See below. It is the official IMAC freestyle. definition and judging Criteria. If freestyle is offered at a contest and on the sanction. Then the CD must follow the rules and judging below. Freestyle is an official event and any contest offering freestyle and not following the established judging criteria may have the entire contest thrown out and it would not count tword regional and national points. When I CD a contest I draw judges from the pilot pool that arn't flying freestyle. Then individually give them a printout of the judging criteria.



General Rules, Scale Aerobatics 1/05 GR-10
18.1. The Four (4) Minute Freestyle Program is a “Show Time”
separate event. It is an unrestricted, individually created sequence in
which “Anything Safe Goes!” To be eligible to participate and compete
in this event, the competitor must also compete in one of the five
IMAC categories of precision sequence flying at the same event. It
should have separate awards when offered. It is graded on the following
criteria:
18. Four (4) Minute Freestyle Program
A. Technical Merit {90K}
a.1. Complete Use of the Flight Envelope Utilizing the Exploitation
of Aerodynamic and Gyroscopic Forces (20K)
The pilot is expected to make full use of the flight envelope of the
aircraft. This means flying the full range of airspeeds and accelerations
permitted. Program time should be divided between high and
low speeds, high and low G maneuvers, and both positively and negatively
G loaded flight segments. The flight should include the demonstration
of controlled flight beyond the stall boundary by use of autorotation
or other high angle of attack maneuvers. The judge will deduct
points if any of these areas are noticeably under utilized.
General Rules, Scale Aerobatics 1/05 GR-11
Scale Aerobatics Official
Flying And Judging Guide
The pilot is expected to show movement of the aircraft about all axes
using both conventional aerodynamic controls and propellergenerated
gyroscopic forces. Higher grades will be given to pilots
able to make use of all these effects through a wide range of aircraft
attitudes and flight paths. Repeated use of any such forces in the
same or similar attitudes should result in lower scores.
a.2. Execution of Individual Maneuvers (40K)
It should be clear that the maneuvers flown were, in fact, intended and
fully under the pilot’s control. Higher marks will be given for this
objective when individual maneuver elements are started and finished
on obviously precise headings and in well-defined attitudes. When,
for example, gyroscopic maneuvers are allowed to decay into imprecise,
poorly defined autorotation, marks should be deducted for poor
execution. Marks should also be deducted if it appears that the pilot
has relinquished control of the aircraft at any time.
a.3. Wide Variety of Figures Flown on Different Axes and Flight
Paths (30K)
Many different figures should be completed in the time available.
These should include maneuver elements of many different kinds and
should use many different flight paths and axes. Lower marks should
be given to a pilot who used only one or two principal axes of flight.
However, the use of additional axes within the performance zone
must be clear and precise, not giving the appearance of being used by
chance. Marks should also be deducted if any particular maneuver
element is over-used or continues for an excessive period of time. For
example, higher marks would be given in the event of a two-turn flat
spin followed by something else, than to a multi-turn spin that simply
took up more time.
B. Artistic Impression {90K}
b.1. Pleasing and Continuous Flow of Figures with Contrasting
Periods of Dynamic and Graceful Maneuvers (50K)
In a precisely flown sequence, the completion of a figure will be well
described when movement about an axis ceases and a particular attitude
is briefly held. The start of the next figure or maneuver should
then begin without any prolonged period of inactivity caused by the
need to reposition the aircraft or reorient the pilot. Marks will be deducted
for any obvious period of level flight, or inactivity, required
between figures.
General Rules, Scale Aerobatics 1/05 GR-12
Scale Aerobatics Official
Flying And Judging Guide
In a musical symphony, the listener’s mood may be changed by contrasting
fast and slow movements. Similarly, in a 4-Minute Free Program,
the judge should be treated to a flight that causes different reactions.
While some maneuvers involve very high speeds, sudden attitude
changes and rapid rotations, others involve slower speeds or
more gentle transitions. Higher marks will be given to a pilot who
finds time in his program for showing such differences of mood and
pace. Marks should be deducted in this category for a flight that
shows no such distinctions. Higher marks should be given for choreography
with the music to enhance the flight, and the flight choreographed
to enhance and present visual impressions where both the
music and aircraft are flowing together with each other and acting as a
unified entity to display a harmonious presentation.
b.2. Presentation of Individual and Combinations of Figures in
Their Best Orientation and Optimal Position (40K)
Figures can give different impressions when seen from different viewpoints.
For example, a climbing inverted flat spin looks most impressive
when the top surface of the aircraft can be seen. A loop flown in
a plane inclined at 45 degrees to the vertical is best appreciated when
it is flown on the Y-axis. Marks should therefore be deducted if the
judge is not shown a figure in its best orientation.
Each figure has an optimum from which it is best viewed. For example,
a loop flown overhead does not give the same pleasing geometry
as one flown further distant. Similarly, a figure flown near the upper
height limit will cause discomfort when flown at the near edge of the
performance zone; a low-level horizontal figure is better seen from
close by than far away. Higher marks will therefore be given when
individual figures are optimally placed, while judges should deduct
marks when it appears that a figure is not well placed or positioned.
C. Positioning {20K}
c.1. Symmetry of the Presentation Utilizing the Performance Zone
to Maximize the Audience and Judges Perception, Reception, and
Viewing of the Program (20 K)
Highest marks will be given when the sequence as a whole is balanced
evenly to the left and right of the judges’ direct line of vision
towards the center of the performance zone. Marks should be deducted
if, by design or by the influence of the wind, a pilot’s program
is noticeably biased to left or right. The greater the degree of asymmetry,
the greater should be the deduction.
General Rules, Scale Aerobatics 1/05 GR-13
Scale Aerobatics Official
Flying And Judging Guide
Even though a flight might be symmetrical, it may also be spread too
far to either side, so that some maneuver elements are flown outside
the performance zone, thus making them difficult to see and interpret.
Figures may also be flown on the direct line of vision but very distant.
Any part of the flight that is flown at such distances should be penalized
for each excursion. The entire program should be positioned so
as to maximize both the audience and judges perception and reception
of the flight as a whole.
a. Any number of judges can be utilized. As more judges that are
used, the overall score average will be less influenced by a single
judge. It is recommended that seven (7) be used. For final score
tabulation it is recommended that the high and low score per judging
criteria category be discarded, and the remaining scores be multiplied
by their K factors and added together to obtain the final score.
b. Each criteria will be judged from ten (10) to zero (0) in 0.1 increments,
i.e., 8.7, 7.9, 9.8, etc.
c. If the pilot lands any time prior to 3 minutes 30 seconds (three
and one-half minutes) the judges score is "prorated". Example: the
pilot lands at the three (3) minute time. The judges will score the contestant
as though he flew four minutes. The score room will tabulate
the scores normally and the pilot will receive three-fourths (75%) of
the judges score for his final score. If the pilot lands any time after
three and one-half minutes there is no penalty. The judges will stop
scoring when the timer announces "Time" at the four minute mark.
Another Example: If the pilot lands at the two minute mark, he will
receive 50% of the judges score.
d. Specific circumstances that will Disqualify (DQ) the competitor’s
flight.
18.2. Judging the Four (4) Minute Freestyle Program
d.1. If the plane crashes, it is a Disqualification (DQ).
d.2. If the plane goes behind the deadline, it is a DQ.
d.3. If the pilot performs dangerous or unsafe maneuvers or high
energy maneuvers directed at the judges or spectators, it is a DQ. (As
determined by a majority of the judges and/or the CD.)
General Rules, Scale Aerobatics 1/05 GR-14
Scale Aerobatics Official
Flying And Judging Guide
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