I watched the F3F guys yesterday and although "time trial" format racing is fast and possibly the purest form of racing in any discpline I find it does not get me excited. I have raced MOM format and loved it. I think without competitors on the track it lacks something.

Normally called Man On Man racing, sorry I prefer Heads Up Racing, I know my phobia is showing, but here is the idea.


Heads up format up to four planes on the course at a time. 100 meter or 50 meter length. We can alternate between Bluff Park, and Dave's set venues one race per month that way the LA guys and SD guys can race anything from a Weasel to a Ubermoth, we can break the entrants up based on pilot showing, by planes if necessary. I can tell you I placed better with a weasel pro than some competitors using M60's and Gulps at a MOM race. We can be flexible and make it fun.

We will run one round of race and however long that takes we will take a brake and let any locals fly just as long.

Any way. Are any of you SOCAL flyers interested in creating a foam only racing league?????

Dave

we need to figure out a way to race glass pss, mabee by weight or span

We could use sextons on tripods as height spoters for the turns. If you cut one you have to perform a double trouble before the next pump!

yeeeaaa im in finnally

I'd be up for H.U.R.L. Not sure I could make the Bluff park races other than occasionally but I'd make the Dave's Beach races. Would be a great opportunity to increase skills and possible stepping stone for many of us. I worry a bit about the safety of the public but guess that can be handled.

I think Louie would love it since it's called "Heads Up"

Jim

Originally Posted by Radek2

we need to figure out a way to race glass pss, mabee by weight or span

You have to do a beach run between two posts on the beach and under a line between them at about 6' and then back to the bluff to see who goes the highest first. One lap race. Don't limit the number of flyers in the heat either

everyone go up for a pump into a bunker run to a horizon run pump pump into a tailslide to inverted beach run after the beach run first one to land winns something like the ''RED BULL SLOPE RACES"

Count me in...though I've never seen an "official" race, time-trial or MoM, I would prefer racing against somebody versus racing a clock. It would be even more interesting if contact was allowed...it would involve more skills if you're trying to go fast AND aviod getting knocked down/trying to recover/trying to take out an opponent. Just my two cents.
Bluff park is Point Fermin, right? I've never been there so this is a great excuse to head up the coast.

-James
Who's painting racing stripes on all his planes

Originally Posted by Minhuahua

I watched the F3F guys yesterday and although "time trial" format racing is fast and possibly the purest form of racing in any discpline I find it does not get me excited. I have raced MOM format and loved it. I think without competitors on the track it lacks something.

Actually, "time trial" is not racing at all in my book. It's simply "time trials". Racing in the true meaning is having 2 or more competing at the same time. Without the psychological aspect of "heads up" competition, there is no race. I think F3F was recently created in Europe to accomodate the expensive and fragile molded planes we have seen in the last 10 years or so by reducing the risk of damage. Up till then it was always just SLOPE RACING and nothing else meaning 3 typically 4 planes per heat racing heads up. None of this "man on man" stuff (ewwww! yeah I don't like the sound of that either). Nothing derogatory meant by this, it's just the way I know it.

Dave, your idea sounds like fun. FYI, I would prefer LESS rules as opposed to more which is why it was so fun back in the days and different classes would be fine to accomodate everyone. Also, technology has come along way since back then; one thing I would suggest is trying something different with the turn indicators instead of lights/flags/callers. I would prefer to use GMRS radios at both ends and eliminate the callers. Turn indication would be done completely by audio instead of visual which would preclude the need for a caller for each pilot. Each "flag" or "light" attendant would have a radio on a seperate channel with their pilot. The pilot would have his radio on matching channel with earpiece. That's it. I think it would be more resource efficient; don't know if anyone has tried it yet. GMRS radios are cheap nowadays; I personally have 8 of them and could run a race all by myself.

Just thinking out loud,

Doubletap

Hey stop hijacking my foam thread with all your glass talk superboy, Radek2.


Ok so 54" span with minimum wing loading of 40oz per all pilots sink up in the pump then the whistle goes off at the top of the pump. The race is three pumps, bunker run with barrel roll required on passing the lip. Three more pumps to a beach run transition into a horizon run. Again three and a half pumps into a double trouble back into a pump and landing. First pilot closest to the bunker on landing wins.


Ok, now stop the hijack.

I understand that pilots won't be able to make all the events, but if there is a set league I'm sure there will be some CARPOOLing as well.

I do believe that is would be a good stepping stone into faster planes. It will difinitely help all of us with piloting and tuning skills. Who knows we might even form teams and create something like the Colorado combat racing.

Two man teams first team to get one plane to finish 5 laps. One pilot can be the rabbit and the other can be the blocker, or both can be blockers or rabbits racing plus 'strategery'.

Lets see how many would want to race. I would love to see Weasel races, or some such sillyness.

I wouldn't limit it to just foam. Maybe a league to encourage ALL sport flyers to race what they already have and do something fun and un-intimidating like in the old days. Have multiple classes including foam, non-foam, gas bag, sub 60", open, etc. Whatever it is, it would all be fun! I would love to have a gas bag class where people can push (and crash) the limits of their Wanderers, Gentle Ladys, etc.

Doubletap

DT,

Agreed less is more. I think by just applying common sense at the field the groups can be split by slow and fast planes for the day.

If we held an event at Elwood tons of weasels will show up. If we hold it a Dave's tons of Moths will show. Al bluff is will probably be combat wings.

the idea will be to have fun racing. After a few heats we can run finals in however many speed brackets develope. That way everybody gets to race to the end. All pilots can pitch in a buck or two if we need to involve money. I would like to keep the money out of it if possible, if not possible then to a minimum.

I like your idea for the turn marshelling, but you will have to show me more. But in keeping with less is more we can start with flags on sticks.

I think it can be done if enough of us want it.

Originally Posted by Doubletap

I wouldn't limit it to just foam. Maybe a league to encourage ALL sport flyers to race what they already have and do something fun and un-intimidating like in the old days. Have multiple classes including foam, non-foam, gas bag, sub 60", open, etc. Whatever it is, it would all be fun! I would love to have a gas bag class where people can push (and crash) the limits of their Wanderers, Gentle Ladys, etc.

Doubletap

See that is what I talking about. If we want gasbags then we run a gasbag heat. I wouldn't limit is to just foam if the group will have fun flying it then we should do it.

Heck I would show up with five or six different planes and see what kind of classes we make up. over time it will settle into a defined group but we can alsays bring fun stuff to toss out.

I CAN JUST SEE THE DURALENE CLASS NOW!

people bitch when thousand dollar cabon ships want to race at fermin and you want to organize a foam racing league. I like anything that flys but I know there will be some real locals upset when everytime theres wind someone is practicing racing in the slot with a wing

Ill race prettymuch anything especially so close by like fermin so with enought bright people on the groups I think someone could come up with a pss type race since there are always glass ships there why not incorporte them into racing insted of just foam?

nobody's talking about HURL at Pt. Fermin, recovery, although "do-able" not advisable.

The ease of recovery is a major factor in site selection.

Poway, Bluff, Dave's, There are other inland sites that will also work fine. My thought is to pick two or three set the schedule and fly whatever wind we do or don't get that day. NO changing of venue. We fly, or we shoot the breeze, heck I bet someone could make a sloper that can ride the breeze I shoot.

Not to mention the Best BBQ competion. I will pit the Family recipe PULLED PORK against all comers.

Dave
if we aint flyin or talkin we must be ???