Lonestar STOL, Presented by American Legend Aircraft, is an exhilarating aviation fly-in and STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) competition set to take place in Sulphur Springs, TX, on Friday, November 1. This event promises an exciting showcase of skill and performance. Pilots from various backgrounds will converge to demonstrate their aircraft's impressive capabilities in terms of short takeoffs and landings.

Then, the National STOL 2024 Finals will be held on Saturday, November 2, with the top qualifying pilots advancing to the big show.

National STOL events aim to be a family friendly day out at the airport for both airplane enthusiasts and those new to general aviation! Be sure to check the weather and plan accordingly with hats, sunblock, jackets, or rain gear as necessary. Food trucks will be available, or you are welcome to bring small coolers. Camping chairs are encouraged!

Our venue is Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport, home of American Legend Aircraft, just a short distance from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro area! Tickets may be purchased for an individual day or a pass for the full weekend.

Note that this schedule is tentative and subject to change

Thursday, October 31

11:00am-1:00pm: Competitor and Volunteer Check In

1:30pm: Volunteer Briefing 

2:00pm: Competitor Briefing for Practice Session #1

3:00-5:00pm: Practice Session #1

 

Friday, November 1

7:00-8:00am: Competitor and Volunteer Check In

8:00am: Volunteer and Competitor Briefings #2

9:00-11:00am: Practice Session #2

11:00am-12:00pm: Lunch Available for Volunteers and Competitors

12:00pm: Lonestar STOL Pilot Briefing

12:30pm: Gates Open for Lonestar STOL Spectators

1:00-5:00pm: Lonestar STOL Competition

6:30pm: Competitor/Volunteer Dinner; Announcement of National Finalists

 

Saturday, November 2

8:00-9:00am: Breakfast available for Volunteers and Competitors

9:00am: Volunteer Brief

9:30am: Finalist Safety Brief 

9:30am: Gates Open for Spectators

10:30am: National Finals Begins

*We anticipate the competition will run until between 2:00 and 3:00pm*

6:30pm: Closing Dinner and Awards Ceremony

Before proceeding with your registration, be sure to review the 2024 National STOL Rules. During your registration, you will be asked to fill out your pilot profile, including uploading a photo of yourself and one of your aircraft.

Lonestar STOL Standard and Rookie Class registration fees are $175 through Sunday, October 27. Starting on Monday, October 28, the registration fee will increase to $250.

As a reminder, Lonestar STOL is a regular season event open to ALL pilots on FRIDAY, November 1, with one set of annual points up for grabs. If you are a first time National STOL competitor, or if you have not competed in more than two years, note that you are required to participate in Thursday afternoon or Friday morning's practice session and safety briefing. Schedule your travel plans accordingly! Veteran competitors are encouraged to participate in one of the two practice sessions, but must arrive by the 12:00pm Lonestar STOL Pilot briefing in order to compete.

The National Finals for pilots who qualify will be held on Saturday of the same weekend (Saturday, November 2) and count as separate points to determine the Annual Championship. So, how will pilots qualify to advance to National Finals?

The top 5 pilots present from each class in terms of season points (included those earned Friday of Lonestar) will automatically advance to Finals. There will also be a wild card opportunity available! Should a pilot finish top 3 during Friday's Lonestar competition, but not otherwise qualify for National Finals via season points, they will receive a wild card berth. Note that there is only ONE wild card available per class--if, for example, the second and third place winners in a class both not have the season points to advance, the second place finisher would receive the wild card spot. This means there will be NO MORE than six pilots per class competing on Saturday.

The National Finalists will be announced at dinner on Friday, November 1. Pilots that advance will attend a finalist safety briefing at 9:30am on Saturday, November 2, before the competition begins at 10:30am.

Competitors: You receive one complimentary camping space with your competitor registration. Instructions on how to claim this space will be provided in your confirmation email.

UNDERWING, RV, and GENERAL TENT CAMPING inside the airfield is limited and available by advance reservation only!

Camping opens on Thursday, October 31 at 11:00am and closes on Sunday, November 3 at 11:00am. Camping is primitive. No hook ups are available; bring your own water and generators! All camping reservations include 2 adult general admission tickets for the weekend.

For your convenience, a room block has been arranged at the Clarion Pointe Sulphur Springs at the rate of $84/night (plus tax). Breakfast is included. To book, call the hotel directly at (903) 885-6851 and ask for the National STOL rate. Rooms must be confirmed by 10/24 to receive the group rate.

An event map and driving directions will be added here shortly.

If you are flying in, transient parking is available. Please note that the airport will remain open throughout the event. However, be sure to monitor UNICOM. If you arrive during the practice on Friday or the competition on Saturday, our airbosses will advise you of any competition traffic and may ask you to hold for a break between heats. We highly recommend you plan your arrival and departure outside of the event windows.

When you land, please advise if you are 1) a competitor, 2) parking and camping underwing, 3) parking the aircraft only for the weekend, or 4) coming in and departing the same day. This will aid in directing you to the appropriate area.