tIANci

Guys ... I need some assistance. I am going to organise a pylon meet for 46 class planes and also Quickie 500s. For the 46 class I am looking at planes like the Skyraider etc as one class and perhaps for Q500 its like the GP Viper. I got only one issue. How are the races run? I used to run 1/10 nitro cars and that is easy, you run the heats and qualify into the various mains, each main is 1 race in itself and you rank according to when you finish. Simple ...

How is it done for a simple club race? As in what is the race format? How does one qualify? How are heats run? Do you time the race? How is the actual race run? I hope someone may clear things up for me. Thanks!!!

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

You can go to NMPRA's site and download some matrix programs and an outline on how to run an event. http://www.nmpra.org/
Look at "Pylon racing information" for the document.
My recomendation is to keep things very simple if you can. By that I mean one engine one prop and the airframe should be unmodified from a kit or have closely monitored dimensions.
By using the SkyRaider you have an excellent platform for consitancy. We use them for a class called Club 40. You can get tons of info about how they are raced at rcpro.com

Hope this helps.

tIANci

Vic ... thanks for the lead. I would love to keep it to one sort of plane only but then its a small community here. Guess it will be limited to 3-4 types of planes and a couple of engines that we have used and know the planes and engines are equally matched.

A question ... would it not be fun to have a knock out system? Like from 32 to 1 ... hehehehee

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Not sure what you mean by knock out system but there will be plenty of action. Our last quickie race we had 14 planes show only 4 went home without damage and two were not involved in mid-airs. It was a brutal day. Then we have some where nothing happens to anyone.

tIANci

Vic ... hahahaahahaa ... I did not mean Combat Pylon. What I meant was you group them into flights of maybe 4, then for each flight maybe 1-2 only will advance to the next round ... so its like soccer, quarter finals to semi finals and finals.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Thats what we did!!![X(]
Three planes for ten laps in heats, accumulating points for a three plane run-off.

tIANci

Aaaaahhhh ... okie, that makes things easier and faster.

bob27s

My Feedback: (19)

a race i ran for the Atlanta club years ago was set up as a sport "bracket" race.

The first heat was considered "qualifying". Pilot/plane got a time for 10 laps. I subtract 5 seconds off of that time, and that became his "break-out time", or BT. Usually planes/pilots get faster, so this provides an allowance for that.

An Example - the Way it works...
Say the plane qualfies at 2:00 for 10 laps.
Break out time is then established for that plane at 1:55

(a little practice session ahead of time will lead to fairly decent flying and honest qualifying times)

For the actual racing heats 2,3,4,5,6....x heats, the pilot has to fly best as possible, but may not go quicker than 1:55 or he gets a zero (or loss of position, or any penalty you determine suits your event)

Starting different planes....
Races are handicaped based on the breakout time

Example Heat:

Lane 1 BT-1:30
Lane 2 BT-1:40
Lane 3 BT-1:55

Lane 3 takes off first. Flag drops, Clock/timer starts.
Lane 2 take off is delayed 15 seconds (gets the flag at +15 sec)
Lane 1 take off is delayed 25 seconds (gets the flag at +25 sec).

Everyone flys 10 laps (typical cut rules and safe flying rules apply)

In theory, the handicap will disappear as laps are completed, and you should have one heck of a last lap

Scoring...

Take your pick. We scored as if it were a Q-500 meet..... 3pts for win, 2 pts for 2nd, 1 pt for 3rd.

Also.... I recommend no more than 3 plane heats if this is everyones first time racing/running the event. Makes life easier.

The event was fun. We flew everything from sport Q-500 aircraft, to ugly sticks, trainers, fun fly planes. Last event like this I flew my old super kaos.

Bob

tIANci

Bob ... thanks for the info. I wish we could run it like F1, wheel to wheel racing with tons of overtaking. First to cross the line wins. I attended a simple pylon race for 40 sized sports plane and that was my first time racing in a course. It was a 3 pylon race, 2 planes per heat so its a one on one. Man, it was thrilling, trying to fly in a triangle and hugging the pylons. One point my legs shook! I love the feeling when you overtake a plane and lap them. Hehehehehee ...

bob27s

My Feedback: (19)

That is where the fun of the bracket racing comes in. The last guy to launch has a lot of ground to make up. The last 2 or 3 laps is where everyone ends up on the same lap, and then its a show down. Pretty exciting. Kinda fun watching a Tower trainer beat the Q-500 by inches.

It makes you focus on flying your own race, and flying smooth.

Crazy4Flight

My Feedback: (540)

BEER ???

No mention of BEER for the end of flying celebration!

tIANci

Bob - we did that in the race I was in, 1 guys goes then a couple of secs later the next one, after a short while its all together, wing to wing racing.

Crazy ... beer should be consumed before the flight ... esp if you want to do a limbo event! Hahahahahahaaa ... seriously, no drinking at our events, I would say about 100% of the guys at the field don't drink alcohol at all, not even at events. After at the pub perhaps.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

That settles it. C4F will not be crashing that party

tIANci

Its sad that what connects us when we are half the world away is only the internet. If only you guys can come over, it will be awesome! Great weather, great food, good flying ... okay the ladies are nice too.

Spoke with some of my friends who are into pylon racing and they say it will be really great to run it with heats then finish with a knock out system so the winner can have bragging rights. Looks like its fixed for the May Day weekend and will be a national competition. Let's see how many planes end up in the trash! Oh yes ... they will vie for what I call the Top Gun Trophy. Comes with a nice tee with Mr Top Gun embossed on the back.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

He might just bring his own beer if thats the case.

I hope you have as much fun with it as we do over here.

bob27s

My Feedback: (19)

That is why two day racing events are good things. After saturday's flying..... you crack open the cold ones.

Hard part is getting up Sunday morning. But for some reason, my Heat 1 flights at 9am always ended up the quickest of the day

tIANci

Somehow drinking after flying has not been part of the flying scene here ... I don't know why, not that we don't drink at all. Anyways, Bob ... I am on the verge of ordering one of the Jetts, its a rarity here. The 'fastest' around here are Rossis and Webras only. I think its time to take the plunge ... a 50 perhaps?

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

My Jedi skills are working on you[sm=lol.gif][sm=wink_smile.gif]

tIANci

Yes My Master ... I am your ever loyal padawan

AGR413

My Feedback: (1)

Sounds like Sith mischief to me.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

That went to the dark side quick[>:]

tIANci

I moved to the Dark Side two years ago when I went EP.

Okay back to a race meet, if after the heats two guys have the same points, how do you decide who wins? Best lap time?

daven

My Feedback: (1)

FLY OFF!!!

Best way to break a tie is to line em up, and fly for the place. Fun in the pits where people are making side bets on the heat. Some of the best races I have ever seen are flyoffs since people tend to let it all hang out and fly very agressively.

tIANci

Aaaaahhhhh ... fly offs ... like a 'sudden death' match ...

tIANci

My plans for a national meet is coming along well, looks like for the 1st event it will be a Club 40 style race. I just want to ask something. How do you weed out participants who may not be able to fly well? I mean anyone can register but how do we ensure that they can handle a plane at speeds in a course and not pummel the spectators? Do you run some form of qualifying? Thanks!