US Tasking? Are way too many TATs/MATs are being called vs. NOTENOUGH ASSIGNED TASKS (3% in 2013)

On Wednesday, August 6, 2014 6:50:16 PM UTC-6, wrote:
On Wednesday, August 6, 2014 5:40:02 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:

Without commenting on a particular task, I humbly suggest the real problem is contest attendance - or rather the lack of it.







Asking pilots at_a_contest about task preferences is looking through the wrong end of the telescope. For meaningful data - and to grow contest flying - one should be asking those NOT attending contests what sort of tasks THEY prefer.



This has been looked at quite a bit. The most common barrier to contest participation is the same as it is for the rest of soaring- time and money..



What you say is entirely correct in the general sense but it applies equally to every other racing sport. A neighbor, who is by no means wealthy, trailers his drag boat to 20 or so races a year held all around the country. Another does the same for motocross racing.

Out of 15,000 or so glider pilots in the US, you need less than a hundred additional competitors to exceed what the existing contest infrastructure (Airport space, tow planes)could accommodate. I suspect at least that many have the time and money to compete. If they could be persuaded to do so, it would turn the situation around.

But the question was about what TASK the non-participants prefer. I think the current task selections may have something to do with the problem. The biggest objection I hear is, "I don't understand the rules or tasks." Or, "Why travel? It's just like the OLC."

If you want these people to participate, you have to give them a reason. I think real racing tasks could be that reason.