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  #81  
Old November 8th 17, 08:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
XC
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I'm just seeing this now. I was happy to let this post drop to the bottom but you keep bringing it up to the top. Here we go...

Let me address just a few of your concerns to set the record straight.

1. Team flying - Team or gaggle flying in not against the rules. Pilot to pilot radio communication is. The US Team camp was held at Cordele the week preceding this year's race. We talked all about how to fly as a pair and how to take advantage of gaggles. We practiced tasks team flying as pairs. What did folks think would happen? Everyone was going to practice these new skills.

Wasn't I on this page just a year ago saying we should fly these contests with FLARM in stealth mode? You and others argued against that. I have already stated numerous times I would like to split the field up more by flying MATs and TATs. The current push is to fly ATs more than everything else. At Cordele 3 AT's were called. Fair enough.

Okay - let's race. Now that I can see everyone in the race pre-start on FLARM, who do you think I am going to pick to start with? Answer: The guy I have practiced team flying with, the guy who I have flown 2 IGC events with, the guy who has a glider just like mine and a flying style perfectly complimentary to mine. The guy who is an ideal non-selfish pair flyer. Then we are going to join the fastest gaggle at the start line as learned during Pan-American, WGC, and the team camp and go around course sailboat style just like you like to do. Here's the thing. There was no communications as you have implied. That would be against the rules and it just isn't necessary in our case. Yep, day three you had a better start time in your gaggle. Congratulations!

2. IGC rules - They're fine. They are easier to read and understand which is a plus. They don't allow for MAT tasks which I think is a great task for really determining who is the best glider pilot when call correctly. That's a negative. Don't recall complaining about the rules in Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thanks to John Good and the other volunteers, including Tiffany, who were a big help.

3. Collusion - Here's what I knew about the selection process. A call to Bob Fletcher to see when selections might be known. I needed to know because my last week vacation needed to be bid. Answer: Numerically I still had an outside chance at 5th(?) on the list for 15m. He said the pilot survey was nearly ready to go out. Besides that, I called Pete Alexander after getting an email invitation to join the team in 15m. I wanted to know who I might be going with and let him know I was honored but not at all sure I could get the time off. Unfortunately, I had to decline via call and follow up email to Pete. I had a later phone call from Fernando just to confirm I was declining and to express mutual regrets we would be flying together. I do not know where you got that I knew other people's responses to survey. I do not have access to those results.

I really think yo are doing yourself a disservice by ranting on your web page and here. Please take the vile content down and apologize to the team selection committee members who you've trashed. What purpose does this serve at this point?

XC
  #82  
Old November 8th 17, 09:13 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Kevin Christner
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Here is the relevant language from the SSA bylaws. It is time for the SSA board to move. We can no longer suffer this cancer.

ARTICLE VI - SUSPENSION, EXPULSION, ETC.

SECTION 1 - Any member may be dropped from the roll of membership for nonpayment of dues; and any member whose activities are deemed hostile to the objectives or injurious to the purpose of the Society, or who violates its bylaws or established rules, may be removed from office, suspended or expelled from the Society by vote of the Board of Directors.
  #83  
Old November 8th 17, 09:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
ND
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On Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 9:30:58 AM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
Hank, as usual, you haven’t the slightest clue. And I am not done with the videos. I’m just getting started.

And "this" is to prove a simple point. The US Team selection process is a joke and fraud. It not based on facts. It favors butt kissers and is something that is now "given" subjectively and not "earned" objectively.

Get behind the “Team.” Get behind the team that in several cases was given their positions and DID NOT EARN IT.

Also, just to be clear, is team flying legal now? How is it that we can have 5E and XC team flying entire contests without anyone noticing or caring? Are we just trusting them? Is everyone else OK completing against the clear advantages which that allowance provides them? The same thing occurred in the Club Class (and D2, LS8, ASW20 division) nationals in Hobbs this year. See my Youtube channel for those videos.

So Mini-Me (XC) and Mr. Cochrane (good old boys spokesman east and west)....which is it? (Facts please, cite evidence). We see that 5E and XC team fly and need each other to lose the 15m Nationals. We now know that 90 leeches P7 as if prison was no deterrent. But we don’t see that with me. How am I not fast without markers mini-me? At least Cochrane won’t lie here like you. But notice that until I added the actual SeeYou replay proving the narrative was incorrect, that wasn't the case.

Also, note XC comments about how that subjective perception (which Mr. Cochrane disputes) was the reason he voted me down. You can see right there how pathetic the new buddy voting system is.

Why is XC so mad (see: Butthurt)? It is because I called them out for complaining endlessly about the FAI rules DURING the FAI world championships for which they had over a year to prepare. Meanwhile John Good writes endless articles attacking the FAI rules while my wife did 3/4 of the work of the team captain. The Team members should not be afraid of or complain about the FAI rules (or European pilots), they should be fully prepared and READY TO ATTACK IT ON ALL LEVELS AND AT ALL TIMES when the event begins. Instead, they longed for the US rules and tasks. Hence one of my many reasons for despising the failed US Rules experiment which has provided ZERO UPSIDE in TWENTY YEARS while requiring extreme effort to maintain.

Mini-Me, did do you know how the 85% “Elite” (cough, cough, wink, wink) voters voted? How is it that you know the "collective narrative" was (weeks ago) that I am not fast without markers as you posted on my Facebook page? Clearly, now that I have provided this thread some objective evidence (in the form of several SeeYou replays), Cochrane is walking that one (whopper) back for you (and the voters). But (and this is key) that is, apparently, still the justification for 5E to move up in the subjective vote and for me to move down. Hmm? The Team Committee has not released any responses to date. How did you know weeks ago? Could it be that it was contrived by a group of people with high ethical standards that would not let personal disagreements affect their votes? No? Yeah, that is a stretch. So, mini-me, how did you know?

Answer: Mini-me was in on the contrived “subjective” answer of the "elite" SSA loyalists (the good old boys) which was designed too.... We all know the answer...

When will the US Team Committee release the US Team votes and comments so we can compare their responses (subjective) with actual flight data for all relevant competition to see if it makes sense or is just personal? This is the process for the rules poll. Why is this not the process for the TRANSPARENT and OF THE HIGHEST MORAL CHARACTER US Team poll?

#participationtrohpy
#givenNOTearned


sean you are referring to me when you make accusations of team flying taking place at hobbs between D2's and an ASW20. firstly, communication is forbidden in the US, not cooperation. we all know that people cooperate during contests. i thought that one critical element of team flying was communication. since we didn't communicate, we weren't team flying. yes, i'll admit with no fear of retribution that RO, 5F, KMI, and myself flew practically the ENTIRE task together. but there's nothing in the rules against THAT. and none of us landed ****ed-off that the others stuck with us. we did well that day, but noone else at the contest was ****ed at us for flying together. under US rules there are still disadvantages to flying alone, even though it is more incentivized compared to FAI rules. so why do you keep bringing up day 2 at hobbs? we didn't do anything forbidden by US or FAI rules. again, team flying implies communication. i accept that we flew together and that there was informal cooperation. would you please explain your focus on us as an example of illegal team flying please?
  #84  
Old November 8th 17, 09:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
ND
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On Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 3:13:25 PM UTC-5, Kevin Christner wrote:
Here is the relevant language from the SSA bylaws. It is time for the SSA board to move. We can no longer suffer this cancer.

ARTICLE VI - SUSPENSION, EXPULSION, ETC.

SECTION 1 - Any member may be dropped from the roll of membership for nonpayment of dues; and any member whose activities are deemed hostile to the objectives or injurious to the purpose of the Society, or who violates its bylaws or established rules, may be removed from office, suspended or expelled from the Society by vote of the Board of Directors.


booting fidler from the SSA won't solve the problem kevin. i know you don't like the guy, and i know you have your reasons, but im telling you, they could do it, but it's not going to accomplish anything. and it definitely doesn't keep him off of RAS, which i think is where you've clashed with him most frequently.
  #85  
Old November 8th 17, 09:34 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Sean Fidler
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Thanks Gina. Love ya!
  #86  
Old November 8th 17, 09:56 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Sean Fidler
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John C., I have no issue with TATs, I have issue with 98% TATs as is common is US Rules competition (up until this year at 15m nationals, still amazed). This misconception about my Task preferences is getting old. I like a 50/50 AT/TAT ratio. I don’t like flying the same task type again and again. TATs are fine (even very fun) and make sense when the weather is somewhat unpredictable. Even I try to avoid certain or the high likelihood of land outs in my practice task planning and I fly TATs (20 mile radius max) all the time at home (when it makes sense under an FAI mindset). What I really dislike (at Nationals) are MATs because they are a “roulette table” and of no value to FAI competition. See Bruce Taylor’s 10mph crushing of us at Uvalde this summer.

#USrulesarefailed
#matsblow
  #87  
Old November 8th 17, 11:19 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Mr Christner,

You again have quoted a section of the US Team Code of Conduct, and this time you wrote that "it is pretty clear to [you] that this is required at ALL times, not just during a competition."

But the United States Soaring Teams Policies & Procedures Manual (Ver 16 02/22/06) clearly states on the cover page the following:

"This manual was developed by the United States Soaring Team Committee as approved by the Board of Directors of the Soaring Society of America to govern United States Soaring Team participation in FAI World Gliding Championships."

The Introduction, on page 3, also makes it clear that these policies are for Team members "during" their time on a US Team. The next section discusses selection to the Team. It is thus unambiguous that these policies are specific to Team members once they have been selected for a particular WGC. Sure, it would be great if all pilots in contention for a Team position are as faultless in their personalities as they are fast in soaring. All y'all can't be Dick Butlers, unfortunately ...

But it is working against our Team goal to win WGCs if people like you insist that all possible USA Team pilots must be choirboys (or choirgirls -- hats off to WWGC Silver Medalist Sarah Arnold) not only at WGCs, but also at all times, in all situations, in all venues, in all years previous to any possible Team Selection.

You were not at the Benalla Worlds, Mr Christner. I myself was an official Team Member as defined in Section 10.2.4, being crew for Sean Fidler's 18m teammate, P7. Far more than most Team members, I was in a position to witness (before, during, and after the competition) Team 7T's exemplary behavior to all and sundry. Sean and Tiffany were super at fundraising for the Team before the WGC; they hosted our Team's party at Benalla, which greatly enhanced Team camaraderie; and after the competition, Sean Fidler was very helpful to other Team members in getting their gliders back into shipping containers.

So, I would appreciate it if you refrained from further ill-advised and erroneous public "guesses" regarding 7T's behavior as a USA Team member, as you are thus engaging in the same kind of behavior of which you complain in others.

I was impressed by how all of the USA Team members were superb ambassadors and representatives of the USA -- it was quite an honor to have been part of that endeavor.

Gina



On Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 5:53:43 AM UTC+13, Kevin Christner wrote:
Archer,

Worth repeating the relevant sections of the US Team Code of Conduct he

13.1.3 Courtesy. Courteous accessibility to visiting SSA members, sponsors, dignitaries and the Press.
13.1.4 Respect. Respect for the host organization, the facility, the rules of the airfield and the organization.
13.1.5 Treatment. Fair, considerate, courteous treatment of Team Management, Team Volunteers, and members of the public.
13.2.1 Highest Level. To maintain at all times a high standard of sportsmanship and fair play
13.2.6 Respect. Maintain an attitude of respect and politeness towards competitors both in the air and on the ground.
13.3 To Specifically Refrain From. To refrain from any behavior which might reflect unfavorably on the United States of America, the sport, the Team, its management, or which might bring any other pilot, official or the Team into disrepute

Rereading the document it is pretty clear to me that this is required at ALL times, not just during a competition.

I think most rational observers would agree many lines were crossed long (honestly several years) ago but no one should have any remaining doubts. Several years back the US Team came very close to pulling a member (711) because of perceived personality issues and a junior team member (OO) was removed during a competition where he had won several days because the TC thought he was drinking too late at night. Yet total silence regarding a psychopathic bully? The SSA / Team Committee needs to make a statement very soon as both of these individuals did far, far less. A permanent ban from future competition seems appropriate and justified.


  #88  
Old November 8th 17, 11:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
John Godfrey (QT)[_2_]
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On Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 10:11:11 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 10:02:55 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 7:37:32 AM UTC-7, Sean Fidler wrote:
Oh and great thread title mini-me.

The US Team Selection process is a total TRAIN WRECK.

#morelies


SSA dues paying members: Sean Fidler disparages the SSA with a link to the organization. https://seanfidler.com/ I think there are many, many SSA members that might be very interested in your personal website... And, as an SSA member my first questions to the SSA leadership now a How much of the SSA dues funds go to the US soaring team? What are the code of conduct requirements of a US International contest participant? Unfortunately and regrettably we may need to flush that out. Of course criticism itself is not a disqualifying factor, but I'm sure there is some behavioral standard to adhere to. A US team member represents the SSA and the USA.
If you want to bring the SSA into it Sean, then the members get to have a say and are going to ask questions. It's all your choice, you can have a valid grievance and make your point in a respectful way, or not. You routinely choose not to. Blowback is a fair and reasonable consequence. Start calculating for it?
Cheers.
I'd provide my name on this one but you are a suspected (known?) online bully so I'll take the safe route. Probably not hard to figure it out anyway but I'll at least keep it off a public forum.


I'll answer your question re SSA funds. No SSA member funds are used for the US Team. SSA resources assist with publicity to help fund raising. Funding for the US Team is in a separate bucket filled by dedicated contributions, and overseen by SSA leadership.
UH


However, note that a portion of the SSA contest sanction fee paid involuntarily by every contest entrant goes to the USTeam.
  #89  
Old November 9th 17, 04:09 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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The title of this thread was truly prophetic. No matter how horrid the train wreck is, you just can't stop watching. Unfortunately, this one looks like it will never end.
  #90  
Old November 9th 17, 06:19 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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There are some serious mental issues on display here.
 




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