2014 US Modern and US Club Class Nationals - Assigned Task calledtoday! FANTASTIC!

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014 9:02:42 AM UTC-7, Sean Fidler wrote:
I strongly, strongly disagree that TAT's are a "better" measure of glider racing pilot skill vs. simple, pure AT's. In fact, I could not disagree more.

Sean - since your comments seem to be aimed at me, please re-read my post. Nowhere do I claim that TATs are "better". I am staying that AT's are *not* necessarily better than TATs.

I am also saying that TATs can (and should) be called differently than what we often see. I think a lot of your (and other pilots') angst towards TATs can be laid squarely at the feet of CDs who call 3-turn TATs with 20+ mile cylinders. I fully agree that these tasks quickly lose their appeal after you've been to one or two contests.

But those same CDs can just as easily call crappy ATs (see Kirk's comment about a mass landout on an AT)!

In short: if you want better tasks, talk to your CDs. Don't just blame the type of task.

--Noel
P.S. I would also like to point out that several contest pilots with a hell of a lot more experience than you or I have no problems with TATs.

Noel, Could you please explain more about what you mean by this (post earlier today)...

"way too many glider pilots don't understand what the glider contest tasks are measuring; and that leads them to false conclusions on how they should fly tasks, what tasks are "bad", and what tasks they should call when they're running a contest."

What are glider contest tasks measuring? Im not really sure I understand what you're saying here. Its a very important statement that you made.

Thanks,

Sean

On 7/29/2014 10:11 AM, Sean Fidler wrote:
Noel, Could you please explain more about what you mean by this (post earlier today)...

"way too many glider pilots don't understand what the glider contest tasks are measuring; and that leads them to false conclusions on how they should fly tasks, what tasks are "bad", and what tasks they should call when they're running a contest."

What are glider contest tasks measuring? Im not really sure I understand what you're saying here. Its a very important statement that you made.

Thanks,

Sean

Hi Guys,

My 2 cents.

Regionals prepare for Nationals, Nationals prepare for internationals.

MG

--
Mike I Green

Noel,

Could you please explain more about what you mean by this (post a couple days ago)...

"way too many glider pilots don't understand what the glider contest tasks are measuring; and that leads them to false conclusions on how they should fly tasks, what tasks are "bad", and what tasks they should call when they're running a contest."

What are glider contest tasks measuring? Im not really sure I understand what you're saying here. Its a very important statement that you made.

Thanks,

Sean

Noel? Where did you go?

You made a very direct statement about how "glider pilots don't understand what contest tasks are measuring" in your last post (see below) which needs to be discussed further IMO. It appears that you are now avoiding my polite requests for you to explain what you meant by that statement. This is shocking as you appeared to stongly believe that your opinion what glider contest tasks are supposed to be measuring this is correct. Please don't be worried.

You said........"way too many glider pilots don't understand what the glider contest tasks are measuring; and that leads them to false conclusions on how they should fly tasks, what tasks are "bad", and what tasks they should call when they're running a contest."

So again Noel, what exactly do you think that glider contest tasks measuring? It's a great question! Im honestly not really sure I understand what you were trying to tell us here. Its a very important statement that you made.

Let's discuss this point and make sure that we understand you and. Perhaps others have a different idea...

Thanks,

Sean

Noel? Where did you go? We are not quite done here yet...

You made a very direct statement to me (in an earlier post in this thread) about how "glider pilots do not understand what contest tasks are measuring" which needs to be discussed further IMO. Full statement in quotes below....

This is a very strong statement on your part! It appears that you are now avoiding my polite requests for you to explain exactly what you meant by that statement. Your shyness from responding to me is surprising as you appeared (at that time) to strongly believe that your opinion on "what glider contest tasks are supposed to be measuring" was correct. The problem is that you never told us the answer!

You said........"WAY TO MANY glider pilots DON'T UNDERSTAND what the glider CONTEST TASKS ARE MEASURING; and that leads them to false conclusions on how they should fly tasks, what tasks are "bad", and what tasks they should call when they're running a contest."

So, again, what it the answer?

Has this (funny as we don't know the answer yet) been written into law? On whose authority? FAI? SSA? It's a good and important question that I am asking you here! Even if it is just your personal opinion, I still really want to hear the answer. Let's discuss your statement further and make sure that I understand you.

Perhaps others have a different idea...?

Thanks,

Sean

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 4:09:49 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
http://www.ssa.org/Contests?cid=2248...lass+Nationals



I am really happy to see this! Its of course a very strong day down there (finally). I would be interested in hearing everybody's feedback as to how they liked the Assigned task today vs. the more typical Turn Area Tasks.



Maybe the CD even put a time limit on the start cylinder (say 15 minutes)!



Just kiddin ;-)



Sean

On Saturday, August 2, 2014 6:07:00 AM UTC-7, Sean Fidler wrote:
Noel? Where did you go? We are not quite done here yet...


I am busy with special projects at work, with volunteering for my glider club (the previous treasurer suffered a stroke and I have had to step into the role unexpectedly), and right this moment I'm at a family reunion.

I am sorry that my responses are not fitting in with your desired time-frame; but real life is more important to me right now.

I will happily try to explain these points in the article I write for SOARING magazine.

--Noel

Noel,

You said "pilots do not understand what glider contest tasks are supposed to measure."

Why not just respond to that statement here?

Noel, what are contest task supposed to measure. What do pilots not understand?

Sean

Noel,

Earlier in this thread you wrote the following statement...

"I want to foster understanding - way too many glider pilots don't understand what the glider contest tasks are measuring; and that leads them to false conclusions on how they should fly tasks, what tasks are "bad", and what tasks they should call when they're running a contest. " -Noel Wade (July 29, 2014)

Noel, again:
1) what are contest tasks supposed to measure?
2) What are they NOT supposed to measure?
3) What do "most pilots not understand?"
4) What false conclusions do pilots reach about how they should fly tasks?
Finally,
5) "who decided these things for us?"

PLEASE, PPPPLLLLEEEEAAASSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!! answer my questions. It was your statement.

We are all busy. :-) Work, sleep, family, flying clubs, fun projects, etc.. That said, responding to my simple questions would only take a few seconds. No more time than your response here today which did everything except address my polite and relivant question about your strong statement about tasking. I'm starting to think you might be avoiding a response to my questions. Why would you not want to explain this statement?

Again, I want to understand what you meant by your statement. I am fully aware that I may disagree and that you have a different viewpoint. That is not my point. I simply want to hear the thought process behind your statement, its origins and learn on who or whats "authority" it comes.

Is this authority the SSA? If so, who exactly? Is it the FAI? If so, who? Other? Where is the document or rule or memo explaining what we pilots need to understand about tasks and what they are intended to measure? Can you please forward us all a copy of that memo. I missed it.

Thanks,

Sean

On Monday, August 4, 2014 1:52:41 AM UTC-4, noel.wade wrote:
On Saturday, August 2, 2014 6:07:00 AM UTC-7, Sean Fidler wrote:

Noel? Where did you go? We are not quite done here yet...





I am busy with special projects at work, with volunteering for my glider club (the previous treasurer suffered a stroke and I have had to step into the role unexpectedly), and right this moment I'm at a family reunion.



I am sorry that my responses are not fitting in with your desired time-frame; but real life is more important to me right now.



I will happily try to explain these points in the article I write for SOARING magazine.



--Noel

Noel?

It's been weeks now with absolutely no response from you about your statement "pilots don't understand what tasking is supposed to measure" etc.

Again....please explain your statement.

Thank You.

Sean