The meet organizer assistance package

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The Oz Report
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The meet organizer assistance package

Post by The Oz Report »

<i>To put on a competition or an event you need some help and some tools</i><span class="GoogleMapLink"><a href="http://ozreport.com/GoogleEarth/N28&Aci ... 800',Quest Air, Groveland, Florida, USA"><img src="http://ozreport.com/images/GoogleEarth.gif" alt="N28°31.982',W081°50.800',Quest Air, Groveland, Florida, USA"></a>(<a href="http://ozreport.com/GoogleMap/N28 ... 800',Quest Air, Groveland, Florida, USA" target="_new" style="text-decoration:none">Quest Air, Groveland, Florida, USA</a>)</span><p>Here is what you need if you want to put on a competition or event:</p><p>1) A web site to announce the event, register pilots, display the names of the pilots who are registered, display the local rules, give the location, download the waypoint list, and display the scores.</p><p>2) A pilot registration system that not only lets pilots easily sign up for your event, but also lets them pay so that they can secure their spot in the competition.</p><p>3) A scoring system that lets you easily download pilots' GPSes (for cross country tasks), and puts the scores up on the internet.</p><p>In this article I will link you to the free tools and templates that make it much easier for you to do all these things. You can set up all this within a few hours without any previous experience.</p><p>1) Web site:</p><p>You can create your own web site if you are or have a web designer and a web hosting company. Some examples can be found <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aerosports.net/ECC.html">here</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://thefloridaridge.com/pages/RobKel ... p">here</a>. These examples are from flight parks that already have their own web sites and web designers who work with them.</p><p>You can also set up a web site for free and you don't have to be a web designer to do it. Some examples are <a target="_blank" href="http://flytecraceandrally.wordpress.com/">here</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://2010bigspring.blogspot.com/">here</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://joelfroehlich.wordpress.com/">here</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.ph ... >.</p><p>I have created a template for a free web site that you can "copy" (import) to create your own web site for free. You'll find it <a target="_blank" href="http://hangglidingparaglidingcompetitio ... /">here</a>. It is not possible to copy the whole web site in one fell swoop. Rather you can import a copy of it in your own new competition specific <a target="_blank" href="http://wordpress.com">Wordpress.com</a> blog.</p><p>You first sign up for a free "blog" in Wordpress (the same software that is used to run the blogs and comments of the New York Times) and import my template. You can choose from many different themes/layouts for your web site on the Wordpress servers. The whole creation/editing system is menu driven and it takes about an hour or so to understand how most of the system works. <a target="_blank" href="http://flytecraceandrally.wordpress.com/">Jamie Shelden</a> was able to do it without any knowledge of how to create a web site. Just her experience as a blogger on <a target="_blank" href="http://naughtylawyertravels.blogspot.co ... ><p>You'll find the step by step instructions for creating your own Wordpress blog site for your competition or event <a target="_blank" href="http://ozreport.com/wordpresstemplate.p ... >.</p><p>2) Registration System:</p><p>You can find my freely available pilot registration system <a target="_blank" href="http://ozreport.com/pilotregistrationma ... p">here</a>. Versions of it are used in the competitions linked to above, as well as the 2010 Canadian Nationals as found <a target="_blank" href="http://www.lumbyairforce.com/nationals- ... /p><p>Just follow the instructions given in the link above to create your own copy of my pilot registration template. I also tell you how to create a Buy Now button in your PayPal Merchant account so that pilots can pay you when they register (or send you a check).</p><p>3) Scoring System:</p><p>You'll find the complete freely available scoring system <a target="_blank" href="http://ozreport.com/Davis_Scoring_Manual.php">here</a> including the templates. There are complete instructions there on how to use it. It handles Race to Goal and Open Distance competitions.</p><p>If you are doing other types of events, like spot landings, etc., there will soon be a server available to help you out. You can see its current incarnation <a target="_blank" href="http://sequatchiecompetition.com/">here</a>. Contact Jeff Nibler <<a href="http://ozreport.com/emailer.php?toName= ... nibler></a>> and tell him what you want in your competition.</p><p>An alternate scoring system (that uses the same formulas) is found here: <a target="_blank" href="http://fs.fai.org/">http://fs.fai.org/</a>.</p>
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Events
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Joined: Fri, Nov 11 2011, 02:44:39 am
Location: Fred Wilson, Vernon BC Canada

Introduction to Event Management Support Information

Post by Events »

Event Management Support see: http://www.hpac.ca/forum/viewforum.php?f=33

Event Organization and Management Critique (FAI Cat 2 Steward) Report:
This is the document to use to assist novice Event Organizational Teams:
- A step by step, day by day critical analysis of the success, failures and innovations of the Event Organization and Team.
During the organizational period of the event, meet regularly to address progress.
- During the event, there should be a short meeting every morning or evening to go over updates to this.

There is no such thing as a Steward for Cat 2 events except for Pre-Category 1 events, where the Steward is required to be there.

At Cat 1 Events the ONLY ones that see this are the FAI HQ, their Lawyer and the Executive of the CIVL Bureau.

At Cat 2 Events the Steward processes the document BUT meets with the org team ± every day, progressively more so as the meet day approaches and lets them see the FULL doc and critique.

Davis has authorized this Event Support section.
His article (above) sets the tone nicely for this thread. Tnx!
Bear with us for a few days while Canadian Specific information is replaced with information relevant to the International scene. This will take time… apologies!

Note: An Events "User ID" has been created on the OzReport so that control over the information can be transferred to our successors seamlessly.

Thanks in advance for any and all input. It is, as always, most appreciated.
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Last edited by Events on Mon, Sep 10 2012, 12:49:43 pm, edited 8 times in total.
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Events
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Post by Events »

The largest challenges are associated with organizing major international competitions.
While the new FAI / CIVL Website is being proof read and repaired, a list of quick links will be placed here.

General Section of the FAI Sporting Code is here. Then click here and for the "Sporting Code Section 7: Hang Gliding & Paragliding" (etc) and wait for the drop down list of pdf links to appear.

To obtain the required Category 1 FAI Organizers Agreement Application Form:
Insert the text "Request for Organizers Agreement Form" in the Subject Line addressed to General Inquiries here.
FAI Secretariat wrote:"Christine Rousson FAI Secretariat" info@fai.org on Dec 28th 2011 said: Best regards. The FAI Organizer Agreement Document is sent only in case of a BID which is already accepted.
FAI Secretariat wrote:"Christine Rousson FAI Secretariat" info@fai.org on Dec 28th 2011 said: Good afternoon, There is no organiser agreement for category 2.
For the Organizing FAI / CIVL Category 1 and Category 2 Events see the Requirements and Guidelines here.

Note that their Application form for FAI/CIVL sanction as a Category 2 event is a separate document from the Organizer Agreement.

FAI FS Software and FAI / CIVL Approved Software for Online Contest Systems

UPDATE Dec 23'd 2012:
Validating track logs: http://ozreport.com/1356112515

2 B Cont…
Last edited by Events on Sun, Dec 23 2012, 08:43:32 am, edited 10 times in total.
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Events
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri, Nov 11 2011, 02:44:39 am
Location: Fred Wilson, Vernon BC Canada

Re: The meet organizer assistance package

Post by Events »

The Oz Report wrote: A scoring system that lets you easily download pilots' GPSes (for cross country tasks), and puts the scores up on the internet.
Many large event organizers have now started to use the extremely user friendly service this new (and very inexpensive) XWorld Contest service provides. See: http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/

In particular their Nationals section which allows local feeder events to be grouped together and included. See: http://www.xcontest.org/national/

For this and the following, you have to get your National Association (via you Competition Director) to get XWorld Contest to include your Country in its lists of locations service.
This is a one time purpose requirement.

The other great service they provide is their XCamp See: http://www.xcontest.org/xcamp/rules/

Note that there is only one (at present) XWorld Contest XCamp held every year, by them, at a location they choose, given local permission.

However, NOTE: you are allowed to use their XCamp hosting service for nominal costs for minor events.
- provided you do not Name it XContest (and probably not name it an XCamp either) … this for the time being only.

XCamps are Cross Country Coaching Fly-Ins. The Organizer does little more than give weather and safety briefings each day. Each pilots chooses their own task every day.

Then, as in all XWorld Contest formats, the pilots download their GPS themselves each day via the internet onto the XWorld Contest scoring software. It publishes results, just like it does Nationals Events etc.
And… it is set up so it can be the Event Organizers Registration system too. If you drop into upcoming events, pilots are kept on a pending list until the Organizer receives payment.
Quite the system!

It is quite the (good) system!
No more Scorer working till the small hours of the morning every task day! :D :shock: :D No more drop dead tired folks running the critical part of the meet for you! :D

As a side note, XWorld Contest fully supports AAT Tasks... for a small additional fee as I understand, at least for the time being, due to the work load this imposes on them.
I have not heard back if this means you have to run the entire event with AAT Tasks only.... or if the system will permit a variety of Task formats.
Most Organizers I have heard from only want one or two during a week long event while they proof the format.

Our intentions are to use it for our Canadian events this year, Nationals and XCamp.
We will update the tip sheet here once well underway. Stay tuned!
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