Train Wreck

I'm just seeing this now. I was happy to let this post drop to the bottom but you keep bringing it up to the top. Here we go...

Let me address just a few of your concerns to set the record straight.

1. Team flying - Team or gaggle flying in not against the rules. Pilot to pilot radio communication is. The US Team camp was held at Cordele the week preceding this year's race. We talked all about how to fly as a pair and how to take advantage of gaggles. We practiced tasks team flying as pairs. What did folks think would happen? Everyone was going to practice these new skills.

Wasn't I on this page just a year ago saying we should fly these contests with FLARM in stealth mode? You and others argued against that. I have already stated numerous times I would like to split the field up more by flying MATs and TATs. The current push is to fly ATs more than everything else. At Cordele 3 AT's were called. Fair enough.

Okay - let's race. Now that I can see everyone in the race pre-start on FLARM, who do you think I am going to pick to start with? Answer: The guy I have practiced team flying with, the guy who I have flown 2 IGC events with, the guy who has a glider just like mine and a flying style perfectly complimentary to mine. The guy who is an ideal non-selfish pair flyer. Then we are going to join the fastest gaggle at the start line as learned during Pan-American, WGC, and the team camp and go around course sailboat style just like you like to do. Here's the thing. There was no communications as you have implied. That would be against the rules and it just isn't necessary in our case. Yep, day three you had a better start time in your gaggle. Congratulations!

2. IGC rules - They're fine. They are easier to read and understand which is a plus. They don't allow for MAT tasks which I think is a great task for really determining who is the best glider pilot when call correctly. That's a negative. Don't recall complaining about the rules in Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thanks to John Good and the other volunteers, including Tiffany, who were a big help.

3. Collusion - Here's what I knew about the selection process. A call to Bob Fletcher to see when selections might be known. I needed to know because my last week vacation needed to be bid. Answer: Numerically I still had an outside chance at 5th(?) on the list for 15m. He said the pilot survey was nearly ready to go out. Besides that, I called Pete Alexander after getting an email invitation to join the team in 15m. I wanted to know who I might be going with and let him know I was honored but not at all sure I could get the time off. Unfortunately, I had to decline via call and follow up email to Pete. I had a later phone call from Fernando just to confirm I was declining and to express mutual regrets we would be flying together. I do not know where you got that I knew other people's responses to survey. I do not have access to those results.

I really think yo are doing yourself a disservice by ranting on your web page and here. Please take the vile content down and apologize to the team selection committee members who you've trashed. What purpose does this serve at this point?

XC