handicaps for one-offs?

On Feb 22, 11:53*am, vontresc wrote:
On Feb 22, 10:25*am, Andy wrote:





On Feb 22, 8:32*am, Ian Cant wrote:

At 16:42 21 February 2011, wrote:

.

A request to Hank Nixon, RC chair *with "some useful" information
about the glider get's the ball rolling.
We work with Dave Stevenson- Handicap subcomm chair on this kind of
thing a couple times a year.

Widening the question somewhat, is there an analytic process in
determining the handicaps [so that the 'useful information' can be
identified] or is it largely subjective ? *Many years ago CH published a
partial description of his engineering analyses to form handicaps; an
update on current methods would be of considerable interest. *Perhaps it
would make a good article for Soaring, or in John Cochrane's collection.

Ian

Yes, I'd like to see the full methodology too. *The description used
to contain a phrase like "and then adjusted based on contest results".

That left some of us wondering how a handicap which is intended to
normalize sailplane performance can possibly be influenced by, or
derived from, contest results which depend strongly on pilot
performance.

The end result seems to work something like this:

A skilled pilot want to win a sports class Nationals
The pilot surveys the sailplane handicap list and finds one that he
both likes and has a favorable handicap
Pilot flies the glider in the Nationals and places well for a few
years
Handicap of the glider is adjusted based on contest results
Pilot picks a new glider with a favorable handicap
repeat until done.

Andy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Didn't someone do that a while back, and win Sports Class Nats in a
Foka??

Peter- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yep- The guy that is the head of the handicap subcommittee. We put the
fox in charge of the hen house.
Seriously, Dave has a great understanding of the factors that affect
the relative performance of the gliders we fly.
And- he has no dog in the fight.
UH