[NSRCA-discussion] Stirring up the Masters 2009Sequence discussionagain...

[Lance Van Nostrand]

I have considered all the proposals and am unsatisfied.  Ideally we could 
make use of a national database but lacking that I have a simple adjustment 
to the current system: let people stay in a class for at least 2 years 
regardless of their performance.

This addresses both the occasional pilot that doesn't want to be penalized 
for a good performance in Sportsman, and the very active pilot that 
accumulates a lot of points quickly, is getting lots of practice, but is not 
yet ready to move up.  Yes this could be abused, but that is what Earl is 
for.

If this were officially proposed would you support it as an improvement? 
Please really think about all the other ideas and how they'd work in large 
and small districts, with pilots of varying skill and motivation, etc.
--Lance

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jon Lowe" <jonlowe at aol.com>
To: <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 3:42 PM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Stirring up the Masters 2009Sequence 
discussionagain...


>
> Glen,
> You are spot on.  I have competed in Advanced just this season, and
> have 70 points with several district contests left in 2007.  I finished
> 5th at the Nats, but was never really in contention to finish higher.
> District 3 has a lot of competitors in advanced.  I'm a decent but not
> great pilot in advanced right now, so I've gathered more points than I
> would have in a smaller district. Do I feel at all ready to move to
> Masters?  Absolutely not.  Therefore, I am going to sit out contests
> this year so I don't point out.  Or I might fly the FAI P07 at a couple
> of contests just for giggles.  The jump right now between Advanced and
> Masters is just too big right now for me, and the current advanced
> pattern does not properly prepare you for Masters.
>
> Jon Lowe
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Glen Watson <gwatson11 at houston.rr.com>
> To: 'NSRCA Mailing List' <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> Sent: Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:43 am
> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Stirring up the Masters 2009Sequence
> discussionagain...
>
>
>
> Is the issue that competitors are forced by the current AMA regulations
> to
> move up thru the classes via a point system whether a competitor feels
> ready
> or not?
>
> Just mastering a maneuver is not enough.  Being able to manage
> positioning
> throughout an entire sequence regardless of weather conditions is a
> major
> task which becomes more challenging as maneuver complexity and
> difficultly
> increases.  A good example is the Figure M.  I witnessed many
> competitors
> during the prelims at the NATS not able to sustain proper track and
> positioning in the cross/quartering winds we experienced. They would
> begin
> at 150-175 meters and finish at 80 meters from being blown in.
> Practice can
> address this however as I read here in previous posts not all have the
> time
> they wish to practice.
>
> The current point system for Intermediate and Advanced is based on a 4
> year
> cumulative total although one could point out in a single year from
> attending enough well attended contests. A potential issue here in
> District
> 6 for example. Does this make someone ready for the next class?
>
> If a pattern enthusiast has limited time to enable them to be
> comfortable
> flying a particular class why make it mandatory to move up.  If the
> point
> system criterion was revised in such a manner to reset each year and
> force
> only top consistent place finishers to move up that would provide more
> time
> for those with limit time to hone the skills necessary to be comfortable
> moving on to the next class.  In addition I feel this raises the
> competitive
> bar in Intermediate and Advanced having more experience competitors
> within
> the ranks.
>
> Glen
>
>
>
>
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