Record Crowd Gathers for Third ArkanSTOL Competition

ArkanSTOL is the only backcountry flying competition held in the Ozark mountains at Byrd's Adventure Center.

Cam Walton

Friday, October 28, 2022 at 05:35 PM ET

Verified

Kris Griewahn landing after successfully completing the qualification course. [Courtesy: Cam Walton]

Key Takeaways:

The third annual ArkanSTOL competition in the Ozarks, founded by Joe Edwards, John Young, and Rusty Coonfield, attracted its largest turnout to date.
This year's competition featured a "STOLcross" format across three grass strips, with new elements including a qualifying course, three aircraft classes, and an updated scoring formula based on time, laser-measured landing distance, and pylon clearance.
Beyond the intense flying, the event offered AOPA-sponsored presentations on aviation safety and education, special flight demonstrations, and social gatherings with dinner, live music, and bluegrass sessions.

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How fast can you go slow? It’s a question that was answered during the third annual ArkanSTOL (Arkansas Short Takeoff and Landing) competition held in September in the Ozarks before the largest turnout to date.

ArkanSTOL—Arkansas’ only backcountry flying competition held in the Ozark mountains at Byrd’s Adventure Center (51AR)—began as an idea started around a campfire by co-founders Joe Edwards, John Young, and Rusty Coonfield.