RADIO CONTROL SCALE AEROBATICS - 2003/11

90 MODEL AVIATION
IN THE PAST several years I’ve flown in and/or helped with
a fair number of Scale Aerobatics (SA) contests. Many of them
were run extremely well, and when that happens everybody has
a lot of fun. But I’ve also been to several that were poorly run
and frustrating to fly in. You’ve probably been to some of
those: contests that start late, pilots’ meetings that don’t tell
you much, dead time in which no one is flying, long waits
between flights, “local” rules, and poorly trained judges, or
even judging bias.
As a contest director (CD) you don’t want your event to get
a reputation for any of the aforementioned characteristics, but
it does happen. It’s your job as a CD to understand how to run
a contest, and I fully expect that most of you do.
For CDs and fliers who are new to International Miniature
Aerobatic Club (IMAC) flying, I’m going to give you a few
tips and hints to help your contest be a smashing success.
Okay, I won’t use the word “smashing”—a great success! This
is not by any means a comprehensive guide; think of it as some
help in avoiding the most common mistakes made at the local
level.
It is somewhat expected that IMAC contests are a little more
laid-back and relaxed. A helpful, friendly attitude and a
willingness to consider a rule’s intentions rather than ruling to
the letter are good things and will help keep IMAC a place
where people who are starting out will want to go.
However, this is a contest, and a lackadaisical atmosphere is
no place for competition. The CD and his or her helpers should
be tending to the business at hand—not hanging out with
buddies, chewin’ the fat while contestants try to decide who is
gonna judge next. I know this next point is controversial, but a
CD should not fly in his or her own contest. Plain and simple;
it’s a conflict of interest.
The CD’s attitude about holding and running the event is
the key to success. An enthusiastic and fresh approach will
give you the energy to run an event that takes leadership,
planning, and a lot of work. If you’ve run your contest for the
last few years and you’re a little on the burned-out side or your
heart’s not in it, maybe it’s time to step back and let someone
Mike Hurley, 11542 Decatur Ct., Westminster CO 80234; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL SCALE AEROBATICS
A contest with two flightlines. Keeping judges out of sun,
providing plenty of cold water makes everyone more comfortable.
Alex Pesch enters the numbers into the “Score” program as they
come in from the judges. This program is fast!
A pilots’ meeting can make or break a contest. Eliminate all
guesswork and confusion by covering all bases up front.
Danny Stejskal (L) walks with Alex Pesch as he gets ready to fly
the final Unlimited round. Alex flies a 40% Carden Extra.
November 2003 91
else run it, even if you’ve already committed. The great contests
are put on by new, optimistic CDs or veterans who remain excited
and enthusiastic about SA.
Preparation for the contest has to begin months, and maybe
even a year, before the event date. Groundwork starts with
rounding up volunteer helpers and supplemental judges. Granted,
most contests are pilot-judged, but having a couple of nonflying
judges helps take the burden off of the pilots and makes the
contest much more enjoyable.
Qualified judges are hard to come by in many areas, so the
only way to really ensure the proper quantity and quality is to
build a cadre of judges within your club. Hold judging seminars,
work with people one on one, have private tutoring sessions with
only the volunteer judges, and get your club members involved.
Just asking for volunteers at the meeting isn’t going to cut it!
If you want a really good turnout of helpers and judges, you’re
going to have to make it worth their time, give them special
attention, and make them feel needed and appreciated. Some clubs
have raffles and prizes for judges and helpers only, and some even
pay judges a nominal amount. During the contest, make sure that
the judges and helpers have plenty of food and water, give them
adequate breaks between stints in the chair, and have a canopy to
keep the sun off of them while they concentrate on the scoring. A
comfortable judge is a happy judge!
At the end of the contest, before any trophies are handed out to
the pilots, make a big deal about the great staff of helpers and
judges you have, and make sure they don’t go home emptyhanded.
This is a good time to give them an award of appreciation
or hold that special raffle. Do these things and you’ll have more
volunteers than you can handle next year.
A sure way to keep pilots, helpers, and judges away from your
contest is to put all of the burden on a few people, give them no
education or support, keep them in the chair all day long, and not
mention a word about their efforts at the end of the contest. Does
that sound hard to imagine? I’ve been to several where that was
done. I’ve even heard of clubs wanting to charge people to attend
a judging seminar! That’s not only not encouraging fellow club
members, but it’s not good for IMAC in general. We want to help
as many people get involved as possible.
When planning, advertising for, and running your contest, strive
for consistency and adherence to AMA and IMAC rules and
procedures. There’s nothing more frustrating than traveling
hundreds of miles to a contest and having to deal with hometown
Time to stop using “no way to carry a big model” excuse. Rob
Kelly hauls 33% Composite ARF Extra in tiny Honda hatchback!
Big is Better and Safer too!
The IMAA is an international organization was formed April 10,
1980 to promote non-competitive, educational, safe, relaxed flying
of LARGE radio controlled model aircraft throughout the world.
We are the largest Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Special
Interest Group and as such, are committed to representing the
interest of our members in AMA related matters.
Members enjoy the privilege of
participation in hundreds of Fly-ins
and Rallies each year – including
IMAA’s own Rally of Giants).
Don’t wait. Join today! For complete
membership details, visit our web site
(www.fly-imaa.org) or give us a call
toll free at – 866 366-4622.
High-Flight,
the publication of the IMAA, is
published quarterly and is sent to
all members. High-Flight is
dedicated to the advancement of
large r/c aircraft by concentrating
on new products, techniques, and
innovations developed through
the activities of IMAA Chapters
and individuals around the world.
92 MODEL AVIATION
rules. Hey, if it’s a club-members-only
event and you all agree on doing it your
way, knock yourself out. But if it’s open
to all AMA members, your contest needs
to abide by the AMA and IMAC rules.
My pet peeve is the pilot/panel rule. It
may be stupid, but it is a rule, and most
pilots have taken the time and trouble to
adhere to it. Yes, you can list it as a
deviation in your AMA sanction if you
feel strongly about it, but what does that
say to the fliers who spent the time, effort,
money, and take the weight penalty?
Enforce it! Even if you don’t like the rules
or you know a better way to handle
things, it is still in everybody’s best
interest to put your personal ideas aside
and run the contest by the intent of the
book.
Make sure all participants understand
what time the pilots’ meeting will begin
and when the flying will start on the
morning of your contest by listing it in
your flyer and AMA announcement. Get
there early and give yourself plenty of
time to get set up and ready for the pilots’
meeting. Have judges lined up for the first
round of flying well before the pilots’
meeting. Define the flight order and
flightline designations before the meeting
so that flying can commence immediately
afterward.
Be ready for the meeting with plenty
of notes, and decide how the contest will
be run well in advance of contest day.
Keep a copy of the AMA and IMAC rules
close by for reference throughout the
contest. If you are using flightline tenders
(helpers who will keep pilots in the ready
box so that the line keeps moving), be
sure to have them trained and ready
before the pilots’ meeting. It’s a good idea
to have a meeting with your helpers the
day before the contest so that everyone is
ready when they get there in the morning.
In the meeting with your helpers and
the pilots’ meeting, don’t assume that
anybody knows anything. Spell out every
aspect of how you will run the contest and
what is expected of each participant. A
good pilots’ meeting can make or break
the contest. The more each participant
knows, the smoother it will go throughout
the day. Some examples (but by no means
a complete list) of things to include in the
pilots’ meeting are:
• Define the box and how to spot and take
action for boundary infractions.
• Completely outline flightline
procedures, landing, and takeoff,
including the two-minute restart rules.
• Define flameout, landing, and restart
rules.
• Outline any deviations from written
AMA or IMAC rules.
• Explain how the day will proceed (three
rounds, flying through lunch, etc.).
• Show people the flight order and their
designated flightline.
• Explain how the impound will work, and
do have an impound no matter how few
the frequency contentions. It’s far less
hassle than picking up sticks from a 35%
Extra and trying to smooth over hard
feelings.
• Explain trim-pass procedures and time
limitations.
• Fully define avoidance procedures.
Explaining these exceptions up front
will avoid confusion and save you from
arbitrating conflicts throughout the event.
Even though you think people should
know, hit the little things such as how two
sequences make a flight round, how and
who handles the score sheets, and how the
flight order will be changed between
rounds.
Define where and when pilots are to
start their engines, and please take into
consideration where the judges are located
when you designate a starting position.
(Judges behind the propeller please!) Go
over the actual scoring procedures, how K
factors work, how many rounds are thrown
out, and what normalizing means. If you’re
noise testing, outline those procedures.
Another pilots’ meeting held on Sunday
will not only outline the day, but will
cover details about Unknowns and
Freestyle. Randomly choose and announce
the flight order for the Unknown round,
and explain whether or not pilots will fly
one sequence or two on the Unknown
flight. (Most contests fly one sequence.)
Be sure to have score sheets for the
Unknowns! Basic will fly a normal round
of two sequences. Ask for any questions
about the Unknowns, and explain how
uncommon maneuvers (such as tailslides)
will be judged.
Explain how the Freestyle will proceed,
and encourage pilots to sign up for the
Freestyle during the pilots’ meeting. It
may be a good idea to have another quick
meeting with the Freestyle pilots and
judges just before it starts to go over
judging criteria, timing, starting and
stopping procedures, and deadline
infractions.
The last thing I want to touch on is
scoring. Scoring manually can be a
nightmare, and the current scoring
program can be frustrating if you need to
retrieve data, do a recalculation, or add a
pilot who has come in late. Dave Smith
wrote a new Excel-based program called
“Score” that eliminates those and other
issues with the present program. You can
download it from the IMAC Web site
(www.mini-iac.com) for free. Go to
www.mini-iac.com/pages/CDCorner/
imac_scoring_program_for_excel.asp. MA
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