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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> michael s harrison
[mailto:drmikedds@sbcglobal.net] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 29, 2009 3:45 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Don Ramsey'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> nats format<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>After considerable thought and reflection, I would like to
share my views of the nats and the classes flown. I believe we have been
very fortunate to have an excellent group of volunteers that work and sacrifice
to make the nats happen. That group is led by the event director Dave
Guerin, who has worked tirelessly and unselfishly for years at this job.
I believe he has responded to our desires to make this the best national event
possible. With that in mind, there are some changes I believe we can make
that would be a win-win for everyone and reduce the workload as well. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>They are:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span><![endif]>Have a finals for advanced<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>a.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>8
finalists<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>b.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>3
rounds<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>c.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Judged
by advanced or intermediate judges(qualified volunteers)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>d.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>The
site is open so it is not a space issue<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>e.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>24
flights would take app 3 hours<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>f.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Do
on 4<sup>th</sup> day<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>g.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Count
the prelims as a 1000 normalized score<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>h.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Count
3 of 4 scores for the winner<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span><![endif]>Modify masters accordingly<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>a.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>3
round finals<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>b.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Count
prelims as a 1000 normalized score<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>c.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Count
3 of 4 for the winner<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>d.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>10
finalists<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>e.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>30
flights about 5.5 hours<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>3.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span><![endif]>Fai<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>a.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>3
rounds final<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>b.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>F-11
flown 1 time<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>c.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Each
unknown(1&2) flown once<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>d.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Count
the semi-final F-11 scores only as a single 1000 normalized score<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>e.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Count
3 of 4 for the winner<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>f.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>10
finalists<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;
mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>g.<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>30
flights about 5.5 hours<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Rationale behind changes:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Advanced <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>This would make for a very exciting and fun event for the
advanced class. It would make the 4<sup>th</sup> day a very real part of
the nats for them. This format is totally self contained with no
additional personnel required. It could be started and finished before
the masters and fai is done. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Masters <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Masters is in a real sense an endurance contest. How
many times does someone have to fly the same sequence to prove he is the best
in that class. The present system is 10 times! The only argument is
the equal exposure issue-which may have merit. The system I propose
addresses that issue and takes less time. I raised the number of
finalists to 10 to close the argument that someone is cutout of the finals
because of unequal exposure. Counting the prelim as one of the 4 scores
is, in my opinion a legitimate score to keep-having been earned over a period
of 3 days under a number of variables. Assuming incorrect scoring(bias,
unequal exposure, etc.), the competitor has 3 flights to erase that
concern. Any 3 flights count so the prelims score can be dropped. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>FAI<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The argument for doing 2 Finals pattern is that at the world
event in the semifinals, there is not equal exposure of the pilots and the pool
is so large that conditions can change substantially over the course of doing
the semifinals. This rationale wouldn’t apply at the nats. The
semifinals at the nats is only 2 flights with 20 pilots, using the prelim score
as a 1000 normalized score. Therefore, the 2 F patterns can be combined
to be a score carried over into the finals event. The finals then becomes
a single F pattern and 2 unknowns. Count 3 of 4 scores. I
would recommend doing the F schedule first, then the 2 unknowns. I
believe all the other pilots would love to see FAI unknown finals flown by some
of the best pilots in the world. It would be a showcase event. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>To conclude:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I believe this is a win-win for everyone. We would add
finals to advanced; both the Masters and FAI finals would be shortened; the
best pilots would be showcased; more pilots would be in the finals; fewer
personnel to do the finals. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>There is no perfect system. I am sure there will be
objections of some kind, but I believe this system has real merit and should be
implemented. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Respectfully<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Mike Harrison<o:p></o:p></p>
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