Dear rtw committee 2015

[fsxar177]

Good-day,

Now that Christmas is upon us, we'll soon be looking at the new-year, and just around the corner, RTW '15.... Time that I compile some thoughts, looking forward to this great event!

I hope to get response and feedback from all interested participants.

Dear RTW Race Committee, Mike MacKuen, Rob Ibey, and Ed Keller;

Let's make 2015 the greatest race yet. Let the strategic implementations and thoughts of the committee be those that would form a competitive, and jolly race for all!!

1.) Please, eliminate the bonus bank! Penalties are ok. But we don't need to earn extra credit, or bonus time. Let's race.. winner takes all.

2.) Please, let's not require so many airport's, that each team virtually flies the same course! There's an entire world out there.. let's allow for planning and strategy..after all, it's what made the race great in the first-place. Last years teams virtually flew a pre-marked course.

3.) Please, allow LONGER LEGS. 750nm just isn't anything. Fuel strategy, and aircraft type rarely seem to influence the legs flown. This race might be so much more interesting if we could stretch that mustang out 1,000nm, or dare to cross the seas in large single-hops.

Also, please consider consolidating, and eliminating un-needed rubbish in the rulebook(s). I'm offering my assistance, if needed. The current rules are daunting at best, and confusing to any new-comer. The race should welcome the new-pilot, not scare them away. Frankly, we're loosing pilots... We need to change the tide, and bring in fresh blood. All the teams do! Let's get this back to the basics, the ABC's, and the RACING.

Pressing forward in confidence!
C'mon Mike, Rob, Ed.. Let's give the sim-world a race to remember!

- Joseph

 

[Spookster67]

Good-day,

Now that Christmas is upon us, we'll soon be looking at the new-year, and just around the corner, RTW '15.... Time that I compile some thoughts, looking forward to this great event!

I hope to get response and feedback from all interested participants.

Hi Joseph. OK, here's my response on your points.

1.) Please, eliminate the bonus bank! Penalties are ok. But we don't need to earn extra credit, or bonus time. Let's race.. winner takes all.

Do you mean eliminate the bonus bank, or eliminate bonusses? The bank is a good way to store penalty and bonus minutes (rather than requiring the team to stop at an airport and wait until their bonus period time is over, as used to happen). And if we're going to have the bank, then why not use it for bonus as well as penalty minutes? I would agree that we don't need to have lots of ways of earning bonus minutes, but the team flights are great, as they encourage more pilots to be online at once, and work together as a team. Team flights are also a great way for rookies to get involved, if they're nervous about jumping straight in with the baton or wingman flights.

2.) Please, let's not require so many airport's, that each team virtually flies the same course! There's an entire world out there.. let's allow for planning and strategy..after all, it's what made the race great in the first-place. Last years teams virtually flew a pre-marked course.

I don't think the number of required airports is determining whether teams fly common routes. The rules have been broadly similar for several years now, and while the teams' routes were quite similar in 2009 and 2013, look at the tremendous diversity of routes in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
http://www.fsrtwrace.com/racehistory.php

In the end, if there is a set of rules that has one best "solution", then given enough time all the teams will find it, and fly it. I'm sure the Committee tries to plan the rules so that there are several reasonably equal "solutions", since that would then increase the chances of different routes being flown. It's difficult though, as of course the Committee has limited time and resource to test out the various options that it thinks are viable, given a certain set of rules.

Ultimately, I don't mind if three teams end up flying a similar route, as that just makes it even more exciting, especially if teams are landing and departing the same airports at the same time and can almost "see" each other.

3.) Please, allow LONGER LEGS. 750nm just isn't anything. Fuel strategy, and aircraft type rarely seem to influence the legs flown. This race might be so much more interesting if we could stretch that mustang out 1,000nm, or dare to cross the seas in large single-hops.

But with wildcard and jet legs in recent years, there have been opportunities for longer legs. I think the current 2-hour per leg pattern works well, since it keeps a good frequency of pilot changeovers, and the 750nm leg limit for fast warbirds is consistent with that.

Also, please consider consolidating, and eliminating un-needed rubbish in the rulebook(s). I'm offering my assistance, if needed. The current rules are daunting at best, and confusing to any new-comer. The race should welcome the new-pilot, not scare them away. Frankly, we're loosing pilots... We need to change the tide, and bring in fresh blood. All the teams do! Let's get this back to the basics, the ABC's, and the RACING.

I agree with you that we need to make the rules simple enough for rookies, but complex enough that there are still challenges to solve for the experienced participants. It would also be good if all the mandatory rules appear only in the Rules document, and that the FAQs and Guidance documents are only that - guidance. Of course it needs a lot of thought and effort to perfect the documentation, and the Committee generally does a great job.

 

[Dangerousdave26]

One of the things you have to realize about rules is they are there because somebody did it.

Forcing a rule to be made to address it.

List every one you think can be eliminated in this thread and we can probably list what the results would be.

I am serious start losing them. It will be an eye opening experiences.

Btw some of the things you suggested I suggested last year.

 

[fsxar177]

Good replies fellas. Thank-you!

Most of what I might refer to in the rules, would be more or less the special requirements from each year, which require such attention to detail. (ref. the B-2 situation last year)

The Sabre flights were good..

Last year we had some 4 different documents of rules and such, over 60 pages! What I'm saying, is that this should be condensed to a format that would be more palatable to those who have not yet participated.

- Joseph