posted on September 11, 2009 00:21
There are many subjective aspects of judging in scale aerobatic competition as we all know. The roundness of a loop, the estimation of degrees of track or rotation, and trying to remember if the radius in was the same as the radius out are all examples of situations where a judge has to use their own perception of the event to determine a score.
In this sport, we currently have two “good neighbor” rules that require a judge to use their perception and best judgment in assigning a score to the pilot – sound and airspace control score. We call these “good neighbor” rules because they are used primarily to reduce the impact of the sport on the environment and have little to do with how well a pilot actually performs a given figure.
Some might argue that these have no place on the score card since they do not actually reflect how well (or poorly) a pilot performed…and they would be correct. Unfortunately, history has shown that the only consistent method of getting competitors to follow such “good neighbor” rules is to have them impact the score. Since we are unlikely to see these rules fundamentally change in the near future, it is important that we, as pilots and especially as judges, take a serious look at how to develop at a consistent approach in arriving at an appropriate score.
Kurtis Waites is very experienced at making judgment calls in real-time in his role of a professional baseball umpire. He has outlined his method of consistently determining ACS and sound scores below and it may work for you as well. At the very least, his method will give you a starting point at arriving at your own approach. Remember that whatever your process, it just has to be applied consistently to all pilots in a round to arrive at a fair comparative score. It is not important that your scores match your fellow judge’s score as his perception is different than yours.
Remember also than, unlike other figure scores, sound and ACS do not start with perfect scores to be downgraded as infractions are noted. This is a very important concept! Sound and ACS are scores given to a pilot based exclusively upon your judgment and concept of loudness and footprint control. Also, the more simple your method, the more consistent you will be in its application.
Remember these two rules are in place for one purpose…to protect the sport and our flying fields from complaints of noise and over flight…but rules can only go so far in this regard. It is up to each of us to be willing to accept responsibility and to fly AND judge with the spirit of these rules in mind. Are these rules perfect?…not hardly but they are simple, straightforward concepts that can be used at any field and at any competition.
| To score ASC. and Sound - Kurtis Waites The best way I have found to score ASC and Sound, and to be very consistent to each flight and pilot has come to be a simple method. Hope this helps some to understand more of how to score these areas of policing to be more neighbor friendly. ASC
First off most judges try to compare this score to a figure score, starting with a 10 and deduct for deviations. Well that approach just does not work with these types of scoring. What I have found in judging these areas, is each pilot automatically starts with a 5. With a 5 being the middle ground, it is fair to say this would be the average or the acceptable flight. Now as the sequence is flown and at the conclusion of the sequence, I quickly go to mind to note how the pilot demonstrated the control of the airspace. Not to the fact of flying right on the dead line as some think, but more on the thought of the awareness of the size of the figures. Did the pilot fly unnecessary long lines between figures, long vertical lines not needed for elements, did the pilot keep the sequence relatively condensed. Then I adjust my score accordingly. If nothing really comes to mind, then I stay with the 5. If however it comes to mind that the pilot did show some awareness, flew fairly short lines between figures, but maybe could be shorter. At this point I adjust my score maybe to a 6 or 7. Of course this score goes up the better the pilot shows airspace control. Now on the other hand if a pilot flies excessive long lines or unnecessary large figures, maybe total sequences larger than it needs to be, then I go down with the score to maybe a 4 or 3. If the pilot flies extremely long lines and large figures then I may give a 2. If it gets to where I can’t even see the airplane at times I may even give a 1. This method of scoring has been the only way that I have found to be the most consistent and fair without comparing each pilot’s flight to each other, which I could not do in large classes. But this method I share with you will, with practice, be the most consistent way to score ASC because each pilot will always start as an acceptable airspace flight. Now it is up to the pilot to demonstrate a better than average, or worse than average, ASC for a different score. Sound
I use the same method as stated above to score sound also. Each pilot starts with a 5 before the airplane even starts up. At the completion of the sequence, I recognize if this airplane was very quiet. Then I adjust the score to a 10. If I recognize it to be too loud I then give a 0. Now if nothing of the two come to mind, then the 5 is given. Each pilot has to earn either score other than a 5. If I have to think, was it too loud, then it was. If I have to think, was it very quiet, then it wasn’t. I have found that if I think of everything to begin with is acceptable at first, and then the boundaries either way are easier to recognize. Hope this approach of these scores can help everybody have a more consistent means of scoring each component. |