On Sunday, February 24, 2013 12:17:47 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sunday, February 24, 2013 6:31:26 AM UTC-8, wrote: On Saturday, February 23, 2013 4:35:57 PM UTC-5, Sean F (F2) wrote: Nearly 60 signatures have been added to the petition for an FAI rues US Club Class. If you wish to add your signature, follow the link below. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/262/8...fb_connected=1 Sean F2 As part of preparing for the BOD meeting, and possible discussion of this topic,I did an analysis of the responses to the petition site. I used tha best data available to me, that is the SSA membership list, ranking list, and contest results. I did not go back more than 3 years. This was done 3 weeks ago and may be not completely current. I found 56 responders 6 not SSA members 29 on the current ranking list and thus eligible to compete in US nationals 21 are known or believed to own or have ready availability of Club ships. 18 of those are IGC conforming. As and update on current events, the US Club class was approved as part of the 2013 rules changes in Houston. Currently the Mifflin contest has 14 entries in US Club of which 8 are on the IGC list. I'm hoping for 20 or more so we can continue to move toward Club becoming a class strong enough to be paired with classes other than Sports or, hopefully strong enough to stand on it's own. UH UH, The petition list does not represent ALL pilots who support the idea. Keep in mind the free website hosting this petition could be more user friendly. There are many who attempted to sign but don't appear on the list. I watched first hand a pilot signed up but didn't verify a second time as required. His posting didn't take. Mitch Hudson sent me an email saying he signed but his name has not appeared. The free website has limitations. Numbers are encouraging. *How many in addition have tried to sign but it didn't take? *How may would sign but don't know about the petition? 29 on the ranking list who own, possibly will buy or borrow a Club Class to compete is strong. Not to mention pilots whose posting didn't take or don't know about the movement. This could be the strongest sailplane racing class in the US. Of course, it's not going to happen this year. I hope the RC will give this movement a fair chance. Sean Franke, HA

Please read my observations.
29 was the number of pilots that could enter the contest mentioned.
21 was US Club group
18 was IGC Club group.
Given the apperently extensive e-mail campaign, complete with scare tactics like
"if this goes through we'll never have a real Club class"(my paraphrasing), I don't think you guys missed too many possibles.
The "chance", as currently enacted is:
1- Participate in US Club and help it grow to where it can stand on it's own as a class.
2- Help it grow and evolve, as it may well and likely should over time.

My proposed scenario to the RC was to make Club independent of the Sports tie in after 2 seasons of 20 entries. This would show it is a viable class that organzers could bid on and expect to get a reasonable turnout.
The RC, as group, was not prepared to go that far, which dissapointed me personally.
That said, if we can get 20 or better at Mifflin, we could be well on our way.
We have 14 signed up as of yesterday.
The other option is to sulk, bitch, moan, call us names, go on strike, or whatever can be done to try to prove us wrong.

UH