On Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 9:06:47 PM UTC-4, Andy Blackburn wrote:
Popping the survey notification up in the stack. One week to go.

US contest pilots.

The 2019 SSA Contest Rules Pilot Opinion Poll is now open and will remain open through October 20, 2019. You must be on the SSA Pilot Ranking List to participate. We look forward to your input.

You can access the poll online at: http://www.adamsfive.com/a5soaring/survey/surveys.php

For the SSA Contest Rules Committee
Andy Blackburn, Chair
9B

Hi Andy,

Would you please clarify what you mean (Section 6.0) w.r.t. "Task Definitions and Scoring Formulae"? Specifically...

1. Does "Task Definition" explicitly include the FAI unlimited altitude line start as used in Europe and exclude various modifications that many here in the US will attempt to graft on (speed/altitude/time under limits)? IMO the start definition is the most significant difference in task definition between current US and FAI rules. It's probably also worth pointing out that there isn't really any motivation to use provisions in the FAI rules that are never or rarely used elsewhere (e.g. the start ring).

2. Does "Scoring Formulae" mean per 2019 FAI rules, or does it mean "whatever the FAI will use in any given year going forward"? The FAI scoring formulae are currently under scrutiny and may well change radically in the next year or two (thanks Rick, thanks John). I have very different opinions on the current FAI scoring rules and the US proposal. It seems like it would be dumb to use the 2019 FAI rules if the US proposal does continue forward.

Aside: to Ken's points about losing combined 15m/std handicap and Sports classes, I think this need not be the case. The recently completed PanAm shows how a 15m/std handicapped class works under FAI rules and since the FAI doesn't recognize Sports class, we can (continue to) do that pretty much any way we see fit.

best,
Evan Ludeman "T8"