[NSRCA-discussion] 2020 NATS Canceled

Fri May 15 15:14:16 AKDT 2020

Here's my 2-cents of comments:

   The web site notes dates as POSSIBLE start dates in 5 stages.  
Adverse news in any one stage will most likely result in delays for the 
remaining stages. With not guarantees to sticking to dates, that still 
places our pattern NATS with many potential challenges to deal with.   I 
am hoping this is not the case because we do need get back to reasonably 
normal conditions as soon as possible; otherwise other larger society 
adverse effects will occur as well.

    Have any local pattern contests been successfully run since the 
covid-19 essentially shut down operations in mid March?   Folks that are 
still planning to hold local 2-day pattern contests need to chime in on 
how they are doing it, with an emphasis on multi-day contests, along 
with noting how many participants, additional support personnel, hotel 
and restaurant situation. Furthermore, some districts are already 
projecting to have their first contest as early as August.  This spring, 
and probably early summer contest schedule has been devastated by 
Covid-19 adverse impacts.

   The Team Trials event was not cancelled by the NSRCA board.  This 
year, the original plan was for the NATS to dual-hat-hold the team 
trials event, which is now no longer the plan with the pattern portion 
of the NATS being cancelled. The NSRCA personnel runs the brunt-work of 
the NATS contest, with AMA supporting miscellaneous site issues, meaning 
AMA would be challenged to run a pattern nats without our support.  As 
of the moment, I've heard Scale (which historically has a small group of 
35ish contestants annually) , Control Line, and Pattern sections of the 
NATS has been cancelled by each SIG.  I am surprised the scale community 
has already elected to cancel because that community would have the 
least difficulty managing covid-19 related challenges due to size 
alone.  The Team Trials event can once again be a separate event from 
the NATS and held at a later time in the year, if that time-slot is 
still possible to hold a medium-sized event.

On 5/15/2020 9:46 AM, John Fuqua via NSRCA-discussion wrote:
>
> https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2020/05/01/when-indiana-reopen-here-phases-set-reopening/3067992001/
>
> here is an article from Indiana on when Indiana is reopening.   It 
> indicates that July 4 is the full reopening target.    A full 2 weeks 
> before we would have had the Nats.   We have had so many arguments 
> over Nats weeks in the past that I cannot envision any other time 
> frame as being any better.
>
> Also as an aside and please tell me if I am wrong but I thought it was 
> the Team Selection Committee that ultimately decided on how to pick 
> the Team and when and where to have the contest and not NSRCA.
>
> v/r
>
> *From:*NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org> *On 
> Behalf Of *Don Ramsey via NSRCA-discussion
> *Sent:* Friday, May 15, 2020 8:23 AM
> *To:* 'General pattern discussion' <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-discussion] 2020 NATS Canceled
>
> I’m told by a reliable source that AMA was kept in the loop on this 
> decision.
>
> *From:*NSRCA-discussion 
> [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] *On Behalf Of 
> *Stephen Franc via NSRCA-discussion
> *Sent:* Thursday, May 14, 2020 7:29 PM
> *To:* Atwood, Mark; General pattern discussion
> *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-discussion] 2020 NATS Canceled
>
> So I guess the same rationale applies to the Free Flight and Control 
> line and RC Scale competitions which have been canceled? I certainly 
> understand the concerns for the World Selection process...  But it 
> sort of raises the question of why have/support the NSRCA?  If the 
> leadership of our organization, after much discussion and 
> consideration of current and projected limitations imposed upon us by 
> the Coronavirus and mandated restrictions, came to the difficult 
> decision of not participating in the NATS this year due to what 
> hardships will be associated with attending (anticipated cost of 
> putting on a poorly attended contest, lack of accommodations, lack of 
> restaurants, anticipated judging difficulties and participation issues 
> due to mandated social distancing, extremely late decision by the AMA 
> to even host the outdoor NATS, etc.)  and this decision is just 
> ignored by the AMA....  Then it must be time to disband the NSRCA due 
> to its lack of recognition as a special interest group. We've had 
> districts leave the fold of the NSRCA in the past and they have 
> survived... holding the same amount of contests, doing judging, giving 
> out awards, etc.  Add to that the fact that you don't even need to be 
> a NSRCA member to participate in NATS  (only AMA) then why are all 
> these District VPs and elected officials of the NSRCA bothering to put 
> in a lot of time and effort supporting the hobby of RC Precision 
> Aerobatic flying.  To put on the NATS it still takes a lot of 
> volunteers for  event CD, judges, score keeping, line bosses, etc.  Is 
> the AMA planning on providing personnel to do all these functions?   
> Unfortunately not all districts have had adequate practice times for 
> pilots to become proficient with the new sequences due to field 
> closures, social districting, and localize executive orders by 
> governors.  So in reality what level of competition will even be 
> present if the AMA decides to proceed with this event.  The 2020 
> Pandemic NATS will need to have an asterix next to the Class winners 
> to signify insignificant competition due to lack of participation. I 
> believe everyone in the NSRCA has always promoted and supported the 
> AMA.  Now its time for the AMA to recognize the NSRCA and get behind 
> the NSRCA recommendation.
>
> Steve Franc
>
> AMA 633375
>
> NSRCA  4599
>
> On Thu, May 14, 2020 at 7:35 PM Atwood, Mark via NSRCA-discussion 
> <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org 
> <mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>> wrote:
>
>     I hate to provide shallow hope, but I have it from the AMA that
>     this is a bit of a mis-statement.  The NSRCA has elected not to
>     participate in running the */AMA/* Nationals, but the */AMA/* has
>     yet to cancel the */AMA/* Nationals.  They are well aware of the
>     effort involved to run one without the NSRCA, but as of now are
>     seriously considering doing so.  If Indiana will permit it, they
>     would prefer not to cancel their event.
>
>     They (AMA) still plan to make a decision on June 10th. This
>     clearly adds a strong data point in their considerations, but I
>     strongly hesitate to say it’s cancelled.  Moreover, if the AMA
>     continues to go forward with the Nats in July, I would strongly
>     suspect that the FAI Team selection committee would push to
>     utilize that event for the F3A team selection.
>
>     *MARK **ATWOOD*
>
>     o.  (440) 229-2502
>
>     c.  (216) 316-2489
>
>     e. atwoodm at paragon-inc.com <mailto:atwoodm at paragon-inc.com>
>
>     *Paragon Consulting, Inc.*
>
>     5900 Landerbrook Drive, Suite 205, Cleveland Ohio, 44124
>
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>
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>
>     On May 14, 2020, at 11:31 AM, Archie Stafford via NSRCA-discussion
>     <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>     <mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>> wrote:
>
>     *CAUTION:*Message originated from outside of Paragon. Use caution
>     regarding any links, attachments, credential and financial requests.
>
>     NOTICE: THE 2020 PRECISION AEROBATICS NATS HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
>     From Archie Stafford : The board members and officers of NSRCA
>     have unanimously voted to cancel the 2020 Precision Aerobatics
>     Nationals. This decision was made because of the uncertainty and
>     risk  of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as time and financial
>     constraints brought on by the virus to competitors and support
>     staff.  We believe that this is both a logical and safe decision.
>
>     Thank you and stay safe.
>
>     Archie Stafford - President NSRCA
>
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