Again, just attempting to add to or further the conversation here:Gino426018 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 15, 2022 11:50 pm We strive to achieve around 5-15ft past the poll with our racing program, there were multiple times where we didn’t get the light but no cut, so this makes sense.
If you’re basing when to turn off the light generally you are going to be long. especially if you are basing it off the Phoenix configuration where it’s 15ft past, that equals 300ft if you are right on top of the sight pole, realistically you average about 10ft past the site pole which is 25ft further than the official pylon one and 500ft total during the race.
It’s well known that there are many inconsistencies with the workers at pylon one, some lanes are very consistent others are not. Yes getting the light feels good but most callers are counting the time out loud then adjusting the next lap based off of what they saw before. If they didn’t get a light they extend, if they got a light before saying turn they know they are long. Is it right to base your whole competition results off of an low paid or unpaid volunteer?
With the aircraft going as fast as they are now and the average age of a worker it may make sense to change the way we do things.
I don’t think flying a heat and getting no feedback until the end on how many cuts you received makes sense due to the technology we have. If cuts posted normally throughout the heat you could still adjust if you got one cut down there and complete the rest of the heat. Likewise if you double cut you would know and be able to get off the course as to not cause a midair.
Option #1 would be to get a light if you made the pole on your way back from 1 & 2.
Option #2 being no lights at one and you just get feedback on cuts down there live during the heat like normal.
I’m indifferent because we don’t really used the lights based on the inconsistencies and because the threshold we try to achieve past one is so narrow it’s hard to rely on the light even with the best judge.
Gino
Some time ago Randy Smith advised this to me as well - not to base your laps off the turn 1 light. Do your own thing and watch the lap board for a cut at 1 same as you do for 2 & 3. Doing it this way, Gino's Option #2 would be the way to go. I'm too chicken to advocate for this (it would be a bit of a leap for me to fly or call without a light at 1, but could probably/should probably get used to it), but wow, this greatly simplifies everything.
Tim Lampe