• some pilots launching hours before or after other pilots
• pilots starting the task at all different times of the day
• pilots with a wide range of racing skills
• experienced pilots flying long cross country flights - in addition to completing the designated race task

• has the same turnpoint for both start and finish, and includes at least two other turnpoints.
• could possibly be flown three consecutive times on that day by a pilot who is capable of winning a national competition. That is, if that expert pilot launched first, and landed last, he could fly around the course three times. The CD should "undercall" the day to assure most all contenders will be able to finish.

Outline of procedures

• Each pilot must have their name on the score sheet before takeoff if they are going to participate.
• Every pilot who is registered will be assigned a place position at the end of the day, if they launch (see Scoring below for details).
• Everyone fly's the same task
• Pilots may complete the task multiple times, and the fastest speed will be used for scoring.
• Pilots may restart before completing the task.
• The start gate and the finish circle will be in the same location
• The start gate and the finish circle will each be a five statute miles cylinder, starting at the ground.
• Neither the start gate nor the finish circles will have a ceiling.
• Turn points will be a one statute mile cylinder. Flight log, as displayed in See You, must indicate the glider passed through the cylinder. There is no benefit to flying closer than 0.9 miles to each TP, since the task distance will not be changed by your actual flight path.
• Speed is calculated as follows: distance ( as measured in statute miles) x time (as measured in hours) = MPH.
• The Distance of the task is what will be used for the speed calculation, not the actual distance flown while on the task. The distance is as measured from the center of the start point, to the center of each TP to the center of the finish point.
• The time begins when you leave the start cylinder and ends when you arrive at the finish cylinder.
• There is no penalty for a pilot who lands out after completing the task.
• The same pilot may not serve as CD two race days in a row.
• The CD has the authority to award penalty points for unsafe or unsportsmanlike actions
• The CD will review scores and declare the placement of each participant.

Communications

Pilots are encouraged to communicate with other pilots during their flight. All pilots should monitor 123.3 most of the time. Team flying is allowed, and mentoring pilots may offer assistance, as long as information shared is understandable to all pilots on the frequency. False reporting or stating misleading info is not allowed. Pilots may politely refuse to provide to provide performance or soaring conditions, but should always report their position and altitude concisely when so requested by another pilot.

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 have an additional 3% handicap applied.

Scoring

The placement order, as decided by the CD, becomes final at midnight, the day of the race.
The following is the suggested placement order from the very last place to the first place:

• Pilot that does not submit a flight log for review
• Pilot that lands out and does not submit a flight log
• Pilot that does not complete a task but submits a flight log
• The remaining pilots will be placed in order of speed used to complete the task, with the pilot who posts the fastest handicapped speed being assigned first place.

Awards

WSC has generously offered three prizes consisting of credit on your WSC gliding account. Awards will be made to the pilots who place first, second, and third place the most times during the year. Prizes will be split if there is more than one winner in each place. The prize for first place will be awarded first. If a pilot receives any award, in whole or in part, then he is not eligible for the next level in the lower placement. Placing first or second a number of times, but not winning either award, does not count towards the award for placing third. After first prize has been awarded, then the prize for second place will be awarded, etc.. The prizes will be:

• $300 credit - first place the most times on all scheduled race days
• $200 credit - second place the most times on all scheduled race days
• $100 credit - third place the most times on all scheduled race days

The VSA may offer daily prizes for those who place fourth place and lower, all the way down to last place for the day - if they stay for the dinner.

Contest Details

Time on course begins when exiting the start cylinder and ends when entering the finish cylinder. Speed will be determined by See You. The VSA Pilot's computer will be used as the standard to determine the speed - since See You could possibly be configured incorrectly by some people.

Tows and self-launches: Pilots launch when they are ready. Takeoff times are not scheduled. A motor glider may perform a single saw tooth climb, en route to the normal tow release area for that day.

Relights may only be done at WSC. Launch sequence priority is always given to those who have not taken their first tow.

Land outs: If a pilot lands somewhere other than WSC, or if a motor glider starts the engine outside of 1 mile from WSC, prior to completing the task, then he receives last place. The second pilot to land out that day ( based on time of day) receives the next to last place, etc.

Submitting flights and scoring

Pilot must register BEFORE TAKEOFF with the following information - no exceptions. If no registration is done before launch, then no flight log will be accepted after the flight.

• Name of pilot _______________
• Model of glider _____________
• Handicap ___________
• Water ballast on board - yes or no

After the flight the pilot must either enter his flight log on to the VSA Pilot's computer or have someone else enter it for him. The CD will verify:

• The file name of the flight log for each pilot
• Speed (as calculated by See You)
• Handicap speed

The CD will assign placement positions for all participants who were registered that day ( and subsequently launched). Even if a pilot does not complete the task or fails to turn in a flight log the pilot will still be awarded a place postion for that race day.

The score sheet will resemble this format:

Here is a what that single sheet looks like (in Excel) that is used for:

• Registration by each pilot before the flight, and
• Landing card after the flight, as well as
• the Score Sheet for the day.

Click here to download a copy of that sheet in PDF format, suitable for printing by Noelle, Cora or the CD for the day.

Here is the actual xls file if you want to type in all of the info - but it can just as well be all entered by hand, and scanned after it is complete.

Schedule of Race Days in 2011

R1, R2 = March 19 and 26

R3, R4 = April 9 and 23

R5 = May 21

R6 = June 11

R7 = July 16

R8 = August 13

R9 = September 10

R10 = October 15

Race Results

Daily and cumulative scores will be published on the Williams Today pages.

 

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