Quote:
> Dave if your reading
> this and being the smart guy that you are. Just give us a nice spot
> for the week and you won't hear another word from us.
Hi Woody!
There is an important holiday lesson here. Let people know what gifts
you want and it increases the odds you'll actually get them ... ;)
Scheduling fields at the Grand Nationals is a delicate and complicated
puzzle. We've got to balance sport kite competition, mass ascensions,
kitemaking contests, fun challenges, safety space for large kites,
People's Choice flies, buggy competition, rok battles, fighter
contests, workshops, and still want fun flying too. It is unusual for
anyone to get a dedicated space for the *entire* week. If we provide
it, that means someone else won't have use of that field. It also
means that someone has to commit their entire week to being out there
coordinating.
Usually we are limited by the physical constraints of a convention
site. There are only so many fields that will fit. But in Dayton this
year, we have more than 90 acres which means plenty of room for
anything and everything we want to do. (We even have a 7,000 foot
runway reserved for buggies!) The only catch is that that we can't
commit a sound system to fighters for the entire week. (More sound =
more money.) But we can shift specific contests to one of the sound
fields on a specific schedule.
Bottom line, Woody -- I don't make all the decisions. The Convention
Committee makes the overall schedule. Tom Brailey and the Fighter Kite
Committee will make requests for the Fighter Kite Fields. Andy Selzer,
Terry McPherson, and Sharon Champie are the primary contacts. So let
them know what you want and also what you are willing to do to help.
One other thing -- You say that if we designate a fighter field all
week, "you won't hear another word from us". But that may not be a
good thing. We don't want groups of conventioneers going off and
isolating themselves from the rest of the events. We want kitemakers
and sport kite competitors to see, enjoy, and learn from watching the
fighter events. And we want you folks to help celebrate all the
exciting stuff going on in other fields as well.
So I hope that answers your questions. Let Tom and his committee know
what you want. If other fighter folks feel the same, we'll do our best
to provide that field for you. But I better see you standing at the
edge of some of the other fields clapping occasionally.... ;)
dg
PS - hope you fighter fliers like the new Kiting!
*** David Gomberg, President ***
American Kitefliers Association
<http://www.aka.kite.org>
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