2014 SSA/US Tasking Analysis

This week I will work on further analysis of the average climb rates, raw speeds and distances covered for the all tasks.

I will try to correlate this with information on forecasted conditions. It should be recommended that anyone writing daily contest reports include basic forecast information. Or, perhaps the Winscore scoring software could require/offer inputs for soaring forecast and task call "reasoning." Information such as what was the forecasted soaring conditions used to design the task? Thermal strength, thermal height AGL, wind strength, etc. What factors influenced the task call (thdrsms, handicap range, skill level range, terrain, high cirrus, OD, blue, etc).

I would guess that only 5-10% of the 2014 tasks had even a chance of thunderstorms forecasted for that day (John Cochrane).

One interesting statistic will be the percentage of US MAT (HAT) tasks that are assigned and unassigned. Example: a zero TP MAT would be (ironically) 0% assigned and 100% unassigned (say that real slow 2 or 3 times so it sinks in...). A one turn point MAT would be 20% assigned and 80% unassigned if 5 turn points were achieved (and so on). It will be very interesting to see the reality of our typical "modified" assigned tasks. Maybe we rename the zero TP MAT a BAT? The "*******ized (not at all) Assigned Task." Why do we have the words "assigned task" in a ZERO turn "modified?" assigned? task again?

The IGC/FAI has a required ratio of tasking types in order to ensure quality? Does the US/SSA have required or even recommended task type ratio? At this point, I would be very satisfied with 10% assigned tasks at regionals and 20% at Nationals? The rest can be OLC (MAT, BAT) and TAT. I think this may have something to do with our top pilots struggling at the World Championships as well. They are almost never challenged with racing tasks. This is a fact.

Oddly, the only work being done in the US in regards to tasking (so I am told) is consideration of the introduction of OLC tasks. If that is true, I am confused. Isn't OLC tasking what a zero TP MAT already is? Isn't OLC (one/zero turn MAT) really a "modern" free-distance task? Or are "they" simply discussing a name change from MAT to OLC?

Signing off from the land of 2% assigned tasks, soon to be ZERO.