F3A Landing Sequence

[Troy Newman]

score is zero!

If the model doesn't follow the landing sequence per the rules.

"Landing sequence:  At reduced power, execute a 180 degree level or descending turn within the aerobatic zone to a downwind heading. Fly a downwind leg, with the model upright. When Approximately over the downwind marker, turn 180 degrees toward the runway, and fly a descending approach to the runway, touching down in the landing zone. Landing Sequence is complete when the model aircraft has either rolled 10meters or comes to rest if within 10m

Judging notes:
* model aircraft does not follow landing sequence, zero points.
* Turns which are not either level or descending will be cause for awarding a zero score for landing.
* If any landing gear leg retracts on landing, zero points
* If the model aircraft lands anywhere outside the landing zone before the landing is completed, zero points. The landing zone is designated by a circle of 50m radius or lines across a standard runway spaced 100meters apart where the runway is at least 10m wide
* Only two scores, a zero or a ten, may be awarded for landing sequence
"


Some notes on this 50meters is 164ft...so the landing zone in F3A is 328 feet long and the width of the runway as long as the runways is at least 10m or 32ft wide.

Another note is that the rule doesn't say that once descending you have to keep descending....it says level or descending turns at reduced power. Per the rules you could climb in the downwind leg as long as the model is upright...you just can't in the turns climb in the turns.

This discussion is going to be very relevant as the new AMA rules for next year eliminated Takeoff and landing scores...and yet there is no direction from above as to the proper t.o. or landing procedure....I guess if the models takes off its a 10 and if it hits the runway and nothing falls off or folds up its a 10.

My opinion is AMA should adopt a sequence that is required similar to F3A. Perhaps the contest board and NSRCA should address this issue before the rule book is printed?

Troy
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Brian Young 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Friday, July 30, 2004 1:06 PM
  Subject: Re: Earl's excellent observations


  What if its not?

  Don Ramsey <donramsey at cox-internet.com> wrote: 
    The landing sequence also requires that the 180 degree turn to downwind be
    in the aerobatic zone.

    Don

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: "John Ferrell" 
    To: 
    Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 4:57 PM
    Subject: Re: Earl's excellent observations


    > I can post your drawings in my personal web space, just send me a copy.
    >
    > Bill Glaze pointed out to me that the FAI landing sequence requires that
    > once you begin your descent to landing, you can never gain any altitude
    > according to the book. There would have been a lot of unhappy finalists if
    > this was enforced at Muncie. The only available penalty is a zero...
    >
    > John Ferrell
    > http://DixieNC.US
    >
    > ----- Original Message ----- 
    > From: "Dean Pappas" 
    > To: 
    > Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 1:25 PM
    > Subject: Earl's excellent observations
    >
    >
    > Hello All,
    > wifferdil ... I just call 'em twinkle-rolls!
    > What I would like to see is for our team members to have two new arrows in
    > their quiver at the next Worlds.
    > One is a real snap that comes out on heading or is quickly corrected.
    (hint:
    > the more deeply the airplane is stalled in the initial break, the less
    lift
    > is available for heading loss.) That's right, a half loaf is worse than
    none
    > at all.
    > The other is a rolling circle that will not violate either the judges'
    > eyesight or a reasonable interpretation of the rule book as to distance.
    The
    > book does not specifically treat this maneuver class differently, so the
    150
    > good/175 downgrade/200 severe downgrade rule obviously still applies. At
    > least it will when the Worlds' judges arbitrarily decide to start
    enforcing
    > it! Meanwhile, it's still in the book.
    > My concern is that without at least these two weapons in their arsenal,
    the
    > team will be set up to be "caught-out" as in '87. What do I mean? In '85
    > everyone at the Worlds flew at 200 ~250m. At the European Championship in
    > '86 the same was true, and Frack, Koger and I think Ivan were there as
    guest
    > participants. Sometime between then and Avignon in '87, a group of judges
    > agreed that the book was not being upheld, and started doing so. As a
    > result, we were caught-out, without even the right prop in the flight-box
    to
    > fly at the necessary speeds. Unfair? No! It was finally done by the book.
    > We risk the same issue with snaps and rolling circles. Everyone has been
    > getting away with murder on the snaps, at recent Worlds, and one day the
    > hammer is bound to drop. Besides, common sense says that the rollers are
    too
    > stinkin' big.
    > Other observations: I saw one square that was square in 4 rounds of the
    best
    > 8 fliers in the land. Most ranged from 20% to 50% wide, especially in the
    > vertical 8s. Oh yes the square square belonged to Quique's 1st known
    > compulsory.
    > Everybody (and I mean everybody) overlapped the entry and exit lines to
    the
    > hourglass with 2 of 4 in F05. It's a shame this list doesn't accept
    > attachments, as I'd draw up a PDF showing the wrong shape that all the
    > finalists "perfected". I'm curious as to what happened here. I don't think
    > that it's an issue of education ... Has everyone migrated to a wrong shape
    > that the judges (both local and National) are accepting?
    > Ducking for cover,
    > Dean Pappas
    >
    >
    > Dean Pappas
    > Sr. Design Engineer
    > Kodeos Communications
    > 111 Corporate Blvd.
    > South Plainfield, N.J. 07080
    > (908) 222-7817 phone
    > (908) 222-2392 fax
    > d.pappas at kodeos.com
    >
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    > and follow the instructions.
    >
    >
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