The VSA Race Series
for 2010
The first year of the VSA Race Series was in 2004. The
first Race Day of each year is typically held in March,
with the last one being near the end of the soaring season,
the same day as the WSC Oktoberfest.
This racing series is intended to encourage soaring pilots
to enjoy cross country flying. The tasking format is designed
with safety, probability of completion, strategy, and degree
of challenge with the variety of weather conditions in mind.
This series is not intended to be a training or entry point
of novice cross-country pilots. This series is not an SSA
sanctioned contest. The VSA Race series is our attempt to
have a competition - given the circumstances of long tows
and limited number of tow planes. Normal contest rules are
dozens of pages in length, but we are limiting our rules
to this single page, thus, some flexibility must be allowed.
If you have questions or concerns, the CD will make a ruling
prior to the first launch on any given race day and that
ruling then becomes part of the rules. Rule interpretations
by the CD may be necessary in post flight analysis, and
will be done with the purpose of fairness to all.
The underlying purposes for the race series are:
- Add to the enjoyment of soaring
- Provide an arena for, and to encourage competition
- Encourage pilots to challenge themselves
- Establish a set of Standard Courses
- Encourage pilots to sharpen their racing skills
- Recognize the pilots who win.
The standard courses are described in the task list shown
below.
Pilots are encourage to communicate with the other pilots
as to which Starting Gate they are planning to start from
and which course they are attempting to complete, thereby
allowing other pilots to compete on the same courses with
each other. All pilots should monitor 123.3 most of the
time. Team flying is not allowed, but mentoring pilots who
may need assistance is allowed, as long as the attempt is
made to have the information being shared appears to be
understandable to all pilots on the frequency. False reporting
or stating misleading info is not allowed. If cockpit workload
permits, pilots should reply with position and altitude
when requested to do so.
The Rules for 2010
The Race Series
In 2010, The Race Series will be held on Saturdays as
defined in the Schedule of Race Days
- see calendar below.
Thanks to the generosity of Williams Soaring Center, the
overall series winner will be recognized at the Annual WSC
Oktoberfest and will receive a purse of $500 in credit for
tows and rentals if qualifying flights are completed as
described below.
Open to all Pilots that are registered for this contest.
In order to be registered for this contest, your name
must be added to the Score Sheet by the Contest Director
or by the FBO. To register you must be a current, paid-up
member of the VSA, and have contest level experience. The
Race Series is not intended to be a training or entry point
of novice cross-country pilots
Only one pilot needs to launch on a scheduled race day
in order to have his flight scored.
Schedule
See the schedule on the Williams
Today Page -2010 Events & Bulletins or see the calendar
below.
Tasks
A contestant may choose to fly any one of the authorized
tasks. Note: for the 2010 Series, tasks may be flown only
in the direction shown in the task list (no reverse tasks).
For the 2010 Series, a given task may be scored only one
time (once you score a particular task, it’s no longer on
the list of available tasks for you).
Handicap
The pilot’s raw score will be handicapped using the latest
available SSA Sport Class Handicap List. Pilots are allowed
to carry water ballast; however, pilots with water ballast
will carry an additional 3% handicap.
Scoring
The pilot who posts the fastest speed for the day (after
the appropriate handicap has been applied will be awarded
1000 points for that day. Other pilots will receive a percentage
of the 1000 points, based upon their own speed relative
to the speed of the winner. Points will only be awarded
for speed (no points will be awarded for "distance
only" or for incomplete tasks).
To allow for the increased challenge posed by longer tasks,
bonus points will be added to total points scored for each
flight as follows:
100 points for each 200k task
200 points for each 300k task or longer
To allow the completion of tasks on a marginal day, special
"s" tasks may be allowed at the discretion of
the CD. If "s" tasks are to be allowed, the CD
will make his determination and announce it at the pilot’s
meeting. Allowing the use of "s" tasks on a given
day does not preclude a contestant from completing a standard
task. All "s" tasks will be devalued as follows
s100 task = 300 points penalty
s200 task = 200 points penalty
s300 task = 100 points penalty
The CD may apply a penalty that he feels appropriate for
any rule violation, unsafe flying or unsportsmanlike conduct.
Maximum number of flights: A contestant may "fly"
any number of different courses on a single race day, but
only one course (and it must be one the pilot has not previously
scored on an earlier day) will count for scoring. The pilot
must identify on the landing card the flight that will be
scored.
The winner of the prize money is the pilot who has that
most points amongst those who have qualified by completing
at least one triangle in each of the three groups: 100 km,
200 km, and 300km. Note that the "s" courses and
the courses that are not closed triangles do not qualify.
Pilots may fly different gliders or may change configurations
at their option, with an appropriate change in handicap
as determined by the CD.
The start and finish gates will be one statute mile radius
cylinders and 5,000 feet above the stated elevation of the
gate turnpoint.
Gates are: Tree Farm (max. start altitude 9,200’), 3 sisters
(max. start altitude 7,000’), and WSC (max. start altitude
5,100’).
Starting through the top of the gate is allowed.
Two Minute Rule applies to the start (contestant must
remain below maximum gate altitude for the two minutes immediately
prior to starting).
Time on course begins when exiting the start cylinder
and ends at one mile from the finish point.
Distance flown is the published distance for each task.
Speed is calculated as the published distance for the task
divided by the 'time on course.
A pilot will be scored as having reached the turnpoint
if at least one fix from his flight trace is located within
a one statute mile radius of that turnpoint. The scoring
distance will always be to the turnpoint itself regardless
of where in the one mile cylinder the turn is made.
Tows and self-launches: CD coordinates with the FBO to
get the max number of the contest ships in the air ASAP.
Some limitations on launch sequence, tow location and altitude
may be imposed, but you have the option of waiting for a
later tow and not being a part of that first series of launches
that bear limitations. Motorgliders will comply with the
specified limitations if they launch during the first series
of tows.
Landouts: Defined as- landing other than WSC or a motorglider
engine start outside of 1 mile from WSC. If a pilot lands
out he is done for the day and receives zero points - although
he may continue to fly for fun. However, relights are allowed.
Relights (only allowed at WSC): Relights are allowed if
it appears that no start was made. Relights will occur only
after the last contestant has launched.
Claiming and submitting flights
Flight record/ log must be submitted/ posted in order
to receive points. Only flights recorded by GPS flight recorder
acceptable to the CD will be considered for scoring in the
race series and the flight record/log must be submitted
to the scorer in a media form that is acceptable to the
CD.
• The Landing Card must list the specific course that is
claimed on that date. The scorer will not try to guess which
course you are claiming.
• If a log is submitted claiming a task previously scored,
the pilot gets no score for the day. Duplicating tasks is
not allowed.
• Flight logs and landing cards should be submitted the
same day, but not later than the next morning via email.
The Tasks
The following three tables all depict the same tasks. The
only difference between each of these tables is that one
depicts the distance of each task in KM, one is in NM and
one is in SM (Mi).
Note: Tasks 1 - 12 are designated as 100k, Tasks 13 -18
are designated as 200k, and Tasks 19 - 32 are designated
300k or longer.
The cup file for
use in See You
The cup file, VSA
race-2010, may be downloaded here.
The Database of
Turnpoints
The turnpoint data base (current version is "wsc10"),
may be downloaded
here.
Schedule
of Race Days
* Editor's Note: Jim Darke - 1B and Bob Ireland - BI each
have decades of aviation experience, and both are highly
experienced in all facets of Glider Competitions. The VSA
and WSC are indeed fortunate to have such highly qualified
pilots who are willing to volunteer their time and efforts
so that we may all enjoy the sport of racing gliders. On
behalf of all participants, thank you Bob and Jim. Your
efforts are truly appreciated by all.
