Current & Future GB’s finishing on time

[Wayne Little]

Gentlemen,



As we approach the mid point of this build, we need to draw to your attention that each Group Build runs for a period of 4 months, this allows a fairly reasonable amount of time to complete Entries for the said Category.

Up to now we have been very flexible in allowing entrants extended time beyond the deadline to finish their builds to gain maximum participation at the judging level.

While we ALL want this to remain a friendly and most helpful environment with as many entries as we can muster, we must ask that entrants do their utmost to manage their time to finish builds by the due date, this is simply in fairness to those who do complete their entries on time.

We DO understand that life does get in the way, in one way or another and should issues arise that jeopardize your completing a model on time, please alert us at your earliest opportunity as to whether you can finish with a little extra time, or that you will complete your entry when time permits beyond the deadline and not participate in the judging process.

Should we need to grant extra time for a late build, do you want the judges to make this call or prefer the entrants participating within the Group Build to determine acceptance?

Please feel free to comment your participation is encouraged and most welcome.

Thanks, on behalf of the Judging Team.

[rochie]

personaly i think the judges should decide if more time is allowed.

you guys put more time in on judging etc and then your own builds so its only right you make the call.

though maximum effort to finish builds should be the norm though !

[N4521U]

As a participant I want everyone who has started to be able to enter a finished piece.
But having said That, I make every effort to complete my build by the deadline, as do all the other participants.

If I don't?
It's not going to alter the course of the planet, and it's an Oh s**t kinda thing. Sometimes life just gets in the way of our recreation, but That is life.
A lot of effort goes into these GB's, and I have probably done a lot of stretching of my skills, because that's the purpose of these builds. But we do build for the pleasure of the process, I think? Yes?

So we should be considerate of the others in each build who have finished on time, cuz that is part of the requirement.
If we don't? So be it. Nobody is a loser, really. It can still be posted, and appreciated by the members of the forum.

My two cents worth.
Just Plane Bill

[T Bolt]

I thing granting the extra time is fine. The last few days of a GB are usual very stressful for me, especially if I an working on multiple entries, but I don't think an extension should be more than a few days. If a build can't be finished in that time span then more than likely it was pretty far from being finished at the deadline. A good drop dead extension date might be the Sunday after the GB deadline, that would give participants a weekend to finish up.

[Wayne Little]

Thanks for your feedback guys.

[parsifal]

My opinion is that if a person puts in a request for an extension of time, it should be put to the other entrants who have already completed their builds. From the time of the request, there should be say 24 hours for members to respond. if they vote in favour of the exttension, it should be granted, if not, well no its shouldnt be granted.

I think that there should be amaximum time limit applied which should be at the discretion of the judges.....minimum say one week, maximum....well i havent worked that out.

So we have the rank and file deciding if another member should have an extension, and the judging group deciding how long.


Or is all that too complicated.

[A4K]

As grateful as I was for the extension in the last build, I know it was a very kind privelege, not a given. I'm happy to accept set date as final.

[Rogi]

I think although the judges do hold a huge part as masters of ceremony, I think the entrants should be given a opportuntity to have their say on whether a certain individual should receive a exception. It really depends on the situations. Sometimes a part of the country gets hit with bad weather and your unable to finish airbrushing on time etc. Or life gets in the way and its unavoidable.

Would it be possible to have a section where un-complete GB entrys could be placed in case someone informs everyone and they would rather complete their entry later on (for example mother nature gets in the way and your unable to pick up a airbrush for anothere month or two, you decide to go to the "in progress" thread) Or maybe just have those entrys moved into the build section for completion later on?

[Crimea_River]

As one of the judges, I agree with you guys. The person who's late should have the onus placed on him to get consensus from his other GB mates. As a judge, I don't feel I have the right to grant an extension without consensus.

[meatloaf109]

In special circumstances, I suppose, it might be warranted.
Hey, when do I get my GB airplane dingus for the bottom of my posts?

[Crimea_River]

Wojtek was the one doing them and he's been pretty busy.

[meatloaf109]

Wojtek was the one doing them and he's been pretty busy.

O.k., thanks. They look cool.
Can't wait to get a string of 'em.
And I was trying to guess just what aero-plane would be picked as the icon for "Favorite Plane of all time". Perhaps the type that was built the most in this GB?

[parsifal]

Wotjek does em, and he does a great job IMO. If people wamted some input as to plane type, we could have a mini-poll from a shortlist drawn up by Wotjek or someone similar. Then that choice would get put into the Sig

Im looking forward to the badge as well

[N4521U]

IMO this is all supposed to be simple.
1. Selct a GB to participate in.
2. Pick a subject.
3. Build it.
4. Submit it.

It's starting to get a little complicated, almost like it's an Australian Labor Party scheme run by a rock star.

Judges having to make more decissions. Participants getting involved.

Rules, guidelines, conditions and variations of these requirements in our GB's.....
Who then will preside over decissions that don't meet the approval of the one making the request? Everyone gets put on the spot, who wants to dissapoint.

We would All like to see projects completed. But the fact is life does get in the way. Sometimes the vegies don't get planted. "The road to hell is paved with the best intentions" or so I have been told.

It's not going to alter the course of the planet if a project does not get finished by the deadline!
Simple as that.

Bill

[Airframes]

I know it's easier said than done, and I am as guilty as anyone, but, before deciding to enter - think:
Can I get this model finished by the deadline?
Will I finish it by the deadline?
Am I bothered if I don't finish it by the deadline?
If I have doubts about the above, should my enthusiasm overtake reality, letting me enter more than one model?

Personally, I think that four months, under average conditions of life, is sufficient time in which to complete the average model, given that all research, components, accessories etc are available and can be gathered. For a more complex project, then perhaps four months is not long enough, and maybe I should reconsider the project, as a separate build from the GBs.
Given that any subject entered is accepted as a 'straightforward' build, then maybe another entry of similar requirements could be considered. If the choice of any additional entry may mean more work, and/or detracting from the time required for the initial entry, then perhaps the entry should be restricted to the one model (or 2, or 3, depending on circumstances ), rather than overcommit.
Bear in mind the above is given normal, everyday circumstances for model building, and does not account for natural disaster, serious domestic or health problems and so on. The state of the weather can maybe affect things but, that said, in my particular circumstances, that would only affect any paint spraying required, and I get around that by doing this in the kitchen, with heating on, whatever season it's supposed to be (we do not have a climate in the UK, particularly my area, only weather - and can have all four seasons in one day!!).
There is no major problem in extending a GB by a day or two, IF this means more people fully completing a model. But it has become 'the norm' lately, with a fair percentage of entries apparently not touched for some time, and then a last minute dash within the final two weeks or less, with an extension to cover this which, perhaps, is slightly unfair to those who have long since finished their entry or entries, and are patiently awaiting the end of the GB and the results.
In this sort of situation, it also means that the judges are also waiting, and scrolling through the individual build threads, assessing models which ultimately might still not be completed after an extension, thereby affecting the posting of results.
I think that a good way to manage personal GB entries would be to plan from a point long before the start of the GB, by looking at the listing of forthcoming GBs, choosing which ones want to be entered, settling on a subject or subjects, and carrying out the required research. This will then allow an estimate of time to be made, given that the aforementioned planning has indicated which kit(s) to be used, and what is required, and should also give a fair idea of whether more than one entry can be considered, and at what point this can be commenced, preferably after the first entry is completed, or virtually completed.
Please do not take any of the above as a criticism - it's meant as a guideline to planning a build, with the hope of assisting with choices, number of entries, and time management. It's probably better to know that, for example, one entry can be comfortably undertaken, without rush, than to dive in with two or more models, only to feel under pressure against a looming deadline - which is totally opposite to the aims of the hobby and the GBs.
As Wojtek often states, modelling is not a race, and neither should it begin to feel like a chore, or have the pressure of being like a job - it's a hobby to enjoy, learn from, and gain and spread knowledge, and also, if all goes according to plan, to be able to sit back, look at the finished subject, whatever its quality or standard, and have a sense of acheivement with something where you can say " I did that!"
And, of course, on this forum, all of that without the b*ll*cks of rivet-counting, smug, criticising anoraks !!