Rules of the Northern

Illinois Soaring

Championships

SPONSORED BY THE CHICAGOLANDGLIDER COUNCIL INC.

Last Updated: March 3, 2004

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PARAGRAPH TITLE

  1. PURPOSE
  2. COMPLIANCE
  3. CONTEST PERSONNEL
  4. PERIOD OF CONTEST
  5. AWARDS
  6. PROTESTS
  7. SAFETY
  8. CONTEST FLYING
  9. SCORING

  1. PURPOSE
    1. The purposes of the Northern Illinois Soaring Championships are
      1. to provide an entry level for pilots new to competitive sailplane racing to learn the skills and procedures used in cross-country soaring.
      2. to provide a vehicle for experienced competition pilots to hone their skills,
      3. to determine the champions of the 3 mini-contest and a Council Champion for the overall season. 

 

  1. COMPLIANCE AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY
    1. These rules are the agreement between contest officials and the contestants, by which fair and consistent competition is maintained.
    2. Each pilot is responsible to ensure that he is adequately prepared for cross-country flying, and shall comply with all FARs and other applicable laws and regulations.
    3. By flying in the contest each contestant agrees to be bound by these rules and releases, on his or her own behalf, and on behalf of his or her heirs, successors, and assigns, all claims of any sort against the contest organizers or officials by virtue of their role in connection with the contest.
    4. Please address any comments on these rules to Neal Ridenour, nealride@comcast.net,  Mike Shakman, mlshak@aol.com or John Cochrane john.cochrane@gsb.uchicago.edu
    5. These rules will be maintained on the Internet at http://aerotow.evl.uic.edu/nisc/rules.html.

 

  1. CONTEST PERSONNEL
    1. Competition Director: Mike Shakman, mlshak@aol.com or someone he appoints in his absence.
    2. Scorer: John Cochrane john.cochrane@gsb.uchicago.edu

 

  1. PERIOD OF CONTEST
    1. There will be three contests plus an overall season winner. The spring mini-contest runs from April 1 to June 30; the summer contest runs from July 1 to September 14.  The fall mini-contest lasts from September 15 until Thanksgiving (not including Thanksgiving itself). Any day that 3 Contestants fly a Handicap Distance of at least 3O Statute Miles will be scored as a completed task.  The minimum task length drops to 25 miles after October 15.

 

  1.  SAILPLANES AND EQUIPMENT
    1. Any Sailplane may be used and scoring will be based on the most recently published SSA sports class handicap list. If your sailplane is not listed, contact the Competition Director for a handicap.
    2. Ballast - Water ballast that can be discharged in flight is permitted and encouraged. The handicap will be multiplied by 0.96 on days when water is carried.
    3. Multi-place sailplanes may be used, but only one pilot may receive a score for each task. (A multiplace glider may fly two tasks without landing, with pilot A receiving the score for the first task, and pilot B receiving the score for the second task.)
    4. Motorized sailplanes are permitted, provided the pilot certifies that the engine was not used during the task. If the sailplane has a flight recorder that records engine use, the pilot may claim a task with distance calculated to the point of engine use.
    5. Each occupant of the sailplane must wear a parachute.
    6. Cameras for turnpoint identification can be of any type, except that digital cameras may not be used. If it is mounted, it must show the left wingtip of the sailplane.
    7. Traces from any flight recorder are allowed. Handheld and non-FAI certified recorders are allowed, so long as the pilot can produce an IGC file or otherwise agree with the scorer on a method of evaluation. The trace must capture time and position for the start, each turnpoint claimed and the finish. Altitude recording capacity is not required. Pilots are encouraged to use GPS flight documentation if at all possible.

 

  1. AWARDS

A Traveling Trophy will be awarded to the overall season winner

 

  1. PROTESTS
    1. A contestant is expected to follow the rules and the rulings of the Competition Director who is enforcer and arbiter of these rules. In the event that the Competition Director was a contestant on the day of a flight or circumstance giving rise to a protest, he shall appoint an experienced contest pilot who was not a contestant on that day to serve as Competition Director with respect to the protest, and that individual shall fill the role of Competition Director with respect to that protest.  Protest against a ruling of the Competition Director will ordinarily not be allowed unless there is clear evidence of a gross inequity.
    2. If a pilot feels that an incident or interpretation of these rules has caused an inequity, a formal protest, in writing, must be delivered by mail to the Competition Director within one week of the incident or act. In arriving at a decision, the Competition Director may ask for statements from witnesses, etc. The Competition Director will make a prompt response by telephone, giving the reason for the decision.
    3. There is no competition committee. However, if a contestant wishes to appeal the decision of the Competition Director a local experienced competition pilot, agreeable to the contestant and the Competition Director (who did not compete on that day), will be asked to resolve Rules Interpretation, Assessment of penalties, and Resolution of protests.

 

  1. SAFETY
    1. It is imperative that this contest be run with the greatest emphasis on safety. No phase of the operation of the contest or interest in competition can be allowed to infringe on or lessen safety. Each contestant, Crewmember, and Contest Official must carry out their responsibility to prevent unsafe practice.
    2.  Aerobatics and flying within clouds are prohibited. Contestants must be aware that there will be sailplanes near the approved sites that are not part of the contest and may not be observing these rules.
    3. Contestants are required to be familiar with all local air space restrictions and hazards, including parachutes at Hinckley, Morris, and Skydive Chicago, jet flight paths to the Joliet VOR, flight in the vicinity of nuclear powerplants, Aurora class D airspace, and so forth.

 

  1. CONTEST FLYING
    1. Pilots meetings
      1. There is no required pilots’ meetings. Pilots are encouraged to meet before the day’s flight to discuss weather, tasking, safety issues, and to offer advice and encouragement to less experienced pilots.
      2. Pilots are responsible to discuss with the site manager the start/finish procedures, airport operations and any local rules or procedures in effect.
    2. Tasks
      1. Minimum Course Length for speed task scoring is 30 Handicap Statute Miles. After October 15 it is 25 Statute miles.
      2. Minimum Time on Course is 1 hour. Tasks finishing in less than one hour are scored for 1 hour of time. 
      3. As a matter of sportsmanship, experienced pilots in high performance gliders are expected to attempt longer tasks on good days rather exploit these bare minimums. 
    3. Pilot Selected Task (PST).
      1. Any eligible turnpoint may be attempted in any order, except that no turnpoint may be claimed a second time unless at least two intervening turnpoints are properly identified and claimed.
      2. The maximum number of Turnpoints that can be used during one task is eight (8).
      3. The Minimum Task Distance for speed task scoring is 30 handicapped statute miles except after October 15, it is 25 Statute miles.
    4. Turn area option
      1. Chicago Glider Club, Hinckley, Sky Soaring, Morris, DeKalb and Skydive Chicago are designated turn area turnpoints.
      2. When using the turn area option, a pilot may use as a turnpoint any point within a 5 statute mile radius of these airports.
      3. This option is only available for GPS scoring.   The pilot need not select the qualifying turnpoint.  The Scorer will utilize a scoring program that selects a turnpoint within the 5 mile radius so as to credit the pilot with the maximum distance flown.
      4. The start/finish airport cannot be used as a turn area option turnpoint for the first or last turnpoint of the task. For example, a contestant may not use up excess altitude on a final glide by declaring a turn area turnpoint just before landing.
      5. The turnpoints designated in 9.4.1 may also be used as traditional 1.0 mile radius turnpoints.
      6. A turn area may only be claimed if the angle between the center of the last control point (start or turnpoint), the center of the turn area, and the center of the next control point (finish or turnpoint) is less than 90 degrees. For example, Chicago Glider – Morris Turn Area – Cushing is not valid. Chicago Glider – Morris Turn Area – Joliet is valid. 
    5. Declared task option with bonus.
      1. Any pilot who declares his task in advance will receive a 3% bonus. The declared task must name all turnpoints in sequence. Those turnpoints and only those turnpoints must then be used, in the declared sequence.  Otherwise, the task must conform to the usual rules described in 9.2-9.4. The 3% bonus applies to completed tasks and distance points for incomplete declared tasks.
      2. To declare the task, the pilot must post his name, call sign and the task at the departure airport. If multiple pilots fly distinct declared tasks, label the first one “task A” the second “task B” etc. If the pilot uses a flight recorder that allows task declaration, he should declare it in the flight recorder as well. Each pilot must also announce his start on the declared task by radio on 123.3. (“Alpha Bravo, starting Hinckley at 12:32 on declared task alpha.”)
      3. Additional pilots may join any declared task by a radio call at the start. If possible, they should post their names on the task sheet at the departure airport, but if not (if, say, they are already in the air), they can join a declared task with the radio call and, if possible, the flight recorder declaration.
      4. After start, a pilot may abandon the declared task and continue as usual, or he may continue the flight beyond the declared task. Such flights will count for regular scoring, but will not receive the 3% declared task bonus.
      5. The declared task bonus will also apply to any badge, record, or Hilton cup attempt that includes a preflight task declaration.
    6. Other task types. Other task types, including TAT and MAT conforming to SSA regional contest guidelines or the CGC boomerang, are allowed at organized events if approved by the contest manager.
    7.  Long Flight Bonus. Whereas it is harder to maintain as high a speed on longer tasks, and to encourage those pilots who want to fly longer tasks, the Handicap Speed will be increased by 5% per hour after the first hour to produce the Credited Speed. See formula in 10.3.2.1
    8. Turnpoints
      1. Any public-use airport that appears on a current sectional or Illinois State aeronautical chart may be used as a turnpoint. The Illinois Airport directory contains the approved turnpoints in Illinois. If a contestant leaves Illinois, the contestant may use airports in other states that appear on the current sectional chart and are not RLAs. The following additional turnpoints are allowed: Chicago Glider Club, Wade, Niznik, Prairie Lake, CasaDeAero, Olson, Meadow Creek, Classic Landings, Sweedler, Bushby, Woodlake (Sandwich) and Sky Soaring.
      2. A Northern Illinois Contest turnpoint database has been created on the worldwide turnpoint exchange (http://acro.harvard.edu/SOARING/JL/TP/Northern_illinois). Pilots may use any turnpoint in the turnpoint section of this database. Pilots are strongly encouraged to use this database, as it has the coordinates that will be used to score the contest. Please notify the scorer promptly of any problems with the database. If a pilot uses a turnpoint allowed by rule 9.8.1 that is not in the database, he must provide the scorer with the coordinates of that turnpoint. (Including the turnpoints in the flight log is sufficient.) 
      3. Pilots declaring a badge flight or a record attempt may use any turnpoint, not necessarily an airport. The pilot must supply the scorer with the coordinates of the turnpoints. (Including the turnpoints in the flight log, or submitting the badge or record claim documentation is sufficient.) 
    9. Film procedures
      1. The first frame for each task must have the date. Take a picture of a piece of paper with the date on it, or take any picture with a DataBack camera recording the correct date. The pilots’ name helps, but is not absolutely required. This frame starts the roll, and separates tasks.
      2. The turnpoint photos follow. Extra pictures are OK, but discouraged.
      3. Use the center of the airport for the turnpoint, and use standard FAI badge rules for the photo.
      4. The last frame must include the tail number. Take it up close so it fills the frame. You don't need a tail number picture for each task.
      5. If you fly more than one glider and use the same film, you must finish each task with a tail number picture.
    10. GPS turnpoint procedures
      1. The standard turnpoint is a 1.00 statute mile cylinder centered at the turnpoint. At least one fix must appear in this zone. Pilots will be credited for distance achieved within the turnpoint zone. 
      2. A pilot who is attempting a badge or record may claim a turnpoint in the FAI sector, but outside the 1.00 statute mile cylinder. He is only credited for distance to the turnpoint itself.
      3. GPS pilots may use photo backup, and may turn in tasks with partial GPS and partial photo evidence.
    11. Launching
      1. Contest flights may start from any airport or soaring site in Northern Illinois.
      2. A contestant may fly the task more than once on any day, and may use a different glider each time.
    12. Start Gate
      1. Photo procedures: The start gate is a vertical rectangle 1 statute mile wide, perpendicular to the track to the first turnpoint. Hinckley pilots must take care to avoid parachutists.
      2. GPS procedures: The start gate is the wall of a cylinder 1 statute mile in radius centered on the start airport. One mile will be deducted from the scored flight distance to account for the start gate radius. There is no maximum start height.
      3. A GPS pilot making a badge or record claim may use the vertical rectangle specified by the badge or record rules.
    13. Finish
      1. Photo procedures: The finish gate is a one statute mile wide plane perpendicular to the last task leg, centered at the GPS coordinate of the finish airport. Finishes for speed points must be made at an altitude of 500 feet AGL or greater.
      2. GPS procedures: The finish gate is a one statute mile radius circle centered at the finish airport. A finish for speed points must be made at an altitude of 500 feet AGL or greater. The altitude must be 500 feet AGL or greater for the entire distance from 2 miles out to one mile out – you may not blast in at 50 feet and 120 knots, then try to pull up over the 500 foot finish.
      3. A GPS pilot making a badge or record claim may use the vertical rectangle finish gate required by badge or finish rules. He must still finish at least 500 feet AGL, even if the badge or record does not require this.
      4. Any pilot who finishes below 500 AGL feet but still lands at the home airport earns distance points only.
      5. GPS pilots whose trace shows turnpoints but does not show start or finish due to GPS failure may be scored based on their own time measurements. Photo pilots must keep track of their own start and finish times.
      6. Pilots may continue to fly locally or cross country after the finish, and may attempt a second task after the finish, without landing. However, a pilot may not pass over the finish gate, try some more turnpoints, and then call the first passage the finish if the additional turnpoints don’t work out well. Pilots who either continue flying or attempt a second task must do the following:
        1. As per rule 9.14, pilots should announce the finish and a new start on the radio.
        2. Photo pilots who wish to attempt a new task must take two pictures of the start airport. This distinguishes a new start from a turnpoint taken at the home airport.  
        3. GPS pilots who wish to continue flying or to attempt a new task should not proceed directly from finish to start and to a turnpoint, as they would on a single task. They should fly in the other direction or fly locally for a few minutes, so that their trace makes their intention to fly non-competitively or start a new task clear.
    14. Radio:
      1. Pilots with an operating radio should announce their start, turn points, 2 minutes out, and going through the finish gate. Photo pilots should also announce IP, and other pilots may also announce “IP” one minute before start in order to alert traffic.
      2. Use of radio between competitors during the flight is encouraged, provided it is sportsmanlike. In particular, advice by more experienced pilots to newer pilots is encouraged, and newer pilots are encouraged to request advice. Unsportsmanlike communication includes communicating in codes, communicating on frequencies other than 123.3 and 123.5 to keep information secret, and communicating for the purpose of hurting another pilot’s performance. 
    15. Landouts
      1. Photo pilots: Take a photo of your contest number or your N-number at the landing site to close out that flight. Record the latitude and longitude of the landing site, or the name of the airport, for scoring. No observer or witnesses are required.
      2.  GPS: The trace will show your landing location and is sufficient certification.
    16. After Landing 
      1. Fill out the Flight Certification Sheet, turn it in, mail it in, or email  its contents within one week of the task date.
      2. Email to the scorer is the preferred method of communication. Your email must include date, day, pilot name, glider, water ballast, start point, turnpoints in sequence, which turnpoints are claimed as turn area turnpoints, landing point, time on course, and whether the task is complete or a landout. Send the information in the body of the email; do not send it as an attachment. All tasks claims must include the sequence of turnpoints claimed by the pilot, and which if any turnpoints are to be treated as turn area turnpoints. Don’t just email in a trace and expect the scorer to figure it out! 
      3. Film, or a trace, or flight recorder information (printout from evaluation program) may be turned in with the above task information or later. All scores will be tentative until the film or flight recorder information is evaluated. Maintain the data from each flight until the end of the contest season and results have been announced.
      4. Photo evaluation procedures: Have your film developed. Send the negatives, prints, or a contact strip to the scorer. 
      5. GPS evaluation procedures:
        1. Official results will be computed by the Scorer’s evaluation of the flight log using a common program for all contestants. However, it is helpful to the scorer to see your evaluation, and this can help to reduce scoring errors.  If you use an evaluation program, make sure you set it up as per the rules, with a one statute mile radius start gate, a one statute mile radius finish gate with 500 foot minimum, 1.00 statute mile turnpoints and “maximize distance” or whatever your software calls the option to give you credit for the actual distance flown rather than the line connecting the turnpoint airports, and 5 statute mile turn area points. Make sure the program subtracts one mile each for the start gate and finish gate. Make sure the units are statute miles.
        2. You may send the GPS trace to the scorer by email attachment, floppy disk, or transfer to his computer.  IGC or CAI format is preferred, check with the scorer for other formats. 

 

  1. SCORING
    1. General
      1. Entrants may compete as many times as they wish. If at least 3 entrants competed 8 times, the eight best points for each entrant will be used to determine the overall final standings. Otherwise the number of days used will be the greatest number (less than 8) that 3 entrants competed. The mini-contests will be scored the same way based on 4 days. If at least 3 entrants compete 4 times, the 4 best points for each entrant will be used to determine the final standings. Otherwise, the number of days used will be the greatest number (less than 4) that 3 entrants competed.
      2. In case of ties, the Entrant’s 9th, 10th etc., highest scores will be used to break the tie. If still tied the contestant with the highest handicapped speed during the contest will be declared the winner
      3. The mini-contests are scored based on the best 4 days. If fewer than 3 pilots complete 4 days, they will use the greatest number (less than 4) that 3 entrants completed.
      4. A competition day is a day on which at least three (3) contestants have been scored a minimum handicap distance of at least 30 statute miles or 25 miles for flights after October 15. Each day will have a value of 1000 points.
      5. For a flight to be scored the pilot must turn in a properly completed Flight Certification Sheet or provide the equivalent information by email or other communication with the scorer, and the film or GPS FR information.
      6. It is in a competitor’s best interest to turn in every attempted task since the eight best scores will be used to determine a winner, and any additional scores (in best to worst sequence) will be used in breaking ties (if necessary).  It is unsportsmanlike to only turn in good scores.   In addition, poor scores this year will lower your handicap for next year.
      7. If the contestant has flown more than one task on a given day, only the best flight on each competition day shall count towards the pilot's final point score.
    2. Task Distance Scored
        1. For completed tasks, the distance scored will be the sum of all legs achieved, less one mile each for start and finish gate radius (if GPS rules are used). All turnpoints are calculated in the way most favorable to the pilot.
        2. For incomplete tasks, the scored distance scored will be the sum of the lengths of all the legs completed plus the distance to the landing point.
    3. Scoring equations
      1. Nomenclature
        1. (DS) Distance Scored. Actual Distance flown (see 10.2.2), less one mile for GPS starts and one mile for GPS finishes,
        2. (TOC) Time on Course. Finish time minus Start Time, but not less than one hour.
        3. (HF) Sailplane Handicap Factor. As shown in the SSA handicap list for regional Contests, multiplied by 0.96 for gliders that start the task with water ballast.
        4. (HD) Handicap Distance. Actual distance scored times the handicap factor DSxHF.
        5. (CS) Credited Speed. Handicap speed plus long flight BONUS, plus, where applicable, the 3% Declared Task Bonus.
        6. (HS) Handicap Speed. Actual speed times the Handicap factor.
        7. (HCP) Pilot handicap factor. This is the pilot’s best average SCORE (before application of pilot handicaps) for the previous two seasons. New pilots with no prior contest experience start with a handicap of 700. New pilots with previous experience at the SSA regional or better level will start with a 850 handicap. New pilots who have placed first or second in a regional or better contest will start with a 900 handicap. In the interest of sportsmanship, pilots are encouraged to declare higher handicaps if they feel such a handicap is appropriate.  In general, handicaps will be recalculated each season. However, the scorer and contest director may adjust handicaps at the end of any mini-contest if  they conclude that an assigned handicap does not fairly represent the pilot’s actual performance.
      2. Score
        1. Score for those that finish the task:

HS = DS/TOC x HF

CS = HS x ( 1 + 0.05 x (TOC -1 ))

If declared task, CS = HS x ( 1 + 0.05 x (TOC -1 ) ) x 1.03

SCORE = l000 x CS/BEST_CS

        1. Score for those that didn't finish task:

SCORE = SLOWEST SPEED SCORE x (HD/SHORTEST COMPLETE HD)

(but not more than 90% of the SLOWEST SPEED POINTS.)

3.  In the event that nobody completes the task (but at least 3 pilots exceed the minimum distance, it will be scored as follows:

SCORE = 1000 * (your HD flown) /  (BEST HD flown)

      1. Points. Points are awarded on the following handicap system. Each pilot has a HANDICAP. Then.

POINTS = 1000* (SCORE/HCP) / BEST(SCORE/HCP)

      1. Each competitor's daily points will be rounded off to the nearest whole number. Values of .5 and more will be rounded upward.
    1. Publication of Scores
      1. Score sheets will be published periodically. Ranking on sheets will be by cumulative points. Notations will be made for any score:
        1. Where a contestant has used water ballast.
        2. Having been reduced by a penalty
        3. For which film has not been developed
        4. Not official due to pending protest
    2. Penalties
      1. Turnpoint Photo taken outside permissible limits - 10% of maximum daily score before any penalties are applied.
      2. GPS turnpoint outside 1.00 mile but less than 2.0 mile – 10% of maximum daily score before any penalties are applied. 
      3. Unsafe Flying (Including Launch, Aero tow, Start, General Flying, Finish/Landing Pattern, and Landing) - Penalty as determined by the Competition Director
      4. Unsportsmanlike Conduct - Penalty as determined by the Competition Director

 

Notes:

The Competition Director reserves the right to change rules as necessary. Notice of any change will be sent to each contestant at least seven days in advance of the date on which the rules change becomes effective.

 

 

Handicaps for 2004

 

Pilot

Average 2002

Average 2003

Handicap 2004

Akerley, Mark

 

736

736

Carlson, Rich

764

743

764

Cochrane, John

932

977

977

Gossfeld, Tim

 

796

796

Hanford, Ken

 

826

826

Harrison, John

621

554

621

Hilary, Denis

647

794

794

Kilian, Herb

 

937

937

Konrath, Ray

768

769

769

Kroesh, Don

831

871

871

Lewis, Curt

902

948

948

Quas, Robert

 

919

919

Macys, Bob

899

 

899

Mirza, Adnan

926

 

926

Ridenor, Ron

 

741

741

Ridenour, Neal

811

802

811

Russell, Jeffrey

878

845

878

Rydin, Robert

710

444

710

Shakman, Michael

851

909

909

Spitz, Bob

 

893

893