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ACRO E-mail Archive Thread: [Acro] Re: US AWAC Team Selection

Thread: [Acro] Re: US AWAC Team Selection

Message: [Acro] Re: US AWAC Team Selection

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From: IMACRO at aol.com

Date: Sun, 04 Aug 2002 20:10:57 UTC

Message:

  Anonymous or not, your post is out of line. You are misinformed or perhaps 
uninformed. 

While it is true that Don did not qualify, it is not true that he is 
receiving any USAF or IAC funds. He is paying his own way 100%. Because the 
AWAC rules allow for a maximum of 8 pilots from each aero club and we (the 
US) has only 3 team members in attendance, anyone from the US may participate 
in the AWAC as an independent competitor until the 8 total is reached. This 
is a written rule and you can look it up if you care to. 

Since we had so few team members willing to spend the money to attend the 
AWAC this year, Don offered to represent the US. Since he is there anyway (at 
his own expense) the board of IAC agreed to allow him to represent the US as 
a team member.

By the way, our current rules allow for only 6 team members and two 
alternates. Further, the alternates must be called up to the team at least 6 
months prior to the AWAC or they are released from status. The is rule was 
conceived by myself and several of the members of the 2000 team. We had 8 
members and it was felt that 6 was more than enough. The fact is, the 
Unlimited team is just 5 members for each of the teams. That is 5 men and 5 
women. When we proposed this rule, we had not envisioned a situation where 5 
of the original 6 team members would withdraw from the team.

While I am expounding on the subject, I would like to bring up another issue 
regarding our Advanced team selection process. I believe we are the only 
country that limits an Advanced team aspirant to an AWAC legal aircraft in 
order to qualify. Last year, we had two people finish in the top 6 who could 
not be on the team because their airplanes had too much power. It seems to me 
that we are choosing the best AWAC planes rather than the best pilots. Then 
we allow them to rent what ever they can to fly the contest regardless of 
what they flew to qualify. For those of you who do not know me, I happen to 
fly a 200hp plane, so I am not lobbying for some sort of personal advantage. 
I just want to see the US put forth the best possible team.

I can also see a time when our Advanced National Champ will be flying an 
Extra 300L and will not be eligible for the team. Am I the only one who sees 
this a disgrace to our selection process? If you agree wit me, speak up and 
talk to your respective board members. We need to change this requirement for 
using an AWAC legal plane to qualify for the US Advanced team.

Bob Stark