by Attila » Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:40 pm
Air Races.
Here is an idea that was discussed at our last meeting (with some of my own thoughts thrown in).
Keep them simple to run and organized. Keep them relatively low-keyed so that they could be held easily and frequently. For example, a 4 week race series each month scheduled for every flyable Saturday.
One idea is to set them up as a "time-trial" format. Pilots would launch at periodic intervals. Scoring would be based on an elapsed time to fly a set course. This could mean that the volunteer time keeper and scorer could also race since these responsibilities could be shared among all the pilots. Some ideas might be: a pilot in line to launch could record the launch time of the previous pilot, the last pilot to launch records the landing (or finishing times) until relieved by the first pilot to complete the course.
We may need a course judge at a turn point to verify that a pilot flew the course successfully. This could even be a paid "volunteer" which might even get covered by FF, or by a nominal entry fee to the "race-series".
"low-key"? Yea, lets keep this fun. We would be racing for bragging rights, not prize money.
for further consideration:
multiple classes, handicapping, course selection, dangers and risks of flying competively, glider identification (numbering scheme?).
Attila