2008 Proposed US Competition Rules Changes

The proposed rule changes for 2008 US competition soaring
are posted at SSA.org/sailplane racing/rules & process.
Input is welcome. Final rules proposals go to the SSA for publication
in the board "Blue Book" in mid January.
Seasons Greetings to all from the SSA Competition Rules Subcommittee
UH
H Nixon
Chair

On Dec 22, 5:31 pm, wrote:
The proposed rule changes for 2008 US competition soaring
are posted at SSA.org/sailplane racing/rules & process.
Input is welcome. Final rules proposals go to the SSA for publication
in the board "Blue Book" in mid January.
Seasons Greetings to all from the SSA Competition Rules Subcommittee
UH
H Nixon
Chair

Hank,
I have a question about task changing :
Will the Contest Director still be allowed to create a new task
when pilots are already in the air? We shouldn't have 50 pilots
playing with their computers under the same cloud base.

Ryszard Krolikowski RW .

On Dec 23, 11:32*pm, wrote:
On Dec 22, 5:31 pm, wrote:

The proposed rule changes for 2008 US competition soaring
are posted at SSA.org/sailplane racing/rules & process.
Input is welcome. Final rules proposals go to the SSA for publication
in the board "Blue Book" in mid January.
Seasons Greetings to all from the SSA Competition Rules Subcommittee
UH
H Nixon
Chair

Hank,
I have a question about task changing :
Will the Contest Director still be allowed to create a new task
when pilots are already in the air? We shouldn't have 50 pilots
*playing with their computers under the same cloud base.

Ryszard Krolikowski RW .

A review of the proposed changes will show no change in the rules with
respect to
task calling or changing in the air. Experience over the years has
shown that the ability to
adjust the task to changing conditions to be a useful and valuable
tool when used properly.
UH

On Dec 24, 8:46 am, wrote:
On Dec 23, 11:32 pm, wrote:





On Dec 22, 5:31 pm, wrote:

The proposed rule changes for 2008 US competition soaring
are posted at SSA.org/sailplane racing/rules & process.
Input is welcome. Final rules proposals go to the SSA for publication
in the board "Blue Book" in mid January.
Seasons Greetings to all from the SSA Competition Rules Subcommittee
UH
H Nixon
Chair

Hank,
I have a question about task changing :
Will the Contest Director still be allowed to create a new task
when pilots are already in the air? We shouldn't have 50 pilots
playing with their computers under the same cloud base.

Ryszard Krolikowski RW .

A review of the proposed changes will show no change in the rules with
respect to
task calling or changing in the air. Experience over the years has
shown that the ability to
adjust the task to changing conditions to be a useful and valuable
tool when used properly.
UH- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Could you please give me a couple of examples when creating a brand
new task while gliders are in the air is useful?

I don't think creating a brand new task while gliders are already in
the air is the right thing to do from safety point of view. If a day
is problematic the contest director should create a number of tasks
and then call one of them if he needs to change. This would allow
participants to program their computers while still on the ground.

With all this talk about safety finishes why this problem has not been
discussed? I think the safety comity should act proactively instead
retroactively. Meaning we should not have a mid air to wake us up.

Regards,

AK

On Dec 24, 9:25*am, AK wrote:
On Dec 24, 8:46 am, wrote:





On Dec 23, 11:32 pm, wrote:

On Dec 22, 5:31 pm, wrote:

The proposed rule changes for 2008 US competition soaring
are posted at SSA.org/sailplane racing/rules & process.
Input is welcome. Final rules proposals go to the SSA for publication
in the board "Blue Book" in mid January.
Seasons Greetings to all from the SSA Competition Rules Subcommittee
UH
H Nixon
Chair

Hank,
I have a question about task changing :
Will the Contest Director still be allowed to create a new task
when pilots are already in the air? We shouldn't have 50 pilots
*playing with their computers under the same cloud base.

Ryszard Krolikowski RW .

A review of the proposed changes will show no change in the rules with
respect to
task calling or changing in the air. Experience over the years has
shown that the ability to
adjust the task to changing conditions to be a useful and valuable
tool when used properly.
UH- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Could you please give me a couple of examples when creating a brand
new task while gliders are in the air is useful?

I don't think creating a brand new task while gliders are already in
the air is the right thing to do from safety point of view. If a day
is problematic the contest director should create a number of tasks
and then call one of them if he needs to change. This would allow
participants to program their computers while still on the ground.

With all this talk about safety finishes why this problem has not been
discussed? I think the safety comity should act proactively instead
retroactively. Meaning we should not have a mid air to wake us up.

Regards,

AK- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The number of days where task changes have made for fairer and
in some cases, safer, are too numerous to count.
Examples; 2 days at the '07 15M Nationals would likely have been
either
no contest or highly devalued had we not had the option to change
tasks as
the weather developed.
Days were changed at the 07 Sports Nationals due to weather not
developing as
expected. If there had not been for the unsportsmanlike conduct of one
pilot jamming
the radio, the last day would also have been changed to a more
appropriate task and
the results of that contest likely would have been significantly
different.
Prior to having this option, I recall a number of days where we flew
off into bad weather
or on tasks that could mot be done because the option to change did
not exist.
I completely agree that the best option is to be able to select from
previously defined tasks.
That said, this is not always possible.
I do no programming of my pilot interface in the air- only minimal
data entry to define a task
and personally don't see this as a hazard. My choice of equipment is,
in part, done to ensure
this is easily and quickly done,if needed, in the air.
UH

Changing tasks in the air is a very good tool and should continue to
be used. In the many contests that I have flown, we have always had a
few task changes and it has always worked to make a better and safer
contest. There is no sense in sending the whole fleet into an area of
dead air or where sotrms are developing. To try to anticiapte this
before launch is just impossible. Charlie Spratt is a master at
understanding the conditions and changing the task when required.
With todays GPS and logger systems, it is far easier than the old days
of photos. When a task change occurs, just go out a little way and
find some empty space to reset the task in your computer. It doesn't
take that long anyway. I would much rather fly a task in better
conditions than being forced to fly into storms and landing out.
There lies much more danger.

ASW27 BV

Thank you both for your examples I see your point. Do you have any
opinion on what is the best software for PDA in regards to entering
new tasks in the air? What I am looking for is any easy to operate,
with minimum attention, fewest steps software other than Glide
Navigator II. Thx.

AK

On Dec 24, 12:58 pm, AK wrote:
Thank you both for your examples I see your point. Do you have any
opinion on what is the best software for PDA in regards to entering
new tasks in the air? What I am looking for is any easy to operate,
with minimum attention, fewest steps software other than Glide
Navigator II. Thx.

AK

Hi AK,
The safety question of changing tasks in air the while somewhat
inconvenient has proven it's self to be a great tool and beneficial
for all concerned as noted by UH & BV. One of the many pre-contest
practice items to add to your check list is "changing tasks in the
air", be it AT, TAT or MAT. Once you've put a dozen in air task
changes under your belt it will be fairly easy to accomplish. Try it
in simulation mode on the ground a bunch of times to get comfortable
then repeat the process in the air, you'll be fine.

As for a software that's "easy to operate, with minimum attention,
fewest steps" I don't know why you would discount GNll, it's certainly
the easiest software I know of to enter tasks on the fly. I also have
Winpilot but prefer GNll , especially in comps for the very reasons
you're looking for it's easy to operate, with minimum attention and
the fewest steps to complete, but with less bell and whistles, hense
easier. Most comps I've attended in the last four years have had one
or two task changes in the air, so count on it occurring.

Regards,
Rick - 21

On Dec 22, 3:31 pm, wrote:
The proposed rule changes for 2008 US competition soaring
are posted at SSA.org/sailplane racing/rules & process.
Input is welcome.

Thank you Hank, and the entire rules committee, for faithfully
handling the annual survey and competition rules revisions that keep
our soaring competitions challenging and fair. Being a novice racer
(only two regionals to date), I know I have a long way to go to
understand all the pressures that drive changes in the rules.

I do have a concern with the creation of the Super Regional. I'm not
sure where this suggestion originated, as it was not in the annual
survey responses, but I did see the huge waiting list for Parowan last
year. The result was, as cited in the committee meeting minutes, that
very few out of region pilots were allowed to compete. My concern
stems from the fact that the conflict arises from the limited number
of slots and the super regional makes room for the out of region
pilots by reducing access for in region pilots. I believe this may run
counter to the purpose of regional competitions (to determine a
Regional Champion and to measure the performance of all entrants.
Additionally for Sports class, to provide an entry level for pilots
new to competitive sailplane racing to learn the skills and procedures
used in competition).

Specifically, I'm concerned that allowing a 0% in region slot
reservation may result in no opportunity for new racers to get their
first competition for a specific year. If a 0% slot reservation is set
for a super regional, one could argue the contest is now a mini
nationals. Perhaps there is a way to preserve access for in region
novices while keeping an increased access for out of region slots.

I would ask the rules committee to consider one or more of the
following proposed modifications:
a. Change the percentage of reservation slots for pilots in the region
to 25-75% as a balance to keep some preferred access.
b. Rather than allowing a super regional without restrictions, perhaps
the super regional cannot be declared until a regular regional has
been declared. This ensures opportunity for new in region racers.
c. Rather than establishing a super regional reservation for high
finishers at the specific super regional site, give priority to the
previous year's medallion winners regardless of the in region site.
This would allow top finishers from the pure regional to also get a
shot at the premier site.

Thank you again for allowing us to comment.

Respectfully,

Horst
L33

copied from L33's post about the Super Regional:
I would ask the rules committee to consider one or more of the
following proposed modifications:
a. Change the percentage of reservation slots for pilots in the region
to 25-75% as a balance to keep some preferred access.
b. Rather than allowing a super regional without restrictions, perhaps
the super regional cannot be declared until a regular regional has
been declared. This ensures opportunity for new in region racers.
c. Rather than establishing a super regional reservation for high
finishers at the specific super regional site, give priority to the
previous year's medallion winners regardless of the in region site.
This would allow top finishers from the pure regional to also get a
shot at the premier site.

Thank you again for allowing us to comment.

Respectfully,

Horst
L33


I have to agree with Horst in this respect. When you have contest
sites like Perry and Parowan (both coasts, if you will)..perhaps a
"super regional" is a GREAT idea...however, what happens to all the
local regional people that want to get started in competition
soaring...where can they go? I have already had a contest
registration from a newbie Region 9 pilot that has not competed
before; for the June 2008 Parowan contest. Although I would like to
take all entries (up to 50% of out of region, because parowan is such
a popular site)...I feel that the region 9 pilots that would like to
START competing are going to be SHUT out, of flying. We are not for
sure (doubtful at best) that Region 9 will have any other regional.
Perhaps we could write into the rules, something to the effect, that
prior approval is required by the Rules Committee before declaring a
"super regional", and that their approval is based upon whether or not
the region in question has another regional that year to make sure
that we aren't forgetting to get new competition pilots involved able
to enter contests!
Just my 2 cents....Micki Minner, 2008 Parowan Region 9 Contest Manager