On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 11:56:21 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 2:10:24 PM UTC-5, John Cochrane wrote:

SNIPModern standard will be part of club. SNIP

John:



Why, exactly, WILL (my emphasis) Modern Standard be part of Club Class?



Your statement seems to make this a non-negotiable point.



If the point if making handicapped racing better racing by reducing the spread of handicaps, why must Club get stuck with the biggest, and arguably semi-unworkable, handicap range, while the folding into 15m of Modern Standard and Last Generation 15m is not on the table.



The handicap range between current 15m gliders and Modern Standard (plus the last generation of 15m) is surely much more tight than the handicap range between modern standard (and last generation 15m) and the Libelle - let alone the upper limit of, say, a 1-26, as written into the US Club Class definition today



If we go to handicapped racing as the main experience in sailplane racing, we need to make it work so that everyone has or feels like they are getting the best racing experience possible. This si done by narrowing, not broadening the handicap ranges.



Tim EY

As one of the ones that formed the current Club progression, I'll jump in here.
The "plan" as I envisioned, was to get Club off the ground as class and demonstrate that it is a viable stand alone class so that organizers would feel safe in bidding to run the event and Club pilots would know that their class has a path to becoming a fully recognized nationals class.
The "plan" was to co locate with Sports until stand alone potential is demonstrated, then break it away for Sports to get rid of the "dividing of the field" effect when both are at the same site.
Once this is accomplished, the low end of the performance range can move to the same as IGC because the low performance gliders can go to Sports and no one is sent home.
After 2 fairly good years of entries, I would say it is time. The key is to get a site, western strongly preferred so as not to affect CCSC in '2015, and finish this progression.
The handicap range was slightly widened to add the V1 and LS-6 simply because they are not significantly different than the ASW-20 already included. This was done purely to try to increase potential entries. Obviously this can evolve back based upon participation experience.
Before we start mucking with the "plan", we should finish executing it.
Let's get a site on board for '15 and finish the class introduction.
UH
Former RC chair and Club owner/pilot