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Qualifiers - FAI Sailplane Grand Prix - USA 2025
FAI Sailplane Grand Prix - USA 2025
Qualifiers in Seminole Lake, Florida
Welcome to Seminole Lake Gliderport
Location:
Nestled in the heart of Central Florida, Seminole Lake Gliderport is situated near the city of Clermont, offering a picturesque setting for aviation enthusiasts. The gliderport is strategically located to take advantage of Florida's unique weather patterns, providing excellent conditions for soaring.
History:
Seminole Lake Gliderport has a rich history that dates back several decades. It was established with the vision of creating a premier location for gliding and soaring activities. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the most respected and well-equipped gliderports in the United States. The gliderport has hosted numerous national and international competitions, attracting pilots from around the world.
Facilities:
The gliderport boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including a well-maintained runway, hangars for aircraft storage, and modern amenities for pilots and visitors. The location is known for its friendly community and supportive environment, making it an ideal place for both experienced pilots and those new to the sport.
FAI SGP Series 12:
Seminole Lake Gliderport has the honor of hosting the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix (SGP) Series 12. The SGP is a prestigious international competition that showcases the skills of the world's top glider pilots. The Series 12 event at Seminole Lake Gliderport promises to be an exciting spectacle, with pilots navigating the skies in high-performance sailplanes.
Community and Events:
Beyond competitive events, Seminole Lake Gliderport is a hub for the gliding community. It hosts various events, training sessions, and social gatherings throughout the year. The gliderport is committed to promoting the sport of gliding and encouraging new pilots to take to the skies.
Visit Us:
Whether you are a seasoned pilot or someone interested in learning more about the sport, Seminole Lake Gliderport welcomes you to experience the thrill of soaring. Come and be a part of our vibrant community and witness the excitement of the FAI SGP Series 12.
WORLD FAI SAILPLANE GRAND PRIX FINAL - SERIE 11
The competition space
The Pavullo Airfield is located in the northern Apennine foothills in the Emilia region at an altitude of 684m above sea level. The Alpine arc and the intervening Po plain shields this region from the classic Central European weather formations. Northeast of the airfield, the terrain is almost at sea level and the air mass in this area is influenced by the Po Valley.
Northern Italy with the competition area of the Apennine Mountains and the wide Po Riiver valley.
The adjoining hill country around Pavullo lies in the range between 400m to 1500m above sea level. The slopes are partly steep, but are still used for agriculture with many small fields. This hill country is almost completely developed with infrastructure, and the villages, houses and roads lead up to the summit of these hills. If you take a closer look, you can see isolated fields from the air, which could make potential landing sites. Most likely, however, the significant slope means they are emergency options only.
The landscape is carved by larger river valleys, which lead from the hills in the northeast to the plane. In the upper river courses, the valleys are narrow and the terrain is strongly sloped down to the riverbed. The closer you get to the plain, the wider the valleys and the bigger the flat fields and occasional airfield or ultralight landing spot.
Cavola is in this hill country 30km northwest of Pavullo and often produces excellent soaring conditions. Especially in marginal weather, many routes were flown as a yo-yo around this newly created airfield. The next landable areas were found only after long glides along the river valleys towards the plain, but they are almost at sea level.
The airfield itself is located in a bowl with hills between 600m and 900m, which made aerotowing and final approaches exciting.
Relaxing at Pavullo Airfield
About 30km southwest of the airfield, the middle hills turn into the main ridge, which is high at around 2,000m. One of the highest peaks in the region is Monte Cimone (2,165m). The south side of the main ridge drops steeply and flows relatively quickly into the Mediterranean Sea. This means that pressure gradients usually create a breeze system in which the air flow causes a convergence on the main ridge. During the day, the wind typically freshened up to around 20kph towards the main ridge.The humid air mass from the lowlands, however, usually provided a low cloud base and often makes the upper 500m of the main ridge disappear into clouds.