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This article provides information on FAI badges, gliding competitions, and strategies for successful cross-country flights. Learn the rules, earn badges, and improve your gliding skills.
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Note to presenter. • You may need to modify to suit existing rule changes and tasks in your state.
FAI Badges • All the information is in the Sporting code • Read it and know it • Become an official observer. • The information given is a guide only. • Do not assume that an observer knows. From my observations 50% Observers do not know some of the basic questions.
Silver • 50k / 5 hours / 1000m Gain in height • 1% rule • Don’t forget to notch the barograph • You may do an out and return of 100k +
Gold • 300k / 5 Hours / 3000m gain in height • The 300k flight may be • Goal, Out and return, 2 or 3 turning points.
Diamonds • Goal. 300k Out and return or triangular course. Getting back to the start location. You may start in the middle of the leg but the distance is the distance between the 3 turning points. • Distance 500k up to 3 turning points. You do not have to get back home. It can be a goal flight. • Gain in height. Get a low point!
Turning points • The flight path must pass in the FAI sector that is 45° either side of the bisector. • If a logger is used the flight path is according to the Long Lat Position declared NOT the actual location.
Round the clubs • 4 Turning points • Beverley air / Cunderdin air / Narrogin Silo / Narrogin air • 3rd Saturday of the month starting October to March • Gliders are handicapped and there is a 7% penalty for carrying water, Take off with water you have water.
Round the Clubs • You may turn short provided you fly 100k minimum, total flight distance. • If you score the minimum points are 500 the winner gets 1000 • The aim is to score for your club, the more pilots that fly the more points scored. • The winning club scores 5 points second 3 third 1 point.
Round the clubs • Flights are sent to james1@jamescooper.com.au for scoring. • Scores will be published on www.jamescooper.com.au together with the rules. Follow the prompts. • Contrary to some beliefs there is no cancellation of a day. One person scores they win. Know the rules!
Australian Decentralised CompAnd Enterprise • New rules are being developed to make the comp more simple, so check them out on the GFA web page. Not posted yet. • 1 point per K handicapped. • 10% bonus for FAI triangles • 10% bonus for completing a declared task • You may add a leg before and / or after the declared flight
Australian Decentralised Compand Enterprise • There is category for pilots with less than 200 hours as well as others. • The best 3 flights of the season will score. • Flights require O/O • They must be in to GFA within 1 month. • Check the GFA web site for full details • Starts October?
OLC • On Line Contest www.onlinecontest.org • Run by Aero Courier in Germany • No declarations required • Pure distance • 1 point per K handicapped for the first 3 turning points • 0.8 points per k for the next turning point • 0.6 points per k for the final leg if 5 tp used
OLC • The best 6 flights score. • However you can score for the max kilometers flown and clubs can score cumulative kilometers.
AAT’s Assigned Area Tasks
What Are AAT’s • A semi fixed task • Flying from as starting point • Via 2 or more areas that must be passed through • Finishing at a finishing point • The distance flown is measured from the start to the points in the sectors that give you the longest flight path.
Time Constrictions • The time of a task is specified • If the flight is shorter than the specified time the flight distance will be scored will be flight time / allocated time • If the flight goes over the specified time there will be no reduction. Distance/Time flown. • There may be bonus points for extra distance flown.
Time Suggestions • It is generally best to be able to finish a few minutes over the time allocated. • It is unusual that you can increase your average speed by flying for a longer period of time, because the proportion of the flight final gliding is reduced.
Where do you fly • Fly in areas where you will get the best lift • Do not fly in areas that will give poor lift • Try to take advantage of streeting lines
For example plan for bad areas, do not get forced to fly into wet areas.
Basic Strategies • Estimate the speed you will fly today • And thus the distance you will fly in the allocated time. • This is split into two components. • Final gliding • Inter thermal
How far will I fly • Let us assume 6000ft start height. • 4 Knot Thermals • 3 hour task • Glider Dry Astir • NOTE FIGURES ARE APROXIMATIONS
What is Average Cross Country Speed? Final Glide Speed?
Calculations Final Glide Distance • Final Glide at 75 Knots = 135 k/h • For a height of 6000-(finishing height + Ground height) =>6000 – (500ft + 750ft)=> 4750ft. • 4750ft = 1.47k • 25:1 glide angle. • 1.47 * 25 = 36K Final Glide
Calculations Final Glide Time • 36K at 135 k/h = a little over 15 min.
Calculations Soaring • Time of soaring = Task time – Final gliding time. • 3 hours – 15 min = 2.75 hours • Average cross country speed for Astir in 4 knots 82 kph. • Distance to fly in 2.75 hours at 82 kph = 225 k
Total distance to fly • Final Glide distance + Soaring Distance • 36k + 225k = 261k • Now Plan where you are going to fly.
Now where to fly • Do not box yourself into a corner, OR
How do I fly there • Put into your logger and draw on your map. • The centre of the circle. • The degrees of the sector if applicable. • In addition put in some turn points that you intend to use. • These will help straight line flying. ( More on this later)
Budget • Note the time you intend to arrive at the provisional turning points
Flying Strategy • Take a note of your start time • When you can, calculate your finishing time • Fly straight to your first turning point. • As you approach the TP calculate your speed v your estimate for soaring flight. • Are you ahead or behind schedule. • If you are behind be prepared to turn early • If you are ahead continue straight on to extend track.
Flying Tactics • Now carry on to the next sector in a straight line to one of the pre selected turning points. • Have an idea as to your schedule but do not spend all the flight calculating • As you enter the sector work out how far you are going to fly in. • When it is time to turn make that decision and turn.
Coming home • Now you have decided to come home you are committed. • Do not recalculate once you have turned. • Better to turn back a little late than a little early. • Now concern yourself with getting back
Safety • Despite comments to the contrary the probability of mid airs is more likely than with POST tasking and fixed tasks. • A number of aircraft are in a similar area but flying in different directions • Collision courses will be both merging paths and crossing
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