Rules Changes----Advancement

[Rcmaster199 at aol.com]

I believe that this may open a different can of worms. It's true that  some 
guys attend contests simply for the fun and camaraderie of the flying, but  
there is a whole nother set of troops that attends to compete. In my opinion,  
this is the largest of the two, by wide margin. These folks want to win, place  
or show and really try hard to do their best. The former group may not care  
as much about doing its best; just being there is good enough. But it is still  
an extremely important group nontheless.
 
It seems to me that there are a bunch of guys, (Masters in D3 is a good  
example) that are very good in their present class(most of us are quite evenly  
matched), and some of these may decide to drop down a class and park for a  
while. Taking that skill level down to Advanced could demoralize the Advanced  
level guys that want to really compete, and could actually have the exact  
opposite effect from that desired. I wouldn't want any Advanced competitor to  leave 
the sport because of an infusion of Masters class guys re-entering the  class
 
We agree on the fact that the points system is silly and  unenforceable.
 
Having said all that, I wouldn't be aversed to a trial run of such a rule.  
Reconvene after the trial period was over and make a decision on its  
success--failure. Then make a final decision and have buy-in from the CB up  front to 
either make a change, or not. Having CB buy-in up front will alleviate  some of 
the acremonious debate we have seen in past issues. 
 
I recommend caution either way. This indeed is unchartered territory, at  
least in my 27 years, and demands careful thought. I like the fact that the  
committee is thinking in different and challenging ways to improve the sport for  
everyone, eventhough THIS committee's charter is to build schedules and not  
rules.
 
 
MattK
 
PS- one more thought on this: it may turn out that no self respecting  
Masters competitor will move down to Advanced, or Advanced down to Intermediate.  
Then this suggested approach could work. Convincing the AMA CB will be the  trick
 
 
 
In a message dated 3/8/2005 4:20:51 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
patternrules at earthlink.net writes:

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
Mark  Martin is still running the Busch Series and he has been a Cup
champion and  Busch Champion before too. Even though many look at the Busch
and Truck  series as a kind of minor leagues to the Cup cars.

Just some  thoughts

TN


 
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