German Open 2026 · Day 4

Date
Distance: 65.06 km
SSS: 14:30
Task deadline: 18:00

AI-generated feedback summary

Responses: 61
Satisfaction: 4.66/5
Safety: 4.54/5

Overall ratings were very strong for both task satisfaction and safety, and many pilots described the day as nice, well matched to the conditions, and appreciated the organizers’ work, while still raising clear safety and goal-format concerns.
Task quality was widely praised, with several pilots saying it was well set for the weather and offered interesting choices; a few felt the task became tight and fast because conditions turned out better than expected, and one suggested setting a longer task on such good-weather days.
Safety concerns centered on the start area and early gaggle flying: several pilots reported close calls, cloud flying before the start, lee-side circling near Stella, and a “wall of death” risk from the start cylinder placement. One concrete suggestion was to increase the start cylinder radius by 500 m to keep pilots more over the Costalunga area.
Pilot behavior was raised in several comments, including difficulty with turn direction, inattentive gaggle flying, dangerous thermal cutting by a pilot on a Niviuk X1 (number removed), and a reported collision involving a pilot (name removed) at task time 33 min 8 s when joining a thermal. A takeoff crash was also noted.
Weather and terrain conditions were generally seen as manageable and even productive, but a few pilots noted turbulence and riskier lines, including full-bar racing into the lee of the antenna, windy conditions near Campeggia, and light easterly wind on the final eastbound legs that added challenge.
Organization feedback was mostly positive, including thanks for beer at the landing field, though a few practical items were mentioned: the toilet situation at takeoff was not ideal, and one pilot noted that a goal beer or drink was missing.
Elevated goal feedback was mixed: several pilots liked it or found it made goal arrival more relaxed, while several others asked not to use it again, especially in this terrain where low flying is possible and instruments may not yet support it well. Suggested improvements included avoiding elevated goal, reducing it to only 100 m, or ensuring instruments and scoring implications are clearer before using it again.