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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>……so I won’t be reading
100+ emails the next couple days. I started this new post because I
simply couldn’t decide how/which email to respond to. So, forgive
the somewhat scattered approach, but some thoughts I have after the last few
days –<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>- Why is Masters the largest class?
Maybe because guys like the class? Maybe because it is a “comfortable
home” without the added pressures/demands of F3A? Do we want to
force happy Masters into F3A (or maybe force them out of pattern)? I’m
not sure I see too many people dropping out of pattern on their way from Adv to
Masters. In any case, I think any changes to the Masters pattern should
be done with the greatest of care – it is the largest single class on
average at any given contest.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>- Difficulty between classes. So what
is the jump between Advanced and Masters is a little bit bigger than the jump
from other classes – I think it should be. Pilots with more experience
are the best suited to handle larger jumps. Pattern pilots by nature
(meaning approach to practicing and learning, recognizing limits) are not
likely to wreck planes learning new maneuvers for Masters, and this is (I
think) even more engrained after making several prior transitions (Int to
Sport, Sport to Advanced). Besides, maneuver complexity itself is not the
only measure of difficulty between classes. Int is in part about learning
what the box is – that is quite a challenge for many. Sport has
more complex maneuvers, as does Advanced. To be competitive in Masters,
you absolutely must be very skilled with the throttle and know not only how to fly
the maneuvers, but how to present/link the maneuvers and present a seamless
pattern.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>- Differences between Masters and
F3A. Many seem to think because the # of maneuvers, KFactor, and maneuver
types are similar between Masters and F3A (prelims), that there is very little
difference between Masters and F3A. I don’t agree.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>1) To be completive in F3A, you must
fly at a higher level, and in all wind conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>2) To be completive in F3A, you must
be polished at both the prelim and finals schedules – even if the finals
schedule were the same difficulty level as the prelims (and it isn’t by
any stretch), this is not simply twice the work – it is more like 4 times
the work.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>3) To be completive in F3A, you need
to be quite comfortable with a library full of integrated loop/roll maneuvers –
and you need to be truly comfortable rolling both directions in complex
maneuvers.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Bottom line of which is I would advocate a
Masters schedule which is of similar difficulty (# of maneuvers, KFactor,
maneuver types, etc) to the F3A prelims is indeed a step below F3A, and is
indeed a good stepping stone to F3A.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>- Point system / Advancement.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>1) At the end of the day, how many
people are really affected by the point system? Most advance when
appropriate, if not sooner. My opinion is that many advance as soon as
they can consistently get through a pattern – and they move up without
developing any polish – which is fine is the goal is not
perfection. Recognize that participant levels in different classes in
different parts vary substantially, and vary with time (speaking for the <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>) – no point
system is going to be exactly right all the time, and if we choose to, we can
adjust it any number of ways. And I think the only thing that matters is
that we technically have a point system on the books which can be employed to force
promotion of a clear “sandbagger”. Does anyone want to see a
pilot in Int, Sport, or Adv who is not dominant in the class promoted to a
higher level where they may never be competitive, and may be chased out of the
event?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>2) F3A is F3A, and it is a quasi AMA
class as it is referenced/listed in the AMA book. I say quasi because the
maneuver schedules are not determined by the US for the US, and the amount of
input the US has on the F3A schedules is quite limited (how many can actually
name the guy that represents the US to FAI?). Forced advancement from
Masters (which the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>
controls) to F3A (which the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>
has limited if any control over) is not something I think should be pursued.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>3) The goal of a feeder system of
classes to “build” the best F3A Team for the <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> is a great
goal. However, not everyone has the time/desire to pursue a spot on the
US Team, and they need a “home” as well. As I noted above, I think
the current class structure does a good job of feeding F3A, and it also has
room for destination fliers in Masters. Could a better feeder system be
in place if Masters were not a destination class? Maybe. But I
think pattern as a whole in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place>
(including F3A) would suffer if any measurable number of current Masters pilots
left the event due to changes to improve the feeder system. The <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> pattern
community is perhaps unique in the world of pattern – at the top, we have
very substantial depth for fielding an F3A Team. We have enough pilots to
have 4 very competitive classes (including F3A) at the NATs every year.
The “feeder” system in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> is far better than most (if not
the best).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Regards to all<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Dave Lockhart<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a href="mailto:DaveL322@comcast.net">DaveL322@comcast.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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