Contest Information
Posted by MSA on October 20, 2026
2027 Contest…Welcome to the Big Valley in Mifflin County PA!
MSA will host a Region 2 contest at Mifflin County Airport, from Mon May 17 through Sat May 22, with the official practice day Sun May 16. (Aerotows are also expected to be available May 14-15.)
This year’s regional will focus on new-to-Mifflin and new-to-competition pilots. Mentors, briefings, and debriefings will be available. We are offering a “Bus” Class for two-place gliders only. This allows for experienced-newbie pilot pairings or newbie-newbie pairings, with appropriate tasking. Experienced competition pilots…please consider bringing your own/your club’s two-place glider and sharing the contest experience with one or more of your club members! Large maps of the contest area are available for sale during the contest.
For those of you new to competition, note that there are pilot qualifications for entry. (SSA rule 5.5.1.2)
The $150 deposit, made out to Mifflin Soaring Assoc or MSA, must be received by the March 18 in order for your entry to be valid. Unless there is prior communication with the Contest Manager, a late fee of $100 is assessed for registrations received after May 7. (SSA rules 5.4.2.2, 5.4.2.3, 5.2.2.1)
Guests, for all or part of the contest, are welcome. Slots are limited; please contact the Contest Manager by May 7 if interested. Note that pilots who wish to fly as a Guest must meet the same qualifications as regular contestants. For part-time guests, the fixed base fee is prorated. All other fees apply as usual. (SSA rule 5.8)
Either a glider-mounted ELT (121.5 MHz / 406 MHz) or a satellite tracking device (e.g. SPOT or InReach) is required in every glider. A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) or other device that requires pilot action to activate is not considered an acceptable substitute.
This is a “no-ballast” contest. (SSA rule 6.8.4.3)
You must complete on-site registration before any contest or practice-day flying. Registration (including collection of the balance of fees due, verification of registration paperwork, collection of signatures) will be available in the MSA clubhouse at times listed in pre-contest emails.
Contestant resources
The list below provides links to information of interest to prospective contest entrants.
Contest Email: MifflinContest@gmail.com
SSA Contest Information Use this link to see information about our upcoming contest on the Soaring Society of America website, to register for it, and to see the list of pilots who’ve already registered.
Turnpoint & Airspace Files The Worldwide Soaring Turnpoint Exchange offers current Mifflin files (in all common formats) for you to download.
Contest Pilot Briefing A detailed presentation of procedures that apply to this year’s contest. This is required reading for all new contest entrants.
Mifflin Area Airfield Notes Important information about airfields and landability in our task area. Updated annually prior to the start of the contest.
Accommodations Nearby places to stay during a contest.
Local Vendors Restaurants, shops and other commercial establishments of interest to visitors.
Past Contest Winners A list of all Mifflin contests and the winner of each, in every class.
The Mifflin Trophy This elegant trophy is awarded each year to the pilot with the longest handicapped flight flown during the annual Mifflin contest.