At 10 days prior to
the contest all entry fees become non-refundable. Organizers could
relax some of the restrictions for cancellations beyond the pilot's
control such as broken glider and legitimate work/family emergencies.
Registration fees would go towards fixed expenses of the contest so
the overall cost for participants wouldn't change. It might or might
not help early registration, but at least organizers would have a
better sense of who's really committed to coming versus not.

Just a preliminary idea - I'm sure it's full of holes.

9B

I have been reading this thread with GREAT interest. I have been the
organizer for a few years (trained by the BEST!), and I usually have a
50% drop out/drop off ratio for Parowan. I usually get over 100
applications, to fill 50-55 spots. Preferential entry, Super-Regional
Status, Rankings had nothing to do with this ratio; It's been the same
for the last three years, even this last year using the new improved
"Super-Regional" rules. However this summer was the first time I
opened a NEW contest site. I can't believe using the same ratio
expectation made such a difference in the financial aspect.

I agree that we don't want to make any rules from a "knee-jerk"
reaction. The late entry fee was laughable IMHO, because I have yet
to see or organize a contest, where I wasn't grateful for the few that
showed up last minute to fill an opening from a pilot that did a no-
call-no-show.

I would prefer a "black-list" approach. I have several pilots that I
know have a propensity to register, not let me know, then not show
up. Those are the ones that cost me a fortune at the contest, and put
future contests at jeopardy.

I even had one pilot this year send me an e-mail on day 1 of the
contest (after two days of practice), and state that he guessed I
figured that he wasn't showing up, and I should donate his deposit to
the Jr. Team. DONATE????? what about his meals already ordered, his
portion of the ferry fees to get tow planes out there, his portion of
the tables and chairs, his portion of the hangar rental, his portion
of the porta-potties? Many other things that organizers have to pay
up front, without knowing how many rude pilots will or will not show
up? This year I had to cancel meals (with cancellation fees), cancel
audio equipment, cancel porta-potties, borrow equipment instead of
rent or purchase when needed...and more. I was really upset about
cancelling the microphone, because Charlie-Lite, my CD, is recovering
from throat cancer, and really needed that microphone, but I just
couldn't afford it, because so many people didn't show up at the
contest.

I would like to recommend that if an organizer had a no-call-no-show
experience with a pilot, that they could/would maintain a
communication with other contest organizers, and that individual pilot
would lose their seeding/ranking. I have 4 pilots that I would
immediately put on that list, and do not wish to see their names again
within the on-line registration for any contest that I organize in the
future. They would have to "earn" their trust with me again, however,
I am not allowed to (SSA rules) discriminate against these pilots that
have literally "stolen" monies from me as a contest organizer. That
doesn't even count the glider pilot that made off with a hand-held at
a FBO, that I had to replace out of contest monies.

I have learned at great expense with money and time (neither of which
I have much) to be a contest organizer, in order to recruit more
people to the sport of soaring, and competition in particular. I WANT
to increase the 4% participation of glider pilots in competition. I
set up my little organization as a non-profit, however, with glider
pilots not showing up, it adds a whole new meaning to NON-profit. I
think that the contest organizers that are still out there need to
unite and demand our own RIGHTS....let's not show any preferential
seeding treatment to those that are blacklisted, by their own lack of
courtesy and financial responsibility to us poor organizers trying to
figure out what pilots are going to show up or not using our magic
crystal balls. Too bad my crystal ball is in the repair shop.

Micki Minner