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

[Matthew Frederick]

Fred, thanks for saying that. That's the point I was trying to make. It's good to see the discussion has finally gone beyond the example I used to start the discussion. The past few messages I read really finally got to the heart of the matter: judges can only use the poles as reference during flight if their distance from the flight path is relatively small in order to reduce the error down to maybe 5-10 meters instead of the 71 meters in the hypothetical distances I used in the example. This error can also be reduced by shortening the distance between the apex of 120 degree angle and the judges. Hence my original complaint that the judges were too far behind me. Anyway, my goal has been achieved in that an awareness was raised. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at my club's get-together this weekend in Crowley. We'll be having a Crawfish boil Saturday night, and I've heard rumors of a possible pattern contest breaking out Saturday morning before we eat!

See you all there!

Matt
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Fred Huber 
  To: NSRCA Mailing List 
  Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 10:17 PM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Judges' Positioning, Zero Lines,and Box Definition


  With judges directly behind the pilot...

  If the poles are ate the 175 meter out limit line, then any time the plane appears beyond the pole, its definitively out of the box. 

  If the pole is closer in, then any time a plane closer in than the pole appears to pass the pole, it has broken the box, regardless of how far behind the pilot the judge is located.  Planes further out than the pole might appear to the judges to have passed the pole without having broken the box.

  The only time the box size and pole location appear the same to the judge (behind the pilot) is when the plane's flight line crosses directly over the poles.

  Judges' error in apparant box limit by use of the poles when the poles are at the limit 175 meter line will be small (a wingspan or two maximum if the judge is less than 30 ft behind the pilot) and will give the close-in-flying pilot EXTRA room.

  If the poles are at 150 meters and the pilot is flying at 175 meters... the poles being used as the judges' box limit reference will give an average error of appx a 2-meter pane's wingspan...

  Judges' error in apparant box limit by use of poles at 1/2 the distance to the average line of flight can be severe, and unfairly would penalize the pilot.  The closer in the poles are relative to the line of flight... the larger the box size error the judge will have if using the poles as a reference.

  Thus Judges should never use poles as the reference if they are not out on the 150 meter to 175 meter flight line... unless the pilot is flying a line directly over the poles.

  Poles are only a judges' reference if they are properly located.

  ******************

  If you paint the reference lines and place the poles relative to the judge's position... then the pilot can't use them, and the pilot needs the references more than the judges.
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