Competition I.D.

Does anyone know the story of Competition Identification numbers and/or letters?

Who decided they were necessary? When? Why?

etc...

(It's cold, gray, wet, and winter and I was just wondering about the history of competition I.D.'s.)

Ray Lovinggood Carrboro, North Carolina, USA LS-1d, 'W8' as in 'WAIT' for me!!!

I imagine they were required when turn point verification was done by ground observers. Before my time though. I started with the high tech cartridge cameras but now I can't even remember what the film type was.

Andy (GY)

So much for history. Isn't the real question now: 'Why do we still use them?'?

That's easy. And I think that George Moffatt made reference to that in his book when he commented that Hugh Bickel was particularly thoughtful for painting the nose of his glider red.

When I am out there on course having not seen any of the nearby gliders for an eternity and catch a glimpse of someone rolling into a climb, there is nothing more encouraging than to look up and see R1 painted under the wing instead of the number of a fellow doofus.

(In the case of R1, it would mean that I am way out in front, lost and in deep kimchi, or under one of Roy Cundiff's old gliders)

Uh, would you prefer 'Glider with red trim at latitude 39 degrees 17.05 minutes, 119 degrees 23.22 minutes, 11,500 feet, WATCH OUT I'M RIGHT BELOW YOU!!!!'

Doug,

I think it is a safety item to be able to identify a glider near you and you wish to communicate with him/her. You sure cannot read the N number as they are too small.

Sam Fly

Faster to say and easier to remember, bigger to see, more reasons needed? Plus set the pilot in the competition feeling

how do you know the right frequency mate? In comps you see the sign on the tail normally first. In gaggles I try to be in a position, where I do not see the comp sign under the wings close. CH

I know not where you are, but here in the US we normally use one of the two frequencies assigned (more or less) to gliders. In a comp, we always have a specified safety frequency. For general flying around, we often have agreements on what frequencies will be used in specific areas. If I can see the tail markings, I can almost certainly avoid. I save screaming on the radio for those occasions when I can tell whether the markings on the wing are mylar or painted...

So, why were NEW numbers/letters required and not, say, the last two or three numbers/letters of the glider's registration?

The 1-26 association uses numbers reflecting their serial numbers, I think. Why did they do that and not their registration numbers?

My glider is registered as N564L and the competition number is W8. Why did The Powers That Were (and probably still are) decide using '4L' or '64L' wasn't good enough (Painted and stuck on big and large) and decided we needed 'vanity numbers?'

Ray Lovinggood Still Wondering in Carrboro, North Carolina, USA