NMPRA

All participants!

While it’s fresh in your mind, please email me suggestions you would like to see going forward. The AMA is now planning stuff more than a year out, so I may or may not be able to make everything happen this next year, but I will try. There are a few things that were different from years past that most of you talked about.
1. Significantly more entries causing a time concern for the event.
2. No other events competing with pylon allowing those not racing EF1 or 424 to get some flights at other sites relieving the pressure of afternoon practice at site 3.
3. No test flying in the morning or at lunch during our short lunch breaks.

Dk10c@att.net

As stated, I’m not sure I can change 2025, but I’m willing to try if the majority wants.

1. Should we extent race week so 426, 422 get 2 1/2 days to complete? It’s already a long week…
2. Was having the site exclusively a positive or negative? If you loved it, would you be willing to move pylon up in the calendar so that can happen again? Might be the last week in June to avoid July 4th holiday.
3. Should we allow some testing in the morning for that days event only? We got an 8:00am start most days and I would like to continue starting early, so we are talking about a very short window.

Thanks in advance for your input!!

Doug K

Doug:

First and foremost, you did an awesome job at the NATS. I thought the contest was very well run and organized and I am happy to know you will be driving the bus again next year.

Please see my comments regarding your points below:

1. As much as I would love to hang out in Muncie, I think extending the contest is big ask. Hotels and travel are at an all time high. We paid significantly more for our hotel stay this year. Additionally, we need to consider time off from work (for those not yet retired). Significant others, kids, etc also command/deserve time off of work.

2. Initially, I was bummed to learn that there would be no control line while we were there because I do enjoy watching the events. However, having the site to ourselves was a huge positive. My crew has no place to practice. Our test flying, trimming, engine tuning is essentially done at the NATS. Test flying is very important to us and this year was the first year (even with all the entries) where it was painless. Usually we have to wait forever but this year was really efficient. This can only be a result of having multiple site options.

3. Agreed that morning test flying would be a very short window. I don't really see an issue with morning test flying as long as it doesn't affect the 8:00am start. Once again, your diligent start times allowed us to run a ton of heats in a relatively short amount of time. We should not jeopardize the start time. Since we are running a single matrix, there is a lot of time between heats and having the option of running over to another site should keep the pre-contest test flying at the main site down to a minimum. Perhaps by only allowing those in the upcoming round to test fly, we can limit the amount of activity on the main site. All others will need to go to an alternate site. I know this is another thing to manage but it is an alternative to the all or nothing approach.

Doug,

I agree with Joe you did a great job! People don't realize how hard it is to organize an event let alone from a different state.

Here are a few items that our just my opinion.

1. I think no test flying in the am was a good thing. It becomes a distraction for the CD/EC and could cause a delay in the start of the contest.

2. It would be nice to figure out a way to have Mon-Fri for 426 and 422. Maybe process 424 Friday evening Race 424 Sat. EF1 on Sunday? If you only allow the event that is coming up the next day to practice the evening before, then there is plenty of time for practice.

Again, just my thoughts.

Thank you again for giving up so much of your time so we could race!
Gary Jr.

Doug


Though I was only there for Saturday and Sunday you did an awesome job, thank you. I made a couple of suggestions on Saturday about test flying and you ran with it.

I would stay with no test flying in the morning it helps get things going at start time. As far as lunch only special situations that must be approved by you such as primary that got damaged in the previous round that pilots want to continue to fly. Or maybe the possibility of a couple of demonstration flights and practice by the team for the world championships.

Finally and of course this is weather permiting more rounds for 424 and EF-1 as this are base to grow for 426 and Q40. We need to show them the same effort that 426 and Q40 gets.

I would love to see 1 more day add but agree that it is difficult and costly. That being said if you moved it to the last week in June you would save me a week of planable vacation as the plant is shut down that week.


Thank you again for what you did this year and what is to come. On another note I would like to apologize again for my behavior in round 1

With a single matrix and the amount of entries would it be possible to throw out your lowest score?

Agree with others Doug thanks for the awesome job well done!

Mike I have been asking and thinking about this for years. After talking with Holik this past week he brought up a very good point. With the scoring systems as is, if we each throw away a score the ties would become overwhelming. The only way around this is to go to a time = score like they do in FAI. I would love to see the US move towards a F3T/Q event structure.

Mike:

Any change to scoring such as you propose would need a rule change. AMA is getting strict about enforcing rules as written at the Nats. And Jr makes a great point. We already have a lot of ties, even after 8 rounds, and with nobody clean! Dropping a low score would add more ties.

Chuck

Thanks for all the feedback. I received a good amount of constructive ideas and suggestions from emails, calls, and a few on this thread. Most of the suggestions are small additions to what we already do and can be incorporated easily and I appreciate the small details.

Thanks again for your input.. and I look forward to seeing you at the Champ Race!!

Doug K