New Class for US Nationals

Congratulations to the Rules Committee. Two classes with enough participation will improve the Sports Class make it more enjoyable. This change is certainly better than the current format.

My concern is that once we start another hybrid US racing class there will be little hope of establishing a pure FAI racing class. I have heard of US pilots choosing not to participate in US contests because of current rules..

I would like to see establishment of the only US FAI racing class - The US FAI Club Class.

There are many domestic choices for those who disagree with FAI rules and tasking philosophy. The new class would possible attract racing pilots who are "left at home" because they disagree with US contest rules and format. It would also be a fantastic way to prepare US pilots for international competition.

I believe there is significant demand for a pure FAI Club Class here in the US. I urge the RC to consider this option before moving forward to a two class Sports Class.

Sean Franke

Well said Sean Franke.

After thinking a bit, I see no reason Sports cant remain as is (126 to ash25) for those within the club range who are fearful of "dangerous and reckless" FAI rules. :-) And no real reason to water down this new US Club class by over expanding the class both up and down. Club class is wildly successful. Why alter it? especially as a first step? It is also a chance for the US to have a pure racing class. Would be great to see how that is received by US pilots who want pure racing.

To play devils advocate: Why are we calling this Club again if its actually NOT Club class as the rest of the world has standardized (both in range of gliders and tasking rules) and grown to wild levels of success?

Isn't this "really" just US Sports class "low performance?"

Hmmmm.

Again the rest of the World has NOT standardized their Club class definitions to IGC rules. Many have done adjustments to account for national particularities. As an example two large gliding countries below.

The UK:

The 2012 Rules for BGA Rated Competitions
....
10.2. Club Class. Water ballast must not be carried, scores are handicapped, and gliders listed in Appendix 1 with a Speed Index not exceeding 98 before additional performance enhancement handicap increments, are eligible to enter. In addition, all gliders listed on the current IGC Club Class handicap list are eligible. All gliders will fly at their allotted BGA Speed Index.
The only ballast of any sort that is permissible is that intended solely for the purpose of centre of gravity adjustment. This must be securely installed in such a way as to not invalidate the glider’s C of A.
Two seat gliders may be flown in the Club Class, provided that at registration it is declared whether the glider is flown solo or dual. The number of people on board may not be changed during the competition and in all cases the P2 must meet the requirement of 6.6.

http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/competitionrules2012.pdf - Page 30

There are many gliders on the BGA Speed Index that are not on the IGC list nor does the BGA impose a lower handicap limit. The upper limit of 98 is similar to the IGC limit.

France:

4.1. REGLEMENT DES COMPETITIONS FEDERALES DE VOL A VOILE
....
16.2. Handicaps FFVV « Classe Club »

http://ffvv.org/files/2012/05/np41-r...on2012rev2.pdf - Page 31

Translation A glider or ultralight handicap of less than 96 will be allowed to participate when adopting the lowest handicap which is: 96. The organizers may also provide a ranking of "guest competitor" (HC) and use the original glider handicap (see local procedures). End Translation

There are quite a few UL glider on the French list, they are relatively popular in France. The handicap range is the same as the IGC's.

Markus

On Nov 15, 5:43*pm, Markus Graeber wrote:
Again the rest of the World has NOT standardized their Club class definitions to IGC rules. Many have done adjustments to account for national particularities. As an example two large gliding countries below.

The UK:

The 2012 Rules for BGA Rated Competitions
...
10.2. Club Class. Water ballast must not be carried, scores are handicapped, and gliders listed in Appendix 1 with a Speed Index not exceeding 98 before additional *performance enhancement handicap increments, are eligible to enter. In addition, all gliders listed on the current IGC Club Class handicap list are eligible. All gliders will fly at their allotted BGA Speed Index.
The only ballast of any sort that is permissible is that intended solely for the purpose of centre of gravity adjustment. This must be securely installed in such a way as to not invalidate the glider’s C of A.
Two seat gliders may be flown in the Club Class, provided that at registration it is declared whether the glider is flown solo or dual. The number of people on board may not be changed during the competition and in all cases the P2 must meet the requirement of 6.6.

http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/compe...rules2012.pdf- Page 30

There are many gliders on the BGA Speed Index that are not on the IGC list nor does the BGA impose a lower handicap limit. The upper limit of 98 is similar to the IGC limit.

France:

4.1. REGLEMENT DES COMPETITIONS FEDERALES DE VOL A VOILE
...
16.2. Handicaps FFVV « Classe *Club »

http://ffvv.org/files/2012/05/np41-r...ition2012r...- Page 31

Translation A glider or ultralight handicap of less than 96 will be allowed to participate when adopting the lowest handicap which is: 96. The organizers may also provide a ranking of "guest competitor" (HC) and use the original glider handicap (see local procedures). End Translation

There are quite a few UL glider on the French list, they are relatively popular in France. The handicap range is the same as the IGC's.

Markus

Markus, none of the examples (UK, France) include Ventus or LS-6. It
is not just gliders it is also tasking. It is quite different to fly
Speed task vs Area task. The handicap range in the U.S. club class
should be have the same range as the IGC handicap range. Tasks calling
should also be more aligned with IGC tasking read more Speed tasks.

On Nov 15, 5:43*pm, Markus Graeber wrote:
Again the rest of the World has NOT standardized their Club class definitions to IGC rules. Many have done adjustments to account for national particularities. As an example two large gliding countries below.

The UK:

The 2012 Rules for BGA Rated Competitions
...
10.2. Club Class. Water ballast must not be carried, scores are handicapped, and gliders listed in Appendix 1 with a Speed Index not exceeding 98 before additional *performance enhancement handicap increments, are eligible to enter. In addition, all gliders listed on the current IGC Club Class handicap list are eligible. All gliders will fly at their allotted BGA Speed Index.
The only ballast of any sort that is permissible is that intended solely for the purpose of centre of gravity adjustment. This must be securely installed in such a way as to not invalidate the glider’s C of A.
Two seat gliders may be flown in the Club Class, provided that at registration it is declared whether the glider is flown solo or dual. The number of people on board may not be changed during the competition and in all cases the P2 must meet the requirement of 6.6.

http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/compe...rules2012.pdf- Page 30

There are many gliders on the BGA Speed Index that are not on the IGC list nor does the BGA impose a lower handicap limit. The upper limit of 98 is similar to the IGC limit.

France:

4.1. REGLEMENT DES COMPETITIONS FEDERALES DE VOL A VOILE
...
16.2. Handicaps FFVV « Classe *Club »

http://ffvv.org/files/2012/05/np41-r...ition2012r...- Page 31

Translation A glider or ultralight handicap of less than 96 will be allowed to participate when adopting the lowest handicap which is: 96. The organizers may also provide a ranking of "guest competitor" (HC) and use the original glider handicap (see local procedures). End Translation

There are quite a few UL glider on the French list, they are relatively popular in France. The handicap range is the same as the IGC's.

Markus

Markus, none of the examples (UK, France) include Ventus or LS-6 in
their list (due to handicaps being out of range). It
is not just gliders it is also tasking. It is quite different to fly
Speed task vs Area task. The handicap range in the U.S. club class
should be in the same range as the IGC handicap range. Tasks calling
should also be more aligned with IGC tasking read more Speed tasks.

Andrzej, I wasn't claiming inclusion of the Ventus/LS-6 in the previous post. The point I was trying to make is that quite a few countries adjust their national Club class to national circumstances by including additional gliders (incl. UL & two seaters), adjust the permitted range in general (no lower limit e.g. in the UK, two options for including low performance gliders in France) etc. The near universal pure implementation of the IGC Club Class on the national level around the world is a myth, sorry. As far as I know Germany and Italy do have it, UK and France do not.

What is important is the club class concept and I fully agree that you need a limited handicap range (or not have to worry about too low/high handicaps when tasking) to allow e.g. for coherent speed tasking (and with it tasking more in line with FAI Worlds/Continentals). But the purists that claim you have to do it 100% the IGC way like the rest of the world or it's not going to work are missing the point IMHO (and this is coming from an IGC delegate ;-).

How far you can deviate e.g. from the IGC handicap range without putting the Club Class concept in jeopardy is of course open for debate. I personally don't see much of an issue to slightly extend the upper range to include the Ventus/LS-6 crowd, see the statistics I posted from the last 4 World/European Club Class Championships with the World's best Club Class pilots battling it out.

IMHO if an early ASW 20 is apparently not the most competitive glider for top level Club class competitions a Ventus or LS-6 will not suddenly turn out to be a game changer that will consistently smoke the lower performance part of the field because of their assumed superior performance in extreme conditions. Tasking of course plays a role, any CD who's hell bent on sending the lower performance ships into the mud will find a way of doing it, be the top dog an early ASW 20 or a LS-6.

For lack of equipment and pilots more and more countries do purely handicapped racing with sensible ranges to allow for good tasking. Even the IGC has started doing it out of necessity for the South American Continental Championships as mentioned earlier (three handicapped classes in that case). The trick is (and with it the debate) how far you can spread the handicap range for one class without making good and challenging tasking too difficult. E.g. at what point would it be sensible to split a handicapped competiton class in two to limit the handicap range to ensure good tasking. That's the basic idea behind the Club/Sports Class approach the US RC is now trying to implement.

The equipment available is a key consideration a can vary widely between countries, hence IMHO there is no point in insisting on a one fits all approach, even the IGC doesn't do it. The other big variable are the CDs and their ability to task sensibly for what's available.

Stepping back a for a moment and moving away from the narrow focus on the current implementation of the club class, consider that the FAI Sporting Code states the following intention/purpose:

6.5.8 Club Class
The purpose of the Club Class is to preserve the value of older high
performance gliders, to provide inexpensive but high quality international
championships, and to enable pilots who do not have access to gliders of the
highest standard of performance to take part in contests at the highest
levels.

The actual implementation of this noble & worthy goal at FAI level through the current IGC Club Class definition is, IMHO, pretty far away from what is outlined in 6.5.8. A Nimbus 2 or Kestrel is inexpensive (less than e.g. an ASW 20) but they are definitely high performance and would allow for high quality international championships yet they have no place to go on the FAI Cat 1 comp level...

The UK e.g. does allow Mini Nimbuses and 17m Kestrels but the IGC implementation of the Club Class concept is in practical terms a competition class for earlier generation standard/15m class gliders that are not competitive anymore in these classes. To use a US analogy you might call it IGC affirmative action for early generation standard/15m class gliders triggered by the European glider demographics of the turn of the century, a demographic that has continued to change considerably over the last decade or so (the FAI Club Class was introduced in 2001).

I have been pushing for developing a long term vision in the IGC for where we will be heading with the design and handicapped classes since it will only get worse. The developments on the national level are already making this clear and the US situation is a prime example. No luck so far though, the IGC unfortunately often tends to move at glacial speed...

Anyway, lots of food for thought, my 2 cents worth for this very important debate.

Markus

Thank you to the US RC for giving consideration to and now moving forward to adopt Club Class for rightful inclusion among the competitive classes that may compete for their own U.S. National Championship. This is a step in the right direction from the "powers that be". However, as UH implies, the devil will be in the details.

As we enter into this age of handicapped racing taking over the competitive landscape I have a couple points I wish the RC to consider as the creation of a US Club Class moves forward:

1) Can we please, please, please stop using the term "FAI Class" vs. Club Class, World Class (I know it is now dead), 13.5m Class, etc. All racing classes, as defined by the FAI, are FAI Classes. This continual distinction continues to emphasize that there is a divide (real or perceived) between those that are and those that are not. Any "class" recognized by the FAI IS a legitimate racing class.

2) If we are experimenting with handicapping Standard Class to improve its attendance and competitive landscape, then why is our Club Class being opened up to the current Std Class gliders (D2, LS8, ASW-28)? It would seem to me that an emphasis should be put on saving existing classes where possible.. Or is this decision in recognition that Std Class is about to be dissolved? If you are giving the D2, LS8, and ASW28 drivers this new opportunity (in addition to their own class), then please expand the handicapping of Standard Class to let even older std class gliders fly the Std Class Nationals!

3) Further, if the effort is being made to find a competitive place for everyone, then why not open 15m Class to handicapping so that the current generation std class ships have a competitive home?

I continue to believe that as we consider the fundamental re-organization of racing classes, we should be aggressively looking to condense the number of classes, while affording everyone Maximized opportunities to pursue their racing goals. Handicapped racing offers us this hope.

I would propose that the following be carefully considered in the longer term: Long-Wing Class (Open/18m/20-m), Short-Wing Class (15m/Standard), Club Class (Vintage/Classic Short-Wing Racers), Sports (Everybody like we encourage now - for fun and learning).

This assumes that 13.5m class will not go anywhere... but maybe it will.

I fervently want to see the new US Club Class be defined by the handicap range (with negotiations around the edges) of the IGC Club Class. Restricted Handicap racing is a terrific feature of Club Class around the world. IMHO, this proposal opens the class up to too broad a handicap range and dilutes the racing it encourages around the world.

The proposal, as presently defined in UH's email, runs the risk of giving the appearance of offering Club Class backers what we want, without really doing so. I would like to be provided with a clear, stated rational for why the definition of Club Class is NOT made according to the IGC definition - and not just the old one that "sports class is our only successful class, and therefore it should be sacrosanct".

RC, if we are beginning a fundamental reorganization of sailplane racing in this country, let us begin by adopting a class (Club Class) that IS defined and successful around the world, and then start to craft other changes based on this model of restricted handicap racing.

Sincerely,
Tim McAllister EY

"The IGC maintains a separate list of what "club" means. This changes
from championship to championship. The current version does not
include the V1 or ASW20 b and c. This list has no bearing on US
contests at the moment."

ASW 20 15m are IGC "Club", even b and c.

Sean Franke
HA

On Nov 13, 4:02*pm, wrote:
ASW 20 15m are IGC "Club", even b and c.

I'm looking at the October 1st, 2012 OGC Club Class list:

1,08 ASW 20 (15m) (not B,C)

No other entries for ASW 20...

Marc

On Nov 13, 6:02*pm, wrote:
"The IGC maintains a separate list of what "club" means. This changes
from championship to championship. The current version does not
include the V1 or ASW20 b and c. This list has no bearing on US
contests at the moment."

ASW 20 15m are IGC "Club", even b and c.

Sean Franke
HA

The link is here
http://www.fai.org/igc-our-sport/handicaps
and here
http://www.fai.org/downloads/igc/IGC...ubClassList_V1
or just google "IGC club class list"

This is for Argentina. The ASW20 BC are specifically excluded. I
cannot find a handicap list for Finland 2014.

John Cochrane