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<DIV>This has been annoying me for a long time....<BR><BR>At Sportsman level the
K=1 takeoff and landing scores can significantly <BR>affect the contest
results.<BR><BR>The all too common practice of changing the rules at the last
minute, to <BR>give Sportsman 0 or 10 on take-off and landing, is
inappropriate. <BR>(Inappropriate to chane the scoring system for any maneuver
at ANY level!) <BR>Of course all the higher level pilots will agree to it... it
does not affect <BR>them. ANY ONE PILOT in Sportsman (or whatever other
class is affected) <BR>contesting the change without it having been advertised
as a rule <BR>modification in advance should prevent the change.<BR><BR>Yes, the
takeoff and landing scoring is something that I think has affected <BR>my
outcome at contests. I flew a plane that had a large problem with stall
<BR>turns... with a 6 being a good result for that maneuver. Full opposed
<BR>aileron wasn't enough to prevent the plane from rolling when rudder was
<BR>applied. But I figured my quality of takeoff and landing would more
than <BR>make up for the poor stall turns, so I showed up for the
contests. And <BR>every contest I showed up at... they on the spot said
"Sportsman gets 0 or <BR>10 takeoff and landing" When all the marginal
takeoffs of the other pilots <BR>in my class got 10's (Many deserved 5's... or
2's... and I was consistantly <BR>getting complimented on the smoothness
of my takeoffs and landings.) it took <BR>away the ability for me to make up for
my known problem with the stall turn.<BR><BR>Next contest I go to... if they
decide to change the rules on the spot... I <BR>want my entry fee back. (applies
to some other events I have been to <BR>also...)<BR>If they advertise in advance
that the scoring won't be by rulebook... I <BR>won't show up.<BR><BR>I kept
quiet about it (except discussing it with a couple of local flyers) <BR>when it
occured. Too many much more accompished pilots were in favor of the
<BR>change. IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THEM! They shouldn't have been part
of the <BR>discussion at all.<BR><BR>You want to change a rule that affects only
one class at the pilots' meeting <BR>before the first flight... ANY ONE PILOT in
that class opposing the change <BR>prevents it. And pilots in other
classes have no vote.<BR><BR>If the wind is too much for the pilot to think he
wants to risk getting a <BR>bad score on takeoff and landing... maybe its too
much wind for that pilot <BR>to bother making a takeoff. All of the other
pilots in the class will be <BR>dealing with the same wind. It has just as
much chance of preventing them <BR>from getting a 10.<BR><BR>Any contest that
decides to give Sportsman 0 or 10 for takeoff or landing <BR>should list it as
non-rulebook in advance. If you are going to do the <BR>2-passes through
the sequence without the full stop landing and another <BR>takeoff... you need
to advertise that too.<BR><BR>I oppose the flying of 2 "flights" of Sportsman
with one takeoff and one <BR>landing... The takeoff and landing are scored
maneuvers, suppposed to be <BR>able to get a score other than 0 or 10, therefore
cutting half of the <BR>opportunities to do well or poorly on them is changing
the scoring vs the <BR>rulebook. (see above... I moved this paragraph due
to changes in the below <BR>from the original version)<BR><BR>Also... the
Sportsman sequence is relatively short for a reason. This is an
<BR>introductory class. The contestants are not used to competing... not
used <BR>to getting judged. They need the ability to do one competition
round... go <BR>back and talk with others about what they did right, what they
did wrong and <BR>how to improve. They also need a bit of timne to RELAX
between the scored <BR>flights.<BR><BR>Considering how nervous some people are
in thier early competition rounds... <BR>its a wonder to me that a first time
Sportsman level competitor ends up with <BR>thier airplane in the air by the end
of a second sequence within one flight.<BR><BR>The first contest someone flys
in, they typically fly too close in, and <BR>because of this ALL maneuvers are
extremely rushed. By the end of the <BR>flight some contestants are so
frazzled that they have severe problems doing <BR>the double-immelman AT
ALL. Then you want them to immedately turn around <BR>and run the sequence
again? Why not just tell them to land at the judges <BR>feet so the judges
can stomp on the model?<BR><BR>Thats not a formula to promote more
participation... its a formula to scare <BR>off beginners. If the pilot is
ready to run the sequence twice in a row FOR <BR>THE JUDGES.. they are probably
ready to start working on Inermediate.<BR><BR>Most people I have seen move up
from Sportsman, its been due to seeking the <BR>higher challenge of
Intermediate... not due to getting the points forcing <BR>the move up.
"Sandbagging" Sportsman is rare.<BR><BR>Also... it is justifiable for someone
competing at Sportsman to set up thier <BR>plane for one round flight
durration. If they average 4 minutes to do a <BR>round... and put in a
tank which gives 6 minute fuel supply, then the <BR>2-rounds in one flight is a
guaranteed dead-stick before completion of the <BR>second round. Do you
force Master's level pilots to carry enough fuel for 2 <BR>passes through the
sequence? Would they tollerate that?<BR><BR>Forcing a competitor to carry
the DEAD WEIGHT of the fuel for a second round <BR>through the first round is
inappropriate. At Sportsman level... the type <BR>models which are
competitive include models which would have severe CG <BR>change with the fuel
depletion...<BR><BR>If you think a Sportsman competitor needs to be able to run
2 times through <BR>the sequence nonstop, you probably also think everyone needs
to buy a $3000 <BR>plane, capable of flying the Masters sequence, in order to
try out <BR>Sportsman. Its totaly unnecessary, inappropriate and shuts out
beginners.<BR><BR>FHH <BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>