US Competition Pilot Poll and Election

John,

Saying that "certain features" of FAI rules are available today for SSA (US rules) CDs to use, if they wish (wink, wink), is entirely different than a discussion about the value that US rules provide and if we should switch to FAI based on an objective discussion about that measured value of US rules. When is the last time that a US/SSA sanctioned contest used a starting line, or finish line? And seriously, a SSA contest CD calling an assigned tasks is about as rare as purple flying unicorn rides at Walmart. These things are so rare here in the United States and Canada that they are entirely irrelevant to discuss or offer.

I, for one, want to fly ALL US glider competitions under the exact system that the rest of the world uses. FAI. Period. Specific features "offered" by US rules are not the solution. FAI RULES are used by ALL OTHER SOARING COUNTRIES safely, happily and effectively.

The only solution, for me, is the SSA shelving its custom/falied US rules experiiment and rejoining the FAI rules community. The SSA being a true partner of the world soaring competition community (FAI), rather than a challenger/loner at every turn. Rejoining FAI has loads of other important value for all current and future US pilots. And, of course, there is a significant savings in annual cost (time and energy (and ire)) of endlessly maintaining our custom, experimental and failed (zero measurable value) US rules system. We can repurpose those volunteers to other objectIves rather than re-creating everything from scratch and constantly changing.

This is a question of major religions, not a splitting hairs debate about enabling/disabling minor features within the same religion.

I think this debate is very productive. For us youngins, it sets the stage for where the SSA can go in 3-5 years. Perhaps 10. Perhaps sooner!

Bottom line, US rules do not add value. Why waste all that time and effort and irritation? You boys can simply walk away from this madness. Then we can only complain to the FAI. You'll be free!

Sean

I am a 30+ year SSA member and have never raced in competition. Time and family. Helped dad at one National in Elmira and several Regionals in the early years. He got out because of time and money. I helped Sean at one R6 competition. I did not measure anything there. I was just glad to help my soaring comrades run a competition.

Now looking at this from a broader perspective, it looks like this is not just a "Rule A or B" argument. Sean's arguments are going way beyond that. Having been slapped down by the Region Director, it sounds like that really hurt.

It sounds to me Sean like you need to go to the SSA member base, convince them of your arguments and get your POV into the SSA governing structure that way. That is of course if you still believe in the SSA as being the best organization to change this through. From what I understand it is the Region members that vote their Region Directors into office.

Most SSA members do not read the RAC I believe. It is going to take much more then needling people in this thread to get your POV across.

And your arguments really need to be positive. Look at it from a plain SSA member perspective and answer their questions "What's in it for me?" and "Why should I...?" If you cannot do that, it will be very, very difficult to convince most people.