On April 4, 2023, Arcus pilots Rich Owen and Ken Goshorn set what I believe to be the longest Florida OLC distance record of 670 kilometers. Rich believes that 750k is within reach, and 1000k is possible in Florida.
JS3 New Hibiscus pilot Nelson Howe is turning in some impressive triangles deep into alligator country, and has sights set on some big goals.
The next 3 weeks have the capability to be the longest and best days of the year in Florida. Congrats Rich, and good hunting to the Florida boys!
Show us what ya got!
Jim Lee

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12:53:08 AM UTC-4, Jim Lee wrote:
> On April 4, 2023, Arcus pilots Rich Owen and Ken Goshorn set what I believe to be the longest Florida OLC distance record of 670 kilometers. Rich believes that 750k is within reach, and 1000k is possible in Florida.
> JS3 New Hibiscus pilot Nelson Howe is turning in some impressive triangles deep into alligator country, and has sights set on some big goals.
> The next 3 weeks have the capability to be the longest and best days of the year in Florida. Congrats Rich, and good hunting to the Florida boys!
> Show us what ya got!
> Jim Lee

Indeed a great flight by Rich and Ken. However the Florida distance record stands at 870k and is listed as a State record on the SSA website. It was flown (Discus 2B) in May 2008 and I agree with Rich that a 1000k distant flight is very possible.
R

I stand corrected, thanks Henry! Looked back through OLC records but obviously didn't go far enough.
Nico Bennet also flew 749k on 4-19-2017.
Sorry Rich, afawk, you are now third place. Any more takers?
Still hoping that the big dogs will fill up with water, get going early, take snacks and relief bags and go big this month!
Celebrating great soaring distance flights,
Jim Lee

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12:53:08 AM UTC-4, Jim Lee wrote:
> On April 4, 2023, Arcus pilots Rich Owen and Ken Goshorn set what I believe to be the longest Florida OLC distance record of 670 kilometers. Rich believes that 750k is within reach, and 1000k is possible in Florida.
> JS3 New Hibiscus pilot Nelson Howe is turning in some impressive triangles deep into alligator country, and has sights set on some big goals.
> The next 3 weeks have the capability to be the longest and best days of the year in Florida. Congrats Rich, and good hunting to the Florida boys!
> Show us what ya got!
> Jim Lee
You guys have a lot to learn!! OBTP

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 3:17:03 AM UTC-4, R wrote:
> On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12:53:08 AM UTC-4, Jim Lee wrote:
> > On April 4, 2023, Arcus pilots Rich Owen and Ken Goshorn set what I believe to be the longest Florida OLC distance record of 670 kilometers. Rich believes that 750k is within reach, and 1000k is possible in Florida.
> > JS3 New Hibiscus pilot Nelson Howe is turning in some impressive triangles deep into alligator country, and has sights set on some big goals.
> > The next 3 weeks have the capability to be the longest and best days of the year in Florida. Congrats Rich, and good hunting to the Florida boys!
> > Show us what ya got!
> > Jim Lee
> Indeed a great flight by Rich and Ken. However the Florida distance record stands at 870k and is listed as a State record on the SSA website. It was flown (Discus 2B) in May 2008 and I agree with Rich that a 1000k distant flight is very possible.
> R
Not very possible Henry, but probable. The main factor is daylight and conditions, I have seen 13K AGL in Florida back in 1983 Bennie and I flew almost to the Bahamas, since that time I have seen many days of 9K AGL in .Florida. Do the math, you will come to the conclusion that it is all about possible flight hours and altitude, you cannot do it at 4K AGL, you need 8 hours of flight time and great conditions, along with a super ship! Flying deep into the Everglades takes Grande Huevos, not like flying up and down HWY 27..
The best is yet to come from Florida, April and May can be very good, even much better than March. OBTP

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 9:18:11 AM UTC-5, Jim Lee wrote:
> I stand corrected, thanks Henry! Looked back through OLC records but obviously didn't go far enough.
> Nico Bennet also flew 749k on 4-19-2017.
> Sorry Rich, afawk, you are now third place. Any more takers?
> Still hoping that the big dogs will fill up with water, get going early, take snacks and relief bags and go big this month!
> Celebrating great soaring distance flights,
> Jim Lee

Jerome Trowbridge won the Barringer in 1974 with 766 km in his Standard Cirrus, a very similar flight to Henry's in 2008.

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 10:53:44 PM UTC-4, Tony wrote:
> On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 9:18:11 AM UTC-5, Jim Lee wrote:
> > I stand corrected, thanks Henry! Looked back through OLC records but obviously didn't go far enough.
> > Nico Bennet also flew 749k on 4-19-2017.
> > Sorry Rich, afawk, you are now third place. Any more takers?
> > Still hoping that the big dogs will fill up with water, get going early, take snacks and relief bags and go big this month!
> > Celebrating great soaring distance flights,
> > Jim Lee
> Jerome Trowbridge won the Barringer in 1974 with 766 km in his Standard Cirrus, a very similar flight to Henry's in 2008.

Jay and I were in the same glider club at Boca Raton Airport, Florida. Another Member Lou Rehr figured out that a wx pattern with a high pressure over Bermuda would funnel the winds up the Florida Peninsula into Georgia providing a tailwind boost to gliders L/D. A flight school in South Carolina carries the name given to this pattern.
Many flights have flown into Georgia, I just went a little further to honor those who did the work.I too would take the Barringer for my flight, a miracle considering nobody out west submitted their flight. Long flights out west were common, not so much in the east.
Lou flew his ship along with Jay but landed in Cordele, GA. Jay would fly on a few miles giving him the prize. I know this because I towed them with a Pawnee.

H

Setting distance records have never been a goal of mine in the last several years. I've found it is easy to quite a task and go where the weather looks better than to find a way to get around the bumps in the road. Contests always have these bumps during tasks and that is what I have been concentrating on. Keeping my speed up, not getting bummed out by a less than optimum start or slow leg, looking at blue conditions and feting, these are the things I've been working on. Finishing well in contests is my current goal and being on the US Team again for 2024 is the plan.

Ken and I had a lot of fun. We shared the flight 50/50 and worked well together. We chose to return early since we were both tired. Thanks to everyone who congratulated us on the flight. I told Knut I plan to fly the first 1,000 km flight from Florida. If you cannot deal with bumps, or keep your speed and efficiency up, you will never get a 1,000 km flight here. Next year we will have the AS-33Es flying and we will make an attempt for the record.

Cheers,
Rich

On Sunday, April 9, 2023 at 11:41:37 AM UTC-4, Richard Owen wrote:
> Setting distance records have never been a goal of mine in the last several years. I've found it is easy to quite a task and go where the weather looks better than to find a way to get around the bumps in the road. Contests always have these bumps during tasks and that is what I have been concentrating on. Keeping my speed up, not getting bummed out by a less than optimum start or slow leg, looking at blue conditions and feting, these are the things I've been working on. Finishing well in contests is my current goal and being on the US Team again for 2024 is the plan.
>
> Ken and I had a lot of fun. We shared the flight 50/50 and worked well together. We chose to return early since we were both tired. Thanks to everyone who congratulated us on the flight. I told Knut I plan to fly the first 1,000 km flight from Florida. If you cannot deal with bumps, or keep your speed and efficiency up, you will never get a 1,000 km flight here. Next year we will have the AS-33Es flying and we will make an attempt for the record.
>
> Cheers,
> Rich

To Rich and the rest of the soaring community
I enjoyed following the recent flights our of the Hovel of Clermont, yet your triangle was not that impressive. Glad that Ken made it back home without landing out!
I must take note to the objective of doing the 1000K flight in Florida, the AS-33Es will not help you that much unless you get low and need a generated thermal to get you home, you should be familiar with that scenario.
Now, here is what I will do, if you post up a 1000K flight within the state of Florida, I will gladly plant my lips upon your buttocks and smooch until I leave a hickey on your rosy bottom! Old Bob, The Purist

> Now, here is what I will do, if you post up a 1000K flight within the state of Florida, I will gladly plant my lips upon your buttocks and smooch until I leave a hickey on your rosy bottom!

Watch those divebrakes start to pop open at 990km.

On Monday, April 10, 2023 at 7:38:53 PM UTC-4, John Good wrote:
> > Now, here is what I will do, if you post up a 1000K flight within the state of Florida, I will gladly plant my lips upon your buttocks and smooch until I leave a hickey on your rosy bottom!
> Watch those divebrakes start to pop open at 990km.
John, don't think that Rich would pull the dive brakes and spoil the chance of me planting my lips upon his rosy buttocks, but based on his desire to do a 1000K in Florida is certainly encouraging. Can it be done, possibly but not very probably, and will take exceptional planning and a very unique weather pattern to accomplish that goal. I will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of his new AS33, and looking forward to seeing Rich accomplish that 1000K goal, I might just wear lipstick! Old Bob, The Purist

I might just wear lipstick! Old Bob, The Purist

Rich- a diet of beans and chili prior to the ceremony is recommended.

On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12:17:03 AM UTC-7, R wrote:
> On Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12:53:08 AM UTC-4, Jim Lee wrote:
> > On April 4, 2023, Arcus pilots Rich Owen and Ken Goshorn set what I believe to be the longest Florida OLC distance record of 670 kilometers. Rich believes that 750k is within reach, and 1000k is possible in Florida.
> > JS3 New Hibiscus pilot Nelson Howe is turning in some impressive triangles deep into alligator country, and has sights set on some big goals.
> > The next 3 weeks have the capability to be the longest and best days of the year in Florida. Congrats Rich, and good hunting to the Florida boys!
> > Show us what ya got!
> > Jim Lee
> Indeed a great flight by Rich and Ken. However the Florida distance record stands at 870k and is listed as a State record on the SSA website. It was flown (Discus 2B) in May 2008 and I agree with Rich that a 1000k distant flight is very possible.
> R

They just need to wait for a great wave day.

Tom