Do you watch the real ones of videos?
No, I've never been there, I'd like to someday. I love Alaska. BTW, just looked it up, this years winner was
78' total, that's 43 for take off, and 35 for landing. Here's the story and videos of pilot interview and planes in action
http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-05-12_stol.asp. he gives all the specs on his plane too.
Not exactly, headwind does help but in this case it's just a really good airplane. Basically it's light & powerful.
Plus a really, really good pilot.
Without lots of experience I think a lot of pilots would crash trying that kind of stuff. In the videos I've seen there are several competitors who nose over, or just prop strike.
Basically they hang on the prop, at crazy AOA as long as they can, then cut power, dump the flaps and plop down. Most of them have linked ailerons too (so they droop with the flaps) The tundra tires let them plop down pretty hard without damage. Most all the planes are experimental, since there are no STCs for some of the crazy mods they do.
Of course all the STOL mods means that fast they ain't.
On a related note, I've a buddy who is restoring an Antonov AN-2. The POH, has no listed stall speed. He says that at airshows, if they have 30kt or greater wind, they can demonstrate backwards flight.
