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What a weekend in Wayne, NE! For the first time, STOL fans were treated to an opportunity to experience both of the top two national STOL competitions in one place, National STOL and STOL Drag. Many pilots participated in both events during a jam-packed weekend of flying.

While the weather looked questionable in the days leading up to the event, conditions cleared right on schedule. Besides a brief rainstorm Thursday evening after practice, skies were clear but breezy all weekend long, with wind gusting up to 18-24 knots. The wind certainly played a factor in competition, especially during Friday’s qualifying. Catching the right gust helped some competitors, whereas unpredictable winds led to a higher than average number of scratches on landing.

A record number 41 aircraft competed in Friday’s Qualifying competition, with the top 6 in each class advancing to Saturday’s Finals. Nearly every class saw a shake up in the top 3 between the two days of competition, with scores resetting entering Finals.

Qualifying Results

Finals Results

In the Rookie Class… son Rod Hewitt bested his father, Steven Hewitt, flying the same Rans S7 (Steven’s brother, Alan Hewitt, also competed in a Cessna 172). Steven would later place higher than his son in STOL Drag.

In the Touring Class…Warren Grobbelaar came back from 3rd place in qualifying to upset Brandon Corn’s perfect 2023 record. National STOL newcomer, Kurt Leaders, rounded out the top 3.

In the Backcountry Class… Austin Clemens in the Husky took home the victory above the Cessnas by a mere 12 feet. Jeff Pohl surpassed Micah Lindstrom on the second day of competition to finish second.

In the Adventure Class… Collin Caneva dropped from the top 3 after scratching every landing in finals. Brian Steck in the Legend MOAC maintained his top placement, with first time National STOL competitors Jody Card and Keith Lange finishing second and third.

In the Sport Class… After scratching her first two rounds, young Jaden Newman came back in the final round to upset Rick Boardman by just 2 feet. Collin Caneva, flying his 2nd aircraft of the day, finished 3rd.

In the Unlimited Class… While Dan Reynolds qualified in the lead position on Friday, Steve Henry came back with an incredible 43′ combined take off and landing to finish on top during Finals. Hal Stockman not only gave Steve and Dan a run for their money, but as always, served as an incredible mentor and resource to many of the pilots throughout the weekend.


National STOL extends their thanks and gratitude to Travis Meyer, Craig Spiker, Collin Caneva, the Wayne Airport Authority, the Wayne America Fly In/National STOL volunteers, and the people of Wayne, NE for their hard work organizing this incredible event! Attendees were treated to a weekend of midwestern fun and hospitality, with flyouts to sandbars, rocking musical performances, pilot dinners, and a can-do attitude.

For full National STOL results from the Wayne America Fly In, including updated season standings: https://nationalstol.com/2023-season-standings/

For STOL Drag results from the Wayne America Fly In: https://www.stoldrag.com/wayneamerica-2023

Visit the National STOL, STOL Drag, and Wayne America social media pages for plenty of photos and videos from the event. Livestream recordings of National STOL’s practice, qualifying, and finals competitions can be viewed in their entirety on YouTube.


Be sure to join National STOL at our next event, SKOL STOL in Isle, MN, July 7-9! For full details, visit the SKOL STOL event page.


Join us in Isle, MN for the fourth stop in National STOL’s 2023 series! SKOL STOL celebrates the Viking heritage of Minnesota and will be an action packed weekend on the shores of Mille Lacs. SKOL STOL is made possible by the support of Tony Brumm, Isle Airport, the City of Isle, and other local businesses. 

Underwing camping will be available at the airport, with RV and tent camping a short shuttle ride away. Camping opens on Thursday afternoon, with aerobatic demos, competitor practice, a cookout, and a concert by Rhett Walker planned for Friday. Saturday is competition day, and be sure to stick around Sunday morning for Isle Airport’s Annual Pancake Breakfast! Organized fishing excursions may be arranged with Voge Outdoors, which will also be turned into a floatplane base for the weekend.

Pilots, earn points towards the 2023 season standings by registering for SKOL STOL in our Standard or Unlimited Classes! Not sure you are ready for a standard class, but want to test your skills in a STOL competition? Consider registering in our Rookie class. Pilot registration closes on Friday, July 7, at the close of practice. 

If you are planning to come out and watch SKOL STOL, save money by purchasing your tickets in advance! Spectator tickets for Saturday’s competition are $10 online and will increase to $15 after July 6. On airport VIP parking is available for advance purchase online. Otherwise, paid parking the day of the competition will be available offsite with a provided shuttle.

No National STOL event would be possible without our team of volunteers! As a volunteer, you will be part of the one of the most exciting and fasted growing sports in General Aviation. When you volunteer for one of our competitions, you get the behind-the-scenes experience;  getting up close interactions to some awesome pilots, aircraft, and amazing takeoffs and landings. Please visit our Volunteer page for further information.

We look forward to seeing you in Isle, MN, July 7-9 for SKOL STOL!

Where Swamp STOL was cold and wet, Outlaw STOL was HOT and dry. With temperatures reaching almost 100 degrees and an asphalt runway, conditions could not have been more different for National STOL’s second competition of the year, located just a few miles from the US/Mexico border at Somerton Airport.

National STOL was thrilled to debut its newly built out production trailer for the first time at Outlaw STOL. This dedicated space for our production team helps to support our live broadcasts, as well as transport equipment between event venues. Many thanks to National STOL sponsor USATrailersDirect.com for providing this incredible space!

With a number of new competitors mixed in with a few familiar faces, the competition was almost as hot as the desert air! While Hal Stockman was unable to attend due to a mechanical failure the day before, CC Pocock and the last minute registration of Frank Knapp still ensured the crowd that came out saw some of the legends of STOL flying.

The Rookie class featured four new pilots to National STOL competition, including Somerton Airport Manager Eric Saltzer and Outlaw STOL founder Jonathan Stains. Pilot Joe Eiling won the Rookie class and must now enter his next competition in his standard class. Steve Radenbaugh chose to compete in both the Rookie and Backcountry classes, while Jimmy O’Neal and CC Pocock flew in their standard classes and a second time in exhibition against Jerry Fletcher in the Unlimited class.

Frank Knapp put on a clinic in the Sport class with a winning score of 96′ for his combined take off and landing. CC Pocock won the Adventure Class, as well as placing first in exhibition for Unlimited. See below for full class results:

Outlaw STOL would not be possible without the incredible local support of the Yuma and Somerton communities, including the Yuma International Airport, Quail Corp Construction, and the Cocopah Casino and Resort. Finally, many thanks to Somerton Airport manager Eric Saltzer, and Outlaw STOL founder Jonathan Stains, who also runs Skydive San Luis.

Those that stayed to the end of the weekend were treated to a stunning sunset and bonfire on Saturday evening. Pilots, staff, volunteers, and campers truly saw the best the desert has to offer.

Be sure to visit the National STOL FacebookInstagramYouTube, and TikTok pages for all the sights and sounds of the competition weekend. While technical issues beyond our control interrupted the morning live feed, our production team is hard at work even after the event to transmit every moment of Outlaw STOL to those who were unable to join us in person.


The 2023 season is heating up! Join us at our next event, the Wayne America Fly-In, May 25-28. Registration for pilots is open on the National STOL website. For all other event details, visit Wayne America!

National STOL is thrilled to be a part of the Wayne America Fly In, the third stop in National STOL’s 2023 series! For the first time, National STOL and STOL Drag will appear together at the same event. Don’t miss out on all the excitement, May 25-27, in Wayne, NE!

Pilots, earn points towards the 2023 season standings by registering for Wayne America in our Standard or Unlimited Classes! Not sure you are ready for a standard class, but want to test your skills in a STOL competition? Consider registering in our Rookie class. Pilot registration closes on Thursday, May 25, at the close of practice. 

While National STOL is running its competition per our standard guidelines, the Wayne America Fly-In is the host of the event! If you are planning to camp or need information regarding the schedule or general admission tickets, PLEASE visit their website for additional details and/or contact information.

Join us in the midwest for this outstanding weekend of family fun, aviation, and all the STOL action one could ask for!

The first event of the National STOL 2023 series is in the books, and what an event it was!

While the weather provided a number of logistical challenges and regretfully prevented some pilots and spectators from making it out to Swamp STOL, those that were in attendance braved the wind, rain, and mud with positive attitudes and were rewarded with some spectacular flying.

Perhaps the highlight of the weekend was Steve Henry’s premiering the YeeHaw 8 in competition! He and his Highlander XL took home first place in the new Unlimited Class with an incredible 35′ combined take off and landing. Dan Reynolds took home second place with a score of 77′.

Swamp STOL was also the debut of the National STOL Rookie Class! Designed as a low pressure environment for pilots to learn the National STOL competition format and test their skills, the impressive results of Kelly Qualls, Chris Jamison, and Nick Ardillo led to more than one remark on the PA wondering if they were actually ringers. As the winner of the Rookie Class at Swamp STOL, Qualls must now enter as a standard competitor in all future events.

New competitors aren’t required to compete in the rookie class, and a few other first timers, such as Justin Tisdale and Shawn Johnson, chose to immediately jump into a Standard class. We welcome all of these newcomers to the National STOL Family! Below, please find the results from each of our six competition classes:

Founder of Swamp STOL, consummate host, and life of the party Colonel Uncle Matthew Peterson once again jumped on the mic with Super Aero host Ryan Dembroski to narrate the events of the day. Along with his announcer responsibilities, Peterson as always arranged the fly-outs, crawfish boils, live music, and non-stop entertainment that make Swamp STOL so much more than just a competition.

As the weekend wrapped up, National STOL said a heartfelt goodbye to one of their own, Anitra Goddard, who is stepping away from the series to pursue new opportunities. Anitra, your contributions to National STOL will always be appreciated…you are the one and only STOL Queen!

Swamp STOL would not be possible without the incredible local support of the mayor and city of Jennings, as well as the Jeff Davis Parish Tourism Commission. While they always go above and beyond to welcome National STOL and Swamp STOL, they took it to a new level this year helping us face the logistical challenges mother nature presented. We also wish to thank local sponsors BTR Jet Center, Dispatch Aviation, the Coushatta Tribe, and AviNation magazine.

Be sure to visit the National STOL Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok pages for all the sights and sounds of the competition weekend. Many thanks to both our live broadcast and newly expanded post-production teams who work tirelessly to capture and transmit every moment to those who were unable to join us in person.

The 2023 season is only just beginning! Join us at our next event, Outlaw STOL, April 21-22 in Somerton, AZ (54AZ). Registration is now open!

The entire 2023 season is made possible thanks to the generous support of our annual sponsors:

While the Thursday evening and Friday morning weather lived up to the “SWAMP” STOL name, the spirits are high and the National STOL team had an exciting first day in Jennings!

It was a wet night as storms passed through the area Thursday into Friday. The arrivals of the Legend and ArkanSTOL teams were delayed, but the rains dissipated throughout the morning. The newly expanded production team set up interviews at the Jennings Airport FBO before the pilots enjoyed a lunch sponsored by BTR Jet Center in Baton Rouge.

Although practice was delayed by a few hours as the runway dried out, competitors attended their safety briefing and were able to fly starting mid-afternoon. The live broadcast team and announcers enjoyed the opportunity to do a dry run for Saturday’s competition. The strong headwind led to some impressively short take offs and landings! Practice wrapped up by around 5:30pm as competitors and National STOL staff prepared for the evening’s festivities.

Many thanks to the Mayor and City of Jennings, along with the Jeff Davis Parish Tourism Parish, for providing an alternate venue for the crawfish boil and performance by the Bernie Alan Band! Everyone had a great time dancing and eating while catching up with friends old and new.

While Saturday’s weather forecasts to be a bit cool, it should be dry and great weather for flying! Pack your jacket and come on out to Jennings Airport (3R7) for an exciting competition day. Gates open at 9:30am with the competition starting around 11:00am. If you can’t make it in person, be sure to tune in to the livestream on the National STOL Facebook or YouTube pages!

Jennings Airport, 3R7,

Registration is NOW OPEN for the third annual Swamp STOL! Competitors, spectators, and campers are encouraged to join us in Jennings, LA on March 17 and 18 for a weekend of Cajun food and competitive flying. A full event schedule can be found on the Swamp STOL event page.

Pilots can register in any of our newly revised competition classes: The Unlimited Class, Rookie Class, or a Standard Class. Airplanes have been re-categorized into Touring, Bush, Adventure, and Sport Classes to increase competition and more closely align with the historic performance of each airframe throughout our previous events. Please visit our Rules section and download the PDF at the bottom of the page for a full outline of the new class structure!

If you are planning to come out and watch, save money by purchasing your tickets in advance! Spectator tickets for Saturday’s competition are $10 online and will increase to $15 on site. Friday’s practice session can be viewed FREE by anyone holding a competition ticket. Airfield camping is also available, but space is limited! Book your RV, tent, or airplane camping as soon as possible.

Finally, no National STOL event would be possible without our team of volunteers. As a volunteer, you will be part of the one of the most exciting and fasted growing sports in General Aviation. When you volunteer for one of our competitions, you get the behind-the-scenes experience;  getting up close interactions to some awesome pilots, aircraft, and amazing takeoffs and landings!  For more information, check our our Volunteer Registration page.

National STOL thanks Jennings Airport and the Jeff Davis Parish Tourism Board for their continued support of SWAMP STOL. The entire 2023 Season is made possible by the commitment and support of the following sponsorsLegend AircraftLadd Gardner Aviation InsuranceDUC Propellers USASarasota AvionicsFlying Eyes Optics and National STOL Series media partner AviNation Magazine and Rugged Radios,  the official communications partner of the National STOL Series. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NEW Locations! MORE Events! BIGGER Reach! National STOL is Expanding; Adding New Event Locations to the 2023 Season Schedule!

The National STOL Series is excited to announce their 2023 Season Schedule and  new, exciting changes.

The 2023 season series kicks off March 18 in Jennings, Louisiana, at the 3rd Annual Swamp STOL Competition & Fly-in. Known for its southern charm, Cajun flair, and local musical talent Swamp STOL has fast become both a competitor and fan favorite.

Next, the series heads to Somerton Airport in Yuma County, Arizona, for Outlaw STOL. This one-day competition was established in 2020 by Jonathan Stains, and it is the second year that National STOL has partnered with the event.

Wayne, Nebraska, is the first new stop on the season schedule, making it the most centrally located event of the Series. The Wayne America Fly In is making STOL history as the only event to host both National STOL and STOL DRAG Competitions at a single event. 

Sodbusters STOL has found its home! This August will be the event’s second year at Hartford Municipal Airport, the weekend before AirVenture and just a 30 minute flight to Oshkosh! 

Rocky Mountain STOL, hosted in the picturesque town of Pinedale, Wyoming by Emblem Aviation, is joining the Series this season after a wildly successful showing at their inaugural event last August. The event quickly developed a reputation for spoiling pilots with breakfast, ice cream, and a bus ride up to the gorgeous Half Moon Lake Lodge for an amazing four course meal, creating a fully immersive experience into all that Pinedale has to offer.

Lonestar STOL, the Series’ founding event, will remain in Texas for its 4th year!  For the past 3 years, Lonestar STOL also doubled as the Series Season Championship. For the first time since its inception, the Series will host their Season Championships as a stand-alone event in December, with date and location to be announced.

Other new events being introduced to the season schedule are the Isle Fly-In at MIlle Lacs Lake in Isle, Minnesota (in conjunction with their Annual Breakfast Fly In for 600 guests), and Music City STOL in Nashville this September. 

A Mid-Atlantic location is currently in early planning phases. Stay tuned for dates and locations to be announced in the near future! Please note that all events are tentative and subject to change in date or location until the time registration opens.

The 2023 Season is made possible by the commitment and support of the following sponsors: Legend Aircraft; Ladd Gardner Aviation Insurance; DUC Propellers USA; Sarasota Avionics; Flying Eyes Optics; FlightHelmet.com; Flight Outfitters; McFarlane Aviation Products/MT Propeller; Lift Aviation; AirTech Coatings; USATrailersDirect.com, the official trailer provider of National STOL; and Rugged Radios,  the official communications partner of the National STOL Series. 

Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalstol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalstol/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NationalSTOLSeries

National STOL was designed to focus on basic pilot skills, and to reinforce critical skills in on and off airport STOL takeoffs and landings. In the competition, pilots complete a series of 3 takeoffs and landings. We measure from a start finish line to where the main wheels stop. If you main wheels touch short of the line on landing, it’s considered a DQ, and that round does not count. The shortest combined score is the winner. If at any point you feel that you’re in an unstable approach, you can go around. SAFETY is key in our competition. We’ve broken up the competition into classes, where aircraft compete in like types. A 172 will be in a class with other Maule M7’s, 170s, and 175s, and a stock airplane does quite well!

One of our first time competitors this spring was Bobby Kerr in his 1996 Maule M7-180A. Bobby is a college student in the Atlanta, Georgia metro area, and a private pilot with about 200 hours. The plane, which is completely bone stock – minus some carefully placed tennis tape on the yoke, did extremely well against like competitors. Bobby’s takeoff rolls in his Maule were averaging in the low 230s, with landings surprisingly similar, with most in the low 200s. One of his shortest landings was 183 feet. But, as we mentioned, Bobby was a completely first time competitor and has never been to one of our events previously.

We asked Bobby if he had any suggestions for pilots considering signing up, “Doing some kind of flying competition is something that I had wanted to for a long time until I found National STOL. The fact that you can use the airplane you most likely already have and the airport you’re based out of to practice is HUGE. With less than 200 hours of total time, I was able to fly and compete. You just won’t find that in many other series. Never in my life did I ever think that I would actually be competing.”

He continued, “If you’re even remotely considering it, go for it. Use those slow flight and short field landing skills that you’ve learned and just have fun. If you don’t think you’ll be competitive, do it anyways. You might surprise yourself, and flying against/with someone better than you is one of the best (if not the best) ways to improve your own flying.”

And he’s completely right. You can practice these skills at any local airport, whether it’s on asphalt, gravel, grass or turf. Practicing these Short Takeoffs and Landings will make you a more confident pilot when it comes to getting in and out of tough strips, and most importantly, requires you to absolutely nail a landing spot.

Moreover, with dozens of other competitors, the series allows you to find other pilots, who are always trying to teach others how to challenge themselves and be a better pilot. Our events are as much as a social event as they are a competition, because at the end of the day, you’re competing against yourself for the shortest score.

We’re back this week in Gainesville, TX on September 23-25, 2021. Thursdays are open practice, to let pilots get used to the runway, the field conditions and the local geography. Friday, the 24th, we’ll have qualifying, which is the first day of the competition. The top 6 pilots per class will advance to Saturday. After the qualifying, we’ll hold one more practice session. On Saturday we hold the finals, where each pilot runs 3 times again. The final scores are all based on Saturday’s competition.

Each day, we invite visitors to spectate practice and the competition. Thursday is completely free to observe, with Friday and Saturday $10 each day, or $18 online for the two days. We’ll be broadcasting live from the event, follow our Facebook page for more information!

Don’t want to go home for a minute and miss the fun? Pitch a tent, bring an RV, bring an airplane and sleep under the wing. Each night we’ll have food and social gatherings at the airport. Camping is $60 for the entire week, whether you fly, drive, or walk in.

Thinking about registering as a competitor? DO IT. You’ll love it. Entry is $100. There are more than $8000 in prizes and trophies. Almost any single engine fixed wing is welcome. If you have more than one engine, a helicopter, or happen to have a harrier? We’re more than happy to have you run in an exhibition class so you can show everyone your STOL Skills!

More information and tickets can be found on the main page of our website: nationalstol.com