Attendees: Mike Karnes, Charles Youngblood, Samantha McKinney, Phil Vance, Brad Davy, Steve Sides, Doug Pilcher, and Michael Verzywelt.
Absent: Ron Graham and Rusty Fried
Meeting began 9:06 p.m. EST
National Judging School – Mike Karnes
Ty Lyman is now Chief Judging Instructor and he is starting to get the National Judging School lined up for 2017. The school will be held in the SC region around Dallas. The last time it was held in the SC region was in 2009. The school will be held the last weekend in January. Tarrant County College Fort Worth (by DFW Airport, 2301 Horizon Drive, Forth Worth, TX) donated 2 classrooms, includes projector screens. The classrooms has seating for 30 with personal viewing screens with the projector in the front of the classroom. The only thing needed is a thumb drive. We will also have access to the avionics lab. There is an r/c club within 25 minutes from the hotels and schools. We have approval for Sunday practicals. We need to consider possibly rent two 15-passenger vans to help transport students for the school. Each district will send 2 people. Each person interested will be reimbursed up to a certain amount for expenses, but will only be reimbursed for actual costs. In 2015, $8,000 was spent on the National Judging School and it was held in Jacksonville, Florida.
Contest Standards Drop Schedule – Mike Karnes
Mike noticed that the drop schedule needed corrected. Some believe unknowns shouldn’t be dropped. This will mainly applies to the NATS. At NATS, they fly three unknowns. In 2015, due to a total washout on one day, they had to keep both of their unknowns. The Worlds flew 4 unknowns. Mike would like to see a drop schedule for the Worlds since they have 4 unknowns. Most unknowns that will be dropped are 1. Now each contest has guidelines to go by including the NATS and the Worlds. Every situation is covered that could possibly happen. This can be changed in the score program as it pertains to each contest. The default setting for the unknowns is zero. Only thing in the score program is the Known drop schedule. Brad noticed that a statement is made with ratios of the Knowns to the Unknowns, Paragraph 13 of the current Contest Standards Guide. It is also mentioned that the dropping is at the discretion of the CD, Paragraph 11, which conflicts with Appendix A. A motion was made and the BOD agreed unanimously to remove the statement in Paragraph 11 that conflicts with Appendix A and to remove the ratios of the Knowns and Unknowns in Paragraph 13. Brad will make changes. Doug and Steve noticed that there isn’t no mention of what will happen when deviations are made from the Contest Standards Guide. It was agreed to make any additional changes when are the BOD members are present.
NATS – Mike Karnes
Mike has the event team set. Phil has gotten the shirts ordered. The banquet will be at the same place, the McCollough Center, on July 7th and the food is set. Mike will be picking up pilot packets since AMA is not open on Monday.
Website Issues – Mike Karnes
Currently, the committees are upset on storing IMAC files outside of the website. Mike had to contact the webmaster and Mike decided to add another module to the website for the committees’ storage. The cost shouldn’t exceed $300 and it is a one time charge. Currently, the old forums on the old website can only be accessed for 90 days. RDs need to copy what they need before the old forums are turned off. Each RD must copy and paste and create word/pdf documents. Mike has already completed the education committee forum. The webmaster cannot keep 2 servers going. It has created a conflict between the old and new website. The motion was made to pay the webmaster $300 to create another module for the committees to have permanent storage. Motion passed unanimously.
Regional Issues
The NC region’s schedule is getting ready to start. Brad mentioned that it would be nice for the membership and the BOD to know who is on all the committees. Mike will ask the webmaster to add this information to the website. The SC region is interested in another scoring school being held. Regions need more interested in learning the score programs. Samantha and Mike will get a date together for an evening to have the school. It was mentioned to record and possibly post on YouTube for those who cannot make it. Doug will put a thread on the website to see who is interested. Samantha has also created a scoring guide that will walk through the score program.
Mike wanted to remind all the CDs about the basic unknown. The RDs mentioned that the pilot listing that is exported on the event page is working very well. The only thing is the export is not pulling in the contact information. The NW is hosting a judging school in Calgary, Canada this weekend. There are currently 14 guys registered. The NC judging school had an attendance of 23, with 12 being first time students. The weather was exceptional for the practicals.
Meeting adjourned 10:22 p.m. EST.