The NFFS National Cup - Article From the 2001 Symposium

The beginnings.
The idea for the NFFS National Cup (NC) had its beginnings in several trips to the MAX MEN International Contests at Lost Hills, and particularly as a result of the chance to attend the Awards Banquets following each contest. Although I had enjoyed many America's Cup Events elsewhere and attended numerous major FAI competitions, it became clear at the MAX MEN that the sustenance of current FAI flying in the United States was tied in many ways to the annual February America's Cup goings on at Lost Hills.(1) The enjoyment of flying and the strong sense of purpose witnessed among the diverse group of competitors had important meaning. Little wonder then that the idea of trying to emulate and capture the successes of the America's Cup for AMA and Nostalgia free flight sprang out of those MAX MEN experiences.

On September 22, 1999 a proposal for the 2000 National Cup, including a draft version of Rules modified from the America's Cup Rules, was sent to Robert Stalick, NFFS President, resulting in an early favorable response. At that time, great care was taken to inform the SCAT group about the proposal. Their blessings and support came quickly, with much appreciated suggestions provided by Roger Morrell. The NFFS Board of Directors, then composed of Hardy Brodersen, Louis Joyner, Jim O'Reilley and Len Sherman, and subsequently new Directors Rex Hinson and Robert Hanford, provided careful review of the overall NC concept and Rules. The NC Program was approved in late November, 1999 and the pressure was on for implementation in 2000. The first phase was accomplished in a seamless manner, in part because of the advance-notice schedule of AMA and Nostalgia contests published in the Model Aviation Magazine Contest Calendar. In addition, contest schedules for 2000 soon became available from several newsletters. Other necessary information was obtained from saved 1999 contest fliers. The schedule of 64 NC contests was assembled quickly with the remarkable cooperation of the Contest Directors and sponsoring Clubs. Forty-four of the eighty CDs and Co-CDs involved had e-mail addresses, helping communications, but extensive use of snail mail was required and remains necessary.

The America's Cup model and the NC concept. The following keys to the success of the America's Cup, as practiced by SCAT, were adopted by the NC:

· A set of good rules.
· A system for communicating scores (NFFS Web page and Digest for the NC).
· An "anchor" contest and Awards tradition (NFFS USOC-NATS Banquet).
· Minimal administrative costs.
· Good will.

Using the above as guidelines, the NC was developed as a national and even international AMA and Nostalgia-type free flight competition on the North American continent. The rudiments were already in place in the form of hundreds of annual local and regional contests. The rewards envisioned for participants were added enjoyment of flying, heightened spirit of competition, and personal recognition in a year-long schedule tied together with the common thread of the NC. It was hoped that the NC would also help reverse the downward trend of participation in AMA Events, and to some extent in Nostalgia.

The NC Rules. The Rules were devised to accurately reflect and support the AMA Competition Regulations and NFFS Nostalgia Rules as written. Therefore, the NC Rules did not accommodate any "deviations" from the standard AMA and Nostalgia Rules, such as "combined Events," used at contests in response to the problem of too few fliers for too many Official Events. Thus, only individual events were approved for the NC, an approach that allowed straightforward scoring of Cup points. The prerogative to schedule combined Events remained with the CD and contest sponsor but no NC points were allowed. Although this "purist" position taken by the NC provoked some difficult decisions for CDs, almost all felt it was reasonable. In that regard, the answer to the ongoing problem in free flight of too few fliers and too many Events resulting in combined Events should not be band-aide fixes applied by the Rules of extra-regulatory programs, such as the NC. The logical solutions can only be provided by revisions of the AMA and Nostalgia Rules. The message might be, "Change the overall AMA and Nostalgia Rules as needed and the NC program will comply accordingly." (2)

For administrative support, a NC Committee was established to conduct the annual competition. The members included myself as Chair and Administrator, and one member from each NFFS District approved by the respective Vice Presidents. The members are Robert Beecroft, Charles Caton, Robert Johannes and Robert Sifleet

The NC Categories and points system. Four National Cup Categories were established for 2000, one each for AMA Power, Rubber and Glider, and one for Nostalgia. In the four Cup Categories, the major AMA and NFFS Rule book Events were approved for NC Contests (Table 1). Only individual Events were qualified for awarding points, avoiding the complexities of scoring the variations of combined Events scheduled at many contests. NC points in the respective Events were awarded at the rate of 25 points for first places, 20 points for second places, et cetera. To qualify for points, the winners of first through fifth places were required to make at least three official flights. A graduated scale for bonus points awarded to winners of first through fifth places was dependent on total entries in the Events that made three flights (Table 2.). To encourage at least modest travel in the pursuit of NC points (a'la the America's Cup), a total of the six highest scores in an Event during the year were allowed but with a maximum of three scores in the respective Event from any one flying site. The Champions of the Cup Categories are awarded the perpetual National Cup trophies at the Annual NFFS Banquet, each July-August (Figure 1).

The NC age-group issue. To establish appropriate age groups for the 2000 NC Competition, all available 1999 AMA and Nostalgia contest fliers were reviewed. The data indicated that by far the most common age grouping in all Events was Senior-Open combined, and next was Junior-Senior-Open combined, but the latter usually experienced very low Junior participation. Thus, Senior-Open combined was selected as the principal age group for NC scoring, with the caveat that Senior and Open fliers could also acquire points in individual Senior or Open Events, or Junior-Senior-Open combined age group Events. Placings of Juniors in Junior-Senior-Open Events were honored in scoring lists but no points were awarded.

As implied above, the 2000 NC Rules resulted in a few unresolved issues. In particular, a Junior Cup Category proposed initially was put on temporary hold. This occurred due to uncertainty about sufficient numbers of Juniors to justify a national program without additional study. There were also significant questions about overall fair scoring of points because of the complex patterns of mixed age groups and combined events in AMA and Nostalgia at nearly every contest. Nonetheless, promotion of Junior development remained one of the most important responsibilities of the NFFS. After a survey of the NC Contest Directors and careful reconsideration by the NFFS Board of Directors, a Junior Cup Category was approved for 2001 (Table 1).

The 2000 NC Competition. The 2000 NC contest year progressed almost without flaw. Contest Reports were received from CDs generally on time. The placings of participants in Events and their NC points scores were maintained on Excel 97 worksheets, including Master data sheets for each Event and separate Summaries of total points for each individual in the four Cup Categories. The latter provided participants a view of their scoring positions at a glance and were updated frequently for the NFFS Web page (http://freeflight.org/), SCAT EN (www.aeromodel.com/scat), and newsletters.

In each of the four Cup Categories, vigorous races developed. It was interesting to see the lead in a Category change hand with flurries of flying by different participants. Some maximized the opportunities for NC points by traveling to sites other than their "home" field. Several persisted at or near the lead in a Category throughout the year, largely by flying well in most of the Events. Others flew well, took early leads but perhaps traveled less. Some competitors accumulated large point totals by flying often in only one or two Events and then saw their leads dwindle. Overall successful tactics appeared to include flying throughout the year, competing in all Events in a Cup Category, and particularly flying at two or more sites. The 2000 Cup Category Champions and the winners of second through fifth places were from diverse locations (Figure 2 and Table 3). In the 16 individual Events within the four Cup Categories, the winners of first through fifth places were also from all regions of the country (Table 4).

Participation. Fliers who entered any of the 64 NC contests automatically participated in the Competition. Their NC points scores in various Events soon appeared on the Web and in print. As the year evolved it became clear that competitors took note of the scoring patterns, began flying in more Events and tended to always complete three flights in an Event in order to qualify for NC points.
Travel to distant contests also increased as the search for points became more deliberate.

The exact number (probably >1,000) of participants in the 2000 NC is unknown to the extent that data were tracked only on entries that placed fifth or higher in an Event and were awarded five or more NC points. A few winners made less than three official flights and received zero points. A total of 691 entrants placed fifth or higher in Events in the four Cup Categories, as follows: AMA Power, 157; AMA Rubber, 216; AMA Glider, 181; and NFFS Nostalgia, 137 (see Table 5). The 691 fliers made a total of 6,555 official flights, plus a minimum estimate of 546 additional fly-off flights in the course of their 2,185 entries in the 16 NC Events. Many others entered NC contests but failed to win a fifth place or higher and were not included in the overall counts.

Contest Agendas. Contest agendas were obtained for the 64 NC Competitions, providing details of arrangements for Events and age groups. The variations used by CDs ranged from all individual Events and individual Junior, Senior and Open age groups to nearly all of the possible combinations of Events and age groups. This phenomenon apparently reflects decisions made by local CDs and contest sponsors in response to the number of contestants expected, their ages and flying interests, and was also probably based on previous years experiences. The perspectives to be gained from this scenario can be conflicting, depending on viewpoints. For example:

· Current contest agendas represent practical responses to supply and demand of contestants.
· AMA and NFFS Regulations and Rules are followed too loosely in scheduling Events and age groups.
· There are too many AMA and NFFS Events and too few fliers.
· To promote more consistent agendas for Events and age groups, the AMA and NFFS Rules should be modified.
· The lack of individual Junior Events in contests represents the reality of the available contestant pool.
· The lack of individual Junior Events in contests represents an overall failure to promote model aviation at the youth level.

Future Changes. The NC Committee was pleased to receive suggestions and proposals for revisions, additions and deletions. A few comments were received regarding the scoring scheme. Some would award a larger scale of points to winners of Events with large entries and vice versa. The current scoring formula is balanced to support both large and small contests, and ultimately may result in increased attendance at smaller competitions. One competitor recommended including a Nostalgia Ignition Event. Another proposal strongly advocated adding some type of towline glider Event. The possibility of incorporating a new "unlimited" towline glider Event in the NC Glider Cup Category, developed to qualify for supplemental or provisional AMA Rules, has merit. (2) It is clear, however, that any NC towline Event should be distinct from the America's Cup F1A and F1H events.

Summary. The 2000 NC was a natural. The AMA and Nostalgia contest scene was ready for such a program, thanks to the fliers and the CDs who made it all possible.

When you think of competing in future National Cup Competitions, remember that two of the four 2000 Cup Category Championships were decided at the final contest of the year. Join the fun on the field !

Acknowledgements. I thank Bob Stalick, NFFS President, the Directors and the NC Committee members for their contributions and unfailing support of the National Cup.

References:
1. Hotard, A: The America's Cup-A History. NFFS Symposium Report 2000; 35-38. Jensen, B. (Ed).

2. Perkins, B: Millennium Free Flight Rules for AMA. NFFS Symposium Report 2000; 47-51. Jensen, B. (Ed).

Bob Perkins
2285 Pinebrook Road
Columbus, Ohio 43220
614 451-3558
rperkin1@columbus.rr.com