Class F3K Provisional rules
for hand launch RC-Gliders
(Preliminary, to be modified)
General
A competition for Hand launch RC-gliders is a multitasking
contest where RC gliders must be hand-launched and accomplish
specific tasks. The contest shall consist of at least five rounds.
The organiser must provide a sufficient number of timekeepers in
order to allow 7 simultaneous flights at all time. In principle,
each competitor is allowed one helper who should not become
physically involved in the flight. Handicapped persons may ask for
assistance at launching and retrieving (catching) their models.
During a competition with only one class, the competitors of less
than 1.5 m height may be assisted for launching-catching. If
junior and senior classes are scored separately, the limit is 15
years of age for juniors.
The organiser should provide a transmitter impound where all
transmitters are kept in custody while not in use during a flight
or the corresponding preparation time.
Competitors not involved in flying or helping another
competitor may be asked by the organiser to operate as
timekeepers.
Definition of models
Models are gliders, with the following limitations :
Wingspan max. 1500 mm Weight max. 600 g
Radius of the nose, minimum 5 mm in all orientations (see F3B nose
definition for measurement technique).
The models must be launched by hand and are controlled by radio
equipment acting on an unlimited number of surfaces.
The competitor may at all times exchange parts among his
models.
Each competitor must provide two frequencies on which his
models may be operated, and the organiser may assign any of these
frequencies for the duration of any round or the complete contest.
Definition of the flying field
The flying field should be reasonably level and large enough to
allow several models to fly simultaneously. The main source of
lift should not be slope. The organiser must define the launching
and landing area before the start of the contest and all landings
should happen within this area. Any landing outside the area gets
a null score for the specific flight.
A typical launching and landing area could be a rectangle 100 m
x 50 m oriented with longer side perpendicular to the wind
direction.
Definition of landing
A landing is considered valid if :
- the model comes to rest and at least one part of it touches
the launching and landing area
- the competitor catches the model by hand (or if competitor
is handicapped, his helper, if launching was made by this
person), while standing with both feet inside the launching
and landing area.
Flight time
The flight time is measured from the moment the model leaves
the hands of the competitor (or his helper, see above) to the
moment the model comes to rest on the ground or the competitor
catches the model by hand (or his helper, see above) or the
working time expires.
The flight time is official if :
- the launching happens from inside the launching and landing
area
- the landing happens inside this area
- the launching happens within the working time of the task
Definition of round
The contest is organised in rounds, each of which allocates a
competitor a working time of maximum 10 minutes. The start and end
of the working time are announced with a sound-signalling device.
The competitors are arranged in as few groups as possible, with
two competitors minimum and seven competitors maximum (this number
may vary depending on the total number of entries). The results
are normalised within each group, 1000 points being the basis for
the winner of the group. For each round, the competitors receive
at least 2 minutes preparation time, as announced by the organiser.
Alternatively, the working time of the preceding group may be
declared the preparation time for the next group. During the
preparation time, the competitor is allowed to turn on and check
his radio, but is not allowed any launch of his model, either
outside or inside the launching and landing area.
Final score
The final score for a competition is the addition of the
normalised scores for all tasks flown, with the exception of the
lowest score, if more than 5 rounds were flown.
Definition of tasks
Before the start of each round, the organiser announces the
kind of task to be flown. The five tasks of the program are
defined below. Depending on the weather conditions and the number
of competitors, the working time may be reduced by decision of the
organiser. Minimum working time is indicated in the definition of
each task. No points are deducted for flying over the maximum
flight time or for flying after the end of working time. All
competitors must land as soon as their flight or task has been
completed.
Task A
During the working time, the competitor must try to accomplish
the greatest number of flights, lasting 30 seconds or multiples of
30 seconds. Each completed slice of 30 seconds is scored 1 point.
Examples :
1st flight is 15 sec. - 0 point
2nd flight is 63 sec. - 2 points
3rd flight is 48 sec. - 1 point etc.
Minimum working time is 5 minutes.
Task B
During the working time, the competitor may launch the model an
undefined number of times, but only the last flight is taken into
account to determine the final result. The length of the flight is
limited to 5 minutes. Any additional release of the model annuls
the preceding timing. When the competitor announces that he has
completed his last flight (his official flight for this task), he
must leave the launching and landing area, together with his
timekeeper.
Minimum working time for this task is 7 minutes.
Task C
During the working time, the competitor may launch his model
not more than 6 times. The maximum measured flight time is 3
minutes. This time may be reduced to 2 minutes if the number of
competitors is large. The sum of the three longest flights is
taken for the final score.
Minimum working time for this task is 7 minutes.
Task D
All competitors of a group must launch their models
simultaneously, within 3 seconds after the signal of the organiser.
Maximum measured flight time is 3 minutes. The model that lands
first gets 1 point, all successive models get an additional point.
Two models landing within the same second, according to the
official timing, get the same score. The next model gets two
points more. All models still flying at the end of the 3 minutes
slot time get the same number of points (previous + 2), provided
they land inside the launching and landing area. This procedure of
mass launch is repeated up to 3 flights in total during a 10
minutes working time. The new launch may be ordered after all
models from the previous launch have landed. The scores of all
three flights are added to obtain the final score for this task.
Task E
During the working time, the competitor may accomplish as many
launches as he likes. Each competitor must try to complete a
flight of 30 seconds. Once this is accomplished, the next two
flight times must be incremented by 15 seconds. So flight times
should be : 45 sec., 60 sec., 75 sec., 90 sec. The longest flight
time is 90 seconds. To reach any specific flight time, the number
of launches is unlimited. The time of the last flight is taken
into account. In adverse weather conditions, the organiser may
reduce the increment to 10 seconds (30 sec., 40 sec. Etc. up to 70
sec.). Flight score are given 1 point per completed second of
flight.
Example : (increment 15 seconds)
1st flight 32 sec. The max of 30 sec. Is reached. Next flight
should reach 45 seconds. Partial score is 32 points.
2nd flight 38 sec. Flight is zero
3rd flight 42 sec. Flight is zero
4th flight 47 sec. The max. Of 45 sec. is reached. Next flight
should reach 60 seconds. Partial score is 32 + 47=79 points.
5th flight 81 sec. The max is reached. Next flight should reach 75
seconds. But the remaining working time is only 65 seconds. Total
score of the task is 32 + 47 + 81=160 points
etc.
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