My first contest last year I got out to the launch site and when the horn sounded I noticed pretty quickly my motor did not start. Everyone else was in the air when I realized I had forgot to plug in my battery. Well to make matters worse the canopy was fastened with a hex screw and my tools were 100ft away in the pits. I just took it as an automatic 0. Never would have thought of even asking for a reflight. My fault for getting to excited and not prepping as I should have.
Even with that I still managed to pull of a 3rd place, so I was pretty happy. Oh and I modified the canopy so I can remove it without the use of tools now

I think you called it right. If someone was dishonest, they could fake a failure if they didn't want to fly in a particular flight group. I always test my plane before going to the flight line.

Originally Posted by Kenny Sharp

You can't score him with the previous round... you must score him with the people he is flying with.

Also, this is not a fun fly... it is a contest.
If you have trouble with your equipment and can't fix it in time, too bad. Chalk it up to experience and get your act together better for the next time.

Ever notice that those who consistently win, never have trouble?
Proper preparation is part of the deal.

I agree, it is a contest. I've been CD for many contests. Someone will always have an issue. If we bend the rules to accommodate someone, then everyone would want the rules changed, bent, redefined, etc.

A contest is a form of elimination. Pilots who fly poorly, launch in bad air, miss their landing, forget to charge their radio, hit a tree, etc get eliminated from the possibility of winning the contest. The pilot who does well and avoids misfortune becomes the winner.

As I have always told everyone at the Pilots Meeting: "Nobody wins a contest - the winner is whoever screws up the least".

Scott and Kenny, I couldn't agree more with your views.You cannot afford to be Mr Nice Guy and a CD at the same time. Be fair but firm. If you bend the rules for one-you are just asking for trouble later. Ken G.

Originally Posted by GliderDriver45

I'm new to the CD role and had the following situation:
call to launch verify every one is ready.
Start the 10 sec launch window and one of the contestants motor will not start. All the other pilots are in the air, the 10 sec launch window expires then he discovers that his cam unit had become disconnected.
I gave him a zero for the round and did not permit a refilght.

Is this the correct desicion? or should he have been allowed to have a refilght?
If you give him a reflight do you call everyone else in to land and refly with the same flight group? Place him in the next flight group? or let him fly solo and compare his time to those in his orginal flight group?

If he had called for help before the launch window I might have stopped the round, given him some time, maybe even moved him if he requested. But once the launch window opens, even in the club contests, it is game on.

I have had the same situation at our club. The pilot took a zero.

It is always a difficult decision to zero a flight. We have a 3-minute countdown before launch which should be plenty of time for a quick motor check and even a fix if caught early. I have seen many pilots briefly throttle up their motor to make sure that they are ready to launch. Holding a launch is certainly an option, but reflights should be avoided since the goal of Man-on-Man is for everyone to fly in the same air, and I have seen plenty of circumstances where the flying conditions have completely changed from one flight group to the next.

Originally Posted by awilmunder

It is always a difficult decision to zero a flight. We have a 3-minute countdown before launch which should be plenty of time for a quick motor check and even a fix if caught early. I have seen many pilots briefly throttle up their motor to make sure that they are ready to launch. Holding a launch is certainly an option, but reflights should be avoided since the goal of Man-on-Man is for everyone to fly in the same air, and I have seen plenty of circumstances where the flying conditions have completely changed from one flight group to the next.

I have seen pilots fake a problem to delay their launch during what they knew was bad air. The only way we can be "fair" to the pilots who are ready is to be "unfair" to the pilots who are not ready.

Years ago I owned a hobby shop and ran RC car races in our parking lot. (including the West Coast Nats) People were always late to the start of their heat and we were constantly having delays. So I installed a 2 minute countdown clock and started the race at zero, even if nobody was on the line. Soon, everyone was able to be at the start on in time. (surprise, surprise !!!)

One benefit of the Man-on-Man format is that with the entire flight group launching simultaneously, stonewalling for better air provides little benefit since the pilots in the flight group are only scored against each other.

Sticking to the 3-minute countdown is certainly the best approach and part of learning to fly in contests includes checking your equipment by waggling your control surfaces and verifying that the motor spins up before the launch window.

I would give him a 0 and no option to fly in a reflight. It was his slot, and the plane is his responsability. When you're a CD, friends are no longer friends as long as the contest is running. It's the only way to be fair with everyone.

Agree completely.

Originally Posted by knormang

Interesting thread, as I am a CD. One other question. In most competitive events, no practice is allowed on the day of the competition.In model a/c events it should be assumed that all contestants arrive at the field with their model Ready to compete. That means READY. We had one contestant request permission to do a practice flight. What he needed to practice I have no idea?The problem to giving a guy permission to do this , is, where do you draw the line. Some guy arrives 5 min before pilot briefing ,sees a model in the air and demands the same practice time. I am of the opinion that there should be no "practice' flying allowed at all on the competition days. Ken G.

I don't think you need to approve practice 5 minutes before the pilot's meeting but I do believe an open window, well before the start of the contest and pilot's meeting, should be available for "practice". If a contestant wants to arrive early, I think you should let them fly, but at their disposal, with their own equipment. It shouldn't take away or distract from the contest prep. If a pilot travels some distance to attend, I would encourage it. Think about any other sporting event or professional undertaking, there is always a warm up period or practice involved so why not our sport or hobby? I think it actually promotes safety by allowing someone to make sure everything is in working order and not finding out on the flightline and possibly being a hazard to others.
Just my 2 pennies.
Jim

I agree

Originally Posted by Kenny Sharp

If you have trouble with your equipment and can't fix it in time, too bad. Chalk it up to experience and get your act together better for the next time.

Ever notice that those who consistently win, never have trouble?
Proper preparation is part of the deal.

I probably would have asked him if he checked the equipment before he came to the flight line. If no, then that's a zero for sure..... Its his responsibility to be ready, not yours to accomadate him.

Its a tough decision to make for sure.

As mentioned before, that could be covered in the pilots meeting, eliminating the decision to be made altogether.

OK... How would you call this?

The contest rules as announced, all planes must land within the fenced area. In this case, the closer side of the fence was within the field boundaries.

Aric, that is out of bounds......
If its flying from out to in, and it stayed out, thats out in my opinion...
If it would have made it partially OVER the fence (not through, sort of), then I'd give it to the pilot.
Just my opinion.
Hope it wasn't your plane!
See you at Visalia?

R,
Target