Fun is increased when pilots have quick feedback on their relative performance for the day (score). The RC should address ways (rule changes) that will simplify scoring to minimize the time from task completion to score availability. In the distant past it was once possible to tell how your score compared with any competitor by comparing time on course. This is impossible today with our complex rules. Most now agree that our three basic tasks (AT, TAT, MAT) are set in concrete and unchangeable. The number of competent scorers in the US can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Therefore it is not uncommon to wait at least until the next day or longer to get scores and have any idea of relative performance.
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4 comments:
Though not applicable to Sports/Club Class racing, I would love to see more discussion on Grand Prix format and its possible implementation in US. Very exciting/fun (I imagine) for pilots ... Simple scoring ... more interesting for spectators (absent live GPS tracking we could have pilots announce TP arrivals over radio for crew and spectators interests)
I would love to try it!
Curt Lewis - 95
Genesis 2
Rockford, IL
I have to disagree on the delays in scoring. When I was scoring you could often see your standings within a few minutes of giving me your IGC file.
On the other hand I do know what you mean. With the MAT and TAT and even the new turnpoints for the AT, it is difficult to know what your actual distance is, so it is hard to compute your speed without the scoring software. I have to admit I liked flying Assigned Tasks and with the advent of the MAT and TAT these are occuring a lot less in all classes.
Brian Case
HP16T
The original poster mentioned increasing fun in competition. I have a different angle; decreasing the negativity from the more seasoned competitors. I have competed in 2.1 contests. The first, which I believe 5U was involved, was intentionally designed for newcomers to competition and we were catered to. It was a great event and my wife and I really enjoyed it. The next year I entered another competition at Cordele. At one of the pilot meetings I asked a question about airspace since on first observation it appeared the task would take us into a restricted area. I was pulled aside by two more seasoned flyers after the pilots meeting and was chastised for asking the question during the meeting and was told that it should have been asked privately afterward. A safety of flight question was out of bounds? Are you kidding me? And two years ago I signed up for a competition at Parowan. The competition manager called me one evening before the contest and told me I was not qualified to enter because I did not hold a silver badge (never bothered with those things). Regardless of the fact that I had competed previously he said I could not enter. After much shouting on his part and intervention by more seasoned competitors on my behalf, the rules committee made a determination that I was indeed qualified and could enter. Shortly afterward I withdrew my application. Why would anyone subject himself to this kind of hostility on my own vacation time?
I've heard many talk about the joy and camaraderie of competition. Other than my first competition I've seen nothing but spoiled, arrogant, and condescending attitude from my "fellow" flyers. To hell with them and to hell with competition if that is what newcomers can expect. I'll do cross country on my own at home thank you.
A recent blogg comment about a "newbie" coming into the sport sparked a thought (a bit outside of the Sports Class/Club Class debate, but still around
getting more participants in racing/soaring). In the Atlanta area we have several newbies that now regularly race the regional contests who first
learned to race in the Georgia Tennessee Alabama (GTA) local race series started many years ago. When it started and still today We race "X" amount of
weekends and take the a pilot's top six race scores to come up with overall winners. The small get-together racing weekends begain gaining a lot of
serious interest when when the competition management got more serious about tasks and scoring rather than just making it a social gathering with some
soaring involved. Now, GTA provides competition for both seasoned racers and pilots wanting to get into racing, but in a more conservative (learning to
race) environment. Up to now, GTA follows Sports Class Rules, but there is nothing saying that we can't do this within Club Class rules either.
In consideration of introducing pilots to racing maybe a better starting point than just starting a Club Class would be to create a sanctioned Local
Race Series Format (I'm sure a more glamerous name would help) that could be adopted by any operation wanting to nurture racing in their area. As with
GTA you the operator/club/individual would offer both an A class for advanced racers and a B class for the new guys wanting to get their feet wet.
Shedules and sites would be planned in advance with good online communications providing reminders and performance feedback. GTA has their own website,
but a Local Serious could be handled with a Google group as well. It just needs a leader/manager to push it forward.
As with any standardized program, a sanctioned version of GTA would need to have meaningful rewards for the winners such as receiving exemptions and
first dibs to fly in any regional contest regardless of overall seating and which region you are from (you might do this for both first and second place
and B Class winners would receive invitations to Sport Class venues at similar regionals). For instance someone winning a Texas Local would
automatically qualify (and be invited) to fly in Perry - South Carolina's Regional 5 North sanctioned race. That is, they would be eligible to go to
the head of the 'out of region' list to fly in that contest which is quite hard to get into if you are out of region.
It just seems to me that local contests would better serve the introduction of people into soaring over simply changing classes to accomondate more
people who already know how to race. We need new folks in the sport, not just reorganizing for those already in although I do support Club Class
racing. The GTA format is easy to initiate and conduct, but it needs to be conducted in a serious and relevant manner with proper incentives to be
taken seriously as a reliable starting point for racers. This has already proven to bring more people into racing.
Gary Carter
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