[NSRCA-discussion] If you don't score by the rules.... don'tadvertise a rulebook event

[John Pavlick]

Clear DayFred,
 Well the reason people were "quiet" is because there was nothing to protest
or discuss. Takeoff and landing ARE scored 0 or 10 under the current rules.
Don't worry, next year your exquisite takeoffs and landings will be fully
appreciated. :) Now, look at the call sheet again. The maneuvers that count
the most have a K of 2: "2 Inside Loops", "2-Point Roll", "STALL TURN",
"Immelman" and the "Double Immelman". I would fix the problems with the
stall-turn if I were you. The most effective way to improve your score is to
polish up the hard maneuvers. If nothing else, it will make you a better
pilot. That's really what this is all about.

John Pavlick
http://www.idseng.com



 -----Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Fred Huber
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 12:46 PM
To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] If you don't score by the rules....
don'tadvertise a rulebook event


  This has been annoying me for a long time....

  At Sportsman level the K=1 takeoff and landing scores can significantly
  affect the contest results.

  The all too common practice of changing the rules at the last minute, to
  give Sportsman 0 or 10 on take-off and landing,  is inappropriate.
  (Inappropriate to chane the scoring system for any maneuver at ANY level!)
  Of course all the higher level pilots will agree to it... it does not
affect
  them.  ANY ONE PILOT in Sportsman (or whatever other class is affected)
  contesting the change without it having been advertised as a rule
  modification in advance should prevent the change.

  Yes, the takeoff and landing scoring is something that I think has
affected
  my outcome at contests.  I flew a plane that had a large problem with
stall
  turns... with a 6 being a good result for that maneuver.  Full opposed
  aileron wasn't enough to prevent the plane from rolling when rudder was
  applied.  But I figured my quality of takeoff and landing would more than
  make up for the poor stall turns, so I showed up for the contests.  And
  every contest I showed up at... they on the spot said "Sportsman gets 0 or
  10 takeoff and landing"  When all the marginal takeoffs of the other
pilots
  in my class got 10's (Many deserved 5's... or 2's...  and I was
consistantly
  getting complimented on the smoothness of my takeoffs and landings.) it
took
  away the ability for me to make up for my known problem with the stall
turn.

  Next contest I go to... if they decide to change the rules on the spot...
I
  want my entry fee back. (applies to some other events I have been to
  also...)
  If they advertise in advance that the scoring won't be by rulebook... I
  won't show up.

  I kept quiet about it (except discussing it with a couple of local flyers)
  when it occured.  Too many much more accompished pilots were in favor of
the
  change.  IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THEM!  They shouldn't have been part of the
  discussion at all.

  You want to change a rule that affects only one class at the pilots'
meeting
  before the first flight... ANY ONE PILOT in that class opposing the change
  prevents it.  And pilots in other classes have no vote.

  If the wind is too much for the pilot to think he wants to risk getting a
  bad score on takeoff and landing... maybe its too much wind for that pilot
  to bother making a takeoff.  All of the other pilots in the class will be
  dealing with the same wind.  It has just as much chance of preventing them
  from getting a 10.

  Any contest that decides to give Sportsman 0 or 10 for takeoff or landing
  should list it as non-rulebook in advance.  If you are going to do the
  2-passes through the sequence without the full stop landing and another
  takeoff... you need to advertise that too.

  I oppose the flying of 2 "flights" of Sportsman with one takeoff and one
  landing...  The takeoff and landing are scored maneuvers, suppposed to be
  able to get a score other than 0 or 10, therefore cutting half of the
  opportunities to do well or poorly on them is changing the scoring vs the
  rulebook. (see above... I  moved this paragraph due to changes in the
below
  from the original version)

  Also... the Sportsman sequence is relatively short for a reason.  This is
an
  introductory class.  The contestants are not used to competing... not used
  to getting judged.  They need the ability to do one competition round...
go
  back and talk with others about what they did right, what they did wrong
and
  how to improve.  They also need a bit of timne to RELAX between the scored
  flights.

  Considering how nervous some people are in thier early competition
rounds...
  its a wonder to me that a first time Sportsman level competitor ends up
with
  thier airplane in the air by the end of a second sequence within one
flight.

  The first contest someone flys in, they typically fly too close in, and
  because of this ALL maneuvers are extremely rushed.  By the end of the
  flight some contestants are so frazzled that they have severe problems
doing
  the double-immelman AT ALL.  Then you want them to immedately turn around
  and run the sequence again?  Why not just tell them to land at the judges
  feet so the judges can stomp on the model?

  Thats not a formula to promote  more participation... its a formula to
scare
  off beginners.  If the pilot is ready to run the sequence twice in a row
FOR
  THE JUDGES.. they are probably ready to start working on Inermediate.

  Most people I have seen move up from Sportsman, its been due to seeking
the
  higher challenge of Intermediate... not due to getting the points forcing
  the move up.  "Sandbagging" Sportsman is rare.

  Also... it is justifiable for someone competing at Sportsman to set up
thier
  plane for one round flight durration.  If they average 4 minutes to do a
  round... and put in a tank which gives 6 minute fuel supply, then the
  2-rounds in one flight is a guaranteed dead-stick before completion of the
  second round.  Do you force Master's level pilots to carry enough fuel for
2
  passes through the sequence?  Would they tollerate that?

  Forcing a competitor to carry the DEAD WEIGHT of the fuel for a second
round
  through the first round is inappropriate.  At Sportsman level... the type
  models which are competitive include models which would have severe CG
  change with the fuel depletion...

  If you think a Sportsman competitor needs to be able to run 2 times
through
  the sequence nonstop, you probably also think everyone needs to buy a
$3000
  plane, capable of flying the Masters sequence, in order to try out
  Sportsman.  Its totaly unnecessary, inappropriate and shuts out beginners.

  FHH

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