Ed,
There are more than a few reasons why pilots have been flying sequences well beyond what is our legal aerobatic box. Some stems from a Pattern heritage, were they were taught to “stretch it out”, “fly it big” and so on. But a great deal of the problem is because we have been flying our sequences in a box that has been divided into three zones. What makes this a problem is that the center zone figures must be centered in that zone or its downgraded 1- point for every ten degrees. And that’s a big hit because it’s off the base score before it is multiplied by the K factor. As a pilot you want to make sure you have room and time to center that figure, so you stretch those end zone figures out. The end result is often an overflight area of 3000 to 4000’, not the 1800 ft box we have as part of our rules.

Now there are and have been penalties regarding flying outside of the legal box, but the problem is trying to enforce them. Its hard enough getting scribes at a contest let alone having 3 to 4 boundary judges. And in many cases it would simply be impossible to have boundary judges out there because of the flying fields surrounding landscape.

OK, so how does the Zoneless Box change this issue and create a smaller footprint? With Zoneless sequences there is no need or requirement to center an individual figure, the entire sequence as a whole is now centered in the aerobatic box. The sequence is now a flowing event with consistent brief pauses with horizontal flight between each figure. There is not the need to do long “trans-zones” flight from one extended end zone to the other. Part of the incentive to keep your sequence with a consistent rhythm and centered within the box is the “Positioning Score”. This class based K factor score is given by the judges when you complete your sequence and judged on how well you centered and presented your sequence.

All of this is much more difficult to explain then it is to experience. Everyone who has made the effort (and please do) to fly the proposed Zoneless sequences has reported that indeed these are easily flown well within are legal box. They also report that it becomes quite evident soon that the pacing, flow and rhythm of the sequence express’s a whole new level of enjoyment and challenge in sequence flying.
I feel very strongly that the Zoneless Box will dramatically reduce or eliminate our overflight problem. We will look back at this next year and wonder why we didn’t make the change when CIVI and IAC did back in 1999.

Tom Wheeler
IMAC President