AMA Regulation Changes for 2005

[Troy A. Newman]

Georgie and Don,

I see this as the same type of thing as before...The NSRCA judges group ruled that the pilot must call the box as he crosses the pole. If not its a 2pt ding...All this is saying that on that first maneuver you don't need to call "IN or Entering the box until just before your entry line of the first maneuver. Same goes for exiting the box. fly the 15m then say exiting the box.


Basically the NSRCA ruling was you had to call in the box as you crossed the pole yet were not judged until the 15M spot. This allows the pilot to setup a  little more and choose when he is "IN the judged zone" or Out of the judged zone."

I think this clarifies the intent of the rules. We don't know for sure what they really say just yet.

Look at FAI....You are never in or out of a judged zone...By definition when you complete your 180 downwind turn of pilots choice you are "in the box" and judged from the time you hit level upright coming back upwind. Once you finish the sequence you guys wanted us to stay in the box for that first upwind 180 level or descending turn. We don't fly out of the box....As soon as we finish the 15m exit line we are in the landing sequence. Its not the time for the judge to look down and copy his notes to a score sheet. He still has to judge that landing sequence. It has specific criteria.

The way I see it is this allows the pilot and judges to be on the same page in AMA...Its a GAME ON type of thing. It tells the judges the pilot is ready. How many times have you sat in the chair and tried to figure out where to stop judging the take off  at 6.5ft The pilot didn't call it and that means an automatic 2pts off..Now at about 6ft he dips his wing and turns. Well the call is was he 6ft or was he 7ft off the ground. It makes life of the judge harder.

This is a common clarified point in space GAME ON. Must be at least 15m before the pull up to the first maneuver...Its like a video game...No box exists until the pilot gets to his 15M then the grid (Box lines) pop up and are active.

If the pilot doesn't call it then the judge makes that call on the 15M and the pilot gets the hit of the 2pts as a penalty for making the judge think too hard. Simple as that!

Troy
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: George Kennie 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 9:50 AM
  Subject: Re: AMA Regulation Changes for 2005


  Keith, 
  This is the result of people having difficulty defining what the words"Entry and Exit" actually mean. They seem to get confused between the fact that maneuvers have entries and exits and the box also has entries and exits and for some reason they have difficulty separating the two. What this ends up doing is establishing a "call" of the maneuver entry and exit which is at odds with the original intent of the rulebook. Nowhere in the original ruling was there ever a place where it was required to call the entry or exit of any maneuver, but was clearly stated regarding the box entry and exit and the correct timing and placement of the call, which was when crossing the pole. 
  I won this argument about 3 years ago , but in the interim there have been many watering downs of previously clearly defined descriptors. 
  This is the direct result of individuals in positions of responsibility realizing that they personally are performing maneuvers counter to the descriptor and instead of making the required changes to their execution practices, they make changes to the rulebook that will accommodate their personal preferences, resulting in a lot of the stuff we see currently going on. 
  G. 
    
  Keith Black wrote: 

      Also, I guess this means that you don't need to fly to the end of the box for a true exit of the box. Take for example in Intermediate where the last maneuver is two 1/2 rolls opposite. Guess you can now finish the second 1/2 roll just the other side of center, fly 15 meters, call exit then veer off for landing rather than fly to the box exit.  Correct? Keith 
      ----- Original Message -----
      From: Lance Van Nostrand
      To: discussion at nsrca.org
      Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 10:28 PM
      Subject: Re: AMA Regulation Changes for 2005
       Don,"Exiting the box call must be done a minimum of 15 meters after the last maneuver is complete and judging will cease at that point" Does this mean if the pilot delays a bit before calling "exiting the box" that we continue to judge the line after the last manuver, even if it is longer than 15 meters? --Lance  
        ----- Original Message -----
        From: Don Ramsey
        To: discussion at nsrca.org
        Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 7:13 AM
        Subject: AMA Regulation Changes for 2005
          
        There seems to be the need for some kind of guidance about what is in the new 2005 Competition Regulations. I don't have the exact wording as it has not been published (seem there is conflict about who is holding them up) but here's what I have been told and am able to get from the proposals.  I hope some guidance is better than none at all.


        Take off and Landing:

        Landing Sequence: Execute a 180 degree turn to downwind (or optional 360 degree turn if flight is completed on a downwind maneuver). Fly a downwind leg and then turn 180 degrees into the wind for a final approach to the runway touching down in the landing zone. The landing is complete when the model has either rolled 10 meters or comes to rest. 

        Landing zone is defined by lines perpendicular across the runway and spaced 100 meters apart (50 meters or about 165 feet either side of center). Width is the width of the runway but in no case shall exceed 30 meters. 

        Downgrades: 

        n Model does not follow landing sequence, zero (0) 

        n Any landing gear leg retracts or collapses on landing, zero (0) 

        n Model ends up on its back, zero (0) 

        n Model passes behind the judges' line, zero (0) 

        n Model lands outside the landing zone, zero (0) 

        n Only two scores zero (0) of 10 may be awarded. 

         

        Takeoff Sequence: Model takes off within the landing zone then turns 90 degrees toward the line defined by the box end poles. When approximately over this line the model turns either 90 degrees or 270 degrees for a downwind trim pass. When approximately over the downwind marker the model executes a 180 degree turn, reversal or other turnaround maneuver of pilot's choice. 

        Downgrades: 

        n Takeoff sequence not followed, zero (0) 

        n Model takes off outside the landing zone, zero (0) 

        n Model passes behind the judges' line, zero (0) 

        n Only two scores a 10 or 0 may be awarded 

         

        Calling the Box: The box must be called a minimum of 15 meters before the execution of the first maneuver and judging begins at that point. Exiting the box call must be done a minimum of 15 meters after the last maneuver is complete and judging will cease at that point. 

         

        Retracts: Sportsman is no longer restricted to fixed gear. 

         

        Straight and Level Flight Defined: The following has been added to the AMA Judges' Guide under B. Principles a. Precision paragraph 2 last sentence after "Therefore, the absence of a well defined straight and level exit should also result in downgrading." "In all cases, straight and level flight means flight parallel to the flight line, at a constant altitude and with wings level." 

         

        Spins: 

        The following will be added to the AMA Judges Guide under "Spins" on page 78. 

         

        6. The pilot who can best combine precision/geometry of the spin (shape of the maneuver/correct number of degrees of rotation) plus wind correction to adjust the track should receive the higher score. 

         

        Also, on page 84 under "Spins, any number of rotations, Upright or Inverted" delete the subparagraph beginning with "Crabbing the model" 

         

        Editorial comment: It is my opinion, this is going to take a clarification from the Judging Committee because of the following: 

        n All lines in AMA are required to be wind corrected or there is a downgrade. 

        n Wings must be level approaching the stall or there is a downgrade. 

        n This new rule implies that the spin is downgraded if the required number of rotations are not done.  

        n It is impossible to fly a model (or any aircraft) in a crosswind without wind correction and maintain a track parallel with the flightline. So, to make the required number of degrees of rotation the model must be on a heading parallel with the flightline and therefore drifting (that physics) 

         

        None of this paragraph is in the regulations but under "Logic behind proposal" is the statement "The best pilots can hide slip and maintain track and attitude in all but the worst conditions." and "For example, in a crosswind, pilot A does the best job of slipping to maintain track while at the same time maintaining a heading/attitude which closely parallels the runway." and "Good pilots are observed at every contest maintaining track AND heading into spin entry.  The current rule does not allow a judge to give better marks to a pilot who maintains track and heading from a pilot who cannot."

    
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