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High Sierra Fly-In 2021 Brings In New Competitors

Newcomer Jon Hakala flew his Zenith CH701 to a Bronze win at HSF2021. Leonardo Correa Luna
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The High Sierra Fly-In, the world's largest backcountry aviation event, successfully returned in 2021 after a hiatus, drawing pilots from around the globe for backcountry flying and camaraderie.
  • The STOL Drag competition was a highlight, with newcomers like Jon Hakala (Bronze winner) and 18-year-old Austin Clemens (Silver winner), alongside veteran Toby Ashley (Gold winner) showcasing impressive piloting skills.
  • Competitors emphasized the competition's role in encouraging pilot skill development, understanding aircraft limits, and fostering a strong sense of community among participants.
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With beautiful weather, the world’s largest backcountry event, the High Sierra Fly-In was back in the swing of things last week, appearing as though nothing ever happened after taking 2020 off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Josh Richling

Josh Richling is a crew chief in the National STOL Series. He covers STOL competitions for FLYING.

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