[NSRCA-discussion] Judges' Positioning, Zero Lines, and Box Definition

[Bob Richards]

Matthew,
   
  I don't think there is any reason it should not be allowed. It would be very nice in these situations to have the poles way out at the 150 or 175 meter distance from the flight line. For most local contests that is not an option.
   
  Whenever I sat in the judges chair, I would first stand at the pilots spot and sight down both box lines and then locate a *distant* landmark (tall tree, dip in the tree line, bush, whatever) that I would use while sitting in the chair to determine box boundaries. Granted, there will still be some error due to parallax with my method, but it would be in the order of a few feet rather than 30 or 40 feet. I would also err in the pilot's favor.
   
  You are correct, if you are not positioned at the pilot's box, you can't use the lines on the runway to determine box infractions. It would be good to mention this at the pilot's meeting before the flying starts.
   
  Bob R.

Matthew Frederick <mjfrederick at cox.net> wrote:
          OK, this forum has been too quiet lately, so let's get some controversy going! This comment/question is mainly directed to Don Ramsey, but I would appreciate everyone's opinion. The good thing is, Don was at the contest where what I'm about to describe happened. What I'm talking about here is the positioning of judges behind the pilot. Under most circumstances the judges are positioned maybe 3-5 feet behind the pilot with each judge's seat placed on (or very close to) one of the 60-degree lines. Now, at a contest I attended last week the judges apparently decided it was too hot out there on the actual flight line, and they moved their chairs about 15-20 feet behind the pilot in the shade of the shed at this particular field. My question is, should this be something that is allowed since the judges' chairs define the zero line of the flight line (and moving it back this far puts spectators in danger), and also because it gives the judges an even more skewed view of
 the 60-degree lines than they already have? I bring this up partly because of what Don wrote in this month's K-Factor, but also because I was gigged for busting the box by these "displaced" (in Louisiana we call them refugees) judges when in fact, I knew I was close to the edge, but since I was actually standing on the line, I knew I didn't bust it. As a pilot I should not have to adjust the size of the box that I'm permitted to fly in just so the judges can be more comfortable (granted, comfort in the heat and humidity of Louisiana is relative). I didn't bring it up at the contest because by the time it bit me, it was too late to complain. In the future, however, I think there need to be rules regarding the positioning of judges if there aren't already, and if there are rules, let's bring them to light and enforce them, and you can bet I'll refuse to fly before judges that are that far behind me. Then again, I also think the close edge of the runway should be the zero
 line on maneuvers, not the judges' chairs. I did a little (ok, a lot) of math to figure out how much box a pilot would be missing out on with the judges postitioned 15 feet behind him. Using approximated numbers from the contest in question I calculated that if the poles are 40 feet out from the pilot, and the judges are 15 feet behind the pilot, the box size at 150 meters (which is 259.81m) based on the judges' point of view is reduced by 232.61 feet (70.9 m), or 25.2%! This would have been even greater if the poles were closer in or the judges were further back.
   
  Matt
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