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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Frank.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"> Great post Frank. I
concur and agree something should be changed to address this repeated problem. I
would hate to have a smarty resign the day that they submit their proposal
at time submission deadline is looming just to get their pet
idea through. Time to take out the secrecy of sponsorships and
political agendas. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">
del</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=RCSkyraidr@aol.com
href="mailto:RCSkyraidr@aol.com">RCSkyraidr@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, May 13, 2004 11:32
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Rules Proposals Final
Vote</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>While I read the discussion list a lot, I usually do not post here too
much. But I have noticed a lot of discussion about who knew what and
when. Most non-D-1 fliers probably are not aware that we in NSRCA D-1
took our own rule change survey of ALL D-1 active Pattern pilots. At every
contest, Ann and I searched out pilots who had not already taken the D-1
survey and got their input. In the end, EVERY pilot who flew at a 2003 contest
was polled.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I tabulated the results and sent them to Ron Lockhart and Scott Melville.
My fault, but I forgot that PA was in Mark Atwood's area and did not send the
results to him. I will not make this mistake again. Except for RCA-05-8, about
removing forced advancement, the survey was definitive. Results were
overwhelming for each proposal. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, the effect on the CB members was just mixed:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For RCA-05-5, T/o & landing, 72% of D-1 fliers were against this
change yet Scott voted for it anyway. </DIV>
<DIV>For RCA-05-7, any plane in Sportsman, 82% of D-1 fliers wanted any plane
to fly, but Ron voted against this change.</DIV>
<DIV>For RCA-05-17, bring back the snap roll, 82% of D-1 fliers wanted the two
maneuvers back in the schedule. Both Ron and Scott represented their
constituents on this one, but I wish I had sent the survey to Mark as he voted
against the restoration. His was the deciding vote and might have been
different had he known about the survey.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I am especially bothered by the fact that our own national survey closely
parallels D-1's results yet some national NSRCA board members decided to
propose changes that the members apparently did not want anyway. And the
answer that "we will get used to it" is probably not the best way to address
the members' concerns on this issue. However, NSRCA members do have a
voice here as there are elections. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We have no voice regarding AMA decisions, however. So what should we do?
Complete anarchy? It is possible since each CD sets all the rules for his own
contest and, with prior notification, can make just about any change he feels
would benefit his contest. In practice, this would be a problem if CD's change
schedules and judging criteria. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, one area I urge CD's to consider is to <STRONG><EM>ignore
RCA-05-7</EM></STRONG> and open their Sportsman class to any AMA legal
aircraft. Many CD's in D-1 have done this for years and it has helped build
attendance and gain us pilots. Off hand, I know of several active D-1 fliers
who started this way. Rick Wallace flew his Hangar 9 Cap in Sportsman his
first year and flew at several major contests. He is now Advanced D-1
champion. Current JR team member Dan Landis flew his first few contests with a
somewhat loud, .60-size "Half-Troublemaker." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Judging by the Pattern Primers we have in D-1, most of
the pilots fly their sport aerobatic planes, Venus 40's , etc.,
using sport mufflers that cannot meet the noise requirements. When they come
to their first contest, we are going to tell them they can't fly because their
plane is too loud? Get serious.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Any D-1 CD who wants to open the Sportsman class at his contest, let
me know. I will send that notification to the D-1 mailing list
and publish it in my D-1 column and that helps to meet their
notification requirements. I'll even fill out the AMA notification forms for
them and send them in if they wish. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As for survey results, CB members are free to vote as they wish. One
problem is that current board members can submit AMA rule change proposals
that run counter to the NSRCA membership wishes, but have the
appearance of coming from the NSRCA since the proposer is an official of the
SIG. This gives the proposed rule change undeserved "weight" as it looks
"official" when, in reality, it is decidedly unpopular with the SIG
members.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I wonder if the NSRCA could not devise a better system. We need to
establish a system that polls the membership for suggested rule changes,
presents the proposed rule changes for a NSRCA membership vote, and then
presents the suggested changes to the AMA CB.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Once the NSRCA membership approves a set of rule changes, <U>no
NSRCA board member can submit contradicting proposals to AMA without first
resigning from the board</U>. That way, the NSRCA speaks with one
official voice. Individual NSRCA members retain the right to submit
cross-proposals, however. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>These are some thoughts. What does the list think?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Frank Granelli</DIV>
<DIV>D-1 VP</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>