RULE MAKING

11/97 SSA Rules Committee Meeting

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To : Interested parties

Date : November 17, 1997

From : SSA Rules Committee

Subject : Results of Committee meeting in Houston November 8-9.

The Rules Committee (Good, Nixon, Sorenson, Striedieck, Walters) met in Houston the weekend of November 8-9 to discuss and recommend additions and modifications to the competition rules. In addition to the subjects already identified by the committee, over 30 suggestions from pilots and organizers were considered. These changes will be put before the SSA Board of Directors for their approval at the Portland convention.

Late entry surcharge: This was raised to $100 for nationals and $50 for regionals because of the ineffectiveness of the old rates.

Practice day tow fees covered by entry fee: Nationals:official practice days. Regionals: None.

Sports Class: For regionals, handicaps will be adjusted down for ships with a handicap of less than 1.0. The amount will be 15% of amount the ship is presently below 1.0. The intent is to improve the chances of older gliders.

Flight recorders:Pending the results of the special Open class poll (due early in December), indications are that Open class pilots want flight recorders specfied as the primary means of flight documentation for 1998. Thus the Rules committee is drafting rules for gps-controlled starts. These start rules will include a procedures to eliminate high speed dives. The committee voted to recommend that this method of flight documentation become mandatory for all three FAI classes in 1999.

A bonus for landing at airports or approved landing sites will be recommended for 1998.

The PST scoring will be modified so that devaluation begins when landouts exceed 10%. Contestants who finish more than 15 minutes under the min time will count for this devaluation as well.

Team selection: Team members will be able to use their placing at the Worlds for the A, B or C years in the selection formula.

World Class Rules: The US will use the US FAI competition rules with a minimum task distance of 40 miles.

Safety: The registration form will have a place where pilots can indicate their contest and off-field landing experience so that effective mentoring can be offered.

These, and other minor changes, are recommendations and will not implemented until Board of Directors approval.

Karl Striedieck, Chair
SSA Contest Board Rules Committee