John,

Um, did you really just tell me that assigned tasks equal "lots of gaggles and lots of land-outs." Do you really believe that? Is that really what you think assigned tasks represent to the sport of soaring? The sport of sailplane racing worldwide? WOW. Just wow. I am shocked and embarrassed by your viewpoint.

First, what is the matter with landing out? Are you saying US rules contests do not result in any land outs? Are you claiming that US contests produce less land outs that FAI? I think the numbers would surprise you...

That kind of pure & ridiculous bias, from you or the typical US RC member of recent years, is exactly the problem with the SSA. It is also why we are in a steady decline. US contests are hardly a sport anymore. Statements like yours above infuriate many. Saying assigned tasks are about "lots of gaggles and lots land outs" is also simply untrue. It is intentionally misleading. You should be ashamed. US rules (and especially tasking) really is a religion to you. Unfortunately, it appears to be fairly radical one.

How long until you guys start sending the suicide bombers up my driveway. ;-) Geeze. Sorry man, yeah, I would like to race my sailplane. Please? I would like to fly more that ONE assigned task a year in a US contest. What the hell is so wrong with racing? You guys have already set up US contests to result in 97% experimental, timed, pilot option, OLC tasks? Do you really intend to make US contests 100% OLC? Really? That is criminal. That is malpractice. That is ridiculous. That is incredibly bad for the sport. No wonder the FAI essentially ignores the US.

The truth is that FAI Assigned Tasks (US AT's simply do not qualify as racing) are about sailplanes racing around a set track. Assigned tasks are also, by far, the easiest task for a beginner to learn. No computer needed. No learning how to determine when to turn for the finish, (also requiring significant computer expertise), etc. No scoring software needed either. FAI Assigned Tasks are regularly used in ALL other soaring nations, worldwide. Only the USA (under the leadership of the SSA and its RC) does not use assigned tasks in its competitions. And all other soaring countries fly assigned tasks regularly, happily, safely and successfully in their sailplane competitions. It is really, really arrogant of you to say, "assigned tasks are about lots of gaggles and land outs..." Are you saying that the soaring world is "full of idiots" for flying assigned tasks? Sure seems to me that you are saying exactly that. Is the world really aiming to land out lots? Utterly ridiculous.

Last I checked, even your own SSA website states "Glider racing" on the home page and throughout the site. You might want to get that fixed. Becuase US tasking produces exactly ZERO RACING. This is a cold, hard fact. A fact you are apparently very happy about.

The US Rules governed SSA contests result in roughly 3% AT's (US, non-race AT's) annually. Without question, the weather required to support great AT racing occurs far, far more than 3%. For other folks reading this, before John claims otherwise with another bias, untrue whopper, AT's are, generally, called on days with strong weather and no thunderstorm risk. Sure, a mass land out might happen, but that is highly unlikely.

Labelling AT's as assuring lots of lots of gaggle's and lots of land outs is ridiculous. You are better than this John. Seriously, I hope that you are better than this.