Pylon-RCU

Here in Washington, We are about to start our winter season. It will be APRA only. What we are going to have is two classes of APRA. One class for the regular APRA pilots and one for the fast quicky/Q-40 pilots. In the past we have had some APRA pilots gripe about expert flyers flying in the APRA class. This is why we are going to have the two classes of APRA. What I would like is that if I could get some input from other people around the country on the subject of expert flyers in APRA and if this is good or not

daven

My Feedback: (1)

If we didn't combine our "Expert" fliers with our standard fliers, we wouldn't have enough racers to hold a decent event.

We have them all fly together against each other, but seperate them out after the race.

We give out awards to 1st and 2nd expert class, and 1st and 2nd Standard class. When I flew Standard, I wanted to fly the Experts. It made it a true sense of accomplishment when I was finally able to compete.

Ed Smith

Sooner or later people have to realise that winning requires effort. Provided the equipment is the same I feel that all entries should be in the same mix. The only difference then would be flying skill. The motivated flyers would take note of this and try and improve. The whiners will just whine and not stick around anyway. Who needs them?

Ed S

PJ_TankPilot

APRA already has two classes of pilots, 9 and 10 lappers.

If you want to get good faster, you want to fly with the experts.

A4HawkPilot

My Feedback: (3)

After finishing my first race season I would like to race against the experts in the winter series but I can't because we won't have enough field workers. There are guys in the apra class that have been racing for years and years and years but they won't move up because they don't want to spend the money on the engines and airframes. It is a little pathetic to watch these morons run circles around the new guys and then talk about how good of a racer they are and I bet ya they won't race the expert apras when it comes to it. If everybody is always complaining how pylon is dead and constantly losing people then why does no one care that the new guy who is tired of getting his arse kicked by these guys leaves? Oh well, yay for pylon, keep on racing!

pdxpaul

My Feedback: (1)

As a newbie, I want to fly against the best, and take my chances at either winning or learning. Fly one class. Hire course workers.

Paul

A4HawkPilot

My Feedback: (3)

Come on paul you know as well as I do that is not possible. We go to the same races. You don't see people jumping out to be a course worker. I really don't think anyone is going to want to sit out there for 5-6 hours for a free bbq hamburger and drink. The club can't very well afford to pay people either with the kind of turnouts we get.

stand-RCU

That's a pretty strong statement about the 424/APRA racing where you are located! I would just like to tell you all how it is at our field here at Speedworld.

We have a monthly race. It varies from the 2nd Saturday to the 3rd Saturday of each month. We have just added 428 to the agenda in the last two months after doing 424 for over a year and a half.

Our contestants range from me who can fly a 2:00 to Jim Allen who can and has won the nationals at 428. I don't mind being lapped by the best. After and during racing any of these better pilots will and do offer help to me or any one else.
In our last race one of our new guys, Sam San, worked with me calling and was a great help in improving my skills. Sam could easily be my son by our age difference; he's a younger man and I have at least 30 years on him. He began racing at our field and now has passed me by in skills and knowledge.

Point is; there's no problem racing people who are better than you are! That's always going to be the case! In my case, all I can do is hope to move up a little more. If you're a young person then, listen, learn and take your whipping.
"You do not get better by running slow"

There are two classes in APRA: 9 and ten lap. If that format works for you then adapt it.

I personally have raced as a 9 lapper once and I'd rather race against the best 10 lap guys and make them wait for me to land after they lap me!

The point is I also run and bike and swim and there are guys my age that can beat me. But that doesn't take away from what I am able to do relative to myself! I improve or actually in my case, I hold on. More, I love getting out there and racing. If the pilots who easily beat me don't show up, then there's no race!

Even if you are the absolutely the best in your field some day some time someone will take you. OR THEY WILL MAKE A MISTAKE AND CUT OUT!!!!

Just my thoughts on racing against pilots who will always be better than myself.

Quite frankly, I have never met a pylon racer who was at the top of the game that was not willing to encourgage the local levels and tutor a new comer.

That's it

Stan D.

Pylon-RCU

Hey Guys thanks for the reply, I am district 2 VP and just wanted to here other voices on the subject. I will pass what was said on to the racers in my local group.

stand-RCU

I kind of missed the problem about course workers. Sorry about that. What we've been doing on the monthly races here at Speedworld is this:

We have a pylon one judge. We have a starter and a timer. We have Motorola family radios. After the race is over we call in cuts from pylon one. The first aircraft to finish is timed. After the cuts, if any, the placements are recorded. Recorded times with no cuts go to the first place in the heat. Otherwise there's no time recorded for the heat; i.e., there's only one stopwatch running. So basically your best time is only recorded if you win the heat with no cuts.

Pylons two and three are usually honor system and sometimes we all know that two or three was cut. But this is local and we all are laughing and having a great time.

When we invite others to race with us then we get serious with the judging; i.e. 4 guys at pylon one and two each on two and three, four timers with four backup etc. etc.. Cut lights and the whole works.

But for the local monthly stuff, nah. "Did you cut pylon two? Well may be.

You get my drift. At the end of the monthly race we really don't care who won over all. It's more about the heat that was really really close and competitive to the last lap. The most exciting heat of the event! This is supposed to be fun. If it's not, then maybe you ought to think about something else.


Stan D.

MDP

HI PYLON ! (MARTY)

We had a small club race here in Medford last week. I wanted to see just how few workers we could run a three pole race with...... We did it with just three workers..... No computer, & no lights...... The flagman started the sixty second clock, dropped the flag, communicated with the number one cut judge, & kept an eye on 2 & 3 poles...... We made up a hand written Matrix, and wrote it on 8x11 sheets of paper, & put it on a clip board.....I sat on a chair, on the start finish line close to the take off pad, with the clip board, and stop watch. When the flag dropped, I started the stop watch, counted ten laps, wrote down the places, & time for first place.......The number one judge called in his cuts to the flag man. It was a piece of cake. Not one coarse worker mistake was made all day. Everyone had fun, and no complaints.....By the way, we just flew APRA only........MDP

SSAN

Hey Stan,

I'm glad that I can help out. Hopefully, we can help each other improve upon and beyond...

In the past, I was also help by Lee Ulinger and Jim Allen, so for me to past on the help and knowledge, it's a great feeling. I hope everyone else would do the same for the new guys or gal.

By the way... thank you for putting on our monthly races. Without you or Jim we probably wouldn't have any race's at all.



Thanks,
Sam S.