Re: US: International Squad Ranking List for 2016 with Benalla WGCIncluded now Online

[Sean Fidler]

Good morning "Turn Area Task only" not racing fans!!!

Warning: This thread concerns only FAI rules and in no way relates to the US Rules experiment and isolation program (your area task safe space). Reading ahead any further may cause discomfort.

"Content removed, sorry" counter: One hundred eight days. 1 0 8 d a y s! 🤷*♀️

Today is Wednesday May 10, 2017. The US International Team ranking content was unpublished without explanation on January 22, 2017 after being published for a week or so.

In only twelve more days the "Sorry, content removed" status of our US International Soaring Teams ranking data (care of the US Team Committee) will have been unavailable to us for 4 months...with ZERO explanation.

Will those "in charge?" make it to four months? Why the secrecy? Why not make some kind of announcement? I've been hearing for three months now that the content will be republished in "just a few days," over and over and over. Zilch. Nada. Yet here we are on day 108. Perhaps we need some new people involved with this project who can communicate openly and properly?

I sure hope the forthcoming explanation of this FOUR MONTH delay (assuming that the content is finally going to be "re-released") is complete and FULLY explains all circumstances which resulted in this delay and how any conclusions or changes were reached. I also hope that ALL who were involved in this process are available for open (public, on the record) discussion and are willing to answer any questions both immediately and publicly (on the record).

The secret nature of this "issue(s)?" is entirely unacceptable. Sadly it is also not uncommon within this "society."

Furthermore, why isn't the SSAs US Team content part of the SSAs only website? Why does this content reside (or not reside "content removed, sorry") on some separate, non-SSA website (soaringweb.org)? No other country seems to do this. Why does the SSA not own this content?

#5050
#realracing
#realassignedtasks
#notfakeSSAassignedAREAtasks
#bogglesthemind
#whosonfirst
#doublesecretprobation

[Sean Fidler]

From and including: Sunday, January 22, 2017
To, but not including Saturday, May 13, 2017
Result: 111 days
It is 111 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
Or 3 months, 21 days excluding the end date
Alternative time units
111 days can be converted to one of these units:
9,590,400 seconds
159,840 minutes
2664 hours
111 days
15 weeks and 6 days
30.41% of 2017

[XC]

Sean,

Are not aware there is a new multi-step selection team process in place? My understanding of the new process, as I read it in the document "Updated US Team Selection Process v1.0.3", is what used to be call pilot ranking is really now more accurately described as pilot eligibility.

I think most would agree that it is a well thought out process. These are the three steps in the new process.

Step #1: Pilot Eligibility - Certain pilots are eligible by numerical calculation of recent results in both US and IGC contests.
Step #2: Preferential Voting By Qualified Pilots - Pilots who ranked 85% of the winners score in a recent nationals vote for who they think would perform well at WGC.
Step #3: Final Team Selection By The US Team Committee - A final look-over by the team committee to make sure there is a solid squad.

Please get your hands on this document and read it over. Let me know if you want me to send it to you. I think it is a good process.

XC
Sean Murphy

[XC]

Are you not aware there is a new multi-step team selection process? My understanding of the new process, as I read it in the document "Updated US Team Selection Process v1.0.3", is what used to be call pilot ranking is really now more accurately described as pilot eligibility.

I think most would agree that it is a well thought out process. These are the three steps in the new process.

Step #1: Pilot Eligibility - Certain pilots are eligible by numerical calculation of recent results in both US and IGC contests.
Step #2: Preferential Voting By Qualified Pilots - Pilots who ranked 85% of the winners score in a recent nationals vote for who they think would perform well at WGC.
Step #3: Final Team Selection By The US Team Committee - A final look-over by the team committee to make sure there is a solid squad.

Please get your hands on this document and read it over. Let me know if you want me to send it to you. I think it is a good process.

XC
Sean Murphy

[Steve Koerner]

Hello Sean Murphy,

I happen to disagree with you about the wisdom of a process like that. But not wanting to grind that axe at this moment, I'm curious as to how you've come to know that such process has been adopted?

When I go to the SSA site and click on the Sailplane Racing heading, I find a subheading: US Team. Under that subheading is a further subheading: US Team Selection. The only document there is dated 2010 and describes the objective method of determining the US team that has been in place since that time.

There is also a subheading: US Team News. When I scroll four entries down through the news, I find a Request for Feedback dated March 2016 that has a link to a survey and relates a process that sounds just like the process that you outline. It's in a doc titled: Updated US Team Selection Process v1.0.3. That document was created as a proposal and has the word "proposes" in it. So, has that proposal been adopted as the policy of SSA?

Was there an announcement about that which I missed? I sent an email to a member of the US team committee asking about this a couple months ago. The reply I got was that I should stand by. Four days ago, I sent a message to a different US team committee member asking basically the same question: what is the process that is now in effect. As of today, no reply.

Like Mr Fidler, I'm pretty annoyed that there is this lack of communication and transparency in regards to an important function of the SSA. What is going on?

For what it's worth, I've decided not to make the drive to the nationals this year.

[XC]

I'm told the document has been updated to correct an error in a formula. The latest version is 1.2.2

The basic idea is the same. The numerical calculation formerly known as "Rankings for the US International Team Selection" is really just a starting point for the new process.

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/Update%20US%20Team%20Selection%20Process%20v1.2.2. pdf

XC
Sean Murphy

[Steve Koerner]

Thank you for that link Mr Murphy.

Do you know that this is now official policy of SSA?

Was a vote taken by the SSA directors that has adopted this policy or has the US team committee on it's own decision now empowered itself to become the final arbitrar of the US Team constituency?

If it is truly SSA policy, it would sure be good to have the website updated so that there is not this sort of confusion floating about.

[XC]

I'm told the process was presented to the SSA Board at the February 2016 meeting. I didn't attend the meeting nor have I read the minutes to tell you if there was a vote, etc.

I agree with you. The policy should be more readily accessible to the membership.

Happy flying this year,
XC
Sean Murphy

[David Leonard]

The minutes from the April 11, 2016 ExComm meeting indicate it was approved.


On 5/14/2017 1:09 PM, XC wrote:
>
> I'm told the process was presented to the SSA Board at the February 2016 meeting. I didn't attend the meeting nor have I read the minutes to tell you if there was a vote, etc.
>
> I agree with you. The policy should be more readily accessible to the membership.
>
> Happy flying this year,
> XC
> Sean Murphy
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
> http://www.avg.com
>


---
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
http://www.avg.com

[[email protected]]

So let me get this straight. Am I reading this correctly that a pilot with a lower ranking number can be selected over a pilot with a higher ranking number based on votes?

Sorry, if you win a national contest and your ranking is 100.0, you should have first dibs on representing the United States...you won the right to do that.

Is the SSA really going to let "politics" decide who gets to go? What the hell kind of crap is this?


So we SUCK as a country in the world championship, and we are going to let lower performing pilots represent the country - based on votes? WOW!

[Sean Fidler]

7 days short of FOUR MONTHS...

[XC]

Below is a cut and paste from the document. Please take the time to read the whole doc.

I'll also add that our volunteers at the US Team committee were elected by us to do their job. They researched processes used by several winning teams and recommended some improvements to the SSA board. Those recommendations were approved by the board.

As for the preferential voting consider this. If you take the pilots who scored 85% or better in our national soaring contests you have a pretty elite group of decision makers. It would be very hard to gather that experience any other way. Additionally, they have first hand experience competing against the candidates.

I'll say it again I think the US Team committee is on the right track and I will support the team they put together.

XC
Sean Murphy



"US Team Committee discussions concerning the current US Team pilot selection process have raised a number of issues, including the following:

-An uncharacteristically bad National contest result (e.g. due to illness) may cause a highly qualified pilot to miss the US Team.

-Pilot skills and how they match conditions expected at WGC contest sites should be considered (e.g. a pilot with predominately flatland skills should not necessarily be selected for a contest that will emphasize mountain flying).

-Pilot personality and the way it fits with the full team can be an important factor.

-For a pilot who has competed in past FAI Category 1 contests, performance in those events should be considered.

-Because success at Category 1 contests typically requires some experience in competition at that level, a pilot’s age and likely commitment to future US Team participation should be considered.

-The proliferation of IGC classes raises the possibility that a pilot who has achieved excellent results in one class might be a strong US Team member in another.

The fundamental point is that the goal of every US Team should be to obtain the best results possible at any World Gliding Championships (WGC), and the current team selection process does not appear to be consistently achieving that goal. Accordingly, the US Team Committee is proposing significant changes to the process by which US Team pilots are selected..."

[Kevin Christner]

On Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 9:23:29 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> So let me get this straight. Am I reading this correctly that a pilot with a lower ranking number can be selected over a pilot with a higher ranking number based on votes?
>
> Sorry, if you win a national contest and your ranking is 100.0, you should have first dibs on representing the United States...you won the right to do that.
>
> Is the SSA really going to let "politics" decide who gets to go? What the hell kind of crap is this?
>
>
> So we SUCK as a country in the world championship, and we are going to let lower performing pilots represent the country - based on votes? WOW!

PSA: asw20pilot is one of Sean's many aliases.

Personal statement: The fact that Sean represented our country in the last WGC is embarrassing. Here is someone who has threatened to show up at a house with a gun, put me in a straight jacket and torture me. The US Team has a code of conduct that Sean has violated on numerous occasions. I quote one section:

"13.3 To Specifically Refrain From. To refrain from any behavior which might reflect unfavorably on the United States of America, the sport, the Team, its management, or which might bring any other pilot, official or the Team into disrepute"

I'm sure he is concerned that his behavior has caused significant harm to his reputation. I for one will be sending a large file of Sean's numerous delirious rantings, threats and abuse to all US Pilots with 85% or higher scores for their careful consideration when they vote on who should represent out country.

[Sean Fidler]

From and including: Sunday, January 22, 2017
To, but not including Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Result: 115 days
It is 115 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
Or 3 months, 25 days excluding the end date
Alternative time units
115 days can be converted to one of these units:
9,936,000 seconds
165,600 minutes
2760 hours
115 days
16 weeks and 3 days
31.51% of 2017

[[email protected]]

How many pilots are there in the US with the combination of skill, experience, desire, and resources to compete on the world team?
On Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 7:03:02 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
> From and including: Sunday, January 22, 2017
> To, but not including Wednesday, May 17, 2017
> Result: 115 days
> It is 115 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
> Or 3 months, 25 days excluding the end date
> Alternative time units
> 115 days can be converted to one of these units:
> 9,936,000 seconds
> 165,600 minutes
> 2760 hours
> 115 days
> 16 weeks and 3 days
> 31.51% of 2017

[Ron Gleason]

On Wednesday, 17 May 2017 20:42:11 UTC-6, wrote:
> How many pilots are there in the US with the combination of skill, experience, desire, and resources to compete on the world team?
> On Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 7:03:02 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
> > From and including: Sunday, January 22, 2017
> > To, but not including Wednesday, May 17, 2017
> > Result: 115 days
> > It is 115 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
> > Or 3 months, 25 days excluding the end date
> > Alternative time units
> > 115 days can be converted to one of these units:
> > 9,936,000 seconds
> > 165,600 minutes
> > 2760 hours
> > 115 days
> > 16 weeks and 3 days
> > 31.51% of 2017

11

[Tango Eight]

On Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 11:11:10 PM UTC-4, Ron Gleason wrote:
> On Wednesday, 17 May 2017 20:42:11 UTC-6, wrote:
> > How many pilots are there in the US with the combination of skill, experience, desire, and resources to compete on the world team?
> > On Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 7:03:02 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
> > > From and including: Sunday, January 22, 2017
> > > To, but not including Wednesday, May 17, 2017
> > > Result: 115 days
> > > It is 115 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
> > > Or 3 months, 25 days excluding the end date
> > > Alternative time units
> > > 115 days can be converted to one of these units:
> > > 9,936,000 seconds
> > > 165,600 minutes
> > > 2760 hours
> > > 115 days
> > > 16 weeks and 3 days
> > > 31.51% of 2017
>
> 11

Sean definitely goes to 11.

-Evan Ludeman / T8

[Sean Fidler]

ALMOST TO FOUR MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is six months possible? A year?

From and including: Sunday, January 22, 2017
To, but not including Thursday, May 18, 2017
Result: 116 days
It is 116 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
Or 3 months, 26 days excluding the end date
Alternative time units
116 days can be converted to one of these units:
10,022,400 seconds
167,040 minutes
2784 hours
116 days
16 weeks and 4 days
31.78% of 2017

[Peter Deane[_2_]]

Seconded.

2T


On Monday, 15 May 2017 05:30:45 UTC-7, XC wrote:
> Below is a cut and paste from the document. Please take the time to read the whole doc.
>
> I'll also add that our volunteers at the US Team committee were elected by us to do their job. They researched processes used by several winning teams and recommended some improvements to the SSA board. Those recommendations were approved by the board.
>
> As for the preferential voting consider this. If you take the pilots who scored 85% or better in our national soaring contests you have a pretty elite group of decision makers. It would be very hard to gather that experience any other way. Additionally, they have first hand experience competing against the candidates.
>
> I'll say it again I think the US Team committee is on the right track and I will support the team they put together.
>
> XC
> Sean Murphy
>
>
>
> "US Team Committee discussions concerning the current US Team pilot selection process have raised a number of issues, including the following:
>
> -An uncharacteristically bad National contest result (e.g. due to illness) may cause a highly qualified pilot to miss the US Team.
>
> -Pilot skills and how they match conditions expected at WGC contest sites should be considered (e.g. a pilot with predominately flatland skills should not necessarily be selected for a contest that will emphasize mountain flying).
>
> -Pilot personality and the way it fits with the full team can be an important factor.
>
> -For a pilot who has competed in past FAI Category 1 contests, performance in those events should be considered.
>
> -Because success at Category 1 contests typically requires some experience in competition at that level, a pilot’s age and likely commitment to future US Team participation should be considered.
>
> -The proliferation of IGC classes raises the possibility that a pilot who has achieved excellent results in one class might be a strong US Team member in another.
>
> The fundamental point is that the goal of every US Team should be to obtain the best results possible at any World Gliding Championships (WGC), and the current team selection process does not appear to be consistently achieving that goal. Accordingly, the US Team Committee is proposing significant changes to the process by which US Team pilots are selected..."

[Sean Fidler]

How many days does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop? "The world may never know..."

https://youtu.be/O6rHeD5x2tI

[Sean Fidler]

Together we have made it! Congratulations! 🎊🍾🎈🎉

The International US Team Rankings have been "SORRY, CONTENT REMOVED" for FOUR months. I'm impressed! Let's go for six. #believe

From: Sunday, January 22, 2017
To: Monday, May 22, 2017
Result: 120 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds
The duration is 120 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds
Or 4 months excluding the end date
Alternative time units
120 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds can be converted to one of these units:
10,368,000 seconds
172,800 minutes
2880 hours
120 days
17 weeks and 1 day
32.88% of 2017

[Dan Marotta]

What is this "#..." **** you keep posting?

On 5/22/2017 8:39 AM, Sean Fidler wrote:
> Together we have made it! Congratulations! 🎊🍾🎈🎉
>
> The International US Team Rankings have been "SORRY, CONTENT REMOVED" for FOUR months. I'm impressed! Let's go for six. #believe
>
> From: Sunday, January 22, 2017
> To: Monday, May 22, 2017
> Result: 120 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds
> The duration is 120 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds
> Or 4 months excluding the end date
> Alternative time units
> 120 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds can be converted to one of these units:
> 10,368,000 seconds
> 172,800 minutes
> 2880 hours
> 120 days
> 17 weeks and 1 day
> 32.88% of 2017

--
Dan, 5J

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

It's called a hashtag used in Twitter accounts (I don't have Twitter or Facebook......), all the "cool kids" have them.....

[Matt S]

On Monday, May 22, 2017 at 12:09:34 PM UTC-4, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
> It's called a hashtag used in Twitter accounts (I don't have Twitter or Facebook......), all the "cool kids" have them.....

It's too bad we don't have an accepted common hashtag for the soaring community. It's a great way to post updates, photos, and questions related to a certain subject. It also builds community and encourages participation. For example, #bikedc is used by bicycle commuters in Washington DC to post road hazards, weather conditions, meet-up events, or just fun things like photos. It's also a good way to raise awareness and increase outreach - especially among young people.

By the way...there are some great soaring profiles on Instagram (mostly from our European friends).

[Dan Marotta]

Isn't Twitter for Twits (except the president, of course)?

On 5/22/2017 10:09 AM, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
> It's called a hashtag used in Twitter accounts (I don't have Twitter or Facebook......), all the "cool kids" have them.....

--
Dan, 5J

[Sean Fidler]

#AiNO

[Sean Fidler]

We are roughly in the middle of "US Team Camp" in Cordele. And STILL no US International Team ranking list has been published. The word incompetence comes to mind. So does the word pathetic.

The US International Team ranking information has now been removed for 127 days (Jan 22, 2017 thru May 29, 2017) with no explanation or update.
In other worlds...it has been removed for 4 months, 7 days.
127 days can also be converted to any of these units:
10,972,800 seconds
182,880 minutes
3048 hours
127 days
18 weeks and 1 day
34.79% of 2017

I look forward to discussing the explanation for this nearly fivemonth obfuscation once our International Team Rankings are finally republished...

[Ron Gleason]

On Monday, 29 May 2017 06:27:52 UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
> We are roughly in the middle of "US Team Camp" in Cordele. And STILL no US International Team ranking list has been published. The word incompetence comes to mind. So does the word pathetic.
>
> The US International Team ranking information has now been removed for 127 days (Jan 22, 2017 thru May 29, 2017) with no explanation or update.
> In other worlds...it has been removed for 4 months, 7 days.
> 127 days can also be converted to any of these units:
> 10,972,800 seconds
> 182,880 minutes
> 3048 hours
> 127 days
> 18 weeks and 1 day
> 34.79% of 2017
>
> I look forward to discussing the explanation for this nearly fivemonth obfuscation once our International Team Rankings are finally republished...

But Sean they have time and desires to post https://www.facebook.com/ussoaringteams/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf about the "Team Camp" currently being held and how it will make everything great again. Yup learning to successfully compete by sitting under a tent or in a conference room in steamy GA with minimal soaring conditions.

[Tom Kelley #711]

On Monday, May 29, 2017 at 6:27:52 AM UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
> We are roughly in the middle of "US Team Camp" in Cordele. And STILL no US International Team ranking list has been published. The word incompetence comes to mind. So does the word pathetic.
>
> The US International Team ranking information has now been removed for 127 days (Jan 22, 2017 thru May 29, 2017) with no explanation or update.
> In other worlds...it has been removed for 4 months, 7 days.
> 127 days can also be converted to any of these units:
> 10,972,800 seconds
> 182,880 minutes
> 3048 hours
> 127 days
> 18 weeks and 1 day
> 34.79% of 2017
>
> I look forward to discussing the explanation for this nearly fivemonth obfuscation once our International Team Rankings are finally republished...

News flash alert as "Helium" as found the answer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw8ctJTF1ZY