[NSRCA-discussion] [Fwd: Proposal]

[Del K. Rykert]

These are all great but, I see nothing changing to stop driving away the casual competitor. If the organization and sport wants to truly grow that area is long overdue. We need their numbers and help at fielding contests. 
 
    Del 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Robert L. Beaubien 
  To: NSRCA Mailing List 
  Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 8:42 AM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] [Fwd: Proposal]


  Richard / John, See my comments inline.

   

  -----Original Message-----
  From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of richard wallace
  Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 7:28 PM
  To: NSRCA Mailing List
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] [Fwd: Proposal]

   

  > Gotta say though, I'm just not a fan of a national database for

  > recording Pattern results. I don't really understand what problem this

  > is intended to fix.

   

  If I read what John proposed correctly, this is to give additional value and incentive to being a NSRCA member.  Being able to participate in a nationwide ranking system is appealing to me.

   

  > Of course, I'm in the apparent minority that believes that our current

  > self-policing system of advancement points is fine, ESPECIALLY now

  > that points only count for four years. ...

   

  I agree with you.  I think peer pressure to keep people from Sandbagging is the best medicine and forced promotions is not needed.  

   

  > 2. I don't know that I'd be really interested in seeing my 'national

  > ranking'  -- I've  found out enough at the Nats the past several

  > years... and 37/44 in Masters tells me enough about where I stand... !

   

  I know I would be interested in my "national" rank as I try to progress through the classes.

   

  > and one more thing - do we have any volunteers for setting up and

  > adminstering this national system? That's not a trivial question or

  > issue, especially in a world where (at least some) NSRCA officers are

  > in their positions not because they sought the job in order to be in

  > charge of stuff, but because there was a necessary job to be done, and

  > no one else was willing to step up to do it... I do the Champs

  > standings for my District and mostly enjoy it, but it IS a manual

  > process. Understand about hooks to automated scoring systems like

  > PACSS, but it'll still take initial work and sustainment and then

  > fixes to keep it going at the national level... and there are still

  > places around the country that still do contest scoring manually...

   

  I would be interested in volunteering my services towards this endeavor.  What would be needed would be a standardized scoring program used by all CD's that has upload capabilities to a server, and a website to present the information to the members.  As a software developer, it is a project I would like to participate in if it were to see the light of day.  I would also be willing to donate the bandwidth and servers necessary to make this happen.

   

  > Agree about helping Sportsman and maybe Intermediates be mentored at

  > contests- we usually don't have a formal system for that, and more

  > would certainly be better.

   

  This already happens to a great extent in D7.  When I showed up at a pattern contest, Troy Newman took it upon himself to mentor me and I feel very lucky to have his experience to guide me.  A formal rule/suggestion/whatever towards this end is certainly not a bad thing.

   

  Also am in violent agreement about the need to grow Pattern at the

  grass-roots level one new guy at a time - and most of us need to plow

  that field more thoroughly too.

   

  Good stuff - keep it coming!

   

   

  - Robert Beaubien

  - AMA #618061

  - NSRCA #4121

  -

   

   

   

  > ----- Original Message -----

  > From: John Gayer

  > To: NSRCA Mailing List

  > Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 7:12 PM

  > Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] [Fwd: Proposal]

  > 

  > 

  > 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:

  > 

  > 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.

  > 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.

  > 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

  > 

  > 

  > Modify the advancement process to be consistent through all classes from

  > Sportsman through to F3A. See section two for possible advancement criteria

  > Advancement can be forced by the advancement criteria(see section 2) or

  > voluntary.

  > 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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