Soaring Society of America

Position Summary The SSA is seeking a part time Digital Technology professional to oversee, maintain, and manage the operation of the SSA’s widely used software resources.

A short addendum to yesterday’s long report. I was incorrect in saying that the contest photographer didn’t appear: we’ve learned he definitely did, with drone in hand, ready to help with the search for the missing engine bay door. But through some mis-communication, the US Team had departed a minute earlier to search on the ground.

This was The Big Day at WGC2026. In view of a forecast for “beautiful” soaring weather, contest organizers (read: CD Artur Rutowski and Sporting Director Jan Jawornik) decided to go with very long tasks. Curiously, there was some pushback when this possibility was suggested yesterday evening. Some apparently felt that after a long stretch of good weather that allowed a lot of contest flying, pilots might be tired and would appreciate less time in the cockpit.

Another windy day today – this time with clouds (of various kinds), higher thermals and the possibility of wave lift: an interesting and tricky variety of soaring conditions. We again had area tasks for all classes, befitting a day of inconsistent lift on which speeds were clearly hard to predict. Despite a fairly strong northwest wind, all pilots connected with good lift early. Climbs to 7000’ MSL (over ground that’s less than 1000’ MSL) were normal.

Today’s forecast: blue and windy – probably not what most pilots wished to hear on the morning after a rest day. We were told to expect moderate lift to about 4500 ft above the ground, becoming harder to use later in the day, as wind increased. Tasks reflected a pessimistic view of the day’s potential: all classes had area tasks, with large turn areas and short minimum times (2 hours for 18-Meter class; 2.5 for the long-wingers).

No flying today. We have clear blue skies – there’s little doubt conditions would have supported soaring tasks. Yet I suspect there are few objections to a declared day of rest. Not least of the reasons would be yesterday’s International Night, where an impressive quantity and variety of food was served. The US Team offered KFC (we are perhaps the only team confident of finding, anywhere we go, a local fast-food franchise that originated in our home country).

Another day of pretty good weather in central Poland. The forecast was for warmer temperatures (a predicted high of 78 is making us forget those 52-degree days of a week ago) and decent lift, but with cirrus to dampen the late afternoon left, and even some evening rain. We’re back to our normal “bow-tie” area tasks, headed west and then east, taking advantage of the least restricted airspace in our contest area.

Another day that began with clear blue skies, then developed a few too many cumulous clouds by mid-morning. Not to worry: our contest Met man Elmer (obviously very savvy about Polish weather, if sometimes a trifle soft-spoken at the morning pilot briefing) assured us – and clearly also the task advisors – that today would be a good soaring day. It was. The tasks were long, and sent pilots both far west (Open class) and far east (18M class).

Today’s morning weather wasn’t nearly as promising as yesterday’s: we once again had a mostly overcast sky, with low cloud. But improvement was promised, and indeed it appeared, with enough sun reaching the ground to produce plenty of flat-bottomed cumulous clouds by 10am. Rather too many, in fact. By scheduled launch time (11:45) clouds to the north and east were building high enough to produce areas of rain.

For the first time since arriving in Poland, we awoke to beautiful weather: a day when the sun is bright, the air crisp and whose thermals need scant encouragement to leap into the sky. Indeed, we saw promising cumulous clouds on the way to the airfield at 9am. WGC2026 contest organization was not slow or timid in responding: all classes were given “Racing” tasks longer than 500 km.