Round Strategy
To clarify the rules and assist with getting
accustomed to flying the tasks of the contest, this section has been
added. Please be aware that this section is definitely an
editorial type section. Please analyze it that way.
Rules Clarifications:
Time Start/Stop
Time starts at the time of release of the plane and stops when the
plane sheds a part or touches a ground based object. A plane
that looses a part on launch has it's time start at release and stop
on loss of a part, even if it is one second. Time stops if the
plane touches a pilot, timer, or even a blade of grass.
The flight time window starts following the countdown and ends with
the buzzer. Any plane in the air prior to the window start time
horn must come down and relaunch prior to any time counting toward a
flight. Any plane in the air after the buzzer received 1/2 their
score for the round.
A note here is that it was difficult to call down a
plane or planes when they are launched prior to the horn. In one
case, several planes were launched early, and all planes were called
down and the flight window restarted. As stated, this is a
difficult policy to enforce. Perhaps in the future the CD will
have observers who will call out contestant numbers for those who
launch early, permitting those who followed the rules to continue to
fly and have the advantage. The problem here is the split second
of time required by the judgment.
Off Field Landings
The flight area was about the size of a full size
soccer field. The west and east boundaries were marked with
yellow warning tapes. On the south side, above the cars and tents were
some low power lines. These can be seen in the photograph of
Darwin Barrie's Raptor perched on top of one pole.
All flights were required to terminate on the field in order for the times to
count. This is a difficult call if the timer does not know
that the time does not count if the plane touches a ground based
object outside of the launch area.
Discus Launch Issues
Nearly all the pilots were using the discus launch method.
Depending on the round requirements, javelin type launches were also
performed. As stated in the rules, there was a "Zero Tolerance" rule
for launches. Any pilot who hits a pilot on launch will receive a
zero (0) score for that round. This was interpreted as any person
hit. This occurred once.
Problem
When this pilot asked how the pilot, timer or other person is
treated when hit by the plane, the question was totally misunderstood.
No resolution of this issue was stated. In the future, I believe this issue will be
addressed more fully. Imagine, as a pilot, you are hit by a plane
on launch, while you are flying. You can become unaware of the
status of your own plane, loose the plane or orientation such that you
cannot compete or fly further. If a timer gets hit, the pilot
suffers from not being able to have their time reported to them
properly. This is not like a a midair, where both pilots can try
to avoid the instance.
For other issues, we may see officials of the contest
randomly checking planes, times, scores, etc during the contest, that
is, in the background. This might sound extreme, but may permit
the contests to run smoother and some issues to be resolved easily.
Switching Planes
Pilots were permitted to switch planes during a flight round.
For example, if a plane lands in a tree, the flight time stops, and is
not counted toward the flight time. In these cases, as well as if
a plane becomes unflyable, or even if the pilot wants to just change
planes, the pilot has to get the new plane. Backup planes were
placed just off field, outside of the launching area. If the plane
is not already off the launch area, the pilot has to place the old plane
off field and get the new one. Helpers were not permitted to bring
a plane from off field onto the field and return with the old
plane. Once a plane is replaced, that plane cannot be used again
in that round.
Overall Strategy:
The main goal is to maximize the time in the air and minimize the time
on the ground. What is lost on the ground cannot be gained in the
air. Whatever time is taken up by over flying the max time cannot
be regained. For example, if you need 4 flights with a maximum
time of 2 minutes per flight, in a 8 minute window, any time taken up by
launching, airplane handling or over flying of the target maximum
flight time of the flight is lost. Thus, your turn around
time from hand catch to launch needs to be minimized and you must land
at the target time. For rounds which require a minimum number of
flights, then the pilots must only fly the minimum number of
flights. How do you do this, that is the reason for practicing and
designing.
Let's take a look at each of the rounds
from this pilots' point of view. Since this pilot had not had
previous experience with each of these flights, advice was giving by
other more experienced flyers. Remember, for each flight group the
scores are normalized to 1000 points.
Round 1:
10 minute Window, Unlimited flights, The most number of flights
in the following sequence: :10, :15, :20, :25, :30, :35, :40, :45, :50,
:55, 1:00, 1:05; 1:10
If you add up the flight times in order you will see that the last
flight will be a 1 minute 10 second flight (70 seconds) which
gives the pilot 80 seconds for turn around time. The pilot cannot
launch 12 times in 5 seconds, hence the 70 second max flight time.
This
leaves 80 seconds to launch 12 times, or about 6 seconds per
launch. If the pilot does not miss a flight in the ladder, then
this is ample time for launching. The pilot needs to be able to
refly a flight if required. To be able to do this, the pilot must
reduce the launch or ground time. It takes longer to launch using
the discus launching style than for the javelin throw. In general,
many pilots launch javelin style for the early flights, as the turn
around time is 2-3 seconds. Doing this, the pilot gains launch,
ground
or reflight time. This time can be used to overfly the target time
slightly. In order to land exactly at the target time the pilot
must be able to control the plane and keep it slow for landing.
Hence flaps. More planes are going to be having flaps next year.
Round 2:
8 minute Window, Unlimited flights, Eight longest flights, one minute
max time per flight
With 8 flights and one minute max for each flight, the target flight
time will be 480 seconds less the time it takes to launch the 8 flights,
and the overfly time of a flight. The last flight ends with the
flight time being stopped by the end of the flight window buzzers and
the plane MUST touch a ground based object, or land exactly at that
time. If you assume a 7 launches (the first is at the horn) with a
launch time of 3 seconds each, and the plane is landed exactly at the
target time, the maximum will be nearly 467 seconds of flight
time. If you can launch faster, you can gain a few
seconds. This makes the javelin launch better if you can
launch the plane and max one minute each time.
Round 3:
8 minute Window, 8 flights, Total time - two minute max time per
flight
With the ability to launch 8 times to achieve a 2 minute max, the
maximum number of flights the pilot should have is 4. The total
time will be 480 seconds less the time required for 3 launches and any time
past the target time. The maximum number of seconds will be
close to 465 seconds using a Discus launch. If the pilot can
javelin throw into a known thermal then the total time will be a few
seconds longer.
Round 4:
10 minute Window, Unlimited flights. A one, two, three and four
minute flight ( in any order)
The goal here is to launch only 4 times. The total time
will be 600 seconds less the time required for 3 launches and any over
fly time of the target. The last flight ends with the flight time being
stopped by the end of the flight window buzzer and the plane MUST touch
a ground based object, or land exactly at that time. The total time will
be 600 seconds less the time required for 3 launches and any time past
the target time.
Round 5:
10 minute Window, 8 flights, Total time - three minute max time per
flight
The goal here is to fly 4 flights, with max times of 1, 3, 3,
and 3 minutes, or 2, 2, 3, and 3 minutes, in any order. The total
time will be 600 seconds less the time required for 3 launches and any time
past the target time. The last flight ends with the flight time
being stopped by the end of the flight window buzzer and the plane MUST
touch a ground based object, or land exactly at that time. The total
time will be 600 seconds less the time required for 3 launches and any time
past the target time.
Round 6:
8 minute Window, Unlimited flights, Four longest flights - two
minute max time per flight
The goal here is to fly 4 flights, with max times of 2, 2, 2
and 2 minute. The total time will be 480 seconds less the
time required for 3 launches and any time past the target time. Hence the pilot should max the first 3 flights, and get as much time as
possible on the last flight. The last flight ends with the
flight time being stopped by the end of the flight window buzzer and the
plane MUST touch a ground based object, or land exactly at that
time.
Round 7:
8 minute Window, Unlimited flights, Most flight time from increasing
flights. Must have at least 3 flights. First flight must be
at least 15 sec. To receive credit for a flight, it must be longer
than the previously credited flight.
This is termed the 1, 2 and out round. The first flight is made
to get 15 seconds and meet the first flight time requirement. The
second flight is required to get a time longer than the first 15 second
flight, like 1 or more seconds, or to find a thermal. The third
flight is the long flight, and the time for this flight is stopped by
the end of the flight window buzzer. The plane MUST touch a ground
based object, or land exactly at that time. The second flight can
be as long as the pilot wants so long as the pilot knows that the third
flight time can exceed the time of the second flight. The total
time will be 480 seconds less the time required for 2
launches.
Round 8:
8 minute Window, Unlimited flights, Three longest flights - three
minute max time per flight
The goal here is to fly 3 flights, with max times of 3, 3 and
2 minutes. The total time will be 480 seconds less the time
required for 2 launches and any time past the target time. Hence
the pilot should max the first 3 flights, and get as much time as
possible on the last flight. The last flight ends with the
flight time being stopped by the end of the flight window buzzer and the
plane MUST touch a ground based object, or land exactly at that
time.
Round 9:
10 minute Window, Unlimited flights, a one, two, three, and four
minute flight (in any order)
The goal here is to fly each flight land at the max time, and
relaunch into a known thermal. Only 4 launches should be
done. The total time will be 480 seconds less the time required
for 3 launches and any time past the target time. So the pilot should
get maxes on the short flights and have the last flight end at the
buzzer.
Round 10:
10 minute Window, 6 flights, Five longest flights - two minute max
time per flight
The goal here is to fly 5 flights, with max times of 2
minute each. The total time will be 600 seconds less the time
required for 4 launches and any time past the target time. Hence
the pilot should max the first 4 flights, and get as much time as
possible on the last flight. The last flight ends with the
flight time being stopped by the end of the flight window buzzer. The
plane MUST touch a ground based object or land exactly at that
time.
Round 11:
5 minute Window, 6 flights, Five longest flights, one minute max time
per flight
The goal here is to fly 5 flights, with max times of 1
minute each. The total time will be 300 seconds less the time
required for 4 launches and any time past the target time. Hence
the pilot should max the first 4 flights, and get as much time as
possible on the last flight. The last flight ends with the
flight time being stopped by the flight window buzzer. The
plane MUST touch a ground based object or land exactly at that
time.
Round 12:
10 minute Window, 8 flights. One, two, three and four minute
flight (in any order)
The goal here is to fly each flight, land at the max time, and
relaunch into a known thermal. Only 4 launches should be
done. The total time will be 480 seconds less the time required
for 3 launches and any over fly time of the target. So the pilot should
get maxes on the short flights and have the last flight end at the
buzzer.
Round 13:
10 minute Window, 6 flights, Five longest flights - two minute max
time per flight
The goal here is to fly 5 flights, with max times of 2 minutes
each. The total time will be 600 seconds less the time required
for 4 launches and any time past the target time. Hence the
pilot should max the first 4 flights and get as much time as possible
on the last flight. The last flight ends with the flight
time being stopped by the end of the flight window buzzer and the plane
MUST touch a ground based object, or land exactly at that time.
Think these flight tasks are
easy? Try it under pressure. Good Luck.
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