IMAC BOD Meeting–December 18, 2017

Present:  Mike Karnes, Phil Vance, Samantha McKinney, Steve Sides, Doug Pilcher, Brad Davy, Alex Dreiling, Clark Hymas, Adi Kochav, and Jeff Marsuchek

Absent: Gil Major

Meeting began: 9:00 p.m. EST

Rules Committee – Brad Davy

The Rules Committee has 4 RFA, request for action, proposals they are working on.  The first one is about turnaround and positioning maneuvers, Rule 13.5.  There has been a lot of discussion.  The Rules Committee is

recommending adding some more words.  All turn-around figures are considered positive in nature and must initiate from upright flight.  The language is modified in the half-cubans and the reverse half-cubans.  Altering the single 1/2 roll on the 45 line the pilot may omit the 1/2 roll to establish inverted entry line and this exception permits the outside 5/8 loop.   The language is similar for the 1/2 loop up with single 1/2 roll on exit or a 1/2 loop down then have to do the single 1/2 roll on entry.  If they eliminate the 1/2 roll, the pilot must establish an inverted entry line or reduce altitude following sequences on high inverted exit and can pull immediately.  They are adding pull to vertical up or push to vertical down line with an upright exit from the line.  The single 1/2 roll is permitted on this vertical line only if the required to orient the aircraft properly for entry for the first maneuver.  Also, it is added that following an inverted exit from a sequence, a pilot must perform any of these maneuvers to get to an upright flight attitude.  They can do a single 1/2 roll to upright; push to vertical upline with a push to upright; or they can do a pull to a vertical downline followed by a pull to upright.  They have tried to get rid of the ambiguity on what can and cannot be done.

The second and third RFA goes together.  They are recommending a modification to the resumption of scored flight.  Right now, this is currently discussed in two different places, and the discussions are different.  It has to do with the performance of a prior maneuver.  The language isn’t consistent.  They are recommending that a new section be added, 10.3, which will be added to the rules.  They are recommending removing the resumption of scored flight from 10.1 and 10.2.  Now, it requires the pilot to perform the last scored maneuver before resuming the flight, even if this maneuver was scored at a 0.  This would be required in all situations.

The third RFA that is connected to the last one, they are trying to clarify the rule about the break-in-sequence.  This was discussed at the last judging school.  They are recommending a modification to the discussion where “A break in the sequence in characterized in a total departure of the sequence being flown.  When a break-in-sequence occurs, the figure currently being flown shall be zeroed and a break penalty will be assessed prior to the normalization.  The judges must determine when the break-in-sequence occurred.”  They are changing it to where a “typical” situation pilot may perform an incorrect maneuver limits of 6.3.c.1, figure 10.  After a pilot exits the initial figure, they have entered the following figure. 

If the pilot then exceeds the corrective maneuver limits, they are now in a break-in-sequence and the break-in-sequence now occurred at that following maneuver.  They are recommending an addition that says: “A pilot or caller may verbally declare a break-in-sequence before exiting an improperly flown maneuver and a break-in-sequence occurs when the judges hear the verbal declaration.  The judges will be the sole determiners of if or when they hear a verbal declaration.”

The fourth RFA proposal is to permit the single sequence rounds for more than just time constraints.  They are recommending that they change Section 11, the Number of Flights, to say than an official flight or round, that the CD may opt to use single sequence rounds for the contests.  This must be published in the contest announcement.  The CD may permit single sequence rounds if time constraints limit the 2 sequence rounds.  This give the option for the CD to try and encourage more electric flights and without having to get a deviation from AMA.  They did not want to have power specific rule.

There were more RFAs that were submitted.  One had to do with single sequence rounds, which is already being addressed.  One proposal was for sound.  RFA 11 wanted to improve the determination of a zero with three judges.  If one judge scored a zero, the zero would be changed to an average of the other two judges.  Another proposal was for the judging of the snap maneuver.  They wanted to remove the word “autorotation” and simply put in “rotation.”  The committee believed that this created more confusion.

Brad says that these proposals are ready to be posted to the BOD forum for vote.  Then, they will need to be posted to the membership in January 2018.

2022 World Hosting Proposal – Mike Karnes

Mike sent out a proposal template to the BOD for review on the 2022 IMAC Worlds Hosting Proposal.  Mike would like to post on the Worlds website in January.  The BOD recommended that there should be a submission deadline.  Mike suggested the end of June 2018.  The 2022 Worlds Host will be announced at the 2018 IMAC Worlds Banquet.

2018 Forms – Mike Karnes

The only form that was discussed was the new sign-up sheet for contests.  The new sign-up sheet will have a column for receiver compliant.  There were no changes to the other forms.

International Interests – Adi Kochav

Adi has been talking to Dan Carroll about Australia possibly pay affiliation dues to the IMAC organization to become members.  Australia is organized much like the U.S. for IMAC.  They have a sanctioned club and ASAA.  The affiliation dues would be paid for the whole group, not as individual members.  To become affiliated with IMAC, this would require a By-Laws change; to be released to the membership for review; and require a membership meeting.  Australia would consider the affiliation as receiving full benefits an an individual member.  Australia pilots currently pay three membership dues.  There are 4 regions on the continent.  They currently have around 100 pilots.  The BOD would like for Australia to come up with a proposal on what they expect; the right and benefits to ASAA members; and the benefits to the IMAC organization overall.

Adi has been in conversation with some individuals about the leadership of the IMAC organization.  There are some international members that believe the By-Laws should be changed to only allow executive officers only be nominated from the United States.  These individuals believe that the IMAC organization was developed in the U.S. and that is where the executive BOD should remain.  Brad is not certain that his provision would be legal in the By-Laws.  It is discriminating and prohibits someone from serving due to the country of origin.

For the 2018 IMAC Worlds, Adi wants to know if the international pilots can borrow planes, etc. from pilots or companies in the U.S.  At the 2014 Worlds, Jtec provided airplanes for the U.K. team.  Mike is currently looking see if this is even a possibility.  Mike has also spoken with Greg Alderman and he is going to make sure that the hobby shop in Muncie will be stocked with batteries.  The Worlds staff will make sure that they have what they need to compete, but providing airplanes could be tough. 

Adi wondered where we stand on the freestyle criteria.  It was the consensus of the BOD that we spend a little bit more time on the criteria and make it more readable.  There is merit and principal on what they are trying to accomplish, but we don’t need a complete departure from where we are.  It was mentioned to pen this up for discussion in the forums and see what the membership thinks of the proposed change in criteria.  This would also allow the membership to weigh in on the other changes that need to be made.

Score Program and PP for International – Doug Pilcher

It was decided last month the U.S. will stay with IRPS.  Many pilots have requested that PP, percentage of perfection, be added to the score program and we have it in the new version, 4.25.1.  This hasn’t cost anything to IMAC to show PP.  The new version of score will be released in a week.  There will not be an IRPS for International, only a PP.

In the Box Newsletter – Doug Pilcher

Doug has posted to the BOD forum that template for the newsletter.  Rich Whitlow, from South Central, is willing to head this up.  It is going to take everyone to generate the content, along with some members.  Rich has listed potential content, such as articles written by members, financials, and secretary report, etc.  The newsletter could be released via social media and have it linked back to the website.  One of the concerns of the BOD for the newsletter is generating content.  Brad recommended that a committee be created to be responsible for generating the content.

2018 Worlds – Steve Sides

Mike and Doug are working on several different things.  We need some profile information on some people.  Phil has spoken with Roy and he will be able to get the same trophies as 2014.

It has been discussed on what we could do along with the Worlds to recognize the sponsors. Doug mentioned that we could put their banner on the IMAC website.  This recognition would show appreciation towards our sponsors. 

Treasurer Report – Phil Vance

As of December 18, 2017, the following is our current balance:

Checking              $27,103.69

PayPal                 $15,629.72

Total                   $42,733.41

Regional Issues – All RDs

The NW region is going well.  The region has been invited by the SW region to do a contest in California, which could potentially create a conflict.  Currently, they have one contest in Western Oregon/Washington area.  They have lost several contests on this side of the region in the last 3-5 years due to housing development.  There is a potential for 2 contests in Western Washington and 1 in Western Oregon.  There is a lot of interest right now and they are waiting for winter to get over with.  Clark is looking at having a contest in Eugene, which hasn’t had a contest in at least the last 5 years.  There is a potential of 5-19 members from that part of the region.  He currently has ARDs in every state except  for the Dakotas.

In the SW, Alex is still working on the regional awards and trying to clarify some scheduling.

In the NC region, Jeff has sent out emails to all CDs.  He would like to get a majority of the contests scheduled before the end of the year.  The Osh Gosh contest is scheduled for the weekend before in Wisconsin.  There will be a basic primer near Cincinnati.  Two contests were cancelled this year and they may not reschedule for 2018.  Currently, none of the Michigan contests are scheduled.  Jeff has been approached to see what he thinks on improving the America’s Cup.  The America’s Cup is between the U.S. and Canada with the 4 contests around the border.  They want to improve it, but cannot get feedback from anyone.  Jeff did get his date for regionals at Muncie.  The awards from DA and HiTec were very well received at the 2017 regionals.  The Nats Warm-Up contest will be tight this year, due to the Nats beginning on Tuesday.

In the SC region, Doug has 8 confirmed contests, and working on 3 more.  Alex and Doug have been working together with an “On-the-Border” contest (SC-SW Smackdown) which will be held in El Paso.

In the SE region, Steve has a couple of judging schools and contests scheduled.  He has lost one contest due to the President.  He was working on a waiver, but they are within the 30 nautical miles for when the President comes down.

In the NE region, Brad had nothing new to report.

Meeting adjourned at 11:17 p.m. EST.

**Addendum:**  The RFA’s were reviewed and discussed in December 2017 meeting.  These were then posted to the BOD forum for vote.  The formal RFA’s confirmation of rejection vote was made in the beginning of the January 2018 BOD Meeting.