Sopwith Mike and I are planning to switch off the "Contest Director" job for a twice-annual contest in the Balsa Builders Forum.

We are going to draft the rules here.

===== TEARLINE =====

"BBCC 2" -- 2nd Balsa Builders Conversion Contest Thread

POST #1

Goal: Build and fly a radio controlled model aircraft, constructed predominantly of balsa, based upon a kit or plans not originally designed for radio control.

See the answers to Frequently Asked Questions in Post #3, below, for additional information.

Significant Dates:

Contest Announcement:.....01 MAR 2013
Formal Contest Start:.....01 APR 2013
Entries Close:............30 APR 2013
Contest Ends:.............31 AUG 2013
Polling Ends:.............30 SEP 2013

Judging Criteria:

Best Build – this title will be voted on by RCG members in the month following the Contest End. The Contest Director will create a separate thread containing a poll and links to each thread to facilitate the voting.

Prizes:

A brand new plane, the work of your own hands.
Satisfaction in your efforts.
Recognition from your peers.

And whatever we can get from generous donors.

How to participate:

1. Decide your subject.
2. Announce your subject and intention to participate in this thread.
3. The contest director will add your information to the list of participants, below.
4. Create (or rename) a Build Thread for your subject. Name the thread in conformance with the following standard: BBCC 2 – YourSubjectName – YourUserName. In post #1, mention your involvement in the “Second Balsa Builders Conversion Contest” and provide a link to this thread.
5. Post a link to your Build Thread in this forum.
6. Build your subject, using your build thread to document your progress with comments and photos, asking for help when needed.
7. Document your subject’s first flight with a video or still photograph, posting the proof on your build thread and announcing the flight in this thread.
8. Enjoy the plaudits of your colleagues and the thrill of flying your creation.

Participants:

1. Contestant (subject)
2. Contestant (subject)

POST #2
Reserved for photographs of completed entries.

POST #3

Q: What general restrictions apply to my model?

A: Your model must conform with all appropriate safety regulations for the country in which it operates.

Q: Can I build a Giant Scale model? or Ultra Micro?

A: Yes. There are no size limitations outside those imposed by your government, modeling association, and the calendar restrictions of the contest deadlines.

Q: Can my model be a glider? or Rubber-powered?

A: Yes. There are no power source restrictions except those implied above, relating to safety issues.

Q: Do I have to use Balsa?

A: Mostly. In all cases, the overall construction of the aircraft should conform with the contest's "Balsa Builders" intent to promote the construction of "traditional" wooden structures made of balsa, that fly. The use of non-Balsa structural materials such as hardwoods, plywood, fiberglass, kevlar, or carbon filament for localized high strength in critical areas is allowable. The use of foam is restricted to non-load bearing structures such as prop spinners and wing-fuselage intersection fairings.

Q: What if I need additional time to complete my model, due to unforeseen personal or professional events?

A: The contest will end on the specified date. However, models that are not completed and have not flown are eligible for entry in the next contest.

Q: It is getting near the deadline. What time zone governs the cutoff?

A: Issues arising from critical dates and deadlines will be decided based upon dates and times assigned to posts by the RCG server, subject to the decision of the contest director, with the advice of the other builders. The intent of this contest is to be inclusive as possible, while remaining considerate of the effort expended by other participants.

Q: I wish I could participate but I do not have the time, at present. When will I have another chance?

A: There will be another contest soon. Our intent is to run this contest twice-annually, setting the dates to appeal to the "winter building seasons" in both North and South Hemispheres. There is, however, no geographic restriction preventing any entry in any contest.

Q: Is it fair that the Contest Director is also a Participant?

A: Contest Directors are not prohibited from participating in the contest they are directing. However, when acting as both Contest Director and participant, he or she is not eligible to receive any tangible prize, other than the enjoyment gained.

I intend to announce the contest on various Facebook forums related to RC Aviation.
AMA
ParkPilot Magazing
Flying Models
Model Aviation News
RC Model World

Hi David,

These rules are certainly all-encompassing!

Might I suggest that having two months for polling is too long - a month would be fine, and would allow us to dove-tail the two comps together.

At the risk of offending you, and I certainly don't want to do that (the limitations of text-talk are no-where more apparent than when having this sort of discussion) I think that the rules may be perceived as being too long and "lawyerly" if there is such a word. They might put builders off!

And I quite liked the "FF to RC Kitbash" title - it says it all in just a few words!

Will you give me a day or so to think about them and come back with some suggestions?

Best wishes,

Mike

Hi again David,

My suggestions for the rules are below. I've very deliberately kept them as simple as possible, and stopped short of adding "preventative" measures. My feelings are these: if someone really wanted to, they could "cheat" in any number of ways, but I don't think that they will do so out of their own self-respect.

Even if they do, the rest of us will soon suss out what's going on and judge the end result accordingly.

I have stopped short of laying down what happens in various situations - I don't think it wise to restrict ourselves unncessarily. Similarly, I have not specified what "Judging" means. Myself, I would prefer just to have the one category "best thread" which includes the model, the presentation, the humour, the technical advice, innovation etcetc.

But have a read (it won't take long) and PM me or just reply.

Regards,

Mike (and it IS all just for fun!)

FREE FLIGHT TO RC KITBASH #2

The Rules.

This competition opens on xxx and closes on yyy and is open to any RC Groups member.

Take “Free Flight” model airplane either from your own or someone else’s plans, or from a kit, and convert it to “RC Flight” in a build thread on RC Groups. The primary construction material must be balsa wood. To qualify for judging, the model must fly successfully. Judging of models and threads will take place during zzz and is open to any RC Groups member.

The minimum documentation required is photos or videos of:

The plan, or part of it,

The construction,

The model in flight.


Getting Started.

Open a thread titled “FF to RC Kitbash #2 name of model/name of builder
Put a link to this Home thread in your first post.

A link to your build will be placed here.

Get building - have fun!

And I agree with you that we might publicise the comp further than just the Balsa forum and indeed in Magazines. After all, we might get someone who wanted to convert a FF glider to RC! Or a little rubber-powered kid's plane to micro RC. Or a foamy FF job (we'd have to mark them down for the foam!)

Mike

I love keeping things simple... but I've also seen contest directors (umm... me, for example) taken to task, in civil court, for making decisions not covered in the rules. It is for the director's protection that I mentioned some of the things I did... but perhaps it is American's litigious nature that is the issue.

I could easily create a separate "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)" document to hold some of the common law questions answered in the course of the contest. As long as the sticky questions are covered somewhere, I can be content. If not, I feel I must withdraw as a director. I've been sued for decisions made in my role as a contest director once and though I won, it cost me twice as much to obtain legal counsel and defend myself as I have spent on my hobby.

As to the title, I wanted to convert a Control Line plane from a plan. I did not because it was neither a "FF" nor properly a "kitbash".

I was also reluctant to have a title that used jargon that might confuse or put off non-English-speaking contestants. In other RCG threads, and on other sites, I'm currently engaged in conversation with Chinese-, German- and Polish-speaking modelers using only mechanical translators. In my profession, I'm accustomed to writing precise (i.e. stilted) English for effective translation to European and Asian languages. I suppose that characteristic came through here. I was trying to write in a manner friendly to mechanical translators, hoping they could accurately convey my meaning.

I am not opposed to reducing the Judging down to "Best Build".

Let me reengage with what I've written and recast the "rules" as simply as possible. I will move much of the additional content to a FAQ, restating them as question and answers.

And the polling is for one month... and two days.
31 August to the 1 October gets up midnight on 30 September.

But I will back it up a day, using the first of a month for all beginning dates and the last day of the month for all closing dates.

Q: What general restrictions apply to my model?

A: Your model must conform with all appropriate safety regulations for the country in which it operates.

Q: Can I build a Giant Scale model? or Ultra Micro?

A: Yes. There are no size limitations outside those imposed by your government, modeling association, and the calendar restrictions of the contest deadlines.

Q: Can my model be a glider? or Rubber-powered?

A: Yes. There are no power source restrictions except those implied above, relating to safety issues.

Q: Do I have to use Balsa?

A: Mostly. In all cases, the overall construction of the aircraft should conform with the contest's "Balsa Builders" intent to promote the construction of "traditional" wooden structures made of balsa, that fly. The use of non-Balsa structural materials such as hardwoods, plywood, fiberglass, kevlar, or carbon filament for localized high strength in critical areas is allowable. The use of foam is restricted to non-load bearing structures such as prop spinners and wing-fuselage intersection fairings.

Q: What if I need additional time to complete my model, due to unforeseen personal or professional events?

A: The contest will end on the specified date. However, models that are not completed and have not flown are eligible for entry in the next contest.

Q: It is getting near the deadline. What time zone governs the cutoff?

A: Issues arising from critical dates and deadlines will be decided based upon dates and times assigned to posts by the RCG server, subject to the decision of the contest director, with the advice of the other builders. The intent of this contest is to be inclusive as possible, while remaining considerate of the effort expended by other participants.

Q: I wish I could participate but I do not have the time, at present. When will I have another chance?

A: There will be another contest soon. Our intent is to run this contest twice-annually, setting the dates to appeal to the "winter building seasons" in both North and South Hemispheres. There is, however, no geographic restriction preventing any entry in any contest.

Q: Is it fair that the Contest Director is also a Participant?

A: Contest Directors are not prohibited from participating in the contest they are directing. However, when acting as both Contest Director and participant, he or she is not eligible to receive any tangible prize, other than the enjoyment gained.

David, I like this very much indeed. The long rules section might have put people off - having it as FAQ is perfect.

I really can't credit that you were sued by another mocdeller! What the hell was he thinking of?

I bought an Aerographics Miles Magister kit yesterday for...#2! It's designed by Mike Midkiff and looks really fun to build. I even have a spare micro RX spare.

Best,

Mike