https://firstfrc.blob.core.windows.net/frc2017/Manual/TeamUpdates/TeamUpdate18.pdf
Major Updates:
You’re about a year early for the 2018 team updates 
I would hope it would be policy to only allow FTAs and referees to open or close the gates in the first place if the GDC thinks it’s such a big deal. The window is still open for some well meaning field reset person to usher the pilots out of the airship and ruin their afternoon. The clarification in the update did not patch up the underlying issue; it just made the absence of common sense explicit.
This is all some kind of whacked out conspiracy…
At the NE events I have been attending, the queueing staff have been doubling as Field Gate Guards, attempting to stop teams from walking on the field when the lights are purple.
I’d honestly prefer if the gate was left closed until the light turned green, and that field reset would climb over the closed gate - they can be trained to carefully do this, and various other humans do this throughout the event without incident. This would really help prevent future issues with the gate needing to be open a full minute before teams can jump on the field.
GE-17047 Lift Assembly, Rev A has been added to the Field Components drawing package and includes a modification to the peg (spring) on the carriage assemblies used for GEAR handling on the AIRSHIP. This alternate peg assembly has increased peg stiffness and durability and tested well at an event over the weekend. While it does not eliminate the possibility of peg damage during play, it does appear to reduce it. This is now the primary design, and will likely be installed at all Week 4 events, however former versions may still be used if Rev A is not available.
Does anyone know where the new design was tested?
TLDR of Spring Fix - They added PN GE-17448 which is a “3/8” ID Flexible Steel Conduit" which slides inside the spring presumably to keep it from bending as much. Unfortunately they forgot to add a drawing of GE-17448 to the drawing package so we do not know the material used and length.
Attached image shows the new exploded view
-matto-
Yeah, I would assume if you are mobile enough to assist in the collection of up to 600 balls in a quick and orderly fashion, you can also swing over an 18 inch (?) high wall. I wish this was the procedure. I also hope that all field crew is briefed on this at events and it is explicitly covered in driver meetings. I find the prospect of an adult volunteer explicitly telling a student to violate a rule without any malice and in good faith, and having the penalty reflect on the student to be inherently, well, bad.
I believe these assemblies were used at some of the NE district events. From what I have heard, the new revision is an improvement in every way.
I know we were using them at the Greater Boston District Event this past weekend. It was a big improvement overall, though the spring can still bend where the conduit ends.
I really hope this does not mess up any teams like ours that had designed for the spring to bend as it came into the robot.
It’s important to note that while the drawings make it look like a solid rigid piece of conduit, it is actually a flexible conduit http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-77495562080292/liquid-tight-flexible-metal-conduit-3-8-width-100-ft-roll-3.gif
As the name suggests it’s fairly flexible stuff unless you need a really tight radius. It shouldn’t affect things too much.
If that is the case and they used them at North Shore (unknown), then we only ran into 1 bad peg the entire event. We circled back around and used another.
Im happy they fixed the field, but sad that it took them 4 weeks to do so…
**S04 Wait for the green lights. ** Non-PILOT members of DRIVE TEAMS may only enter the FIELD if the LED strings are green, unless explicitly instructed by a REFEREE or an FTA, and PILOTS may only exit the AIRSHIP if the LED strings are green, unless explicitly instructed by a REFEREE or an FTA.
So, how does a PILOT get to the AIRSHIP if they can’t go on the Field? Or, can a PILOT go on the field at any time to get to the AIRSHIP?
We used these at the Greater Boston event. As someone who assembled them, I can say the biggest issue is making sure the conduit is exactly the correct length. In addition, if the spring manages to bend with the conduit inside, you aren’t bending it back any time soon.
In all, the springs were a great improvement to the lifts. When matches are uploaded to TBA you will be able to see pilots lifting gears at the very end of the spring without issue. In testing, we were able to lift 4 gears on a single spring without issues.
I’m not sure I understand the question… During match setup the LED’s are green, it’s only during post-match that they go purple and then green again.
He is just saying that the current reading of the rules don’t ever give a time for the pilots to enter the field. It’s clearly not their intention but the rewording of the rule doesn’t specify when a pilot can legally go on to the field to get to the airship. They mean they can go on when it’s green but they don’t say that in the new rule.
