2005 Nationals Reminder

[Grow Pattern]

It may seem early to be thinking about the Nat's but rooms go fast and the 
sooner we know you are coming the better we can plan the contest :-)

Here is my Na's update the next K-Factor as an FYI.

Regards,

Eric.



Nats News. I received more than one note asking me if there were going to be 
fewer rounds at this year's nationals and if the matrix system was going to 
be discontinued.

          The challenge that we face this year is that there will be no 
rain-day on the fifth day, usually the Friday of the week. This does not 
change how many rounds we plan to run. Last year, Tony Stillman contacted 
and advised Dave Guerin (our 2004 and soon to be our 2005 event director) to 
make sure that he planned for the loss of the rain-day. Dave has taken this 
problem by both horns and made contingency plans to manage all of the 
permutations of potential bad weather situations.

          What does that mean to you as a Nationals contestant?  You will 
still see the same basic contest six round formula as we have done in the 
last few years. Where there are more than 25 or so pilots in a class we will 
use the Matrix System. When there is less than that number in a class we 
will run the more familiar and conventional best of "Four out of six rounds" 
formula to select winners in 402 and 403 and finalists in 404 and 406.

          Nothing really new there!    If we have weather problems that 
cause us to lose rounds the usual "worst-round" discard formula will be 
used: 2 rounds out of two, two rounds out of three, three rounds out of four 
and four rounds out of six. (Because the rounds are flown in parallel pairs 
on each site you tend to not get a four rounds out of five rounds flown 
scenario.)

          The Matrix System will be used for large groups of pilots. Once 
again nothing really new there. The Matrix System is used when you can't fly 
all of the pilots in front of the same panels of judges in one flying 
session. A session is usually in a morning or an afternoon.

          With a Matrix System at the Nationals we usually use two sites and 
have two flight lines with three judges on each line per site. The pilots 
are divided between the two sites. One group will fly in front of the judges 
on that site while the other group does the same on the other site.

          This way we get two rounds in for each site/group. This exposure 
is the essence of a Matrix System. It is a compromise of the ideal situation 
where all pilots fly in front of the same judges in one session. This year 
the on the second day the pilots will be organized into new groups and 
jugged again in the matrix format. After three days of this exposure a group 
of finalists is then selected. This finalist group is then given the full 
"treatment" and judged with full exposure and comparison of pilot to pilot 
in front of the same judges.

          A big grumble/complaint from the past was that if you got stuck in 
a group with top seeded pilots you had to fly with them every round, every 
day!  This year the only definitive grouping that will be pilots on the same 
frequency. [This is why it is important to have a second or even third 
frequency with you. With 17 frequencies for the Masters class most of pilots 
will be in frequency groups of 2.]

          This is a difference from last year. When you group the pilots in 
units of 2 or 3 you can make substantial changes to the mix of the site 
groups per day. This year we will change around the players in each group 
every day. [With the exception of those on the same frequency] This should 
have the result of giving a more equitable amount of exposure to the four 
judging panels each day. The pilots will be "randomly" regrouped, not just 
rotated.

          The thinking is that if you can't give completely equal exposure 
to judges you can definitely give much fairer exposure of the pilots to each 
other. This is what a Matrix System should do for you. The plan is to have 
all of the groupings and site allocations, judging and work assignments etc. 
ready and in your contestant packets when you arrive at Muncie.

          Any questions please write to me on Pattern4u at comcast.net or call 
me on (856) 988-9184.

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