On Friday, January 26, 2018 at 12:49:47 PM UTC-8, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
"You can't fix stupid".
In any competition, someone will always bend/stretch the rules.
Terra firms tends to weed out some over time in flying. At the detriment of others......

Condolences over the loss of Tomas.
It hurts us all, when any one pilot is lost to us. For any reason.

Secondly, +1 to this Charlie's observation.

I 'only' CM'ed about 18 Regionals in Region 12. Then took a little hiatus.
Then showed up to help be a towpilot (and crew) at the Tonopah Nationals. I also have seen the morph of rules, change of societal views from suck-it-up-buttercup to more nanny-state mentality. As a long-term CFI, I have seen the change from long-term involvement in soaring and progression through badges and skills, to the "what can I buy for $40k and go out with the guys?" Or, more blatantly, what can I buy to be at the top of the scoresheet. (My answer was - buy 40 years of experience or put 2500 hours in your logbook and make 7000 landings.)

Truly.... it takes a CD/CM event management with a set of huevos to 'level the field' somewhat. Over the years, I did several things that were not in the 'rules' and never had an issue with it. And later, I had a pilot make a request, and based on my Tonopah participation, agreed and put it into rules. 9.14. if you care to look it up.

A pilot landed out one day. Late, late retrieve. Morning rigging, missed the briefing, nasty heat day. Pilot launched and fell out. Crew struggles, we relaunch and he falls out again. He's entitled to another tow. I look him over,
he's irate, flushed, profane to his crew. I tell him he will go sit in the A.C. for 15 minutes. We will handle his glider. If he wants another tow at that time, he will get it - but he can't start his clock till he sits in the A.C. The cool off was worth it. He decided he was so far behind the day, he took the day off. Lived another ten years. Jack Lambie thanked me the week later.

A pilot mailed me his entry deposit (back when that was done). I called him and asked how much he had been flying at his home field that season (our event was in late August). He said he would come fly the practice weekend, but he hadn't been flying that summer yet. I said, sorry - I am mailing your check back to you. Didn't get a protest from him.

Had a contest pilot who leased his tug to me. Rules had morphed to a minimum finish height. We allowed high-speed low finishes out over the brush, away from buildings, and only if they had enough to climb and make normal closed traffic. Pilot had enough point-lead to win the contest with only a completion on the last day. In the AM he asked what the penalty would be for a low finish. 25 points. At ~5 pm, in the busy-ness of scoring, retrieve desk, paying tug pilots, etc. The CD storms in to ask if I knew what just happened at the gate. No? Another pilot stormed in, slapped down his recorder for download and asked if I knew what the so-and-so had done? No? The -25 point low finish had occurred - over the gate post & CD, over the parking ramp, over gliders pushing clear, over motorhomes -- and made most people run or fall to get lower from fear of being struck. The result in instant conference of CD and CM was - zero points for the day - unsportsmanlike and unsafe conduct. It was deliberate and considered - from the moment of penalty inquiry in the morning. The result was - NOT winning the event. OF drove out in a huff, but didn't protest the cape of 'pariah' slung onto him.

Later - Tonopah. I arrive about 2 pm Monday practice, mid-launch due to another towplane being disabled. I dump all my considerable freight, unfurl my rope on board and tow with the rest of the tug fleet. That evening, I get my 'briefing', which includes a short list of four contest numbers. If you pull in, in front of those - keep a sharp lookout! Why? They don't tow very well . . . and might do unconventional things. WTF???? If they're that bad, why aren't they sent home?
We don't have a rule that allows us to send them home.
And, we'd like to have their entrant money.
They won't win but they like to be at contests.
WTH???? So you would put ME at risk to launch them?
I was not pleased, nor impressed.

Following that contest, a Reg 12 pilot asked me how he could get an 'unsafe pilot' eliminated as an entrant. He wasn't going to fly contests anymore, if there wasn't a rule change or if this guy was there as an entrant. Hearing the exchange, looking at flight traces, knowing what I knew from being there, I took my request to the Contest Rules Committee. Bless their little hearts, they listened.
Paragraph 9.14 in National and Regional Rules now. So, if a CD or a CM has an issue with accepting any entrant, there is a channel for refusal. Not trivial, and hopefully above the level of any personal vendettas.

Do I think we can legislate 'good sense'? No.
Do I think it is valuable to openly discuss how to impact pilot choices during racing? Yes. Do I think it is right to consider how technology might interact with rules to reward more prudent choices? Yes. Do I think that gadgets can distract from rather than support situational awareness? Yes, many times.

But, the sport and racing will evolve.
Not always in the ways that I would wish. Navigation by pilotage is mostly a vanishing skill. Being "Reetered". Needing electronic tools to help calc on course what needs to happen to maximize your score, rather than flying an assigned task. The loss of the camaraderie of crew for everyone. Losses to me.

But, I am encouraged at the level of participation on this thread, and disappointed in only a few of the postings.
Know yourselves to be vulnerable humans.
Remember that glider racing will only earn you perhaps a moment's accolade. Violating your own margins ... can have lasting bad repercussions.

Fondly,
Cindy B