[Bob Steele]

We have no details as of yet but it appears that in order to attempt to get more qualifications matches for everyone..(ie 10 qual matches in regionals)..
qualification matches may be starting on Thursdays for the standard regionals.

This is not a thread to discuss this proposal....

This thread is a discussion of possible inspection changes that may make this work.

As an aside.... I have decided to stop complaining and start producing positive ways to make these things work....positive changes that we can propose here now to make these new potential rules changes work more smoothly at events and for the teams...

If we start quals at noon on Thursday it will present problems for many teams, especially rookie teams.... to get finished, inspected and out on the field. This could result in many of these Thursday matches not having 6 robots on the field because they have not passed inspection (assuming past rules). Those of us that have been to a few regionals all recognize that inspections can last all the way until Friday morning for many teams...so this could be a very big problem.

I propose the following changes to the inspection rules to help make Thursday run more smoothly:

1. Two kinds of inspections: 1. The MINI inspection

The Mini Inspection or PRE-Inspection is primarily a size and weight inspection with a cursory look at a robot safety only....

2. A FULL inspection : complete compliance inspection...
to determine with full compliance with the rules....

On Thursday afternoon, any robot that completes the MINI inspection would be able to compete with the caveat that they MUST complete the FULL inspection to be eligible for FRIDAY Qualifications.

2. At a team's 2nd regional... they would only be required to do the MINI inspection....unless, of course they had substantially altered their robot in their opinion.

At the Championships, the standard inspection process would still take place.


By utilizing this process I think that regionals would have more time to work with the teams who are attending thier initial regionals and things could run smoother.

I know that there are differences in inspections from Regional to Regional...
but we are facing a real bottle neck on Thursday morning and something is necessary to deal with the time dilemma....

Nothing would stop inspectors from making spot checks at any time...

In a regional like our Microsoft Seattle Regional was last year...
The teams that had already competed could have moved through inspections quicker this way and given the inspectors more time to work with the new teams.

Thank you for your considerations and your thoughts in this matter.

Good luck to EVERYONE!! GO FIRST!!