2008 Proposed US Competition Rules Changes

On Dec 24, 9:25*am, AK wrote:
On Dec 24, 8:46 am, wrote:





On Dec 23, 11:32 pm, wrote:

On Dec 22, 5:31 pm, wrote:

The proposed rule changes for 2008 US competition soaring
are posted at SSA.org/sailplane racing/rules & process.
Input is welcome. Final rules proposals go to the SSA for publication
in the board "Blue Book" in mid January.
Seasons Greetings to all from the SSA Competition Rules Subcommittee
UH
H Nixon
Chair

Hank,
I have a question about task changing :
Will the Contest Director still be allowed to create a new task
when pilots are already in the air? We shouldn't have 50 pilots
*playing with their computers under the same cloud base.

Ryszard Krolikowski RW .

A review of the proposed changes will show no change in the rules with
respect to
task calling or changing in the air. Experience over the years has
shown that the ability to
adjust the task to changing conditions to be a useful and valuable
tool when used properly.
UH- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Could you please give me a couple of examples when creating a brand
new task while gliders are in the air is useful?

I don't think creating a brand new task while gliders are already in
the air is the right thing to do from safety point of view. If a day
is problematic the contest director should create a number of tasks
and then call one of them if he needs to change. This would allow
participants to program their computers while still on the ground.

With all this talk about safety finishes why this problem has not been
discussed? I think the safety comity should act proactively instead
retroactively. Meaning we should not have a mid air to wake us up.

Regards,

AK- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The number of days where task changes have made for fairer and
in some cases, safer, are too numerous to count.
Examples; 2 days at the '07 15M Nationals would likely have been
either
no contest or highly devalued had we not had the option to change
tasks as
the weather developed.
Days were changed at the 07 Sports Nationals due to weather not
developing as
expected. If there had not been for the unsportsmanlike conduct of one
pilot jamming
the radio, the last day would also have been changed to a more
appropriate task and
the results of that contest likely would have been significantly
different.
Prior to having this option, I recall a number of days where we flew
off into bad weather
or on tasks that could mot be done because the option to change did
not exist.
I completely agree that the best option is to be able to select from
previously defined tasks.
That said, this is not always possible.
I do no programming of my pilot interface in the air- only minimal
data entry to define a task
and personally don't see this as a hazard. My choice of equipment is,
in part, done to ensure
this is easily and quickly done,if needed, in the air.
UH