Previous articles in this series

I have now written extensively of some (not all) of the problems that I have with the USHPA Competition Workgroup's Working Draft of the Competition Manual and Rulebook. The problems are so extensive that I suggest throwing out the bathwater (and the baby) and starting over again.

I wish to thank those who have done their best to make changes that they feel are necessary to improve our competition system. I am certainly not against improvements. I have offered my critique, now it is incumbent on me to provide a solution to the problems that they are addressing.

First interim fixes.

Goal: Encourage more pilots to come to competitions. Interim (for 2009) fix: Give all the USHPA sanctioned competition 600 NTSS points. The EC can do this. Doesn't require any funds. Increases the perceived value of each competition. Is not a "total" fix, but useful and easy to do.

Goal: Encourage pilots to fly at Big Spring as well as provide for a foot launch mountain nationals to encourage pilots to attend a USHPA sanctioned meet at King Mountain: Name the meets the 2009 King Mountain Nationals and the 2009 Big Spring Flatland Nationals.

Goal: Make the US National Champion more likely to be the actual best respected pilot and thereby enhance the prestige of all the USHPA sanctioned competitions. Make the 2009 National Champion the person with the highest total NTSS points in 2009 at their best scoring two USHPA sanctioned meets.

Goal: Encourage more meet organizers to run more competitions to bring in more pilots into competitions. Interim (for 2010) fix: I will volunteer to divide up the existing USHPA Competition Rulebook into separate manuals, one focused on just the competition rules for pilots and meet directors (including sample local rules), one focused on competition organizers, and one focused on NTSS, plus other manuals as needed. I volunteer to do this as a part of an expanded Competition Workgroup.

In fact, I have already done this and sent these new documents to Mike Haley and Lisa Tate. One thing I prefer about making visible changes (using Microsoft Word with Tracking Changes turned on) to existing documents is that you can see right away exactly what is changing. No slipping in unnoticed little changes that turn out to be not that little.

Goal: Increase the support for and increase the value of the product coming out of the Competition Workgroup. Expand the Competition Workgroup to include me, Jeff O'Brien, and Jeff Shapiro as well as any other competition hang glider (and paraglider) pilot that wishes to contribute. Instead of (or in addition to) using conference calls use a forum or e-mails. A forum open to view (not contribution) by all USHPA members (transparency). Let more pilots participate and let more members see what is going on. Jeff O'Brien quit the Workgroup because he couldn't be around for the conference calls because he was flying at meets.

Goal: Get our goals clarified and agreed to. Put the Working Draft on hold but release it for viewing, critique, etc.

After these interim measures, which can be taken within the next six weeks, I suggest, that the newly constituted Competition Workgroup:

First, start by detailing what problems you are trying to solve. Really work on these until they are completely clear and well defined.

Second, brainstorm all the possible types of solutions. For example, I see that the Workgroup has jumped right into adjusting the NTSS system, but I can't tell from the changes made exactly what problem is being addressed here.

Third, look at the possible resources available to solve the problems. Is more money available? How could it be used? How could the USHPA support competition?

Fourth, look at the benefit and cost of each and every change. Who pays? How can we encourage change, and not just mandate change? Can we offset the pain of change, with incentives and rewards?

In the previous articles, I have identified many small individual problems with the Working Draft, and the Workgroup may be tempted to just throw in a few fixes (or ignore me altogether, which is more likely), but I would caution that a whole new approach is actually called for.

With a new structure and a new process I believe that the Competition Workgroup can produce a much better product (taking quite a bit from what they have already produced) and that it can be ready in time, and fully vetted, before the next USHPA BOD meeting in the Fall of 2009, where changes to the Rulebook can then be made.