CLUB CONTEST LAUNCHING
RULES and GUIDELINES
General:
1. The responsibility of the retriever operator will be expanded a little and if not able to comply with the requirements detailed in the points below should recluse him/herself from the responsibility.
1.1. Additional responsibility is to be the lead in launch safety and has the authority to allow or disallow a launch procedure.
1.2. Will fill in as a motor run timer for ALES launched as detailed below.
2. This process is for open winch or call-up contests and does not include a MOM format.
3. All planes will be launched from the same area as if it is a winch launched (WL) plane.
3.1. The pilot and timer will line up in a launch queue, no matter if it is a WL or Electric Launched (EL) plane.
3.2. The EL pilot will have the option of standing behind the winch or beside it within 10 feet of the winch launch activation pedal. In no case will the EL pilot launch from in front of the winch or further than 10 feet away from the sides of the winch cart.
3.3. All launches will be in the same direction dictated by the winch line. In no case will the EL plane deviate from the direction of the winch line until an altitude of approximately 100 feet is reached. At this time the EL sailplane can fly in any direction.
3.3.1.The retriever operator will call the approximate 100 foot level.
4. The retriever operator (as well as the timer) will be the lookout to make sure it is safe to launch and give the OK to launch.
4.1. The pilot should launch within a reasonable time once he has committed to stepping up to the winch and it is his turn. A guideline would be to launch within 10-15 seconds of the approval by the retriever operator to launch. This statement is to assure that the EL pilot has his equipment on and ready when his/her turn to launch.
5. The CD will be responsible for calling the setting of the ALES cut-off altitude and time so that both the best WL and all EL planes launch to some like altitude. This can be 150 or 200 meters provided the ALES switches have the required setting available. If the switch does not have the required setting for the day, the next lower setting will be used.
Winch Launch:
Same as always (will expound at a later time, if necessary).
ALES Planes:
1. The E-plane timer will have to work just as the winch launched timer does, the motor shut-down and coming off of the line are considered the same, so the clock starts there for the timed portion of the flight.
2. The pilot will be responsible to call the shutdown of his motor so the timer can start the flight time watch.
3. There will an added duty for the timer in EL conditions.
3.1. The E plane timer will have to start the watch at 30 seconds (*) if the plane has not reached altitude "OR" if the pilot failed to say he cut power prior to 30 seconds (The pilot cutting power or the switch cutting power is the same). Comment: I do not see this as a problem and will only handicap the E pilot if he does not call the motor shutdown. For example, if the plane is at 200M at 20 seconds and the pilot does not call shut down, he will have 10 seconds of flying that is not counted, probably not a big deal on the front end of a flight at the club level. It will probably mean the timer will have to have two watches, one for the 30 second window and one for flight time.
3.2. We will also allow the retriever operator to call the 30 second window because he has no responsibility to retrieve and thus has the free time to do this task. It will be the pilot’s discretion as to who he wants to call the 30 second time.
