AAGMC Electric Competition Marv King coaches Jay Sykora in his first contest - 2003 Season

PAST Rules & Final Standings

We've had some great years of  electric competition.  Past rules and final standings from previous years are available next:

AAGMC Electric Competition 2006

Watch here for any rule changes for the 2006 season and the 2006 schedule.  Rain days will be scheduled on the day of cancellation by a consensus of the contestants.  Click HERE for a printer friendly (PDF) version of the most current rules.  Click HERE for the latest Electric Competition Standings.

Contest Rules - 2005

General

• All equipment i.e. radio, motor, prop, and battery must conform to AAGMC and AMA rules and regulations. 
  

Aircraft 

• Any fixed wing aircraft that has a wingspan of 2 meters (78 inch) or less may be used. 
  

Motor/Prop

• Any direct drive electric motor/prop combination is acceptable.  This explicitly excludes gearboxes or integral geared motors.  The drive must be direct-coupled 1:1 ratio.
  

Power

• NiCad or NiMH rechargeable battery pack may be used.  Capacity is now limited to 3300mAH Lithium or lead acid cells are explicitly excluded.  Both of these have inherent safety problems.
• Motor control must be equipped with R/C on/off control.  The motor armature circuit must have a failsafe switch or jumper that disconnects motor current when switched off. 
• Speed controls of any type may be used with or without BEC, but a separate failsafe for the speed control does not eliminate the requirement above for a "hard switch". 

Competition & Scoring

The contest consists of three timed flights.  The first heat is timed flight with two minute run time.  There will be no bonus points for long flight of the day this year.  The second and third heat will follow modified F5J competition rules as provided below.

Points will be awarded based on the highest total time or points in all heats.  First place will score 10 points, second place scores 9 points, third place scores 8 points, forth place scores 7 points and so on for all places.  Note that 10 points is based on eight contestants as we had last year and allows for a least two new contestants.  If we should end up with more than 10 contestants, the total points will be increased accordingly such that all places receives points.

All contestants that are present for the competition will receive at least three points for show.  Twelve competition days are scheduled, however only ten will be counted.  This will allow contestants to miss two days or throw out their two lowest scores.  No one will have to schedule their vacations, et. around the competition.

Call Phil Hilbert at (330) 273-3792 or e-mail at igli@worldnet.att.net if you have any questions.

F5J Competition Rules & Scoring

1. The motor run time is limited is 120 seconds for the second heat and 60 seconds for the third heat.
2. The task time is 10 minutes for the second heat and 6 minutes for the third heat.
3. The CD may change flight tasks based on conditions and a consensus of contestants.
4. There is a one-point penalty for each second of deviation from the task's time per round.
5. The propeller must come to a full stop when no longer under power.
6. Landing area is on the runway and 20 feet to the left and right of the contestants flying box giving a 40 foot "spot".
7. Bonus points are awarded for landing with any part of the model in the landing area after the model comes to a complete stop.  The second heat will have 20 bonus points and the third heat will have 10 bonus points.
8. The model must be in flyable condition after landing.  The term "flyable condition" assumes that the model could resume safe flight with only a batter charge or a change of battery.
9. Motor restart is permitted to save the aircraft.  A penalty will be assessed but it is TBD.

The scoring is based on a combination of the task time and bonus points for landing in the designated area.  The task time is 600/360 seconds long.  A perfect flight would place the model on the ground and inside the landing area at exactly 600/360 seconds.  A total of 600/360 points plus 20/10 bonus points would give a score of 620/370.  Examples for the 600 second task time:

• If one were to lose you're their thermal and had to come in for a landing in, lets say 8 minutes and 35 seconds, the flying time would be 515 seconds and the contestant would earn 515 points with bonus points added if landing in the area.
• If one misjudged their altitude on approach and had to go around again to bleed some altitude off, the time would be long.  In that case the contestant may take an extra 50 seconds to go around again and touch down.  The flying time would be ten minutes and 50 seconds or 650 seconds.  The fifty seconds over is subtracted from 600 giving the contestant 550 points with bonus points added if landing in the area.

Any contestant who would like to attempt breaking the Club record time for duration - unlimited motor run time may do so at the end of competition.  Remember, we are talking two hours continuous and if you are willing to try, we will be glad to run a couple of clocks.