SDR Performance Driving School (PDS) PRE-MEETING

[KeithV]

Calling All SDR Instructors and PDS volunteers,

The PDS begins this Friday at Black Forest so in preparation we are having an instructor and volunteer PRE-PDS get together on

MONDAY Mar 7th at 6:30pm at Giovanni's Pizza 9353 Claremont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123 junction of Ruffin Road and Claremont Drive.

Topics for discussion include:

PDS Primary Goal/Objectives

Instructor assignment on Saturday exercises

Identification of exercise captains (Volunteers?)

Instructing techniques, hints and tips (open discussion - suggestions etc.) idea exchange

Instructor responsibility sheet

"Open mike" feedback on instructor "issues"

PLUS FREE PIZZA ........ HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

Cheers!

PCA-SDR 2016 CDI Team: Dave Malmberg, Christopher Riordan and Keith Verlaque

[marcus981]

In case anyone is interested, here is a link to the "Modern Porsche Electronics" presentation that Peter and I put together and presented at the Instructor Day last fall. Keith and Dave mentioned this presentation last night at the PDS Instructor's meeting for anyone interested in learning more before working with students in mostly new Porsches at the upcoming PDS.

Modern Porsche Electronics Presentation

Even though we only put this presentation together about a year ago, and did a minor refresh a few months later, I'm sure some of Porsche's newest models have at least a few features that aren't covered in here. It's just too hard to keep up.

If anyone thinks of anything to add, change, or clarify, I'm happy to make any edits.

Marcus

[ttweed]

Even though we only put this presentation together about a year ago, and did a minor refresh a few months later, I'm sure some of Porsche's newest models have at least a few features that aren't covered in here. It's just too hard to keep up.

If anyone thinks of anything to add, change, or clarify, I'm happy to make any edits.

Marcus,
I noticed a couple things that are different for the 991 GT3, not that there will be a lot of students driving them.

While there is a note about the ESC and TC buttons replacing the PSM button on p. 10, they can be shut off in two stages, and when they are both turned off, they stay off in the GT3. The note on p. 3, "For your safety, however, PSM remains set to intervene if the vehicle is braked and ABS assistance is required" does not apply (nor does the note on p. 7--"although for safety, it is set to intervene automatically only when ABS assistance is required").

The Sport Chrono in the GT3 is just a stopwatch and a track app. There are no Normal or Sport+ modes. It is in "Sport" mode all the time, and there are buttons for the PASM and PDK that can invoke the equivalent of Sport+ for those two functions separately.

There is no kickdown switch in the GT3 (p. 11), and there is no Auto Start/Stop mode or Active Aerodynamics either (p. 10).

That's all I noticed on a quick read through it.
HTH,
TT

[marcus981]

Tom,

Thank you very much for this additional info!

Does anyone else have any other recommendations to add, change, or clarify?

I'm also going to add a very helpful clarification that Jad made at the meeting about a slow lift vs. a fast lift in the newer cars. A fast lift off of the throttle will cause the PSM system to act more conservatively and will only slowly close the electronic (fly-by-wire) throttle in order to maintain stability with a slower forward weight transfer (PSM also prepares for emergency braking, as mentioned in the presentation). However, Jad explained that when the driver instead performs a slower, more controlled lift off of the throttle, the PSM system will recognize that it is not a panic situation, and it will control the electronic throttle appropriately to allow some forward weight transfer for pitching the car. I am able to do this in my 981 Cayman S, as are others with modern cars, so this clarification makes sense, and is very helpful to know when instructing students with modern Porsches in the skid-pad and pitch/catch exercises.

I'll wait a little longer to collect more feedback before making the edits all at once.

Thanks again,
Marcus

[Jad]

Great info. Still overwhelming!

A few thoughts on settings below in CAPS

Recommendations for Console Buttons
• Skid mark icon (PSM: Stability Management)*
 Recommendation for most students at AX/DE: (EARLY 9X6 CARS NEED THIS OFF EARLIER AS IT IS VERY INVASIVE - BUT USEFUL TO WATCH THE WARNING ICON TO SEE HOW MUCH CAR IS DRIVING ON NON-991 CARS)
 PSM Enabled / LED off
 For most PDS students:
 PSM Disabled / LED on (hold button for 2 seconds)
• Sport Plus (if available)
 Will automatically set: PASM/PDCC, Auto Start/Stop,
Exhaust, PAA
 Recommendation for most drivers: Enabled / LED on (SHOULD DISCUSS, I FEEL IT SHOULD BE OFF, STADIUM IS TOO ROUGH, THROTTLE BECOMES TOO JERKY)
 Be aware: May be too aggressive for timid students
• Shock absorber icon (PASM + PDCC)
 Active Suspension Management / Dynamic Chassis Control
 Recommendation for all drivers: Sport Mode / LED on (AGAIN, I THINK IT IS HARMFUL AT STADIUM, THOUGH IT WILL BASICALLY TURN ITSELF OFF)
• Capital A surrounded by circle (Auto Start/Stop)
 Recommendation for all drivers: Disabled / LED on
• Spoiler icon (PAA: Active Aerodynamics)
 Recommendation for all drivers: Enabled / LED on (NOT IMPORTANT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THIS)
• Exhaust tips icon (Sport Exhaust)
 Recommendation for all drivers: Enabled / LED on (OFF WOULD BE NICER TO THE NEIGHBORS AND ACTUALLY BE CLOSER TO 92DB RULE)

I THINK SOME OF THESE ITEMS WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO DISCUSS BEFORE THE SCHOOL IN SIX MONTHS.

I ALSO THINK LAUNCH CONTROL SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE SCHOOL. IT IS FUN AND SHOULD BE EXPERIENCED SAFELY DURING THE SCHOOL, NOT ON THE STREETS

Thanks for putting all this together! Might go buy as SC

[marcus981]

Jad,

Excellent points.

We knew that we wouldn't get complete agreement among instructors for that list of recommendations when we reviewed it with the CDIs initially, but we figured that we would take a stab at proposing something along with our reasons.

Your points about the affects of some of those modes in relation to the stadium lot are valid, and we hadn't really considered that when making the list before. I may create two recommendation lists then: one for AX students at the Q, and one for big track DE students.

Twitchy throttle:
I agree with Dave's frustration that the aggressive throttle mapping can't be divorced from the Sport and Sport+ modes. Some affects of those modes are desirable, even at the Q, but I can't think of a benefit of a twitchy throttle, other than to fool people into thinking their car just got faster after they pressed the Sport button.

Regarding launch control:
The PDS AX course on Sunday will have a reasonably fast start to allow students to have some fun and to use launch control if they have it and want to experience it. The second phase of the accident avoidance exercise on Saturday is also a good opportunity for students to try out launch control (on the return leg when they practice emergency braking), and I think some instructors have done that with their students. I can remind the accident avoidance instructors and students about that opportunity if they are interested.

[Jad]

Regarding launch control, I don't think most of our instructors know how to activate it.

I agree we will never reach agreement on settings, different styles, skills etc. Just worth discussing in order to understand better if nothing else. To some extent, just letting students drive in 'sport mode' or even 'sport +' is exciting and fun, even if it is slower and harder The school is for fun, not to perfect driving ability....