The only way to de tune the landing value is to not have landing points.
George Joy won the world electric soaring class...on landing points. Most every soaring event ends up with landing points being the decider.
When we show up at an event we have a tool with us...our partner.. you might refer to it as your sailplane. The two of you walk up to the pilots meeting and get your assignments.
"here's the target tasks and heres the landing tasks".
And we head out to do our tasks....we CAN''T beat anyone else cuz we have no way to affect what the other guys do that day. We can simply do our best to perform the tasks as assigned.
The team that does the tasks the best gets paid the most.
Now if we take out half of the event tasks (PRECISION landings), and turn it into a (snore) marathon of sitting in thermals until its time to come down....fly over the field until the clock says one second left then push the model down for the ground based object touch, we then have models all over the field to walk for.
Why not be whacky? and really this is a crazy concept....why not EMPHASIZE practicing precision landings when you go out to practice for the season of contests?
PRACTICE.... its like going to the field, flying every flight on purpose...that is with your talking timer counting you down. NEVER land without a target.... DARE some contest director to create a fun and challenging landing target ?
The Mid South Soaring Championships is not a fun fly. It is one of the major Thermal Duration Soaring Events held in the USA..... if any of you don't believe that, just ask the guys who have hosted it....
Its not a weekend club contest, its not a state contest. Its a contest where RC TD guys can challenge theirselves to do what ever task is offered. Contestants who show up at Visalia, Phoenix, Nats or Midsouth head there with an attitude of determination. They have prepared and practiced and practiced more.
One of them gets the best trophy the rest of us get to share the fun..and hopefully learn somethings by being pushed to fly better, read air better, and control their sailplane better.
Dumbing down an AMERICAN contest is not what Americans have ever been about. We fear nothing and will face anything. WE created Extreme sports.
Don't worry about whether its a soaring priority or landing priority....just come and have some fun. Thermal duration RC Sailplaning has nothing to do with 'soaring'...it is specifically about doing the assigned tasks..offered when you get to the field.
You can 'soar' at home and not lose any landing points. :-)
Stand up tall, ONLY in AMERICA will you find Pac Man as a landing task, or a shuffle board....and SKEGs....cuz Americans love a crazy challenge.
Gordy
Just love being crazy ....:-)
