STOL in the Fall

2022’s ArkanSTOL Ozark Backwoods Challenge will see pilots gather at Byrd’s Adventure Center in Northwest Arkansas to get about some of the most incredible backcountry flying to be seen anywhere in the world. From 28 September through 02 October, along the banks of the beautiful Mulberry River, aviators and aircraft from around the wide world will ply their respective expertise and engineering to the aeronautical equivalent of rodeo.

Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) competitions afford pilots opportunity to demonstrate their short takeoff and landing skills—such as landing on a set point, hitting a target or a series of targets in highly-specialized aircraft that leap from and to the earth in takeoff and landing rolls scarcely longer than their own wingspans.

2022’s ArkanSTOL Ozark Backwoods Challenge is a rain or shine event dedicated to providing a fun and informative gathering for aviation enthusiasts. The discipline, professionalism, and stick-and-rudder skills required of backcountry aviators constitute a serious business—but ArkanSTOL tempers competition’s intensity with family-friendly Southern hospitality, live bluegrass music, delicious food, camping, and an abundance of outdoor activities.

New to this year’s Natural State STOL hootenanny is a presentation tent within which an ambitious series of discussions and addresses will be held, including: a STOL panel discussion; Getting Started in Experimental STOL Aircraft & Kris Griewahn (STOL-It Aircraft); an FAA FAAST Team presentation good for credits applicable toward the agency’s Wings pilot proficiency program; and a special presentation by NASA’s Jeffery Bertsch about the Artemis program’s glorious triumphs.

Pilots participating in ArkanSTOL flying events are advised that this year’s qualifying and competition courses have been modified to more accurately represent backcountry flying and its requisite skills. Furthermore, the 2022 competition will be decided via a new and unique composite scoring system that factors in speed, final landing distance, and course penalties.

Of the new courses and scoring system, ArkanSTOL Co-Founder, Rusty Coonfield states: “Many off-airport landings around trees and hills require a steep approach, so we’ve included a judged landing distance over inflatable pylons to the mix. Pilots will be competing against themselves as much as the other competitors at ArkanSTOL ’22.”

In addition to flying, feasting, and all manner of alliterative frivolity, ArkanSTOL 2022 will be attended by scores of on-site vendors. What’s more, ArkanSTOL’s announcers are industry experts and will—as they call the competition—educate the crowd with descriptions of the various aircraft and the intricacies of STOL flying. With over 45 pilots competing for the coveted ArkanSTOL medallions against a backdrop of natural beauty and snappy, germane commentary, spectators may confidently expect a truly gravity and physics defying spectacle.

Advanced registration for the ArkanSTOL Ozark Backwoods Challenge is vigorously encouraged (pre-registration closes 9/18/2022). Procedures will be in effect for pilots flying into Byrd’s Adventure Center in Northwest Arkansas—where the ArkanSTOL event is to be held.

FMI: www.arkanstol.com