Combining Std and 15 meter as well as Open and 18 meter, while having
Super E & W regionals makes a lot of sense IF Super regionals have to
be done.

It is probably too easy of a solution though.


On Jan 3, 2:12Â*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:
On Jan 3, 1:36 pm, wrote:





On Jan 3, 9:25�am, mattm wrote:

On Jan 3, 9:46 am, JJ Sinclair wrote:

As this thread has shown, some pilots enter just before the 60 day cut-
off, saying; "I better enter while I still can, I'll decide later if I
really want to do this". The list spikes to over 80 and then about a
week or two before the contest these "casual interest" weenies, drop
out..................sometimes without the commom courtesy to even
notify the organizers! The group that pulls this crap isn't large,
about 10, but this means 10 guys that really wanted to come have been
denied the opertunity. The rules committee has tried to address this
issue with the 50% proposal. Other solutions might work; a $200 (non-
refundable) deposite might just do the trick. For the rules committee,
I say again; Thanks for doing a thankless job, well.
JJ

I don't really remember this happening last year at Perry. �Instead,
there were several
last second drop-outs to go help look for Dale Kramer after he crashed
(perfectly
understandable).

One thing that I DID notice was that the required pilot rating to get
in from out of region
was equal to winning an FAI class in a regional!

Back to that off-topic mention: �there are two regional contests
listed ONLY on
the calendar page at the SSA website so far (R5S colocated with the
Standard
nationals, and region 1 in June). �The contest results list hasn't
been updated
even with those two. �I know that others must have already been
planned (we
heard from Rhonda when R5N is on) but they haven't gotten on the
published
calendar so far. �It seems to me that last year they didn't show up
until after
the 1st either.

One other important item missing from the calendar is that there are
no Racing
camps planned, as far as I can tell. �I know that the Perry camp was
announced
at least by November of the previous year...

Â*New ideas are required to improve the great old ideas, as time has
shown us. Business will die if Â*new ideas aren't brought in. Our
Regionals are not filling up, our Nationals are not filling up. The
OLC is. Using the OLC towards a National seeding list could be the
best thing to hit this sport.
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*Last year, the competition between 2 clubs came about because
of the OLC. ALL of these guys and girls flew harder, farther and
faster and better than they had every before. They all improved their
skills, they learned and shared, bonded and fought, they inspired each
other and in the end, their really was no one winner, as the real only
winner was...... our sport.....
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* To foster and promote...........it is a good
thing......
Â* Â* Â* Â*The OLC flights a pilot posts, which could add to his seeding
score, could bring more pilots to Regional and National competitions.
Also, it would get more to practice, increase business at the
gliderports, and raise revenue, along with SSA membership. Your
worried Â*about them occurring all over the country? We have had in the
past, as we have today, members of the US Team which have never won a
National title, and some who have only won in certain areas of the
country.
Â* Â* Â* Â* Has the OLC system, which part of ( I am not saying what or
how now) could be applied to our seeding system, been even discussed
amongest the flock? Â*Or is the flock being controlled by just the few
who wish things only for themselves? Just a question.......its typed
as with a warm feeling, said as in caring, love and an understanding
manner..........

Â* Â* Â* Â*A super region allows for the high seeded pilots from out of
region to bump out a lower seeded pilot in region. It allows for the
same super regional contest to be held every year at the same site, by
the same organizer. I haven't implied this is bad, but, since this
will come up shortly, Â*at the Directors meeting, many members and
racers won't even hear about it, Â*we need to get it out to as many
folks as we can.
Â* Â* Â* Â*Isn't it... "fair and equal for all"...........Some are out
traveling, they don't have a computer, the magazine is their only way
of reading what s going on......Thank you JJ, Hank, 21, ZL, 9B,and
everyone else in keeping this post going, its best to get it out, for
all to see and think about. Â* # 711.

OK, after reviewing the data from 2007:

Contest Pilots State
Sports Â* Â*42 Â* Â*OH
Std Â* Â* 19 Â* Â*NM
15M Â* Â*41 Â* Â*PA
18M Â* Â*28 Â* Â* MN
Open Â* Â* 9 Â* Â* MN
World Â* Â* 7 Â* Â*TN

We need to hold East and West Super Regionals. Â*Points could be 96 for
the National Rankings. Â*The application must include support letter
from three regions in the area. Â*Should be sites that can accommodate
water in the FAI classes. Â*We need to continue to combine nationals or
offer at least a combined Std/15M/18M for both the east and west.

In 2007 there were only about 3 or 4 Â*West coast pilots at the 15M
nationals and only two East coast pilots at the 2006 15m contest.

Is it time to kill Std and 15 M class and combine them into one 15M
class? Â*From the numbers World and Open are dying classes that should
either be discontinued or forced to hold contests with several other
classes each year.

The open class has been replaced by the 18M ships for the most part
and the cost justification for the standard class had long
disappeared. Â*The 15/18 and Std/18 meter ships are looking like the
future. Â*As the ASG-29 and Ventus 2C's arrive the 18m class will
continue to grow.

We do need to adapt the system to encourage pilots to fly in contest
more. Â*I agree with Tom that we need a way to utilize the OLC as well
because it has been one of the best tools in the last few years to get
more pilots flying cross country and encourages pushing harder on a
day to get more points.

Tim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -