[NSRCA-discussion] Advancement System - follow up

Fri May 8 07:03:31 AKDT 2009

I guess the bottom line to all of this is:  Does the NSRCA leadership want
Pattern to be a fun leisure-time activity, or a part-time job?

On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 9:59 AM, Mike Hester <kerlock at comcast.net> wrote:

>  I'll second that.
>
> I haven't flown pattern as long as some, but in the years I have spent I
> haven't seen trophy hounds being an issue at all. yes they exist
> occasionally. But they rarely last long. Sooner or later they get beat, and
> that's the end of it soon after. natural selection I guess.
>
> I'm the poster child for the advancement problem to masters as described
> earlier. When I was flying advanced I had a lot of time to practice and did
> pretty well. Then I got the bright idea to kit a wood pattern plane....so
> much for free time LOL  So this is my 3rd year in masters and I have yet to
> get anywhere close to practiced form. This year started out well, then I
> lost my only plane. So much for this season.....
>
> Not that I would want to return to advanced at all, I belong in masters.
> But I can see plainly where others have moved up because of points and wierd
> circumstances and they are over thier head, as in more than usually
> expected. These are some of the best people in pattern and I would hate to
> lose them just because of an arbitrary rule to weed out the so called
> sandbagger, who is rare as hen's teeth.
>
> In that respect, I agree with Mark....make it a guideline ONLY. I have
> enough faith in people that they will do what's right and fly in the class
> they need to be in. maybe not all the time, but enough so it won't really
> matter in the big picture.
>
> -Mike
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Atwood, Mark <atwoodm at paragon-inc.com>
> *To:* General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> *Sent:* Friday, May 08, 2009 10:46 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Advancement System - follow up
>
>  I really do think this is easy.
>
>
>
> Change the advancement rule to be a guideline, not a rule.
>
>
>
> People should be able to change what class they fly when they want to.
> Yes, there could be the occasional A$$ that changes for the wrong reason,
> but let’s not make rules just to capture idiots, and make more work for
> everyone else in the process.
>
>
>
> People move between FAI and Masters ALL THE TIME based on who’s at a
> contest, or the overall contest make up and no one cares.  There’s no reason
> that the same can’t happen in the lower classes.  Let’s just try it for a
> bit.  Please??
>
>
>
> All we need is a proposal to change the wording on advancement to be a
> guideline, a recommendation.  And remove any language that refers to
> mandatory advancement or prevents people from moving back down a level.
>
>
>
> Let’s see what problems it causes.  I’m betting NONE, and it will eliminate
> numerous problems.
>
>
>
> -M
>
>
>
> *From:* nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:
> nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] *On Behalf Of *Earl Haury
> *Sent:* Friday, May 08, 2009 9:33 AM
> *To:* Discussion List, NSRCA
> *Subject:* [NSRCA-discussion] Advancement System - follow up
>
>
>
> Lots of good observations and comments that are on topic.
>
>
>
> Also, adjusting the sequences / classes may be a fix to the root cause of
> poor skill fits in a given class that would dictate moving up or down.
>
>
>
> IMHO, I believe the immediate focus should be on changing the advancement
> system so that folks who find themselves in a class way beyond their skill
> level have a mechanism to move to a class better fitting their skills. I'm
> not proposing that the focused competitor who moves up and then finds
> themselves not competitive for a few years should move back. I do believe
> that the casual competitor who finds that age / career / family / increased
> sequence difficulty should be able to easily move to a class where they're
> comfortable. As the discussions regarding sequence content indicate, the
> consummate competitor wants (needs) an increasing level of difficulty to
> maintain challenge & interest. This increase in difficulty can (and
> apparently does) overwhelm some casual competitors who then leave pattern.
> Possibly they can be retained if it were easy for them to drop back a class.
>
>
>
> I don't perceive that this discussion has reached a consensus on how best
> to handle the current advancement system, previous discussions have ended
> similarly and nothing much has changed. The options seem to be:
>
>
>
> 1. Leave the current system alone & adjust sequences / classes. (Appears to
> concede to the lowest skill pilots per class.)
>
>
>
> 2. No official advancement system, peer pressure is adequate. (Might
> actually work, most pattern folks are honorable.)
>
>
>
> 3. Variant of current system with provisions for casual competitors to move
> back basis their comfort / performance. (Probably OK and would seem to have
> a good chance with the CB.)
>
>
>
> 4. Performance based system where folks float between classes basis
> performance. (Actually my favorite as it would both satisfy providing
> comfort to the casual and prestige to the consummate. Unfortunately
> logistically most difficult, someone would need to manage the data and
> assign classes.)
>
>
>
> So - the trick is to reach some sort of consensus and move it to a rules
> proposal. Discussion alone won't get the job done.
>
>
>
>
>
> Earl
>
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-- 

Keith Hoard
Collierville, TN
khoard at gmail.com
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