Pattern Fun / scribe / Judging

[Bill Glaze]

I wondered about that too........couldn't recall seeing it in the rules.
Bill Glaze

Bob Pastorello wrote:

> A question....Matt suggested that an FAI pilot is required to land for
> doing an incorrect maneuver?   I'm not sure I understand that, and I
> don't think that's what Matt meant, but I'd like to know....anyone?
> Bob Pastorello
> NSRCA 199, AMA 46373
> rcaerobob at cox.net
> www.rcaerobats.net
>
>      ----- Original Message -----
>      From: Rcmaster199 at aol.com
>      To: discussion at nsrca.org
>      Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 5:31 PM
>      Subject: Re: Pattern Fun / scribe / Judging
>       All,
>
>      This happened to us at this year's Nats:
>
>      I, along with two others, judged F3A on site 3, the last day
>      of preliminary flying. Things were moving right along,
>      callers calling and pilots flying, and we simply judged as
>      best we could. Some distance down the order, a very capable
>      competitor, (all F3A competitors that I saw on that line
>      were very capable), was given a maneuver out of sequence to
>      perform, which he did.
>
>      I felt something was off immediately, placed a dot at that
>      maneuver, and continued scoring on my pad (RVP's idea and I
>      like it). I was familiar with the PO3 sequence since I call
>      it for my friend back home, but was not certain of what
>      exactly the deviation was,  since the caller had called it
>      that way. He got it wrong and the pilot flew it wrong.
>
>      A considerable amount of my concentration as a judge was
>      blown when I noticed the problem. I am fairly certain the
>      competitor knew his flight was burned as well. Without full
>      concentration, he stopped flying to his ability and I
>      stopped judging to mine. In truth he needed to land the
>      plane per F3A rules, but since I wasn't sure what he had
>      done, I allowed him to finish the flight
>
>      My point is, judging is difficult to do well; it is a chore
>      to be sure, but it is also the most important chore in a
>      contest. Familiarity alone is not enough if we sit the
>      chair. Having the caller call the maneuvers out loud is
>      obviously not foolproof. This was not the first time this
>      has happened and will not be the last.
>
>      My answer to this is, PREPARE TO SIT THE CHAIR; one cannot
>      simply be "familiar with the sequence" as the Certification
>      class teaches. One must have a working knowledge of the
>      sequence. It is our responsibility and duty to do the best
>      possible job judging the people who have worked so hard to
>      get themselves ready. Anything less and we are derelict in
>      our duty.
>
>      Respectfully submitted,
>
>      Matt Kebabjian
>
>
>      In a message dated 9/23/2002 10:28:18 AM Eastern Daylight
>      Time, tomanekw at saic-abingdon.com writes:
>
>
>
>     > Subj:RE: Pattern Fun / scribe / Judging
>     > Date:9/23/2002 10:28:18 AM Eastern Daylight Time
>     > From:tomanekw at saic-abingdon.com
>     > Reply-to:discussion at nsrca.org
>     > To:discussion at nsrca.org
>     > Sent from the Internet
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > Ok, we spend hours and hours building the planes (or work
>     > a lot at regular
>     > jobs and pay for someone to build the plane), setting the
>     > planes, trimming,
>     > and then practicing, and learning our sequences.  We also
>     > need to find time
>     > to learn the other sequences.  If there are no
>     > opportunities at local field,
>     > pay attention to the sequences in the early rounds of a
>     > contest and maybe
>     > that will be enough to be able to judge the last round, or
>     > at the next
>     > contest. Use the contests to learn and not just hang out
>     > with friend.
>     > Scribing is a good way to learn too.
>     >
>     > As a judge one has the responsibility to the pilot being
>     > judged and others
>     > in the contest to not only be familiar but know the
>     > sequence very well and
>     > easily identify small but crucial errors (say in the FAI
>     > snap followed by
>     > point rolls in the OPPOSITE direction - wrong direction
>     > will earn you zero).
>     > Reading the sequence is not enough, seeing it flown
>     > numerous times correctly
>     > is a must in my book.  Eric is correct that some of the
>     > maneuver
>     > descriptions are too long to be announced just before the
>     > maneuver without
>     > interfering with the judging and the pilot's
>     > concentration.  My call sheet
>     > has certain words bolded in the description and I always
>     > ask the caller to
>     > only read the bolded stuff, so I only have to be reminded
>     > of what is coming
>     > up but not the entire maneuver description, for instance:
>     >       "triangle" means "triangle with two out of four
>     > point rolls"
>     >       "square" means "square form the top with half rolls
>     > in first and third
>     > leg"
>     > But that is certainly not enough for the unfamiliar judge.
>     >
>     > The bottom line is that it is the judges responsibility to
>     > KNOW the sequence
>     > he/she is judging.  If you are asked to judge and you are
>     > not familiar with
>     > the sequence - tell the CD that you are not comfortable
>     > judging this class,
>     > he will find someone else.  In the past I have declined to
>     > judge FAI when I
>     > was not familiar with the sequence.  If I cannot judge to
>     > the best of my
>     > abilities because I do not know the sequence I do not want
>     > to judge and
>     > should not be allowed either - there are no excuses on
>     > this issue.
>     >
>     > Wojtek
>
>
>
>
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