This scoring process is adopted from the international rules adopted by the Ballooning Commission to the FAI. As our members develop their skills, it provides them a way to not only understand navigation, but the rules associated with other balloon event competitions. The scoring process also provides a means for any pilot to determine if they are improving on their skills.
Top Gun Pilot Ranking Average:
Many pilots participate in more than one single month. Each year, the pilots average is reset and they begin establishing a new average. In order to establish an average, a minimum number of five task must be completed. Once the average is established, a pilot can improve their average by flying more task. What is unique, is that they can only improve their average once the base is set. It provides club members that have a goal of becoming the club champion for the year a way to keep a running track of their standing compared to the other members. Following is a description of the top gun ranking system:
After five tasks have been flown, the average is determined as follows. Consider the subsequent tasks past the first five flown in the order they were flown. Determine the number of tasks to count in determination of a new average by use of the formula below and solving for C.
C = INT((N+1)/2) + 2)
C, which is half the number of tasks, rounded up, plus 2.
N is the number of tasks flown and INT((N+1) / 2) is the integer part of ((N+1)/2). In other words rounding up to get a whole number when the number of task flown is an odd number. Perhaps it is easier to consider the following table.
Another way of thinking about C and N: C=number of tasks counted towards a pilots average. N = number of tasks flown where at least 1 pilot received a score. If no pilot scores all receive a score of 500 points. This is not counted in a pilots average.
# Tasks Flown # Task Counted
5 5
6 5
7 6
8 6
9 7
10 7
11 8
12 8
Each time another task is flown, the average must be recalculated. If the new average is higher than the previous, that becomes a pilots average for the year. If it does not, the old average is retained. In theory, the more a pilot flys, the better the average should get because it is the best scores counted in the average. As a pilot improves in skill, their scores should be reflected in their average.