[NSRCA-discussion] Proposed NSRCA sequences for 2011 and beyond

Wed Sep 22 16:04:14 AKDT 2010

John,
Are you beating that dead horse (takeoffs and landings) yet again?  ;)

See you this weekend.

Jon Lowe

-----Original Message-----
From: John Fuqua <johnfuqua at embarqmail.com>
To: 'General pattern discussion' <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Wed, Sep 22, 2010 6:59 pm
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Proposed NSRCA sequences for 2011 and beyond

Derek 

Having flown the short sequence I find it more difficult thanthe current Masters sequence.   My put is that it really does notneed much tweeking.    Of course we could throw out scored takeoffand landing and have 19 airborne maneuvers.

John

From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of DerekKoopowitz
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 4:31 PM
To: General pattern discussion
Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Proposed NSRCA sequences for 2011 and beyond

Over 10 months ago the NSRCA Sequence Committee completedits work on the new sequences.  These were posted on the NSRCA website forreview and comment - see below:

http://nsrca.us/proposedsequences/2011sequences.html

Included in all this material was a draft document thatoutlined the process on how sequences are developed, tested and approved andthe makeup/content of the sequences based on the class it is meant to serve. This document is titled "NSRCA Procedures, Standards and Guidelinesfor AMA R/C Precision Aerobatics Sequence Development".  A mouthful,but it does outline a lot of information.  It details the charter for theSequence Committee, sequence development standards and guidelines for allclasses, catalog of maneuvers for all classes and the process that the NSRCAwill follow in designing, testing and approving changes to sequences, or forproposed sequences.  These sequence development standards and guidelineshave been in place for about 4 years now and have been used very successfullyto build the current set of sequences that everyone is flying today, inaddition to the prior Masters sequence (and the new one as well).

Overall we received positive comments on the proposedsequences from Sportsman through Masters.  As you know, there were twosequences developed for Masters, a long sequence using the standard 23 maneuvercount and a short sequence using 19 maneuvers.  In the time since weposted the sequences, some informal surveys were also made on the NSRCA websiteas well as on RCU asking for a preference of either the short or long Mastersschedule.  The overwhelming majority of respondents chose the shortsequence.  However, these surveys were a little flawed in that we didn'treally know who was voting for them - were they all judges/pilots who votedbecause they didn't want to judge a long sequence, or were they really currentand/or future Masters pilots that really did want to fly a shorter sequence.

Since the release of the proposed schedules, and some postNats comments, the sequence committee has been hard at work making some tweaksto the short schedule with a view to increasing the difficulty level of theshort Masters sequence to bring it into line with the long Masters sequence andalso to ensure that we weren't lowering the bar in difficulty by introducing ashorter sequence.  Bear in mind that the short sequence is only 19maneuvers (17 of them flyable) so raising the difficulty level is a challengeif one is to avoid using some existing F3A type maneuvers, or "airplanekillers", and to only use maneuvers that match the philosophy that we'veembraced for a number of years.  Since we've never developed a shortMasters sequence, we need to make sure we get it right and that it not onlyprovides a challenge to those that fly it but that it still provides a somewhatrelatively higher jump for those pilots that are moving up from Advanced. We realize that creating a perfect schedule is not going to happen - wewon't be able to please every pilot that moves up from Advanced, nor will we beable to please some former F3A pilots that think the schedule is too easy andisn't enough of a challenge.  There has to be a balance.  TheSequence Committee came up with some good positive changes and these are beingvetted/tested as I write this.  They've received extremely positivefeedback from everyone that has either flown the newer short sequence on asimulator or using their pattern plane at the field.  By the end of thisweekend we'll know for sure whether it is a keeper or not.

When we do post the revised sequence I would like all of youthat have "skin in this game", meaning you are a current Masterspilot or will be moving to Masters in the next year or two, to please contactyour NSRCA District VP and let them know what your preference is - short orlong sequence.  The reason they need to know is that the NSRCA board willvote in the next couple of weeks to approve all the proposed sequences and alsoto select which sequence the Masters class will be flying in 2011/2012.

The Sequence Committee is comprised of Joe Lachowski, DaveLockhart, Verne Koester, Bill Glaze, Archie Stafford, and Richard Lewis. They've put in an extraordinary amount of work on these sequences anddocumentation and deserve huge kudos from everyone!  Thanks guys - yourwork is very much appreciated!

We've also created a Sequence Committee section on the NSRCAwebsite which will have more information soon.  It will contain the updateddraft documentation and all the proposed sequences in one location.  Youcan get to the new section from the main menu - just look for SequenceCommittee - it is near the bottom of the menu.

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