FAI (IGC) rules for US Club Class Nationals - Petition

As someone new to competition, I have little to add about the subtleties of FAI vs. Sports Class rules. However, if the point of the petition is to grow participation in racing, Papa 3's data shows that this is almost irrelevant.

One's first few contests can be intimidating, so if we want to increase participation at races, one important way is to make pilots new to racing feel welcome and support them. I was fortunate at the Logan superregionals in 2011 and the Parowan Nationals this year to have several people go out of their way to help me (this is by no means a complete list):

EY Tim McAllister -- incredibly generous with his time as a mentor at Logan

BB John Cochrane -- at Logan, John retrieved me not once but twice after distant landouts (BTW this was when he was in 1st or 2nd, and if I'm not mistaken the Worlds were on the line. I am sure he would have preferred to be resting up for the next day rather than driving around Idaho at 11 pm)

KS Karl Striedick -- went out of his way to offer kind words after I had a good day at Parowan, which meant more to me than my lucky 4th placing

TT Tim Taylor -- many, many helpful suggestions at Parowan

There has been some passionate discussion here about changing a few rules. The rules are important, especially where they affect safety. However, I would suggest that some portion of that passion and excitement be saved for the gliderport, helping somebody with unfamiliar tail letters and perhaps no crew. Actions and attitude like those I was fortunate enough to benefit from will do more to keep new pilots, even those flying club ships like my LS-4, coming back and thus growing racing, than arguments over cylinders vs. start lines and ATs vs. TATs.

Respectfully,
Mark Schmidt / L4

As someone new to competition, I have little to add about the subtleties of FAI vs. Sports Class rules. However, if the point of the petition is to grow participation in racing, Papa 3's data shows that this is almost irrelevant.

One's first few contests can be intimidating, so if we want to increase participation at races, one important way is to make pilots new to racing feel welcome and support them. I was fortunate at the Logan superregionals in 2011 and the Parowan Nationals this year to have several people go out of their way to help me (this is by no means a complete list):

EY Tim McAllister -- incredibly generous with his time as a mentor at Logan

BB John Cochrane -- at Logan, John retrieved me not once but twice after distant landouts (BTW this was when he was in 1st or 2nd, and if I'm not mistaken the Worlds were on the line. I am sure he would have preferred to be resting up for the next day rather than driving around Idaho at 11 pm)

KS Karl Striedieck -- went out of his way to offer kind words after I had a good day at Parowan, which meant more to me than my lucky 4th placing

TT Tim Taylor -- many, many helpful suggestions at Parowan

There has been some passionate discussion here about changing a few rules. The rules are important, especially where they affect safety. However, I would suggest that some portion of that passion and excitement be saved for the gliderport, helping somebody with unfamiliar tail letters and perhaps no crew. Actions and attitude like those I was fortunate enough to benefit from will do more to keep new pilots, even those flying club ships like my LS-4, coming back and thus growing racing, than arguments over cylinders vs. start lines and ATs vs. TATs.

Respectfully,
Mark Schmidt / L4

As someone new to competition, I have little to add about the subtleties of FAI vs. Sports Class rules. However, if the point of the petition is to grow participation in racing, Papa 3's data shows that this is almost irrelevant.

One's first few contests can be intimidating, so if we want to increase participation at races, one important way is to make pilots new to racing feel welcome and support them. I was fortunate at the Logan superregionals in 2011 and the Parowan Nationals this year to have several people go out of their way to help me (this is by no means a complete list):

EY Tim McAllister -- incredibly generous with his time as a mentor at Logan

BB John Cochrane -- at Logan, John retrieved me not once but twice after distant landouts (BTW this was when he was in 1st or 2nd, and if I'm not mistaken the Worlds were on the line. I am sure he would have preferred to be resting up for the next day rather than driving around Idaho at 11 pm)

KS Karl Striedieck -- went out of his way to offer kind words after I had a good day at Parowan, which meant more to me than my lucky 4th placing

TT Tim Taylor -- many, many helpful suggestions at Parowan

There has been some passionate discussion here about changing a few rules. The rules are important, especially where they affect safety. However, I would suggest that some portion of that passion and excitement be saved for the gliderport, helping somebody with unfamiliar tail letters and perhaps no crew. Actions and attitude like those I was fortunate enough to benefit from will do more to keep new pilots, even those flying club ships like my LS-4, coming back and thus growing racing, than arguments over cylinders vs. start lines and ATs vs. TATs.

Respectfully,
Mark Schmidt / L4


On Thursday, December 13, 2012 4:37:09 PM UTC-8, Papa3 wrote:

I then asked those who hadn't competed in a regionals or nationals to rank the reasons for non-participation from 8 defined reasons plus a 9th "other" reason. The three LEAST important inhibitors we



- Panel and instruments not competitive (i.e. flight computer and other geewhiz gadgetry)

- Glider not competitive

- Rules complexity

As someone new to competition, I have little to add about the subtleties of FAI vs. Sports Class rules. However, if the point of the petition is to grow participation in racing, Papa 3's data shows that this is almost irrelevant.

One's first few contests can be intimidating, so if we want to increase participation at races, one important way is to make pilots new to racing feel welcome and support them. I was fortunate at the Logan superregionals in 2011 and the Parowan Nationals this year to have several people go out of their way to help me (this is by no means a complete list):

EY Tim McAllister -- incredibly generous with his time as a mentor at Logan

BB John Cochrane -- at Logan, John retrieved me not once but twice after distant landouts (BTW this was when he was in 1st or 2nd, and if I'm not mistaken the Worlds were on the line. I am sure he would have preferred to be resting up for the next day rather than driving around Idaho at 11 pm)

KS Karl Striedieck -- went out of his way to offer kind words after I had a good day at Parowan, which meant more to me than my lucky 4th placing

TT Tim Taylor -- many, many helpful suggestions at Parowan

There has been some passionate discussion here about changing a few rules. The rules are important, especially where they affect safety. However, I would suggest that some portion of that passion and excitement be saved for the gliderport, helping somebody with unfamiliar tail letters and perhaps no crew. Actions and attitude like those I was fortunate enough to benefit from will do more to keep new pilots, even those flying club ships like my LS-4, coming back and thus growing racing, than arguments over cylinders vs. start lines and ATs vs. TATs.

Respectfully,
Mark Schmidt / L4

On Thursday, December 13, 2012 4:37:09 PM UTC-8, Papa3 wrote:
I then asked those who hadn't competed in a regionals or nationals to rank the reasons for non-participation from 8 defined reasons plus a 9th "other" reason. The three LEAST important inhibitors we

- Panel and instruments not competitive (i.e. flight computer and other geewhiz gadgetry)
- Glider not competitive
- Rules complexity

On Friday, December 14, 2012 6:18:26 PM UTC-6, Mark Schmidt L4 wrote:
As someone new to competition, I have little to add about the subtleties of FAI vs. Sports Class rules. However, if the point of the petition is to grow participation in racing, Papa 3's data shows that this is almost irrelevant.



One's first few contests can be intimidating, so if we want to increase participation at races, one important way is to make pilots new to racing feel welcome and support them. I was fortunate at the Logan superregionals in 2011 and the Parowan Nationals this year to have several people go out of their way to help me (this is by no means a complete list):



EY Tim McAllister -- incredibly generous with his time as a mentor at Logan



BB John Cochrane -- at Logan, John retrieved me not once but twice after distant landouts (BTW this was when he was in 1st or 2nd, and if I'm not mistaken the Worlds were on the line. I am sure he would have preferred to be resting up for the next day rather than driving around Idaho at 11 pm)



KS Karl Striedieck -- went out of his way to offer kind words after I had a good day at Parowan, which meant more to me than my lucky 4th placing



TT Tim Taylor -- many, many helpful suggestions at Parowan



There has been some passionate discussion here about changing a few rules.. The rules are important, especially where they affect safety. However, I would suggest that some portion of that passion and excitement be saved for the gliderport, helping somebody with unfamiliar tail letters and perhaps no crew. Actions and attitude like those I was fortunate enough to benefit from will do more to keep new pilots, even those flying club ships like my LS-4, coming back and thus growing racing, than arguments over cylinders vs. start lines and ATs vs. TATs.



Respectfully,

Mark Schmidt / L4



On Thursday, December 13, 2012 4:37:09 PM UTC-8, Papa3 wrote:

I then asked those who hadn't competed in a regionals or nationals to rank the reasons for non-participation from 8 defined reasons plus a 9th "other" reason. The three LEAST important inhibitors we



- Panel and instruments not competitive (i.e. flight computer and other geewhiz gadgetry)

- Glider not competitive

- Rules complexity

bravo! A good first experience is a must.

I *almost* went to the last Region 7 contest in Albert Lea circa 2007. I was on failed barograph trace away from getting in, as I needed an approved silver distance flight to enter. It turned out the contest was rained out, the regional only flew one day. My club-mate and friend spent all week rigging and de-rigging and has hardly flown his glider since, and certainly hasn't flown a contest. In the end I was glad I didn't go, because it would've left me with a bad experience. Not to mention that I was completely unprepared, not really financially able to swing attending, had no idea what flying any closed course task was like let alone a contest task, even if the flying had been good i probably would've been totally overwhelmed.

Fast forward a few years and I had a great time at the 2010 Region 10 contest. Now I had money, knew what a contest task was, and had proved I could actually go somewhere and make it back. It worked out nicely that the contest was small (15-ish) and the weather was AWESOME. Even if I hadn't won 2 days and placed 3rd I would've had a great time. And it made me want to come back for more!