[NSRCA-discussion] Impression or precision judging?

Chris Moon cjm767driver at hotmail.com
Wed Oct 4 07:56:01 AKDT 2006


If we are to read the judging guide and go by the start with 10 and 
deduct 1 point per 15 degrees guide like it says, then where is the S&G 
downgrade or upgrade?  There is no guidance by the guide.  This has 
always bothered me since it is a criteria that has no "guidance". It is 
supposed to be there in order to get a 10, but the guide already say to 
start with 10 and deduct 1 per 15 degrees etc.  It sounds like its a 
purely subjective criteria with no set value either up or down.  But the 
truth of this whole discussion is that judging is a subjective issue and 
we can only offer guidance and specific criteria for some but not all of 
the factors involved.
So, we can fix this simply by getting together a few million dollars, 
create a system with transponders on each plane and some sort of laser 
grid 3-dimensional computer path generator on the ground.  The computer 
will compare the plane's track with the optimal version in it's 
programming and produce a score based on the degree to which your flight 
matches the optimal track in the computer.  Simple, and no human judges 
needed  :)
Or, we can keep hammering away to continually improve the accuracy of 
the humans (us)  in our current system.

Chris
PS- Please take a moment to thank Don Ramsey for all he does for us. Our 
judging may not be perfect yet , but its waaaaay better than it used to be.

DaveL322 at comcast.net wrote:
> Georgie is right that the subconscious element is one we can not 
> control, and it manifests itself in several ways in our sport.  The 
> best remedy for it is awareness, education, training, practice.  
> Particuarly relevant is the distinction between S+G and mushy and 
> vague as Pappas pointed out.
>  
> I think Lance has a good perspective - essentially, S+G is a 
> tool/resource of the pilot that can be used to present a technically 
> perfect maneuver - and that is exactly what the top pilots do - do not 
> confess errors - if you screw up, screw up smoothly, etc.
>  
> So in practice, S+G exists as a tool used by the pilots, and is a 
> subjective (and largely subconscious) element which affects judges 
> scores.  I don't see the need to list it as a specific judging 
> criteria, opening the door for a more subjective scoring of the event.
>  
> Regards,
>
> Dave 
>  
>
>     -------------- Original message --------------
>     From: "george w. kennie" <geobet at gis.net>
>     Even if the S&G criteria were removed from the rulebook, it would
>     remain in the subconcious. There is just something in the depths
>     of the human psyche that cries out for a way to award the
>     performance accomplished with polish in a way that separates it
>     from the one executed with mediocrity. That has to be IMPRESSION
>     guys..........I think.................
>     G. 
>      
>      
>      
>
>         ----- Original Message -----
>         *From:* Lance Van Nostrand <mailto:patterndude at comcast.net>
>         *To:* NSRCA Mailing List
>         <mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>         *Sent:* Tuesday, October 03, 2006 10:07 PM
>         *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Impression or precision judging?
>
>         I'm a ditto head to Dave on this one.  I can't imagine a
>         situation where someone could fly perfect precision -  I mean 
>         really perfect with all lines straight, radiuses matched, etc
>         that should not get scored all 10s.  How would the pattern be
>         flown differently to introduct S&G and maintain 10s?  Should a
>         very smooth and graceful sequence flown with a bunch of 9.5
>         precision scores (actual defects that cause a .5 point
>         downgrade) be given 10s?  If we were to eliminate S&G and have
>         only downgrades for precision errors then judges must
>         interpret S&G critically in that S&G flair can hurt but not
>         help a manuver.  truth is, pilots will use S&G to mask
>         precision errors, or to mask difficult timing and centering
>         issues.  I watch pilots much better than me get away with
>         murder but do it so purposefully and smooth that judges don't
>         seem to even see it. 
>          
>         Eliminating S&G from the judging criteria would not eliminate
>         S&G from flying nor from judging, but it would weaken it as a
>         reason to downgrade.  If all you can say is that the manuver
>         seemed technically correct but there was "something" wrong,
>         then what you are really saying is that it was not technically
>         correct and you saw the downgrade but you just can't put your
>         finger on it in your conscious mind.  I would be OK with
>         admitting that was my limitation as a human judge and I will
>         not penalize the pilot for it.
>          
>         --Lance
>          
>
>             ----- Original Message -----
>             *From:* DaveL322 at comcast.net <mailto:DaveL322 at comcast.net>
>             *To:* NSRCA Mailing List
>             <mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>             *Sent:* Tuesday, October 03, 2006 10:04 AM
>             *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Impression or precision
>             judging?
>
>             Technically perfect is well understood and can be
>             objectively assessed.  Specific judging criteria and
>             downgrades are well defined/documented in our judges
>             guide.  Yes, gray areas do exist in which it is difficult
>             to extract an exact point value downgrade from the
>             rulebook, but guidance/basis is there, and it is the job
>             of a judge to make judgements (and in my experience 90% of
>             the time the answer to the gray areas is apply 1 point per
>             15 degrees).
>              
>             Smooth and graceful (S+G) is subjective, and to date has
>             never had a point value or downgrades associated with it. 
>             The S+G criteria allows an impression judge to score a
>             technically flawed maneuver higher than a technically
>             perfect maneuver.
>              
>             Should a sequence that is flown technically perfect be
>             awarded the highest score? 
>              
>             Should it be possible to outscore a technically perfect
>             sequence with a technically flawed one that is "more
>             smooth" or "more graceful"?
>              
>             I don't think we should include (S+G) or pursue
>             (Impression score) criteria which are ill-defined or
>             purely subjective - pattern is about precision aerobatics
>             which can be (is) well defined, and is a thing of beauty
>             (to the select few that appreciate it) without the need
>             for S+G, style, or impression points.
>              
>             Regards,
>
>             Dave Lockhart
>             DaveL322 at comcast.net <mailto:DaveL322 at comcast.net>
>              
>              
>              
>              
>
>                 -------------- Original message --------------
>                 From: "White, Chris" <chris at ssd.fsi.com>
>
>                  
>
>                 I'd love to hear some feedback to the following: (or
>                 maybe not, but it might help my understanding of what
>                 we're trying to accomplish in our judging/flyingJ)
>
>                  
>
>                 Question:
>
>                 Isn't clinical precision flying the only way to
>                 attempt to remove impression judging?  Shouldn't the
>                 sequence itself if flown to precision "be" the art form?
>
>                  
>
>                 Example 1:
>
>                 I saw one pilot fly the FAI sequence at our contest
>                 last June.... To me his flying was clinically precise
>                 without any "Style" of his own.  I mean that very much
>                 as a compliment.  The roll rates and radiuses and
>                 speeds to me were very consistent....his timing and
>                 flight line control were very "Clinically precise"  It
>                 struck me at that if a computer GPS link could have
>                 been flown with an autopilot laying out the perfectly
>                 executed sequence he would have been close.  The
>                 nearly perfect geometry of the sequence spoke for itself.
>
>                  
>
>                 Example 2:
>
>                 An example of impression that I can think of would be
>                 some of the point rolls that I used to see in the
>                 70's....the ones that kind of slip & lock into each
>                 point (exaggerated lock in), but I could not score
>                 them better than points that merely stop where they
>                 are supposed to with minimum fanfare.....could I? (In
>                 fact since one could argue that the roll rate changes
>                 to get that effect it could be downgraded more.....) 
>                 But I like it, its an individual preference, but to
>                 the letter of the law its incorrect.
>
>                  
>
>                 Maybe we should judge by technical merit and each
>                 judge give an overall "Impression" rating someplace on
>                 the scoresheet???
>
>                  
>
>                 (Wow I spent all this time trying to think of how to
>                 word this....Gee do I hit the send
>                 button.......??????  I hope this strikes a positive
>                 chord somewhere...okay my motive is to learn so I'll
>                 send it.)
>
>                 Chris White
>
>                  
>
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject:
> Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Impression or precision judging?
> From:
> "george w. kennie" <geobet at gis.net>
> Date:
> Wed, 4 Oct 2006 03:08:44 +0000
> To:
> "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>
> To:
> "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>
>
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