> Well, I think poor ol' Jack's feeling a bit beat up. I don't think that was >anybody's intention, at least not mine. I have enjoyed > the Nats in all it's formats. Some better than others. They all have their pluses >and minuses. The people who take charge of the > contest do a fantastic job. I just wanted people to stop trashing some new ideas >just because they were different, or didn't > necessarily cater to their particular field of interest. (I don't fly FAI - so those >events don't matter) And Jack, I don't think > anybody expected them to take place at the very next Nats.
> My sense of the initial post was not about trashing the Nationals in its current >format, but was to look at different > opportunities to increase participation in the FAI events. MY point was that we >SHOULD look at ways to do this. Come on guys, > these are the guys who represent our country in the International Soaring Community. Jack has asked me before about my thoughts about whether or not we should completely cancel F3B from the contest due to it's low numbers. I would say, if left the way it is, yes, go ahead. From the perspective of someone who has to travel - get on a plane, take all the models for the whole week with me to fly all the events, cuz, hey, if I'm going.... Now let's think about that - I have to get 1 or 2 F3B models there, and 1 or 2 F3J models, and 1 or 2 Handlaunches, and a 2 Meter, and an open class TD plane ( I leave before the RES and Nostalgia). I don't have a model box that fits all those. Just getting there gets expensive, and to ship or to take as excess baggage is quite cost prohibitive. I even flew my TD plane in F3B one year just so I could compete. (And, yeah, I have to listen to that guy say, "Hey, you remember that time I kicked your ass.... " ) You guys who are within driving distance don't understand what we must go through to fly all the events. It's a royal pain in the ass - worth it, it must be since I keep going - but a royal pain. OK, enough whining, but how DO we increase participation in the FAI events? I know for a fact that should the decision be made to fly a 2 or 3 day F3B event, there would be more participants. Would it take a while to grow? Yes, of course. You really want it to grow? Make it a part of the Team Selections - kinda like a 2nd contest. For example - on F3B TS years, one 3 day comp at the Nats, one 3 day comp over Labor Day as is currently done. The pilots can go to either, or both, and are allowed one throwout contest. Top 3 scores = 3 team members. You wouldn't have to attend both contests, but you'd be dumb not to if you're serious about making the team. The first place pilot would be guaranteed of making the team at either comp, then the top scoring 2nd place finisher would be the 3rd pilot. This could be done for F3J on odd years as well. These are just ideas. I'm bouncing them out there. Most of you don't care about FAI, the US teams, Team Selections, etc.... But some of us do. We would like a part in the National Championships. More than just a token 1 day event. Thanks for the bandwidth. And now back to your regularly scheduled Sal bashing - does that guy suck or what? ;-) Daryl RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
