2014 US Modern and US Club Class Nationals - Assigned Task calledtoday! FANTASTIC!

http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals

I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.

Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!

Just kiddin ;-)

Sean

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 3:09:49 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals



I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.



Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!



Just kiddin ;-)



Sean

By Texas norms, it was a weak day for half the task with massive gaggles along the first leg (68+/- miles). The glut of sailplanes at each thermal seemed somewhat hazardous. Lift in the range of 300fpm and max heights around 5000 to 6000MSL with ground elevations of 700 to 1300ft. The last 60 to 70 miles lacked any clouds and lower max gains as one approached the finish. Wishing for a repeat of 2011 summer when the norm was 600 to 1200fpm and cloud bases of 8000 to 12000msl.

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 7:12:41 PM UTC-6, lynn wrote:
On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 3:09:49 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:

http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals







I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.







Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!







Just kiddin ;-)







Sean



By Texas norms, it was a weak day for half the task with massive gaggles along the first leg (68+/- miles). The glut of sailplanes at each thermal seemed somewhat hazardous. Lift in the range of 300fpm and max heights around 5000 to 6000MSL with ground elevations of 700 to 1300ft. The last 60 to 70 miles lacked any clouds and lower max gains as one approached the finish. Wishing for a repeat of 2011 summer when the norm was 600 to 1200fpm and cloud bases of 8000 to 12000msl.

Apparently Kathy Fosha was able to make the most of it. Congratulation to her for a first place day.

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 8:17:18 PM UTC-5, Bill D wrote:
On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 7:12:41 PM UTC-6, lynn wrote:

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 3:09:49 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:



http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals















I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.















Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!















Just kiddin ;-)















Sean







By Texas norms, it was a weak day for half the task with massive gaggles along the first leg (68+/- miles). The glut of sailplanes at each thermal seemed somewhat hazardous. Lift in the range of 300fpm and max heights around 5000 to 6000MSL with ground elevations of 700 to 1300ft. The last 60 to 70 miles lacked any clouds and lower max gains as one approached the finish. Wishing for a repeat of 2011 summer when the norm was 600 to 1200fpm and cloud bases of 8000 to 12000msl.



Apparently Kathy Fosha was able to make the most of it. Congratulation to her for a first place day.

It was a fun and challenging day. Just what you should expect I suppose. Of course we were all hoping for blazing speeds and to be home in less than 4 hours. Clouds did not develop as well as we were hoping. There were a few sizable blue holes on course and the last leg home was blue for everyone. I started early and the gaggle didn't catch me until the second turn. Everyone got along well and flew nicely. We have a lot of very skilled pilots here. As far as I could tell in Club Class at least, everyone enjoyed the assigned task and had fun.

Glad that it worked out and that you had fun. Definitely a more challenging kind of task! Congrats to everyone for making it around.

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 11:35:35 PM UTC-4, Tony wrote:
On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 8:17:18 PM UTC-5, Bill D wrote:

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 7:12:41 PM UTC-6, lynn wrote:



On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 3:09:49 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:







http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals































I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.































Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!































Just kiddin ;-)































Sean















By Texas norms, it was a weak day for half the task with massive gaggles along the first leg (68+/- miles). The glut of sailplanes at each thermal seemed somewhat hazardous. Lift in the range of 300fpm and max heights around 5000 to 6000MSL with ground elevations of 700 to 1300ft. The last 60 to 70 miles lacked any clouds and lower max gains as one approached the finish. Wishing for a repeat of 2011 summer when the norm was 600 to 1200fpm and cloud bases of 8000 to 12000msl.







Apparently Kathy Fosha was able to make the most of it. Congratulation to her for a first place day.



It was a fun and challenging day. Just what you should expect I suppose. Of course we were all hoping for blazing speeds and to be home in less than 4 hours. Clouds did not develop as well as we were hoping. There were a few sizable blue holes on course and the last leg home was blue for everyone. I started early and the gaggle didn't catch me until the second turn. Everyone got along well and flew nicely. We have a lot of very skilled pilots here. As far as I could tell in Club Class at least, everyone enjoyed the assigned task and had fun.

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 11:32:44 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
Glad that it worked out and that you had fun. Definitely a more challenging kind of task! Congrats to everyone for making it around.


Modern Class was not so lucky.3 landouts, 1 fired the motor, and 1 didn't attempt the task. Still not too bad though.

On Thursday, July 24, 2014 12:32:44 AM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
Glad that it worked out and that you had fun. Definitely a more challenging kind of task! Congrats to everyone for making it around.



On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 11:35:35 PM UTC-4, Tony wrote:

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 8:17:18 PM UTC-5, Bill D wrote:

How is flying around with the gaggle all day in the blue more challenging?
UH

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 7:12:41 PM UTC-6, lynn wrote:







On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 3:09:49 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:















http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals































































I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.































































Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!































































Just kiddin ;-)































































Sean































By Texas norms, it was a weak day for half the task with massive gaggles along the first leg (68+/- miles). The glut of sailplanes at each thermal seemed somewhat hazardous. Lift in the range of 300fpm and max heights around 5000 to 6000MSL with ground elevations of 700 to 1300ft. The last 60 to 70 miles lacked any clouds and lower max gains as one approached the finish. Wishing for a repeat of 2011 summer when the norm was 600 to 1200fpm and cloud bases of 8000 to 12000msl.















Apparently Kathy Fosha was able to make the most of it. Congratulation to her for a first place day.







It was a fun and challenging day. Just what you should expect I suppose.. Of course we were all hoping for blazing speeds and to be home in less than 4 hours. Clouds did not develop as well as we were hoping. There were a few sizable blue holes on course and the last leg home was blue for everyone. I started early and the gaggle didn't catch me until the second turn. Everyone got along well and flew nicely. We have a lot of very skilled pilots here. As far as I could tell in Club Class at least, everyone enjoyed the assigned task and had fun.

I could not agree more!
Racing should not be about computer skills.
Racing should not be about playing "what ifs" on the computer while flying.
It should be about making the best of what mother nature provides to fly a task.
Everyone flying the same task makes it all about flying skills.

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 2:09:49 PM UTC-6, Sean Fidler wrote:
http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals



I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.



Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!



Just kiddin ;-)



Sean

No 9B, you don't think to much. Flarm, with viewers, which clearly show location and climb rate of others, are what some are pounding their chest over BUT saying so in a different language. AT's and long MAT's now favor this new high tech junkie who's trying to leech/gain an unfair advantage over the other entrants who don't/choose not to display this new electronic knowledge.

I have written evidence of how one entrant actually states he use's Flarm as a tactical advantage over his fellow competitors in choosing his race strategy on selected days.

The high cost of required computers is a needless rant, IMHO. Many, including myself, know and have been using Ipaq's, Oudies/V2's with software(some free) which is won with. The old folks who have won the Regionals/Nationals again this year...yes...hint....LOOK OUTSIDE AT THE CONDITIONS THEY ARE IN AND ARE GOING TO. They know the areas they race in as they have been racing their for many years! They continue to make the BEST choices! They race whats called and if they feel differently they address their advisors. Advisors do listen if you talk to them!

Yes, no gold stars are awarded for being on time with a TAT or MAT.

Here's hoping that the NAA and SSA will be requiring a new competition mode(not sealth) on Flarm which will stop all these high tech junkies using Flarm viewers at FAI,NAA,& SSA sanctioned contests.

All the contest's I have been to, the CD's, along with their advisors, are doing their best, to give the entrants a daily task which is RIGHT for the conditions THEY are seeing for that day. They consider ALL task's, but the conditions for that day warrants the use of the task they call to test ALL the entrants skills. To second guess what they are doing, well, anyone can do that, but its just not sane, IMHO.

This thought of contests being "fun" and lets "go dance in the tulips" is what I question, IMHO. Sure, social dinners are good, BUT why would any want to spend $2500 plus bucks to go play in the flowers and dance with "boy george" for god sake when they are at a.......... "RACE".

Best, #711.

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 1:09:49 PM UTC-7, Sean Fidler wrote:
http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals



I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.



Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!



Just kiddin ;-)



Sean

I am also not a competition pilot, I'm barely even a pilot, so maybe this either a dumb idea or already available but is there a compromise of sorts. Can a CD create a course that consists of some assigned tasks, in a specific order AND a 'free period' of sorts that could the turn area types?