|
Aerobatics ServerInternational Aerobatics Club Articles[International Aerobatic Club] [Articles etc] [Communications] [Contest and Patch Information] [Aviation Organizations] [Other Aerobatics Info] [Aerobatics Images] [Other Aerobatics Links] [Other Aviation Info (including weather)] [Search ACRO Website]Disclaimer: These aerobatics pages are developed by individual IAC members and do not represent official IAC policy or opinion. |
[Usage Statistics] |
Disclaimer: These IAC pages are developed by individual IAC members and do not represent official IAC policy or opinion.
Thoughts on the mission of the IAC and the USAF.
By Richard Rihn, IAC President.
Air and Space (August/September 1996 pg.54-59) printed an excellent article by Larry Lowe. It was quite accurate in detail and presented many issues clearly. In one regard Larry missed the mark. That area is in the "mission" of the IAC. The mission of the IAC and the mission of USAF are widely different, thus the reason for the two separate corporations. IAC is responsive to its members' requests. The Rules Committee is inundated annually with requests for revisions of the scoring methodology, the descriptions of the ideal aerobatic figures, etc. etc. In its attempt to be as democratic as possible the IAC Board has adopted rules changes from time to time. The Board is, on the one hand, accused of making too many changes, too often and on the other hand of being unresponsive to the membership's need for change. The Board attempts to find the centerline. IAC has never considered itself the official training organization for producing international level competitors or airshow performers. Last year 900 pilots competed in at least one sanctioned contest. Many competed in more than one. From a membership of 6,000 this is a rather large percentage. Last year IAC ran a sanctioned contest (US Nationals) which rank-ordered the Unlimited pilots. The top five male and top five female pilots were identified as team members to represent the United States this past month in Oklahoma. USAF then began the process of preparing these pilots for the event. It is to USAF's credit that the team did better than anticipated by many. Thus IAC and USAF fulfilled their mission.
The mission of USAF and IAC are under review and are subject to change.
It is interesting to note that in a great many ways inovations begun by IAC have taken root in CIVA and therefore the International community. The age old debate of judging precision versus presentation (beauty/pizzaz) will continue to rage both here and abroad. IAC will continue to be responsive to its members (10% of whom are not US citizens - - thus the term International Aerobatic Club). USAF will, I suspect continue to prepare its team members to score well in international competition. Someday, perhaps, with corporate or government money USAF will be able to accept more than ten persons biennially and to develop a "farm team" or amateur, semi-pro and professional set of teams. All of these things need healthy, constructive thought to meet the needs of the 880 IAC competitors and the ten USAF team members at the same time.
Disclaimer: the opinions expressed above are soley those of Richard Rihn and have no relation to opinions or policies of either the IAC or USAF.
|
If you have aerobatics related information that you would like to make
available, please contact me at the email address below.
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
| © Dr. Günther Eichhorn | Springer 233 Spring Street New York, NY 10013 USA, Email Guenther Eichhorn | |