On Monday, January 14, 2013 3:35:44 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Monday, January 14, 2013 1:04:43 PM UTC-6, Sean F (F2) wrote:

Excellent post Jerzy.







Reading some of the Worlds blog posts (and definitely many RAS posts) its as if a propaganda campaign demonizing IGC rules is underway in the US. This is in apparent response to the group of US club class owners and contest pilots asking for an SSA SANCTIONED US club class for years. What was offered after years of begging is a massively morphed barely recognizable "in name only "US club class."







In my opinion (At the US nationals) the successful sports class should remain unchanged, the club class should closely resemble IGC Club Class and pilots of club level gliders SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION to fly Sports or Club.







Club Nationals IS INTENDED to qualify a US pilot for the FAI CLUB CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS after all.







Everyone has a choice, nobody is left behind.







Simple! Clean and very little risk of dissatisfaction...







55 pilots have signed the WE WANT FAI / IGC RULES SSA SANCTIONED US CLUB CLASS PETITION. Major names, etc, etc.







Sean



F2



Regarding propaganda campaigns: not having a horse in this race, I see valid reasoning on both sides and very little flaming although the protagonists appear to be quite opinionated. If someone would put a gun to my head and force me to choose I'd go Sports Class. Any set of rules that allows for 3km finals in near ground effect, jumping roads, risking to hit photographers standing on their cars, having to make 180 turns near the ground, low energy landings in general and the like are too much excitement for me. I'd have no qualms about IGC Rule fans holding their own contests but participation will be low IMHO.

I see the propagandist have succeeded again! FAI rules allow for finish altitudes of 5000 feet AGL or more if contest management sees fit. We can all agree this is exagerated but the point is that contest management is responsible for a safe contest. Just like in the US.

Sean Franke