2014 SSA/US Tasking Analysis

John,

ASTs are not (IMO) necessarily "synonymous" with landouts. That is not the goal of the task. That said, ASTs equal landouts is the narrative that is being pushed in the U.S. leadership. This narrative is working well. It has almost succeeded. We are down to only 4 (and a brand new rule US rule "OUTLAWING" ASTs in Sports class).

ASTs (IMO) should be called on all good to great weather forecast days. No task can guarantee no landouts and we should not be trying to absolutely prevent all landouts.

If your narrative that "ASTs equal landouts" is accurate, shouldn't we also stop calling long MATs? Is that what you would like to see? Last I checked, US pilots are still strongly incentivized by US MAT rules to try and get to all of the assigned MAT turnpoint. Even if a weather issue is present.

Is this element of the (long) MAT causing too many landouts as well (just like ASTs)?

I think those are very fair questions.

;-)

(and a brand new rule US rule "OUTLAWING" ASTs in Sports class).

Not new. Was there all along, because sports ranges from 1-26 to Nimbus 4. It was allowed for club class.

And you can synthesize an AT if you want by the way. Call a long TAT with 1 mile circles and a 1 hour minimum. Shhh.

If your narrative that "ASTs equal landouts" is accurate, shouldn't we also stop calling long MATs? Is that what you would like to see? Last I checked, US pilots are still strongly incentivized by US MAT rules to try and get to all of the assigned MAT turnpoint. Even if a weather issue is present.

Not as strong. You can break off and head home for a speed finish at any time.


John Cochrane

I hear what your saying. The U.S. tasking allows for creativity.

But, we don't have any of those being called. We have almost no ATs and lots of OLC.

CDs don't be afraid to challenge the field. Be a leader! It's important!

I'm going to shut up now. I feel like a broken record.

After an exhaustive and scientific study conducted as per RAS protocol my committee of one has arrived at a definitive conclusion.

"The weather in 2014 was crappy"

It appears that the vast majority of 2014 CDs were just trying to get their guests in the air and create some type of flying fun. From all the cancelled days I don't think we had a "fast" summer conducive to testing the limits of pilot and equipment. I sure hope 2015 is better on those organizers.

Lane
XF

On Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at 1:19:14 PM UTC-5, wrote:
After an exhaustive and scientific study conducted as per RAS protocol my committee of one has arrived at a definitive conclusion.

"The weather in 2014 was crappy"

It appears that the vast majority of 2014 CDs were just trying to get their guests in the air and create some type of flying fun. From all the cancelled days I don't think we had a "fast" summer conducive to testing the limits of pilot and equipment. I sure hope 2015 is better on those organizers.

Lane
XF

It's nice to see that someone on r.a.s. still has a sense of humor and good will!

T8

On Wednesday, 28 January 2015 11:19:14 UTC-7, wrote:
After an exhaustive and scientific study conducted as per RAS protocol my committee of one has arrived at a definitive conclusion.

"The weather in 2014 was crappy"

It appears that the vast majority of 2014 CDs were just trying to get their guests in the air and create some type of flying fun. From all the cancelled days I don't think we had a "fast" summer conducive to testing the limits of pilot and equipment. I sure hope 2015 is better on those organizers.

Lane
XF

Lane, must be an east coast thing for 2014. Contests west of the Rockies had few cancelled days. Hope everyone has a great 2015 contest season

On Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 12:55:33 PM UTC-8, Sean Fidler wrote:
I hear what your saying. The U.S. tasking allows for creativity.

But, we don't have any of those being called. We have almost no ATs and lots of OLC.

CDs don't be afraid to challenge the field. Be a leader! It's important!

I'm going to shut up now. I feel like a broken record.


Not sure on which of the 7 threads on task format I should post this, so it'll go here.

A couple of points from the RC on this subject (well, some of the RC - we don't schedule a meeting every time Sean posts a rant - we have day jobs).

1) ASTs have RC support (r.a.s. debating points aside), that's why they are in the rules. We'd like to see them called more rather than less. The fine points of the relative merits of different task formats pale in comparison to variety and challenge being the lifeblood of fun competition.

2) Calling ASTs take some CD conviction and willingness to withstand pilot fear and opposition on occasions. There is some natural risk aversion to mass landouts. If pilots don't want it it's hard to call. Make your preferences known to your CD.

3) No one is going to ban MATs or big-circle TATs, no matter how much you give them funny nicknames. It is extremely unlikely that a specified mix of task formats will ever become a rule. CD discretion and flexibility in calling tasks to suit the weather is more important than firmly held beliefs about what tasks ought to be called in theory or after the fact.

4) The RC would look favorably upon granting a waiver to anyone with the conviction to call an AST-only contest. That is, commit up front that only ASTs would be called - all or nothing. Other formats short of "all in" would be looked upon favorably as well, though wishing for more ASTs hardly seems like a big commitment.

Related note - There will likely be some experiments in racing formats tried at Nephi this year - for those who have an interest. More on that in the coming weeks.

9B

4) The RC would look favorably upon granting a waiver to anyone with the conviction to call an AST-only contest. That is, commit up front that only ASTs would be called - all or nothing. Other formats short of "all in" would be looked upon favorably as well, though wishing for more ASTs hardly seems like a big commitment.

I don't even think it requires a waiver. So long as there is "variety and challenge" and "safe and fair," as I read the rules you can call all ATs

It might be wise for a CD to announce this ahead of time, to attract AT fans and warn others. But I don't see it required.

John Cochrane

On Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 7:00:20 PM UTC-8, John Cochrane wrote:
4) The RC would look favorably upon granting a waiver to anyone with the conviction to call an AST-only contest. That is, commit up front that only ASTs would be called - all or nothing. Other formats short of "all in" would be looked upon favorably as well, though wishing for more ASTs hardly seems like a big commitment.

I don't even think it requires a waiver. So long as there is "variety and challenge" and "safe and fair," as I read the rules you can call all ATs

It might be wise for a CD to announce this ahead of time, to attract AT fans and warn others. But I don't see it required.

John Cochrane

True, but if we want to provoke some experimentation and innovation (even if it's "back to the future"), I'm happy to draw some attention to it with an official endorsement.

All we need now is some "money where our mouth is".

9B

On Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 8:23:11 PM UTC-5, Andy Blackburn wrote:
On Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 12:55:33 PM UTC-8, Sean Fidler wrote:
I hear what your saying. The U.S. tasking allows for creativity.

But, we don't have any of those being called. We have almost no ATs and lots of OLC.

CDs don't be afraid to challenge the field. Be a leader! It's important!

I'm going to shut up now. I feel like a broken record.


Not sure on which of the 7 threads on task format I should post this, so it'll go here.

A couple of points from the RC on this subject (well, some of the RC - we don't schedule a meeting every time Sean posts a rant - we have day jobs).

1) ASTs have RC support (r.a.s. debating points aside), that's why they are in the rules. We'd like to see them called more rather than less. The fine points of the relative merits of different task formats pale in comparison to variety and challenge being the lifeblood of fun competition.

2) Calling ASTs take some CD conviction and willingness to withstand pilot fear and opposition on occasions. There is some natural risk aversion to mass landouts. If pilots don't want it it's hard to call. Make your preferences known to your CD.

3) No one is going to ban MATs or big-circle TATs, no matter how much you give them funny nicknames. It is extremely unlikely that a specified mix of task formats will ever become a rule. CD discretion and flexibility in calling tasks to suit the weather is more important than firmly held beliefs about what tasks ought to be called in theory or after the fact.

4) The RC would look favorably upon granting a waiver to anyone with the conviction to call an AST-only contest. That is, commit up front that only ASTs would be called - all or nothing. Other formats short of "all in" would be looked upon favorably as well, though wishing for more ASTs hardly seems like a big commitment.

Related note - There will likely be some experiments in racing formats tried at Nephi this year - for those who have an interest. More on that in the coming weeks.

9B

Well said 9B
John Godfrey (QT), RC Chair