[SPAM] RE: [SPAM] Rules changes Advancement

Tue Mar 8 12:45:27 AKST 2005

Hopefully the AMA Aerobatics board is more favorable
now. 

I noticed there is now a separate board for Scale
Aerobatics.

--- steven maxwell <patternrules at earthlink.net> wrote:

>  There was a rules proposal the last time
> RCA-05-21:7 proposes by Dave
> Burton that was turned down by the contest rules
> commitee, so it's just not
> whether we want something it's getting it passed.
>  Steve Maxwell
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Troy A. Newman 
> To: discussion at nsrca.org
> Sent: 3/8/2005 2:18:31 PM 
> Subject: [SPAM] Rules changes Advancement
> 
> 
> Buddy,
> I have been really quiet lately. I don't think the
> changes you are looking
> at are going to increase pattern participation. The
> weight and box limits
> in my opinion are good and don't need jacking
> with......
> 
> I know you and Don are working hard at it. We on the
> sequence committee are
> as well. I don't think changing the box is going to
> help us. I really don't
> think changes to the weights or sizes is going to
> help us....
> 
> I want to weigh in here so to speak on something
> that I feel will help
> pattern grow in changes to the rule book. I feel
> most changes to the rule
> book are going to make us more elite or a more
> secret way you have to do
> things. Guys that are even in our ranks don't read
> the rules so why make
> them even more specialized..and so on.
> 
> BUT there is a single set of things in the book that
> I feel and others feel
> need to be addressed.
> 
> Advancement to the next class.
> 
> I think we should just NIX all advancement rules.
> Let the pilot fly
> whatever wants too and when ever he wants too. Let
> him jump around if
> needed. The reason its not used. I have been from
> sea to shinning sea ATL
> to CA and have never actually heard anybody keeping
> track of their points.
> The AMA says its up to the pilot and they provide a
> little card to fill
> out. I have been flying pattern since 86 and have
> never seen one of the
> cards! Its not enforceable. There is no database to
> keep the records. It
> takes too much time and energy. We spend our time
> and energy in other
> places more rightfully so....So lets eliminate the
> advancement system.
> 
> Reason #2 is we don't have the numbers we once had
> to push people up to
> another class when they may not be ready. SO would
> we rather push a pilot
> up to the next class and maybe out by peer
> pressure...... or have him
> staying in the same class.
> 
> My opinion is I don't care if Dave Brown himself
> came back and flew
> Advanced. I think we could all benefit from him
> being a the contest and
> participating in the events.
> 
> Prime example I witnessed two district Champions
> last season move up to the
> next class and neither one was ready to go. But they
> felt obligated to go
> since they won the D champs. The reality was that
> they went to enough
> contests to get the points. The reality also is they
> don't have the skills
> they needed to learn in the previous class.
> 
> Pattern is about perfection and precision. I see our
> pattern ranks getting
> smaller and smaller and the skill sets getting
> weaker and weaker. The pilot
> that survives the Intermediate sequence for a couple
> years maybe even wins
> some stuff around locally then moves up. But the
> reality is just because he
> won everything locally with maybe 2-3-4 pilot
> doesn't mean he is now ready
> for the next show. The quality of flying in the
> lower classes seems to be
> lower that it has been in the past. Our numbers seem
> to be much much lower
> too. Pattern flying is about perfection and flying
> that perfect sequence. I
> think if we eliminate the advancement stuff over
> time we will gain back
> some of the old dogs for another run. And new pilots
> that have not learned
> the required skills can get them before moving on.
> It has been brought up
> that back in the old days pre-turnaround...a local
> guy would dust off his
> model and support he clubs local event. Maybe if we
> let him fly whatever he
> wants then we might get him to come back after 5-10
> years off. This could
> also could encourage new people. No pressure to move
> up. Enjoy the
> competition at  a level you are comfortable. Right
> now we reward any margin
> of success with more and more challenge. Maybe this
> pushes people away.
> Many people in their lives are content to be right
> where they are. They
> want to play and have fun with the group...but are
> not comfortable up with
> the next group. WE SHOULD NOT TURN THEM AWAY!
> 
> Some pilots will never be ready for a jump from
> Intermediate to advanced.
> regardless of the current large steps between a
> couple classes. I feel that
> there are some career Intermediate pilots like my
> father in-law Jerry. He
> is one of the best pilots at his local club. He is
> the man for test
> flights, and advice among the crowd. But He is happy
> and challenged with
> Intermediate. He will continue to be happy and
> challenged with it for a
> long time to come. 
> 
> The cheer from the crowd in the awards of the
> contest is always move
> up...move up. Especially in Sportsman.Is pushing
> people away...in my mind.
> We need to pat them on the back and say good
> job...not jump IN and get
> eaten by the sharks.
> 
> I think this defeats ourselves a little. 
> 
> If we let someone jump around classes and he got in
> too deep he could
> always come back without AMA, DVP, and so on
> approval. Just fly what ever
> class you want to fly!
> 
> The question is would we rather have a guy sand bag
> a little and still have
> him at an event or call him a trophy hog and push
> him out. This goes for
> older more seasoned pilots as well. The guy is
> getting up there a little in
> years like my buddy Pastorello <picking on you man I
> like to pick on Bob
> because he fights back!>  and  flew at a very high
> level of competition but
> now wants to not practice all the time...maybe
> doesn't have the best model
> for the job....Let him move back from a masters to
> an advanced and fly
> there. He has a bunch of knowledge and can help
> people at the events. Plus
> sometimes he is even fun to fly with!
> 
> Would we rather have him or Not?
> 
> This does a couple things. Keeps the pilots that
> can't make it at the
> higher level what ever the reason...and it also
> improves the skills of the
> lower classes.  A newer pilot will have to be more
> prepared to win an event
> and he will not readily jump to the next class as
> there is nobody to fly
> against in the current class. Competition is a
> motivation factor. If a guy
> is out there doing his two loops really well...then
> it will inspire the
> another pilot to "work on my two loops because old
> Bob is going to kick my
> butt when we get to the contest next week."
> 
> For most people the biggest factor for them being
> here in Pattern today is
> they wanted to learn to fly better. But that success
> and flying better
> today pushes them into another class that is more
> difficult yet. You know
> 
=== message truncated ===

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