By, Alice Johnson, IAC#23463
We all know that the better the intel, the better the decision. OK, that may not work in politics, but for the rest of us it holds pretty true. For a chapter planning a contest, pre-registration via the IAC website provides the key data to make a myriad of decisions.
Putting on a contest requires an initial outlay of cash which the chapter hopes to recoup through registrations. T-shirts (we all love the t-shirts) and trophies typically need to be ordered four weeks ahead of the event to make sure they arrive in time and avoid rush shipping charges. Equipment needs to be inventoried and replaced; we all know that canopies and chairs have a limited life on the judge’s line. For some contests, banquet space needs to be secured and caterers lined up which often requires a down payment.
In addition to the financial considerations, the contest organizers need to look at filling volunteer slots. Even though at most contests it seems as though volunteer decisions are made on the fly, the organizers look at pre-registrations to see who would be available to judge. Sometimes, non-flying judges and other volunteers need to be recruited early to have enough on field during the contest so that competitors don't need to be flying and volunteering all contest long. It takes fifteen people on the judge’s line to have a three-judge panel in order to launch a category. Yep, that many: Chief Judge plus two assistants, three judges, three assistant judges, three recorders, two boundary judges and one runner.
Before the pandemic, organizers would plan based on previous years' attendance. Contests are typically at the same time each year (with a few that move around) and numbers would vary, but there was a good feel for who would show up. Pre-registration also helped to confirm those estimates. Pre-registration also allowed the organizers to have a list of those planning on attending so any information that needed to go out regarding the contest could get to the competitors quickly.
Pre-registration, though non-binding, also helps to get you, as pilots, focused in on flying the contest. Just like setting any goal or deadline, having a firm commitment and getting it on the calendar makes things more likely to happen. The earlier you pre-register, the easier to get a practice plan in place.
In this post-pandemic time, it's hard for contest organizers to have a good feel for who is attending contests again. Though we have heard about the record setting numbers at Sun-n-Fun and AirVenture, getting back to competition takes a bit more work. For many of us, we've been out of contest mode for a while. Getting back into a routine after any absence takes effort. Pre-registering for contests can help the contests happen and help you get back to competing.
Your challenge is to look at the IAC Contest Calendar, decide which contests you will attend, pre-register and get them on your calendar. https://www.iac.org/contests
Looking forward to seeing you all at an airport soon. And, definitely make the U.S. Nationals in Salina, Kansas one of those you pre-register for as soon as pre-registration opens.
