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View Full Version : Proposals for 2014 rule changes



Francesco Pallozzi
06-18-2013, 09:38 PM
SPORTSMAN


- BOX LOWER LIMIT: decrease to 1300 ft.
Rationale: the presence of 5 categories should foresee increased skill when moving up from one category to another. For this reason, the box lower limit for Primary and Sportsman should not be the same (see also proposed rule changes for intermediate).


- INTRODUCTION OF 6 FIG. UNKNOWN SEQUENCE.
Rationale: a 6 figure unknown sequence would make the category more challenging and would allow a better preparation for the transition to intermediate. Besides, this could also help the Primary category in becoming a "real" category, if a 8 figure sequence, including an hammerhead, would be defined for Primary.


- LIMIT MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FIGURES FOR FREE PROGRAM TO 15.
Rationale: consistent rule with the Intermediate Maximum Nr of Figures for free program proposal.






INTERMEDIATE


- DECREASE BOX LOWER LIMIT TO 1000 ft.
Rationale: with a 1500 ft lower limit for Primary, if a 1300 ft is adopted for Sportsman, 1000 ft lower limit for Intermediate is the logic choice. The current delta in lower limit between Sportsman and Intermediate is 300 ft, between Intermediate and Advanced is 546 ft. The redefinition of the LWR limit to 1000 ft would give better transition delta between categories. Besides a larger box, in vertical direction, would help aircraft with less power.


- DECREASE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FIGURES FOR FREE PROGRAM TO 12.
Rationale: the current rule allows the definition of a "sportsman" sequence with a snap.
Especially in a contest with a large number of competitors, like the Nationals, watching the intermediate free programs could be quite boring.


- INCREASE THE UNKNOWN MAXIMUM "K" TO 180.
Rationale: with a free program maximum K of 190, it makes sense to have 180 as maximum K for the unknown. Besides the extra 5 K could be very helpful in defining unknown sequences.






ADVANCED


- DECREASE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FIGURES FOR FREE PROGRAM TO 10.
Rationale: if 12 is chosen as maximum number for Intermediate, considering that 9 is maximum number for unlimited, 10 seems to give the best transition between categories.




ALL CATEGORIES


INCREASE 5 POINTS PRESENTATION "K" FACTOR FOR ALL CATEGORIES.
Rationale: it seems that there's a judge tendency, as human beings, to try to reward the competitor who was able to convey a feeling of a sequence well flown, in term of "harmony" and "rhythm". The current definition of "K" factor doesn't allow this. As consequence, quite often, not "proper" application of the rules, in judging the figure as single "component" of the sequence, is adopted, in favour of rewarding the "impression" of an overall good figure.
If an higher K factor for presentation is adopted, during judges school and recurrence seminaries, the principle of judging the figure as single "component" of the sequence could be better stressed out, remarking that an higher presentation K factor allows to reward the competitor who was able to properly assemble the "single notes" in order to "play" a better tune.