World View
The subject of US competition rule conformity to the world standard comes up every year in suggestions from the pilots and at committee meetings. The standard in this case refers to the set of rules governing the semi-annual world gliding championships (WGC).
Predictably, this matter has as many proponents for the one-world view as it has detractors, so it is probably the case that there is no “right” amount of agreement that is best for US interests.
Just as some California fads eventually catch on across the country, it can be argued that we Yanks have been leading the charge for the rest of the world in many scientific, cultural and economic areas. The parallel thinking in contest rules is that we should show the way to new and better ideas rather than herding along. Proponents of this view hold that rules should reflect what is best for the great majority of contest fliers rather than the six or so that fly in WGCs every two years.
Contrary to this independent notion is the belief that WGC rules do a better job of controlling contests because they have evolved over a longer period and have not run amok with reinventions of failed ideas that seemed good at the time. Stability is seen as more important than innovation. Others worry that any disparity between the two sets of rules will hamper US team pilots ability to compete.
Some specific areas where US rules differ from those of the WGC are: 5000 foot start gate, GPS start scheme, 9 lb. wing loading (Standard class), all-encompassing Sports class, prohibition of remote thermal detectors, PST and MAT, in-flight task changes, span measurement and scoring. Some of these were incorporated because of the unique character of US soaring, such as the “run-what-ya-brung” Sports class. We don’t have a vast fleet of club-owned medium performance gliders so we’ve adopted a setup where anyone that wants to race can do so.
Our GPS start was adopted because it is easier to use and doesn’t require sophisticated gadgetry, the no-remote thermal detector ban to control costs and keep judgement in the equation, the PST and MAT to increase completion rates, use more of the soaring day, and measure individual ability, and 9 lb. limit for safety and towing economy.
As long as the rule-making process in the US reflects the character of this countries’ population in general, we will probably lean toward the side of innovation and leadership, hoping to convince the more conservative IGC to adopt new concepts where they will work.
Karl Striedieck