ORIGINAL: J_R
Abel
It is in violation of the safety rules to fly an aircraft that has not been test flown in competition. The contestant must sign a statement to the effect that he has test flown the aircraft. If the CD is present, he must enforce the safety rules, because a sanction is in force. If he is not there, the sanction is not in force and the contestant is breaking no rule.
The turbine guys are of the opinion that several sets of eyes are more effective than two when spotting errors in construction, etc. and that it is safer to do a maiden when many turbine waiver holders are present. That is a situation that is often hard to duplicate outside of a jet event. There aren't a lot of wiaver holders and some see no other waiver holders except at events.
What is in the best interest of safety? Doing a maiden at event seems to be the conventional wisdom.
I think Carl's suggestion was simply a way to promote the safe operation of turbines at events, without breaking rules.
Just my opinion.
So the AMA safety rules prohibit people from operating in the safest way they know how, and instead of changing/waiving the safety rules to promote safe operation, AMA says get the CD (their agent) out of the way so the safety rules (their rules) that apply during a sanctioned event (their sanction) don't have to be enforced. Interesting; a different kind of reasoning than the logic I am accustomed to. I am gaining a better understanding of why some CDs have a bit of difficulty in interpreting the policies they are expected to apply.
Aabel