The real contest at Harris Hill, from August 24-30, 1997, was the "cumulo-fungus" vs. fiberglass. The weather was predicted to be unusually (for this northeastern region) good for the week and thirty-six ships (eleven in 15-Meter Class, ten in Standard Class, and fifteen in Sports Class, including two "big birds"--an ASH 25 and a Nimbus 3) were registered to compete. The practice day was not included in the "unusually good" forecast, and only two pilots, Hank Nixon (OH) and John Seymour (the dreaded SM), the defending 1996 Region 3 champions of Standard and 15-Meter respectively) ventured out to attempt the task to Dansville and back to Harris Hill. There were low ceilings, but the "champs" thought they could make it on ridge lift; which gave way to only "valley wind" by the time they reached Corning-Painted Post Airport, where both landed.

However, hopes were high for the morrow, which dawned looking as if hope could be sustained. The venerable CD, Charlie Spratt, called the Dansville task again. Everyone was gridded and watched as the skies began to overdevelop. The Dansville task was put in the tank and a shorter task of 102.81 miles to Avoca, Blue Swan, and back to Harris Hill was called for 15-Meter and Standard Classes, while Sports were sent on a 2-hr. PST. OH and SM redeemed themselves by winning their respective classes, Hank Nixon (OH) flying his ASW-24 around the course at 55.03 mph and John Seymour (SM) in his

ASW-27 at 56.50 mph. Monty Sullivan won the Sports Class in his Nimbus 3 with 54.76 mph (raw) and 44.90(handicapped) closely followed by his "wingman," Heinz, Jr. Weissenbuehler (HW) with 54.94 mph (raw) and 43.40 mph (handicapped). Six contestants did not compete, and the tow-planes were kept busy doing aero retrieves from Costa's and Blue Swan.

A look out the window on Monday dashed all hopes of even gridding, and on Tuesday, the ships were gridded, but never launched, due to low ceilings and haze. On Wednesday, we gridded and waited for the sun to come through the formidable cumulo-fungus.....and waited....and waited. To add some excitement to the wait, the CD organized a "homebuilt-out of balsa glider" contest for the minor-league crew (under age 12). Four kids had made and decorated gliders, but one was destroyed as it landed during a practice flight, as the CD yelled, "That's why I told you never to chase the glider!" (Good advice for all of us!) Chris Hansman, son of John (X) won the contest, with Megan Sullivan, daughter of Monty, placing second, and Amber Walburn, a young helper at the concession stand, placing third. After all this excitment, there was enough sun that the 15-Meter fleet was launched and a task was going to be called in the air if they stayed up. This did not turn out to be the case. Within twenty minutes, it was raining fiberglass, as well as dihydrogen monoxide! The rest of the fleet never launched and the day was cancelled.

By Thursday, although the "cumulo-fungus" was still around, everyone felt desperate to get a real (no offense to the homebuilts) contest in, so voicing some concern and frustration, the CD called a 2-hr. PST for all classes. The fleet was launched. 15-Meter and Sports got through the gate before the rain, but Standard was literally washed out of the sky, as the storm we could see forming to the NE moved in over Harris Hill and began to spread over many of the possible turnpoints. Fields over four counties were decorated with fiberglass. Unfortunately, two ships were damaged making off-field landings. One was the Harris Hill Juniors' ASW-19 and the other a new ASW-27. The '19' pilot entered a stall-spin from 200 feet, but was lucky to land through trees and into a creek where the water was deep enough to cushion the impact. The ship was demolished, but the pilot received only minor injuries.

There must be angels on the wings of some gliders, but the angels did not help appease the weather gods. There were only two finishers, one in 15-Meter (Tim Welles-W3) and one in Sports (Monty Sullivan-7V). They, along with HW, KK (Ken Kochanski), 1 (Roy McMaster), and SM had found some good lift on the advancing edge of the storm, but by time they were headed back to Harris Hill via Troy, PA, the storm met them at Troy. To try to go around it, SM and 1 headed for Toledo (Ohio!!) and landed out close to Grand Canyon, PA. HW, 7V, and W3 dived under the clouds into the rain, picked up the Troy turnpoint, and headed for home. Speaking of angels, at 20 miles out, they found 2kt. lift in light rain that proved enough for W3 and 7V to make the final glide home to squeaker rolling finishes. HW, however, hit some heavy rain over Elmira and became the longest winged bird ever to land in the emergency field below Harris Hill! W3 won 15-Meter for the day with a speed of 54.58 mph for 114.02 miles and 7V won Sports with a raw speed of 48.85 mph(40.06 mph handicapped).

On Friday, the forecast was again for "flyable" weather, but the clouds were determined to defy even the best meterologists. After hanging out on the grid for over three hours hoping to get in one more day, the day was cancelled, which killed the possibility of Standard Class's getting in a contest. We knew there would be no launching the fleet when the sniffer was overheard on the radios saying to the tow-pilot, "You could turn around now and I'll guide you back to Harris Hill with my GPS."

By Saturday, more than half the contestants had departed and some of the rest, after looking at the grey and gloomy skies, were trailering up for their journeys home. The mood around the hill was as grey and gloomy as the skies when what to our wondering eyes should appear but a ray of sunshine coming near.....enough to restore the hope of a contest for the 15-Meter and Sports Classes. By noon a grid of six 15-Meter, eight Sports, and three Standard, (now unofficial) ships were ready to fly. And we waited as the skies played their teasing games for two hours, until finally at 2:00 pm, the hardy were launched into a sky full of low bases and overdevelopment. A 2 1/2 hr. PST was called for 15-Meter and a 2 hr. PST for Sports. There were five landouts, but, at last count, the rest had made it back! W3 (Tim Welles) won the day for 15-Meter, at 45.10 mph for 112.74 miles, thus becoming the 15-Meter Region 3 champion. HW won the day for Sports with a raw speed of 49.17 mph (38.84 mph handicapped)and ended up second overall, edged out by 7V (Monty Sullivan), who became the Region 3 Sports Class champion.

Steve Garner, the contest manager, who managed everything exceptionally well, except the weather, vowed to leave more wine for the weather gods before the 1999 Region 3 contest. Harris Hill can't always promise good weather, but we do promise good social times, lots of laughs, and fun hanger flying, so come fly with us in 1999!

 

Official Results: