John Lorbiecki









 
Is it time for a Change ?

After reading the last few SENs I decided I needed to reply and express my feeling about how I am feeling now that the finals are over.  I think I am the perfect example of why we are losing interest in this hobby.

 

Most of you know I went to Croatia last year with the US team in support of them. I went there to be a part of the team, to help them any way I could, and to see what a world championship was like being there first hand.  I must admit being there and seeing what it was all about totally motivated me to try and make the team next time around so I too could be part of this World competition.

 

When I came home I decided that I was going to enter the finals and actually try and make the team.  I had not entered the finals the past few times and was excited to try it again. When I came home I won two contests and that started my motivation to really give it my all to make the team.  I went to all of the contest I could, purchased two new models, practiced nearly twice a week for 2 months leading up to it at a local field, got the help of one of the best competitors in this sport, all in hopes of making the team.  I was giving it my all as anyone would leading up to the finals.

 

When the finals came I would have to say I was as prepared as I’ve ever been. One unexplained mechanical problem later, I was out of the contest.  All that work, months and months of preparation, money spent trying to be prepared, just to have something go wrong on one flight to take all that hope and excitement of making the team away from me.  It has left me with the feeling of what else is there to do now? I am not one that is chasing the America Cup, my goal was to make the team.  With the way the finals are now with a one contest, one weekend format,  it is tough to find that motivation to do it all over again. No matter how hard people try to get prepared all it takes is one minor problem or a bad flight and you’re gone. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done leading up to this contest all that matters is what you do at this one contest over this one weekend in those specific conditions. This just doesn’t seem to be right to not only me but for many others that I’m sure feel the same way as I do but don’t speak up about it because this is how we pick our teams, this is what we are all used to.  The current  rules clearly state it’s supposed to be this way so we must live with it. But aren’t rules are made to be changed if they improve the sport and improve participation and aren’t we the ones that decide on the rules?

 

With all that has been said in the recent SEN I felt it necessary to express myself on how I see this affecting me and possibly others.  This is a sport that is slowly going away from lack of interest for whatever reason. I am the perfect example of possibly why we are losing people. For years now we have been doing the same thing over and over again and no one is willing to step up and say, hey it’s time for a change isn’t it? Those people that do step up and say something are always looked at as poor losers and not looked at for actually trying to help make a change that would benefit us all.  Finally someone that has made the team has spoken up and has said we need to make a change. If we are to keep people coming back year after year, we have to make and effort to make it more motivating than having the finals once every two years the way we have it now. I’m not saying the multi contest program is the only way, I’m saying we just need to change it somehow to keep people interested. I personally vote for a change. I think a multi contest program could possibly help keep this program from slowly declining as it has over the past several years, but maybe a multi contest program isn’t the way to do it as so many people are against this method of picking our teams. But is it interest we’re trying to preserve or how we pick our teams?  

 

However the method, we need to develop a new program that keeps people coming back, keeps their interest up and allows us to pick a team based on performance over a period of time and conditions, not just over one weekend and the conditions that are present at that time. ( On a side note where was the last World Championship held that had 100 degree+ temperatures with no wind,  like we had at our finals? Shouldn’t we be picking a team based on flying in adverse conditions over a period of time to better prepare them for what many of the World Championships have?) I think it’s time to listen to what Jim is saying and what others are saying, it’s time to make a change because if we don’t one day, in the very near future it may come down to, who wants to go?

 

One last point, regardless if people are for or against a new program, the bottom line is we are facing an increasing growing problem with the organization of the finals.  We are running out of people willing to do it.  Jim and his team did a great job this time but I don’t see anyone lining up to do it the next time around.  Who’s going to want to take on this responsibility year after year and take on all the grief that goes along with it? I feel this is our most critical problem we have going forward, who’s going to run it next time or the time after that?  Any volunteers? 

 

I hope people speak up and express their feelings so we can all collectively make a change that will benefit us all moving forward.

 

Marty Schroedter

 

 What should we be focussing our efforts on?

 

I would appreciate if you can add the comments below:

 

Fellow flyers,

I’m writing per Michael Achterberg’s request for additional FF flyers to voice their opinion.

Jim Parker wrote a brilliant piece at SEN 1457 describing a proposed structure for the US team selection finals in which he described multiple structures and their benefits. I am a F1A flyer that is not a real contender for the team so I allow myself to voice my opinion as objectively as possible. The sad reality of our sport in the U.S. is that:

1.    The number of FF flyers is shrinking over time

2.    The costs of participating in the sport is increasing over time

3.    The complexity and time dedication required to stay in line with the technological developments increases over time

4.    FF flyers are located in different parts of the U.S. making traveling to contests a time consuming and expensive exercise  

While Jim’s comments are valid, there will always be a portion of our community that will feel disgruntled about a new structure. I believe that the current format mimics the WC structure well enough and provides a reasonable opportunity for flyers to demonstrate their consistency. The fact that in the last two finals there wasn’t a flyoff in F1A might demonstrate that all the suggestions for better structures are irrelevant if we can’t produce a team that maxes out.

While it is unfortunate, our sport is destined to be dominated by the core 15+ serious flyers that have the resources to acquire new models and have the time and travel budget to compete. This core group, by definition, is not lacking motivation and is probably most suitable to represent the US in the WC.   

My point is that we are focusing our energy on the wrong problem, instead of changing the rules of the game we need to focus on cultivating young new players that can join the game. As very soon, within 5-10 years, there will be only 9 contenders on the field in Lost Hills.   

Ranan Lachman (an F1A flyer and father to a 3 years old aspired FF flyer)

    

Bike Specialist

 
Hi Roger,
Saw the ads for "bikes for sale" in the newsletter.
Thought it will be  a good service to plug in for someone who may/can  help.
A friend of mine, Brian Kramer,  is a collector, fixer, re builder and 
seller of the mini Hondas.
A real specialist.
He may want to buy your bikes.
his contact:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it._ (mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) 
You guys make the contact.
good luck.
thermals
Arik Donde

 

 

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Roger Morrell