[SPAM] Re: 2005 Nationals Reminder

Fri Apr 15 08:30:19 AKDT 2005

Jerry,
          I agree with you. The exposure for finals should be equitable and 
not based upon the vagaries of qualifiers that are run using the matrix 
system.

Regards,

Eric.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jerry Budd" <jerry at buddengineering.com>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 11:20 AM
Subject: [SPAM] Re: 2005 Nationals Reminder

> Eric,
>
> The changes to the matrix system you describe below are an improvement 
> over what has been used in the past, but there are still places where a 
> small change in process can yield a big improvement in fairness and 
> equity.
>
> The most significant of these for Masters would be to not carry over 
> qualifying scores into the finals.  Since the constraints presented by the 
> preliminaries don't allow for equal exposure of judges, it is simply wrong 
> to carry the preliminary scores into the finals.  Think of it this way, 
> the way we handle the scoring now is akin to taking one measurement in 
> thousands of an inch and another measurement in millimeters and then 
> adding them together.  They are similar measurements but are not directly 
> relatable.
>
> The most basic requirement for normalizing is that you have equal exposure 
> across judging sets.  Comparing scores between pilots who have flown in 
> front of different sets of judges is fundamentally wrong.  I fully realize 
> that given the number of Masters competitors some compromises have to be 
> made.  However, carrying flawed preliminary scores into the finals is 
> completely unnecessary and corrupts the results.
>
> FAI starts with a fresh slate in the finals, I see no reason why Masters 
> shouldn't be doing the same.
>
> Thx, Jerry
>
>
>>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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>
>
> -- 
> ___________
> Jerry Budd
> Budd Engineering
> (661) 722-5669 Voice/Fax
> (661) 435-0358 Cell Phone
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