The inaugural Gateway 2-Day Hand Launch Contest is in the books. Bruce Davidson of Louisville was the champion of the event, but all places were hotly contested. You can read more about the event and see the final standings on our Flying Reports page.
Thanks to all who came to make it a success. See you all next year!
Fast Facts
Date: May 30-31, 2009
Time: Pilot check-in opens at 8am on Saturday. Pilot’s meeting at 9am
First round opens at 9:30
Sunday, first round opens at 9am
Location: Emerald View Turf Farm, O’Fallon, Mo.
Fee: $20 contest entry fee
Format: F3K format/tasks, seeded man-on-man (no fly-offs)
Welcome!
The Mississippi Valley Soaring Association is pleased to announce a first for the MVSA club, a two-day hand launch contest! The event will be held at the club field, a beautiful, wide-open sod farm on May 30-31, 2009.
We will fly as few groups as possible in order to get as many rounds as possible each day (we’re here to fly!) There will be a short lunch break each day, food is not provided so please pack a sandwich. Free bottled water will be provided to all participants. Last round on Sunday will not start after 3:30pm.
Groups will be assigned at random for the first round. All rounds thereafter will be based on previous rounds’ results. The highest scoring pilots will fly together, then the next highest group, etc. Every round will essentially be a fly-off with pilots flying against like-talent for the entire contest and everyone will be able to fly every round.
In order to avoid frequency conflicts, we will be observing F3K rule 5.7.2.5: Each competitor must provide at least two frequencies on which his model glider may be operated, and the organiser may assign any of these frequencies for the duration of the complete contest (you will not be asked to change frequencies once the contest starts.) From a practical standpoint, there is a frequency sign-up sheet where frequencies will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If your name/frequency is on this list, it is highly unlikely you will be asked to change to your alternate frequency. Send an email to get on the list.
Pilot's Meeting Notes
Contest will follow most of the guidelines set forth in the F3K rules, assume F3K rules unless otherwise noted below. Some points will just be reminders of the F3K rules.
•no official timekeepers, your helper/caller will be your timer
•try not to use the same timer in consecutive rounds (but you can time for someone who just timed for you).
•timesheets will not require a signature
•no transmitter pound, use only the frequency you are assigned
•field boundaries will be described during meeting.
•record flights on timesheets, submit all flight times in minutes and seconds.
•flight testing time before rounds is 1 minute instead of 2.
•there will be frequent breaks every couple of rounds to tend to small repairs and to rehydrate
•launching before the working time begins results in a zero flight.
•landing window will be enforced, there is a 30-sec countdown after the round ends, all planes must land in bounds before the 30-sec landing buffer ends otherwise the last flight is zeroed.
•flight time stops when the glider comes to rest in bounds or the pilot touches the glider (not when it touches a ground-based object but continues to fly). So if the glider hits some weeds, but keeps going, the flight time continues to advance. This is a standard F3K rule that is different than the norm in traditional U.S. HL contests.
•nose of the plane has to be in bounds when the plane comes to rest or the pilot has to have both feet in bounds for a hand-catch. If a hand-catch is attempted and the plane falls out of bounds, the landing is considered out of bounds (zero flight)
•if the plane lands out of bounds, it must be retrieved (not flown) by the pilot or his helper to the in bounds area before it can be relaunched.
•up to 5 models can be used, change at any time. Spare models must be outside the launch/land area. If changing model gliders during the working time, both planes must be in the launch/land area (must retrieve an out of bounds plane before switching to another plane).
•hitting anyone other than yourself or your timer during preparation time or working time results in a 100-point penalty. Hitting anyone during the working time on launch results in a zero round.
•times are truncated to the whole second.
Task specific rules:
•Task A Last Flight - Working time will be 7 minutes. All other Tasks will be 10-minute working time (except Task C All Up Last Down)
•Task C All-Up Last-Down - AULD rounds will be 3 launches. There is a 30-sec preparation time before the start of the flight window. There is a 30-sec landing buffer after the 3-minute max flight time. The 3-minute window is a guideline; actual flight time starts when the pilot throws (within 3 seconds of the start tone) and ends when he lands before the 3-minute buzzer or at 3 minutes into the flight, whichever comes first.
•Task E Poker - 5 nominations only. Cannot call "Till end of working time" Pilot must nominate an actual flight time before launching for the last flight. This is a standard F3K rule.
•Task H 1, 2, 3, 4 - Report times in decreasing order otherwise flights may get truncated. (4-minute slot first, then 3-minute slot, etc.)
Contact the MVSA Hand Launch Contest Coordinator, Mike Johnson,
or 2-Day Contest Director Glauco Lago with any questions.
Hope to see you all in May!
