Originally Posted by
BHolsten
One experience I will share from 2009, first contest of the season. There are two of us in FAI/F3A, one a Team pilot for Futaba and me not a team pilot, but not without sponsors. I had been practicing most of the winter and spring with a new plane. The Team guy flew the schedule for the first time on Friday before the contest and showed up on Saturday. He flew first and should have no doubt zerored three manuevors for executing several 3/4 rolls for 3 of 4 point rolls, etc. I flew next and our general scores were about the same, but I got the three zero's instead. I asked the judges why and they said..., get this; they figured so- and so- flew it correctly and didn't question the manuevor. A half a dozen other pilots saw the samething and it came up after the round was over, was I pissed.....No, very disappointed with the Halo treatment! I went over and told my pattern friend/competitior about the mistakes in a very nice way, didn't have to.
It's a great hobby and a great sport...dang it..., anyone seen my Team shirt anywhere?
When I was much more active with Judging matters, this was always on top of my list. Judging, just like flying, must be practiced. Unfortunately there is usually only so much Judging practice possible during the year, and the first contest of the year, by definition, gives the least amount of practice.
The general Judging requirements (found in the Judging section of the website) can't be gone over enough in my opinion. We do pay them some lip service in the Judging classes but how much of that sticks? Well, by Bill's viewpoint, not much... and a real shame, particulary since so many of us have put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to do justice to Judging.
Jim, apologies for diverting your thread a bit. Flying Pattern events and Judging Pattern events have always been Siamese twins. Always will be. And both require practice...