Proposal to change MAT to HAT

John thanks!

All,

I truly make these arguments with the highest respect. I think everyone means well. I would not bother flying glider contests if I did not deeply respect the caliber of the other pilots. Any day flying a sailplane cross-country is, in my opinion, an awesome day. The few times I have flown out west have been highlights of my life. Incredible!!! I am certainly trying to compete but still very much understand that I have a great, great deal to learn. I am 20 years behind most of my peers of the same age. I have 4 or 5 years competing in gliders now and many have 50 or 60! In sailing we call that a cupcake!

I am "tongue and cheeking" the HAT a bit (if you did not "get that" in my posts). I did not originate that term by the way. I completely understand that when the weather sucks (I fly in Ionia, btw) it is very challenging to call tasks. I get it and I accept it. I also get that some of us truly want to fly TAT's and One/Zero turn MATs on strong days to test a different skill. They would see an AT as a waste of a good flying day as much as I see the TAT/short MAT. I am also fine with that. I am not looking for absolutes here. I just want to preserve SOME pure AT tasking. More than 2% and rapidly trending down towards ZERO.

I think ATs teach a very important skill. I believe that this skill is most finely honed in a competitive (AT) task with great pilots who are skilled in AT tactics. I think the US has essentially already lost that skill. I think our best US pilots would perform better at the World Championships if we ran more AT's. I truly love the purity of ATs when they are well called and the weather is decent or better. They are the highlights of my time racing gliders. I can remember every minute of every one! Fantastic!

All I am really arguing for is that we should try and preserve some ATs! Something like 8-12% AT vs. 2%. I think we can do a few more ATs easily with the weather we have (even in bad years) and have fun, become more complete pilots and not landing out the whole group. We have to try to do slightly more ATs at all levels. We also have to WANT to do more.

Even a modification the US task rules for a US AT would be better than no more ATs. Perhaps allowing a struggling pilot to come home anytime (without any additional penalty) would be OK. I know that is what a long MAT is trying to do (basically), but the minimum time component of the long MAT really affects the task tactics if the assigned turn-points are completed with significant time remaining. This forces the leading pilot to choose a last minute strategy to use up additional time based on circumstances at that moment. In turn, this also allows the trailing pilots to see the tactic of the leader and quickly consider alternative combinations to catch up (take a chance, etc). All of these complex rules and tactical decisions at the end of a long MAT often result in the final moments of the "not long enough" MAT task changing the results significantly. This is very deflating to the pilot who earned the "extra time" by flying the fastest. With a AT you have a common race track and no minimum time. No other remaining US task is a true race. ATs encourage flying as fast as you can (and far as you can with a potential US modification) to a real finish. Simple, pure, exciting...

Sean