Rearranging the Deck Chairs on the Titanic (was: US 2008 CompetitionFacts)

On Jan 21, 4:32 pm, P1 wrote:
In 2008 there we

354 pilots who flew at least one contest day at a sanctioned
contest. (In 2004 there were 408).

As usual, we're happily engaged in an AT vs. TAT brawl and completely
missing what, to me, is the most jarring statistic: U.S. contest
participation is down almost 14% in the past four years (.3.5%
compound rate). Now before we start arguing about whether this is a
statistically valid comparison [e.g., I don't know whether 2008 was
depressed because of the economy or 2004 was artificially high (THAT'S
depressing, at only 400 pilots) or what], I think we can all stipulate
that contest participation is not growing by leaps and bounds.

Money is certainly a factor. Again, I won't jump into the Sports vs.
Club vs. Std/15M/18M Class wars but it's more expensive, lots, to buy
a new glider. I bought my last one in 1992 and it will probably be my
last one. But I'm still flying and it's still competitive and the cost
of a contest hasn't gone out of sight, at least compared with a week
in DisneyWorld, so what's the problem?

There are probably many reasons. But the one I'm focusing on here is
the philosophical bent, so to speak, of the Rules Committee. Now this
is not a rant against these guys. I know and respect them all and, in
fact, we've had a lot of discussions about a couple of suggestions I
and others had last year and they've been willing to work with me on
it. But I still sense that when push comes to shove, their #1 and
maybe only priority is to insure the highest level of competition
through the legislative rules process. The impact this last time, in
my opinion, was (1) rules that were even more complex than before
(e.g., the new start cylinder "trust us, you can't tell where the arc
is before you start but it won't matter anyway") and (2) equipment
requirements that are more rigorous and expensive (i.e., the absolute
requirement, now, for two IGC-approved flight recorders rather than
one plus a cheap commercial off-the-shelf backup, as I have been
using ).

I can argue both sides. Rules are important (I've had a hand in
drafting several myself over the years). And I'm not in favor of using
the honor system even at a regionals, much less a nationals. I've seen
too many instances of wishful thinking if not downright cheating. But
I sense that our guys have become so caught up in the process of
making the Rules work exquisitely and precisely that they've lost
sight of what's happening. It's more difficult every year--even for
me, and I've been flying Nationals since 1976--to stay up with the
Rules; I'm thinking seriously of bringing my own copy of WinScore to
each contest this year and entering the logs every day because it's
the only way to see if any scoring errors occur (and there are LOTS of
opportunities for that), and that presumes the software is 100%
reliable.

And it's not; it's more difficult each year for WinScore to keep pace.
There's evidence that there may have been at least one bug in WinScore
in 2008 that affected the results on multiple days, and rules in this
area have changed yet again. I work in the IT/software industry and
seeing so many changes going into a small-market application that
cannot possibly be tested thoroughly each time makes me certain that
this is not the first time this has happened.

It looks like I'll have to fork over $1000 this spring for another IGC-
approved flight recorder. Fairly soon I expect I'll have to pay up for
more software or a ClearNav to depict the likely start cylinder
configuration. Etc.

The ship is sinking. The 18M Class is booming...for that tiny handful
of pilots who can afford to pay well into six figures for a new glider
or motorglider. Overall, however, contest flying is shrinking. Let's
shift our focus away from making it 100% certain that no one can cheat
no matter how much time and money they're willing to spend and
designing "perfect" Rules and think about how to make competitive
soaring just a little more accessible and affordable for those several
hundred pilots in this country who already fly the contests and the
several hundred more who, if they showed up, would evidence a 50%
growth rate!!!

My apologies to the Rules Committee. They've been very receptive to my
suggestions and requests over the years and especially the past two
years. Perhaps it's not their fault. Maybe what we need is a new
charter for them.

Constructively submitted,
Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
USA