Deep-South Soaring Championships

[schrederman]

The Houston Hawks will host the Deep-South Soaring Championships in Houston on Memorial Day weekend. While we recognise the most competitive class is Unlimited, we also recognise the rise of the RES class into a more prominent position. Therefore, instead of just paying homage to this class on Friday afternoon, we will be running alternating rounds of Unlimited and RES. That will allow the scorekeepers time to set the next flight groups. AMA RES rules will apply, and skegs will be allowed. No hand-launch event is planned...sorry.

Scoring will be normalized man-on-man with a max 25 point landing, down a 25 foot tape. This is a 2-day, single event, with trophies awarded for 2 classes and an overall champion on Sunday afternoon. Pilot's meeting will be at 9:00 AM on Sarutday, May 29th. Pilot's and Timer's attendance is mandantory, so there is no question left unanswered. Flying will commence at 10:00 with the first RES round. We will fly Saturday until about 6:00 PM, so bring lunch! Sunday there will be no pilot's meeting, and flying will commence at 10:00, with Unlimited getting us started.

Flight groups and winch assignments will be assigned. If you are a no-show, you will zero that round. Pop-offs will be flown out. Winch malfunctions above 2/3 normal launch will be flown out. A spare winch will be at the end of the line, with a landing zone. The landing zone will be a 25' rope, with the landing zone extending in a radius off the ends as well as parallel to the rope. This will be explained at the pilot's/timer's meeting.

Thanks for your interest... This will be the place to be to see the Houston Hawks in their own element.

Jack Womack
AMA 7068
Contest Director

[schrederman]

There have been a couple of comments about the lack of a DLG Event. I have posted a request to our members to see if anyone wants to run a DLG contest. I have had no responses, so I guess DLG is kind of dying... in Houston, at least. With that being the case, we are still at the no DLG stage... sorry!

Jack Womack

[AustinTatious]

Dag NABBIT

[schrederman]

The entry form has been passed to the webmaster for posting on our site. It should be there this evening or tomorrow.

Jack Womack

[schrederman]

I just got word from an old friend that I haven't been very clear as to the nature of our contest.

We will be running a 10-minute, precision duration task with scores normalized within 4-man flight groups. Max landing will be 25 points, normalized into the scoring process. We will stagger-launch flight groups in the interest of safety. Pop-offs will be flown. Winch line breaks at less than 2/3 launch will be relaunched within 1 minute and second consecutive line breaks will be flown. Man-on-man demands it.

Flight groups and winch numbers will be randomly selected by the scorer and assigned to pilots. Pilots are responsible for shagging 'chutes. Flight groups will be RANDOM... meaning that you most likely won't be able to buddy up with the same timer flight after flight. If you are timing when your flight group is called up, you will zero that flight. We will have 6 winches set up with 600' line lengths, possibly lengthened to 700' by contest time.

Landings will be a 20' diameter circle spot type landing in 5 point increments. Safety line is 10' from the edge of the spot. Landing zones will be numbered and assigned like the winches. The flyer and timer will stand on the opposite side of the safety line from the spot. If the model crosses the line, no foul. If the model, in motion, touches another model, vehicle, tent, other ground based object, or a person, the flight receives a zero score. As always, inverted or shed/dislodged parts will zero the landing. Break the wing tape... zero the landing.

Most of this is what I saw at Mid-South and it works quite well. Man-on-man scoring demands that the launches be orderly. If you are launching so hard as to break the launch line, be aware that if you break 2, you will fly the second one out, even if you're 50' off the ground when it happens. If you break the line after beginning to round over the top...fly it out. If you can't be down and on the other winch within 1 minute, fly it out. If you pop off, that's a problem of preparation or technique on your part...fly it out.

I flew at Rome, Ga. under these rules a couple of years ago and it's tough, but orderly and fun. Everyone is under the same gun. Everyone has the same responsibilities and chances. There's no sandbagging, and no need for it. Four flyers come to the winches and someone is going to win the group. Even if the best time is 3:40, someone in the group of 4 is going to come off with 1000 points. Everyone else receives a percentage. If one flyer skys out, he can bury the rest of the group, if they do 2 or 3 minutes. It's the most fun I've had with TD... EVER!!!

Hope that kills the confusion...

May 29th and 30th. We're raffling off a Houston Hawk short kit!

Come join us.....

Jack Womack

[AustinTatious]

I plan to attend this event. I was wondering if there would be anyone willing to pick me up at a local airport and help me with transportation while I am down there. I cannot rent a car cause I'm not 25. I will be flying in On an L-19 birddog. If somone would help me out I would be happy to give them a little flying lesson in the L-19 :)
Ill try to get there as early as Possible Saturday morning. Anyone INterested please let me know.

Ill be flying in the Unlimited class with a Thermal Eagle.

Austin Williams

[schrederman]

It's here... Trophies are in and preparations are being made....

Jack