There is still a lot of 'knee-jerk' reaction to lofting "A BOWLING BALL!!! OMG!!"
Yet when someone flies a huge Phoenix, or Bullpup that has 15lbs of lead in the nose, nobody thinks twice about it.
Mark has made a few compromises and gotten to where the H-Lite is a very doable contest. Doesn't get a lot of altitude, the rocket/ball are in sight the entire time, etc.
I think you're right though Roy... there is a serious challenge to get as much altitude as you can and pack a large chute into a small airframe.
Mark has done a FANTASTIC job of getting prizes for the contest...
Check out
www.ahpra.org and look at the BB Loft page...it lists how everyone finished at LDRS last year, and the prizes everyone won...
You could have easily had TWENTY people enter and EVERYONE would have gotten something... With the handful of people who are entering, they're making out like bandits!!!!
C'mon people... give this challenge a shot... Eggs are no challenge for HPR, and Ostrich eggs are hard to come by... go to the local Goodwill store and pick up an 8lb ball and come give it a shot!
Ron