Hmmmm,
From the May 3, list I see some 12 pilots that didn't
show up for the contest that were listed below 50!
That's almost 25%

I'm in favor of increasing the deposit to $200 bucks
and making it non-refundable 6 weeks prior to the contest.

One pilot who didn't make it in told me, 'you either
need to be real good or real bad to get into Parowan'.
He was referring to reverse seeding and allowing anyone
within region 9 to enter regardless of seeding. I'm
not taking a position on these controversial programs,
but is this what we the rules committee had in mind?
World class pilots racing against rank beginners?
Just some food for thought,
JJ

At 09:48 03 August 2007, Andy Blackburn wrote:
At 03:30 03 August 2007, Ray Gimmey wrote:
I was also on the waiting list but canceled a
couple weeks before the contest started.

It would be interesting to know how many canceled
that had a entry number 50 or below.
Ray

Of the 50 on the list as of the preferential entry
deadline 7 dropped out prior to the first contest day
(not counting 711). They were 32, 36-38, 42, 46 and
50 on the list. The 10 additional drops must have come
late and off the waiting list. They called me 2 weeks
before the first practice day and I was 55 originally.
JJ got in and he was 62 on the list. SD was there and
he was 66.

So it looks like ~70% of those 18 dropouts were people
off the waiting list who likely had made other plans
by the time it got to them. That shouldn't be surprising.
Of the 7 who scratched out of the top 50 I believe
I heard there were a couple who were due to airplane
problems. Say (a guess) half the remainder would take
earlier action if there were a non-refundable deposit
- that's still a couple. And $200 would have paid for
the towpilots' beer.

I say give people 2 weeks after the preferential entry
deadline to confirm, then make the deposits non-refundable.

9B