Arkanstol Ozark Backwoods Challenge
How Fast can you go Slow…
Young Aviation is proud to be a co-founder of what’s quickly growing to be a premier backcountry event set deep in the Ozarks at the legendary Byrd’s Adventure Center (51AR)!
The roar of the engine startup…anticipation suspended in the air like the humid water droplets so familiar in the South… Suddenly you’re off, immediately sensing the changing winds in the river valley, reading the texture of the land and maneuvering your airplane like it was strapped to your back. The clock is ticking…one hard slip and you’re rolling onto the freshly cut grass, only to turn around and jump back into that bluebird sky… Three more times you battle headwinds, tailwinds, short strips and tall trees. Descending for the final time, the smell of the sweetgum trees and wildflowers rushing into the cockpit to calm your excited nerves.
One question burns in your mind: What was my time?
The Ozark Backwoods Challenge is an entirely unique experience. Inspired by the challenging terrain of the Arkansas Ozarks, this competition tests not only a pilot’s skill, but demands extreme knowledge of equipment and unparalleled judgement. The terrain involves actual backwoods flying while adding the exciting elements of time trials with unpredictable river valley winds. All of these aspects combine to make this experience more complex than your average STOL competition!