This week I will work on further analysis of 2014 US tasks. Task flight data such as average climb rate, distances flown, speeds achieved, etc.

I will also try to correlate this with available forecast archives. The SSA should, in its contest management guidelines, recommend that anyone writing daily contest reports should include detailed forecast (task decision) information. Perhaps the Winscore scoring software could be enhanced to offer inputs for forecast data used to call the task. This will provide the scorer something to do after the pilots meeting. Useful information such as forecasted thermal strength, forecasted thermal strength per quadrants (weaker to the north, etc), forecasted cloudbase (MSL, AGL), wind strength, etc, etc. The goal here would be to document what factors influenced the task call (convective potential, handicap range, pilot skill level range, terrain, high cirrus encroachment, over-development concern, blue day, etc).

I would guess that only 5-10% of the 2014 tasks had even a slight chance of thunderstorms for the task (John Cochrane). I would guess that a vast majority of 2014 tasks had good forecasts. The performance data will help illustrate this.

One very interesting statistic will be the percentage of a given US MAT (HAT) task that was assigned vs. unassigned. Example: a zero TP MAT would be (ironically) 0% assigned and 100% unassigned (say that real slow 2 or 3 times so it sinks in...). A one turn point MAT would be 20% assigned and 80% unassigned if 5 turn points were achieved (and so on). It will be very interesting to see the reality of our typical "modified" assigned tasks. US MAT's are mainly (ironically) NOT ASSIGNED!!!!!!!! Maybe we should rename the zero TP MAT a BAT? The "*******ized (not at all) Assigned Task." Why do we have the words "assigned task" in a ZERO turn "modified?" assigned? task again? This is ridiculous.

The IGC/FAI requires a certain ratio of task types in its soaring events? Does the US/SSA have required (or even recommended) task type ratios? Why not? At this point, I would be very satisfied with 10% assigned tasks at regionals and 20% at Nationals? The rest can be OLC (MAT, BAT) and TAT. MAT's are mainly unassigned tasks! I think this may have much to do with our top US pilots struggling at the World Championships. They are almost never challenged with racing tasks. This is a fact.

Oddly, the only work being done in the US in regards to tasking (so I am told) is consideration of the introduction of "OLC tasks." If that is true, I am even more confused. Isn't OLC tasking what a ZERO TP MAT already is? Isn't OLC (one/zero turn MAT) really a return back to a "modern" free-distance task? Or are "we" simply discussing a name change from MAT to OLC? I won't hold my breath but I would love to hear more about this.

Signing off from the land of 2% Assigned Tasks, soon to be ZERO!