On Jul 6, 4:55*am, wrote:
On Jul 4, 11:48*pm, JJ Sinclair wrote:



(US) rule 11.1.1 states; A valid competition day is one in which every
regular entrant is given a fair opportunity to compete. What is the
definition of fair? I can tell you what I have used as CD in 3
nationals and several regionals over the last 35 years. The launch
should go without interuption. All contestants should be towed to 2000
feet in the designated release area. That's it, you are on your own
after release! There is no guarantee that you will find lift.

On day 3 at parowan this year, the launch went without delay and all
were released in the designated area at 2000 feet. Several pilots
didn't find lift and landed back. Some took re-lights and one landed
on the dry lake in the release area. About half the class found that
all important first thermal, the gate was opened 15 minutes after the
last scheduled launch and most completed the assigned task. Data
loggers were evaluated, scores computed and day 3 was a valid contest
day, right?

Not so fast! Two pilots protested that they hadn't been given a fair
opportunity to compete. The competition committee met and threw out
day 3. Their ruling may seem fair to the 2 protesters, but it was
unfair to the remaining 25 pilots in the class. The CD even went so
far as to state; If one of the protesters had found lift, he would
have come in 3rd for the day! *Unbelievable! *Just how he determined
that remains a mystery? *There was one contestant who did place 3rd on
that day, but his performance was ignored. I tried to talk to the CD
with no response other than; You have the right to protest my ruling.

If my 3rd place had counted, I would have been 5th overall and 19
points out of 4th. I withdrew from the contest in disgust! *What has
our competition come to? Are we all guaranteed lift? Who is to decide
if the actions taken by the pilot after release were the correct
ones? *If you don't find lift, simply land back and file a protest!

I will turn 75 next month and Pat and I have been asking ourselves
just how much longer all this will be considered fun? *In the words of
an old country song; That just about does it, Don't it?

Pat & JJ Sinclair

FWIW
This is a good example of where use of the advisors is invaluable.
They are in the air and can
afdvise whether the day meets the "fair and safe" criteria. If it does
not, they are obligated to say
so and advise either holding the opening or not opening the task. If
the task is opened, they day should go on,
unless the CD cancels they day due to safety concerns, which he is
permitted and encouraged to do under the
rules.
All that said, don't quit JJ. We like having your grumpy self around
to make us laugh and keep us honest.
UH

Sorry you felt compelled to withdraw JJ - I like having you and your
bat-plane on the grid.

I was one of the handful of 15M launchers that day and after thrashing
about in +/- 50 fpm made a nail-biter of a return back to the field
rather than put it into the dry lake 5 miles west of the field. FWIW
there was no climbing out after a certain time that day unless you
wanted to risk an outlanding in the open desert in order to do a dead-
glide to the sunlight 10 miles west of the field. If I recall
correctly the protester in this case did land in the dry lake prior to
taking a start - a consideration of some consequence as an outlanding
ends your day whereas a relight doesn't.

I don't know if I agree that once the gate opens the task should count
no matter what, though I do think this should be the strong bias.
Whether it should be incumbent on the CD to poll the last launchers in
each class to ensure they are getting up before opening the gate, or
if it should be the responsibility of the individual pilots to call
this out to the CD (my preference) should probably be clarified. If
you can't climb you should make that clear before the gate opens so
the CD has the option of delaying/canceling the opening of the gate or
chalking it up to poor piloting. One such request was granted later in
the contest and I have made such requests myself in the past. I do
wonder whether pilots should forfeit their right to protest the start
later if they don't make the call in real time.

I suspect a future version of the rules could clarify the procedures
and recourse as it seems this sort of thing happens a couple of time
each year.

9B