[SPAM] Re: Scoring formula

[Troy A. Newman]

Eric,

So next year in FAI with 10 finalist and 5 judges we have enough for TBL in 
FAI and should by rule need to use it! The problems listed in you last email 
were 3 pilots and 3 judges was found to be a problem...FAI has dictated to 
the pattern world that 5 judges and 10 pilots is the minimum...By the way it 
doesn't say you can or should use it...The words are will be computed using 
TBL and then it gives the conditions for smaller events when TBL is not 
effective and high-low drop is a better resource.

In the past the excuse has always been not enough judges and or not enough 
pilots for the given rounds. I don't think the NATS management understood or 
approved of TBL and thus it was not used. But the rule book states will USE 
it!.  If we run the event in line with the rules we will have both the right 
number of judges and pilots. I understand logistics will play and we can't 
have the  large amount of judges dictated but it does allow for 5 and we are 
using 5 judges per flight in the finals. Give us the opportunity to fly an 
event strictly by the rules. This is what we asked of you in the meeting on 
Sunday night. To deviate in favor of the pilots is fine. I don't see anyone 
to complain if we make a semifinal cut to 20 pilots rather than the top 30% 
this year meant 30% or 10 pilot fly semi's and then the top 10 of them would 
go to a final...This doesn't make sense...But a top 20 then a cut to the top 
10 is fair to all involved and follows the spirit of the rules.

By the way I was very pleased to see 4 panels of judges in the FAI 
finals...Some of the judges served on 2 panels but it saved the eyes and 
brains of the judges and gave us the pilots a more fair representation. 
Ideally 10 judges per flight would be great but we just don't have those 
kinds of numbers. Bully for The judging team and the NATS management for 
giving the judges a break as opposed to last year with all 10 judges sitting 
for 40 flights. I think this gave each pilot a more fair and equitable look.

Tears sheets or No tears sheets

One more noteworthy topic of discussion and not sure where the idea of 
secretive tear sheets came from as this was used in Masters from comments 
made on the list...In FAI the rule is clear also...


Section 5.1.8  Marking

 last sentence

..."The scores given by each judge for each competitor shall be made public 
at the end of each round of competition"

Public defined in Webster's dictionary

 Public:   exposed to general view ,
              accessible to or shared by all members of the community

This means you have to post the tear sheets. It doesn't mean the pilot gets 
his tear sheets or they are left on a table. They must be exposed to general 
view, accessible to or shared by all.

The original intent during the FAI this year was no tear sheets to the 
pilots but they showed up after an official was reminded of the rule book. 
Reality is they need to be posted per the rules. On a side note it also 
helps keep judges on their best behavior as their scores for each figure for 
each pilot will be published for all to see! Personally I think this will 
help with favoritism. Why would a judge give a score that he will not stand 
behind as his result! There are two reasons I can think of..1) 
Favoritism-Bias and so on 2) he is not competent to be there. Both of which 
are problems. If his scores are public then by all means he is accountable 
for his actions. The rule says the scores given by each judge for each 
competitor.. This is a rule translated to Public posting of the tear sheets. 
I agree with this philosophy 100%.  As the CIAM committee stated in its last 
Spring 2005 meeting this public display of scores presents the idea of 
transparency in the contest. Nothing is behind the scenes and secretive the 
results are there for all to see.  Me as a judge I have reasons to back up 
every single score I give. You may not agree with my score but I try to be 
fair and the same with every pilot I see. This may mean you get a six from 
me and don't like it but I found enough errors to take 4 pts. I'm not 
perfect and sometimes I miss things...plus sometimes I become more critical 
than the next guy on certain errors...but the reality is I strive very hard 
to be fair to all pilots. I expect and demand the same from them when they 
judge me.

This can start to give us a fair and balanced evaluation method for our 
judges. Also it may help in selecting qualified judges for the finals rather 
than a Home Towner or buddy.

Again this is FAI only at this point
You may or may not agree with this rule but the reality is....the rule is 
clearly stated!

Troy

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