Category: news
07 03 11 - 08:26
F5J goes FAI II.
Some time has passed since proposed rule text was submitted to FAI and first impressions are already rolling in. First, a quick summary of the proposal:- Same as F3J: competition format, groups, timing, re-flights, most of the scoring
- Landing bonus is only 50 points out to 10m
New term "launch height" is introduced, defined as maximum height reached by model from motor start to 10s after motor stop
- Launch height is used as a score penalty: the higher you start from, less points you achieve. This scale is nonlinear: half point is subtracted from score for each m up to 200m, above 200m 3 points are subtracted
- To simplify implementation of this in the hardware, only one motor start is allowed; after that, your reciever (and with it, limiter) must be power cycled
- Launch height is used as a score penalty: the higher you start from, less points you achieve. This scale is nonlinear: half point is subtracted from score for each m up to 200m, above 200m 3 points are subtracted
What we created here is basically F3J without a winch, with "time on the line" replaced by "launch height". It really was the only option as long as people insisted on timing duration of flight as a measure of one's success.
By now we have first devices available that enable us to organize such competition:
Operation of these displays is very simlple: you just plug it in the altimeter, it gets its power via the cable and it has three buttons: one on the left to read/write the setting and two on the right to scroll up and down. This is what you see immediately after you connect it:
You have the option to edit the only settings that are interesting to you in the context of the competition: motor run time and the height point at which the scoring curve breaks:
For example I've set myself a lower altitude:
Device nicely confirms the new settings:
Since it was a cold day, I've only made two quick flights. Launch height is obtained by simply connecting the display and pressing the left button. This one would cost me 136*0.5=68 points:
And this one would cost me 150*0.5+(261-150)*3=408 points:
With these rules, many new strategy options are possible with planes that climb with only 5-8m/s. It even becomes feasible to delay your start in the group for few tens of seconds or so, check who found lift and start in that direction below him.
We now have to wait for FAI meeting on April 15th, where the text will be voted for inclusion into F5 category.
Hi What was the outcome of the FAI meeting in April
Gert - 13 10 11 - 20:47