You may have noticed that next year's LSF/AMA NATS are scheduled earlier in the summer than our usual times. Yes, if you attend and fly UNL, you'll be flying your sailplane on the 4th of July. Earlier in the the year, the Executive Council of the AMA moved the whole NATS schedule back to accommodate the IRHC Helicopter Jamboree, a commercial, non-competition event that apparently brings a large number of people to the AMA site. The AMA Executive Board did not involve any of the AMA SIGS in this decision and the AMA's NATS Manager was simply instructed to "make it work". The LSF leadership was not made aware of the situation until this year's NATS and we worked with the NATS manager to make the best of the situation. The schedule just published is the result. If you wish to register a complaint about this situation, the proper person to contact is your AMA District VP whose e-mail address can be found on the AMA web site or in Model Aviation. This topic was opened to get your comments and/or suggestions for next year's NATS not not as a grille upon which to roast those responsible for the time change.
A side note: at the recent NATS planning meeting, a number of other AMA SIG representatives (along with me) registered their displeasure at the manner in which the Executive Council made this decision. The Executive Board member present (The District VI VP) at the meeting did not provide much satisfaction with his answers.
All that being said, it's my hope we can press on and make next year's NATS another great chapter in the "glider camp" saga.