[NSRCA-discussion] [Fwd: Proposal]

Wed Aug 22 20:18:21 AKDT 2007

Ron, Thanks for the feedback. See my comments embedded in red

Ron Van Putte wrote:

> I'd like to comment on John's three proposals:  I think they all have 
> merit.  In a perfect world I'd support them all. 
>
> As a CD, I always look to what a proposal is going to do to my 
> workload, so let me look at them as a CD.
>
> #1  The CD would have to recruit several experienced competitors to 
> conduct the advising of Sportsman/Intermediate pilots because he would 
> be too busy to do it.

I would actually expect an experienced competitor assigned to each of 
the lower class entrants. Hopefully all NSRCA members would volunteer 
for this duty. The only duty required of the CD is to delegate.

>
> #2  The CD would either have to enter all the scores on every flight 
> of every competitor into a national database, or recruit someone to do 
> it.  Some editing of scores would be required.  e.g: The flight score 
> of a competitor whose airplane flames out midway through a flight does 
> not accurately reflect the quality of his flying.

If we cannot automate the system somewhat through the scoring programs, 
I agree there won't be enough participation to make this work. Anyone 
still running manual scoring will be a problem. perhaps we could require 
a scoring program to be used. I am also hopeful of getting the scoring 
programs on board with this in order to get a csv file of the raw 
scoring results exported.

>
> #3  The CD would either have to check all competitors' advancement 
> scores to make sure they were in the correct class or recruit someone 
> to do it.  After the contest, the CD would have to enter all the 
> earned advancement points for all competitors into the national 
> database or recruit someone to do it.

It was certainly not my intention to have the CDs  check advancement 
scores. I'm not sure where this is coming from but I don't want it 
included as a negative to the proposal I put on the table. I recommended 
some changes to the advancement criteria but said nothing about 
enforcement. I believe the current honor system is good enough.

>
> My experience with many CDs is that #1 would probably get done by most 
> of them.  #2 might get done by about half the CDs, UNLESS it was made 
> an AMA requirement and there was a "hammer" attached to "punish" CDs 
> who didn't comply.  Would such a requirement cause some to decide that 
> being a CD was too much trouble?  Maybe.  #3 would probably have about 
> the same success rate as #2.

For #1, perhaps NSRCA members attending could take the lead to link up 
mentors and mentees. As you say, the CD has enough to do.
For #2, a semi-automated system of reporting needs to be in place or the 
database system will fail. After flyers get used to having the database 
available, I expect the policing will come from the membership.
For #3, there is no requirement for the CD to provide enforcement.

> Even worthy proposals have downsides and these are what I see as a CD 
> and a realist regarding organizations whose members are volunteers.
>
Ron, your concerns are valid. We will need to overcome the problems you 
forsee and ensure that we do not overload the contest volunteers with 
extra reporting. Maybe we could combine the required reporting for the 
database with the contest report to the AMA and make it easier for the CD

> Ron Van Putte
>
> On Aug 22, 2007, at 7:12 PM, John Gayer wrote:
>
>>
>> I'd like to present three proposals that might appeal to a few if not 
>> the many....
>> Modified from the original proposal . Apparently not many saw it. The 
>> first one has been added
>> Comments?
>> John
>> NSRCA 632
>>
>> *Revive the practice of assigning mentors to Sportsman and 
>> Intermediate flyers
>>
>> *At contests, assign an experienced competitor to mentor, call and 
>> advise the Sportsman/ Intermediate flyers. This is nothing new, but 
>> should be a part of every contest. We should try to provide a 
>> connection that will last past the contest.
>> As I see it, there are four issues that drasticaly affect the ability 
>> of these flyers to compete effectively: aircraft trimming, execessive 
>> throws, wings level and centering(also known as flying the airplane, 
>> not letting the airplane fly you).
>> These flyers have shown the initiative to come out and compete. We 
>> owe them (and ourselves) all the help we can throw at them.
>>
>>
>> *Create a National Database for Pattern
>> *
>> The database must contain the raw scores of all flights for all 
>> competitors by class. The only thing normalized scores are good for 
>> is finding the right  finish order for each class at a contest. Raw 
>> scores are much better for comparing results even at a contest. For 
>> example I finish round one with a 930 and round two with a 985, both 
>> to competitor A. Now did I fly a lot better in round two(I thought I 
>> did)  or did competitor A flop a stall turn in the figure M in round 2.
>> Anyway once you have the raw scores by competitor and class, you can 
>> do the following:
>>
>>    1. Create a National Ranking for each class based on average
>>       points per maneuver. Once this is in place and on line, we will
>>       have a reason for pattern competitors to join NSRCA. you can't
>>       tell me that there wouldn't be a lot of interest in seeing who
>>       is hot around the country and how you stack up against the
>>       competition. I know, the judging isn't always equal but that's
>>       always been true and we have to live with it.
>>    2. The data available on each competitor would include contests
>>       entered, placing, advance points earned. The districts could
>>       extract whatever data is required to ascertain the district
>>       champions. We could archive previous years as well.
>>    3. Other ways to specify advancement in class become available,
>>       percentage of average FAI score, even eventually moving the 10
>>       top-rated pilots up a class. Possibilities are endless when you
>>       have the data.
>>
>> Since the database would only be open to NSRCA members, if you want 
>> to track your National standing, joining NSRCA would be a must. If 
>> you want to see what the guy nobody heard of that just rolled in from 
>> out of district has accomplished, look him up. We've been looking for 
>> reasons  to join NSRCA, I feel this is one that could be big and 
>> would be worth some investment in time and money. I would be willing 
>> to help with such a project although I don't feel like I could take 
>> it on by myself.
>>
>> *Redirect the focus to our international team competition through 
>> modification of the advancement system
>>
>> *
>>
>>    1. Modify the advancement process to be consistent through all
>>       classes from Sportsman through to F3A. See section two for
>>       possible advancement criteria
>>    2. Advancement can be forced by the advancement criteria(see
>>       section 2) or voluntary.
>>    3. The first year in a new and higher class is an option year. At
>>       the end of the option year you can downselect one class for any
>>       reason.
>>
>> This has the advantage of being able to try out the higher class for 
>> a year without committing your entire pattern career. If you discover 
>> that the next class is beyond your means( time, money or talent) then 
>> you option down the following year. If you absolutely refuse to fly 
>> your new class, then perhaps you could use the time and money to 
>> reintroduce your self to your wife, girlfriend, etc. If you need a 
>> goal for the year, focus on making your rudder commands instinctive, 
>> learn to fly a helicopter, learn to fly rolling circles. You would 
>> probably come back a better pattern flyer than when you left.
>>
>>
>>
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