greb]

Awesome, yeah.  I looked at the hole in the asphalt later, it was about 3 inches in diameter and a half inch deep.  It was filled with shards from the blue plastic spinner, the biggest of the shards about 1/4 inch round.

[Tom Niebuhr]

It really hurt to see two airplanes destroyed in Expert. Darrell Harvin had the best flight that any of us had ever seen him fly. He got hit with a gust coming out of the Clover. Electric power had nothing to do with it. He would have placed high. Darrell and Frank Williams had their electrics working real well.
We also hated to see Doug lose his airplane. When high caliber flyers are beat by the wind, it is time to pack up your equipment.

We all then retired to a great lunch spread. Overall it was a really well attended contest and a great weekend.

[Howard Rush]

I hope that wasn't the plane Doug was going to fly at the team trials.

[PJ Rowland]

Howard.. on Dougs facebook page " It exploded when it went in. It was picking up speed on the way down. It was awesome! No TT for me this year. I wish i could make it. Good luck!!"

[Mike Greb]

The plane that went in was the Bear 46

[dale gleason]

I was impressed by the amount of manual labor the out-of-towners provided. DMAA members are showing their age (just a little).....we can use the help! Lou Wolgast and Leroy Black of Arizona, Joe and Colleen Gilbert of Oklahoma, Doug Patterson of Louisiana, Russ Gritzo of New Mexico, Mike Ostella of New Jersey, Mike Makepeace of Arkansas, Melvin and Brenda Schuette of Kansas.... people came long distances to be with us, and we appreciate it immensely. All five states in District VIII were represented. Prescilla Scott and Sheila Cranfill stayed busy registering, tabulating scores, smiling all the while. Bill Bischoff supervised on Race Day so that all got their share of timing/lap counting, etc, and even got to fly their events, too.

It's a tough environment, so DMAA tries to make everyone as comfortable as possible. Shade, chairs, cold drinks are provided the judges, plenty of water and fans to provide some heat relief for the tabulators. (No fans needed this time, though!) Judges Phil Nickles, Mike Scott, Tom Farmer, Doug Patterson and Don Hutchinson did a great job.

No electricity to be had at the south "cookin' pavillion (a transformer had blown across the street), so Linda Bob packed everything into the north "scorin'" pavilion.

Tom Farmer's experience as CD paid off as the circles ran smoothly enabling contestants an early start for home. Again, many stayed to help with the after contest "clean up", banners rolled up, stanchions packed away, scoreboard and trophy stand packed for next contest's use.

Thanks to all,
dg


  

[proparc]

Did Leroy Black fly his "Space Hound". It has one of the absolute best running engines I have ever seen. Last time I judged him,I believe he was running a Moki 51? could have been a stalker 51-amazing engine run.

[Matt Colan]

Who's plane is this? That landing gear layout is interesting.

[SteveMoon]

That's Richard Oliver's plane. And, yes it has a seriously wide stance
on the landing gear. Needless to say his takeoffs and landings with
this plane are excellent.

Steve

[Tom Niebuhr]

Leroy Black flew a Chipmonk I believe it is J. Dill's version. (Russum picture)

[dale gleason]

Fred Kocher of Shreveport, La., sent these pictures he took here in the "Windy City". Fred and his son, Steve, make just about all the District VIII meets. They have their cameras always "at the ready."

One can see the concentration on the pilots' faces and in their body language.

Thanks Fred,  
dg

[dale gleason]

Here's a few more.....

[dale gleason]

And two more.....Thanks again to Fred Kocher for sending these pictures,
dg

[Joseph Patterson]

  Thanks Dale for the report. It was a great turn out for the contest and congratulations to Mike Greb on winning the DVlll championship it was very well deserved. I really enjoyed meeting Lou Wolgast, Leroy Black, and Mike Ostella- three very fine gentlemen. I always enjoy being around the Dallas bunch. I also appreciate Fred being at all the D( contests with his excellent camera work, Thank you too much Fred!!   

[Tom Niebuhr]

Here's more.

1) Reunion of Garden State Circle Burners: Les Demmet, Buffalo, TX; Mike Ostella, NJ; Tom Niebuhr. Blue Ridge, TX; Lou Wolgast. Tucson,AZ.
2) Lou Wolgast with his impeccable Classic "Fury".
3) Leroy Black and Lou Wolgast traveled from Arizona.
4) Leroy Black holding Tom Niebuhr's "Jerseyan". Leroy has since told me that enjoyed the Dallas Southwesterns and good camaraderie so much that he intends to make the 1000mi trip (one way) again. Leroy also will be building a "Jerseyan"

[Tom Niebuhr]

And a few more:

5) Lou Wolgast with his "Pentastar".
6) Darrell Harvin and Frank Williams.
7) Bob Gieseke and Frank Williams.

Also thanks to Dave Russum, Fred Kocher and Dale Gleason for posting the first 2 groups of pictures.

Again, thanks to the participants and helpers. In spite of gasoline prices and high winds this was a great event. Hope that y'all can get here next year.