Hi Curtis .Just a note to let you know that we used your scoring spread sheet for our first ALES meet in Rochester MN.What an amazing tool.Thank You.ALES is a lot of fun, and the program takes a lot of data and makes it understandable, and fair.

Hey Doc thanks for letting me know, I really appreciate the kind comments.

Is anyone finding the "Rank by Round" tab useful? We do not use it and I have thought of deleting it.

All the best from Montana!
Curtis

Hi Curtis,

I just wanted to chime in and say thanks for making available the ALES contest scoring spreadsheet. I was the guy using it at the Rochester event and it was easy to use and very intuitive. I had never scored a contest before and this made it very simple. As far as the round by round feature goes, I would vote to keep it and here is my reasoning.

I could not bring my computer out to the field with me so round by round results were not available real time. After 3 rounds we took a break for people to recharge/change batteries and I went back to my car and entered the flight data. When I came back with the results of the first 3 rounds I was easily able to report back the current standings and also give round by round results. It makes it easy to see how each round impacts the overall standings. This is very helpful to new contest pilots with understanding how flight results impact overall results.

I will continue to use your software, it is simple to use makes scoring a contest quick and easy work. That leaves more time to run the event and talk with pilots.

Wayne

Wayne,

Thanks for the kind comments and I'll leave the Rank by Round!

Once the snow starts to fly I'm going to see if I can easily make the spreadsheet capable of 60 pilots, which in my opinion is the about the maximum size limit for an ALES man-on-man format contest. At least for a two-day event.

Curtis
Montana

I just flew in a wonderful contest in Columbus, Montana hosted by the Billings Flying Mustangs. Someone commented to me that he didn't fly against another pilot during the contest. So looking at the flight matrix I have, it's set so that there is a fairly equal number of folks flying each round. We had 10 pilots and flew in three groups. Thus there were 4,3 and 3 pilots per group. Also, the matrix is set so that you don't ever fly back to back, which I really like.

However, since it's setup this way there is no guarantee that everyone will get to fly against each pilot there. I'm not so sure it's that big of a deal as you're either making your times/landings or not.

But, I could make the matrix so that everyone will fly against another pilot at least once.
But, then you may have to fly back to back and/or there may be 5 pilots in one group, 3 in another and 2 in another, to make a round.

So what are your thoughts on this?
Equal flight groups not flying back to back or unequal flight groups and may fly back to back but at the end of the day gets to fly against all other pilots/contestants?

Thanks
Curtis

Hi Curtis,

I guess the PENMAC guys are using an older version of your S/S, because we were flying some back to back last week. You know, I don't mind that at all because flying back to back means that you are only going to get a double break on one side of that Such as a break actually is, with the very good chance you will be out there timing anyway. I'd much rather fly against every pilot that worry about back to back. But I've only done 3 contests.....

Cheers!
Glen

Originally Posted by gpeden

Hi Curtis,

I guess the PENMAC guys are using an older version of your S/S, because we were flying some back to back last week. You know, I don't mind that at all because flying back to back means that you are only going to get a double break on one side of that Such as a break actually is, with the very good chance you will be out there timing anyway. I'd much rather fly against every pilot that worry about back to back. But I've only done 3 contests.....

Cheers!
Glen

Thanks for your thoughts/comments Glen. You must be younger than me as I like the break! I quit timing for folks before my flight too, that way it ensures I'm getting a rest. There were contests in the past where I never sat down because I was never refusing timing duties and then flying. Contests are much more enjoyable now that I am getting a break from flying/scoring/timing.

We'll see what other thoughts/comments I get and go from there.

See you in less than two weeks, hopefully the Montana weather will hold out!

Oh, off topic but is there anything I can do for you prior to your arrival? Are you bringing your wife, dog, cat, moose or anything along? Would you like some sight seeing ideas?

Curtis

Hi Curtis,

I'm 60 and when I come down from my mountain fortress above a mile high to compete I usually suffer mightily in the summer heat And a couple of my meds require I limit exposure to the sun. I wish I could stand down from timing but I can't hang a handicapped sign on my back just yet It's funny, I only got a few hours sleep before the last PENMAC event, but functioned fine until the event was over and only then pooped out.

I'm on vacation now, will return to a work week and then head your way on the Friday morning. Travelling alone and light, and returning Sunday. Since it sounds like it will be a little cold for camping I might need motel advice and perhaps a chance to say hi and fly Friday evening (it's not practice - I just love to fly), but that depends on how early I can drag myself out of bed that day And whatever unfolds at the time will be good.

Glen

I was asked if I could increase the contestant size limit of the ALES Scoring spreadsheet.
I'm happy to say that I've done so and testing has been completed!

The spreadsheet will now accept up to five flight groups, 12 rounds and 60 contestants.

I wrote an article for RCSD on why I wrote the spreadsheet, it's function and use which is available here:
http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com/pdfs/...-2011-0708.pdf

File Download is available here:
http://tailwindgliders.com/Files.html#Files

Happy Holidays from Tailwind Gliders!

Curtis Suter
Montana