Official RTWR 2007 Poll - Race Schedule

[vcaptmattsmith 3]

Hi all,As the Executive Committee begins our yearly rules revisions, we'd like to seek some input from the race community.One of the things we're looking at revising for the 2007 Race is the schedule of the race itself. We're doing this because in the past, we've seen teams get exhausted towards the end of the race, and people not able to participate as much as they'd like due to the race coinciding with weekday commitments.We're presently looking at 3 general categories of options for the schedule of this year's race.Option A:First, we could keep the schedule the same as in the previous races. This has the advantage of the race being run as one unit, which has the advantages of continuing tradition and allowing teams to preserve their momentum by running the race as a single unit. Drawbacks were noted above.Option B:Second, we could run the race on weekends only. This would likely entail running the race for 48 hours the first weekend, ending at Noon Eastern on Monday, and then resuming on Friday at Noon Eastern when the race would be run to the finish. The stop on Monday would be set up in the rules to make the stop time as little of a factor in determining the outcome of the race as possible - so that teams couldn't use the stop time to their advantage to get extra flying time. Advantages of this approach include preserving the concurrent nature of the race (that teams are all flying at the same time), keeping the race to the weekends, when most people are free to race and follow along, and minimizing the affect of the schedule change on the outcome of the race. Drawbacks include breaking with tradition and possibly putting anyone who has weekend commitments in a difficult spot.Option C:Third, we could add a mandatory break for teams of anywhere from 72-96 hours. This has the advantage of allowing teams to choose a good stopping point. One drawback to this approach is that teams wouldn't necessarily be running the race concurrently (in the case where they staggered their breaks), which I think is a big part of the race's appeal - that there are many others following, planning, and racing at the same time you are. Additionally, this approach introduces the problem of who on each team would ultimately decide when to take the break. Of course, we'd hope for a consensus decision but in the case of a dispute a mechanism would have to be devised to allow teams to arrive at a decision - this complicates things. Finally, this option, like option B, is a break with tradition.We'd certainly like to encourage a discussion here so we can get a sense of what the community is thinking and maybe even get some better ideas than what we've listed above, but to make it easy for us to get an overall sense of how the race community feels about this issue, we would really appreciate it if you could format your replies as follows: First, list your preference for the three options above in descending order, at the top of your reply. Then, feel free to comment and add any suggestions you have. This would look like the follwing:------------------------------1. Option B2. Option A3. Option CLorem ipsum omet dolor sit amet carthago delenda est. Lorem ipsum omet dolor sit amet carthago delenda est. Lorem ipsum omet dolor sit amet carthago delenda est. Lorem ipsum omet dolor sit amet carthago delenda est. Lorem ipsum omet dolor sit amet carthago delenda est.------------------------------We're still brainstorming and revising for this year's race (and likely will be right up until the starting gun), but we're hoping to issue our traditional announcement of the race and invitation to the participants in the near future.I'd also like to take this opportunity to point out that we're always open to input from the community - if you have a suggestion about the race, we want to hear it! You can either contact us from our website (http://users.adelphia.net/~mattsmith19/RTW/) or post in the forum. The forum is best to start discussions among the community at large, while e-mailing us from the website is the way to ensure we see something and get a response from us (though it may sometimes take me a while, I try to respond to every e-mail I get).Thanks for your time!Best Regards,Matt SmithChairman, RTWR Executive Committee

[svenks 4]

Hi MattGood finally seeing you in Washington :)Yes, I too would like to see Carthago destroyed (I've never learned latin, but I'm pretty sure that must be the sentence one of Rome's senators (was it Cicero?) used to end all his speeches) :)My vote would beOption A and B - same levelNOT Option C - too hard to implement!BRGDSSven Sorensen, EKCH

[arrvoo 6]

1.Option B 2.Option C3.Option ALast year was an absolutely brilliant experience, and i enjoyed every minute of it. It was however extremely exhausting. I took 3 days off work which i extended to the whole week when it was clear that the race was going to be longer and my services would be needed. The problem i saw was that during certain times (seemed to be Europe daytime mainly) there were on 2 or 3 people to cover the legs. These guys just had to swap over continuously with the odd person jumping in every now and then. Conversely, in the evenings/night there was a clamouring for a flight slot with some people only managing to get 1 or 2 legs over the whole 6 days. Splitting the race up over 2 or maybe even 3 weeks would ease the congestion and the quiet periods, and also give those a chance who may have prior things arranged for that specific time.Once again, thanks for all the time and effort you guys put into this, i know it really is appreciated

[Guest thespazzz]

Option ANot interested at all in B and C honestly.I just think stopping the race and restarting it would introduce too many other variables that could upset the balance of the race. Also I think the nonstop leanth of the race is part of the fun.I think the exhaustion of last years race was due to the fact that it was run longer than normal due to the altitude restrictions put in place during the first half of the race. While I think they are a marvelous idea I think the restrictions should be more selectively set rather than a broad section of the globe as in last years race.I also know for a fact that I cannot commit myself to running the race over several weekends. I can commit to taking the week off and sleeping under my desk as I did last year.

[jt_williams 291]

Greetings Matt,My 2 cents.I would rank the choices:1. Option B.2. Option A.....3. Option COptions A & B are pretty even choices in my mind. Option C is a distant 3rd for me.Option A. The tradition of continuous flying till the race is done is both exhausting and exhilarating. The physical and mental endurance to go 7/24 has been a core element of the race since its inception. It has an addicting quality that is hard to deny but it does have a price. The down side is that the burden of keeping the baton moving is not evenly shared by all team members. For several years we relied on a few pilots whose heroic efforts kept the baton going when other team members could not participate. When the majority of the race is conducted during the work week it limits the hours per day most pilots can participate. This has resulted in a surplus of available pilots during evening hours in North America and not enough pilots during the daytime hours on weekdays. For the past two years I have taken vacation time from work to help alleviate the shortages as have many others but the problem persists. It is not fair to the team pilots on the other side of the pond to rely so heavily on their efforts. In the 2006 race 50% (39) of the successful AVSIM legs were flown by four pilots. Three of these pilots were based in Europe and the North American pilot took vacation time for most of the race. This has been the trend for the last three years and I

[svenks 4]

I might have known it: My faithful wingman kept a cot in his cockpit - just as I did!BRGDSSven Sorensen, EKCH

[StoneC0ld 5]

My vote would have to be to stick with tradition and go start-to-finish in one go. Just limit the rules that slow down the race, such as the 8500' rule from last year... 4 days is much better than last year's 5-1/2.....

[DarkCharizma 10]

First off, I think option C is not even an option. It won't be a race if the teams don't run concurrently.OK, now to the other options.Option A: I think this is the best alternative. I think it is part of the challenge to fly around the world in one single run.Option B: Almost as good an option as the first one, and it's a good concept, but I don' think it is right for this contest.I have some more things to say about this, but it's getting late here, and I've got to go to school in the morning, so I'm going to bed now. I'll write down some more thoughts tomorrow.But the important thing is that I absolutely don't want option C, I don't think it's good at all. Out of the other options I can live with either one, though I would prefer option A.Klas

[Guest Captain L]

>My vote would have to be to stick with tradition and go>start-to-finish in one go. Just limit the rules that slow>down the race, such as the 8500' rule from last year... 4>days is much better than last year's 5-1/2.....>I second this. Same as before just without the 8500ft limit. It is wayyyyyyyyyyyyy more fun all in one run.

[Guest thespazzz]

I don't "mind" the 8500 Rule, I thought it was a very nice touch in some areas. Just not the whole half of the globe. Stick us in some mountains and give as an altitude restriction till were out of them. Keeps the challenge of having the rule but doesn't slow us down over flat land where there's nothing to hit anyway.

[arrvoo 6]

It was stressed many times that the 8500 rule was just for last years race, no doubt they have something just as nasty for this year.Having another think Option A would be good if the weekend could be incorporated into the race, therefore minimising the time that people need to take off work just to try to fill the "dead" hours. A Friday to Monday for example, getting rid of those horrible Midweek mornings.

[buzzbee 51]

I vote for A first and B second. I have a fondness for the nonstop race.Looking forward to being able to participate more this year.

[Guest sfoofficer]

I'm pretty much with the gang here. A, B, then a distant C.Regards,

[Bryan Rosier 31]

Option AOption BDo not like the Idea of Option 3 I work a 7 day shift so weekends do not benefit me :)

[Guest Speed]

1. Option A2. Option B3. Option CFrom a purely selfish standpoint I found it impossible to book a leg last year during peak usa hours (nights and weekends) as the roster was always so full so I got all me legs in by staying up till early morning and ignoring work. I intend to do the same this year. If the race was restricted to weekends then I think it would be very hard to even get a flight.Also the tradition is important but mainly that last year was so fun, exhaustion and all, that I dont think it should be changed so dramatically....just tweaked a little.Speed