What is the BOX ?
 

What is the concept of flight box in pattern flying ?

Is there a box physically drawn on the ground or are there people who moniter the box like in pylon ... the people with flags ...

Or is it just a virtual box for the judges ?

What happens if you go out of the box ?

Next question is : Is there any bonus for using scale planes ? extra 300 , ultimate bipe etc ...

Next Question : If a piece of covering flies of the aircarft ... even then the pilot is disqualified ?
as i read somewhere that if any part drops ...it results in disqualification.

next question : Is nitro allowed in the contest ?

next question : suppose i took off from right to left because of angular cross winds ... after performing half the seq.. the wind direction gets opposite and my head wind and downwind directions change. In this case will i make a dummy pass to crrect my manevours ? Will i land according to the orignal position (right to left) or according to the new direction (left to right) of upwind ?

Looking forward for these answers ..

UBY.

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

What is the concept of flight box in pattern flying ?
Is there a box physically drawn on the ground or are there people who moniter the box like in pylon ... the people with flags ...
Or is it just a virtual box for the judges ?

In according to FAI-F3A rules, 'box' means the frame which aircraft being flied in. From center line, 60 degree at each sides.
Top height is also 60 degree. Flight distance is about 150 to 200 meter from pilot. If the aircraft fly out of the 'box', minus point will be given.
So, pattern flying must be performed in the 'box'.... And, it is very hard.....

What happens if you go out of the box ?

Minus point will be given. The rule is one point per ten percent.

Next question is : Is there any bonus for using scale planes ? extra 300 , ultimate bipe etc ...

As I know, there is no advantage point for using scale planes.

Next Question : If a piece of covering flies of the aircarft ... even then the pilot is disqualified ?
as i read somewhere that if any part drops ...it results in disqualification.

If any part drops during flying, aircraft should be landed immediately. And, point after the moment of dropping, will be given "0".
If any part drops during flying but, pilot does not recognize and judges do recognize, and flying be performed to the end,
judges will check the moment of dropping on their board and after landing the aircraft is checked. If somthing dropped, point will be given "0".

next question : Is nitro allowed in the contest ?

As I know, there is no limitation of nitro.

next question : suppose i took off from right to left because of angular cross winds ... after performing half the seq.. the wind direction gets opposite and my head wind and downwind directions change. In this case will i make a dummy pass to crrect my manevours ? Will i land according to the orignal position (right to left) or according to the new direction (left to right) of upwind ?

If wind direction change during flying, flight schedule must be performed according to first direction. Dummy pass is not allowed.
During landing, you can do the dummy pass and land to the upwind, only if the chief of judges permit and call it.
If there is no call of chief of judges, you must land the aircraft according to the first wind direction.

I hope my answers will help you.
Sorry for my poor English.....

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

Actually in FAI class I don not think that they can use any nitro in their fuel, in sportsman through masters you can though.

Bonus for Scale planes? not in pattern... only stipulation is your plane must fit entirely into a 2 meter square and it cannot weigh more than 11 pounds and technically must stay within the prescribed decibel noise limit (cant remember but it seems like its <85dB), but typically this is not enforced except for at the nationals from what I understand.

IMAC flies scale planes for competition, not pattern.

Pattern pilots typically fly RC aircraft specifically designed to excel in the various demands of a given pattern class.

Actually on judging box violations the rule is 2 points for every 1/4 of the turnaround maneuver that is performed out of the box.. This does not include deductions for flaws in the turnaround maneuver itself. A perfect turnaround performed 100% out of the box should score a 2 from what I understand .


Heres the basic guidelines

General Judging Guidelines



All centered maneuvers should have these properties unless otherwise defined in the maneuver description or in that maneuver's downgrades. Learn these and you have an excellent start toward becoming a better judge. Maneuver properties:

- Begin and end with a straight line - Rolls centered on lines
- Middle of the maneuver centered
on the judges - Roll rates the same
- Lines of equal length - Loops round
- Radiuses equal - Done within 175 meters
- Begin and end at the same altitude

This document is a compilation of suggested downgrades taken from the 1999 - 2001 AMA Competitions Regulations and the 2000 Sporting Code. Downgrades, which apply to either the AMA or F3A classes exclusively, are noted next to the downgrade. In certain gray areas where a judge must rely heavily on individual discretion in arriving at the appropriate deduction, a suggestion (using one or more rules as a basis) is made. Such suggestions appear in Italics. An asterisk (*) after the downgrade denotes a situation whereby the total downgrade is dependant on the severity of the error observed by the judge.


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Turnarounds

Turnarounds should meet the criteria for centered maneuvers except they are positioning and altitude correcting maneuvers. The only maneuver this not apply to is the Sportsman "Straight Flight Back" which must be along the same line as the "Straight Flight Out". What this means is that the entry and exit altitude need not be the same and leg lengths can be miss matched. For example, a Top Hat can have all three legs be of different lengths. The verticals can miss match to correct altitude and the horizontal can correct distance out.

MANDATORY ZEROS

Flying behind the flight line during or between maneuvers.
Landing outside the runway or landing zone lateral boundary.

Maneuver performed out of sequence
The succeeding maneuver is zeroed if a prohibited maneuver is performed during the allowed free passes.

Execution of an illegal pass.
Scored turnaround is flown entirely out of the maneuvering area, including the entry and exit.

Touching the plane before completion of the flight.
Snap Rolls - A stall does not occur before the snap roll - a definite break of attitude and flight path must be seen.

Maneuver not completed.
Spins - Snap roll or unstalled entry into the spin

Model ends up on its back when landing.
Spins - Spiral dive of more than ½ turn.

Any gear retracts or collapses during landing.
Take-off sequence not followed - FAI only

Maneuver in progress, and any remaining maneuvers, score zero if any component of the aircraft falls off while airborne.
Landing sequence not followed - FAI only

Failure to take-off.



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Lines

½ POINT DEDUCTIONS (AMA ONLY)
Slight under/over rotation or heading correction of less than 15 degrees.
2 POINT DEDUCTIONS
No entry/exit line to maneuver.
Stall Turn Radius exceeding 1½ wingspans.
Lack of line segments before/after a roll where one is required.
No line is flown between two (2) scored maneuvers, the upcoming maneuver should be downgraded.

1 POINT DEDUCTIONS
Each approximate 15 degrees deviation.
Reasonable difference in line length before/after rolls, or misrelated lines.
2 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS *
Large difference in line length before/after rolls, or misrelated lines.



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Loops

See LINES for other possible deductions. Loops are subject to the 1 point per 15-degree rule. 1 POINT DEDUCTIONS
Slight difference in radius.
Each segmentation or "flat spot".
Tight radius on Humpty Bumps.
Each minor miscorrelation in part loop radii within a maneuver.
Minor drift to one side - FAI ONLY - applies to AMA as well.
2 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS *
Each severe miscorrelation in part loop radii.

2 OR 3 POINT DEDUCTIONS
Severe difference in radius.
3 POINT DEDUCTIONS
Severe drift to one side - FAI ONLY - applies to AMA as well.


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Rolls
See LINES for other possible deductions. Rolls are subject to the 1 point per 15-degree rule.
1 POINT DEDUCTIONS
Small variations in roll rate.
Small variations in point roll hesitations.
Start/stop of roll badly defined - not crisp.
5 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS *
One or more points not visible in a point roll.
More than the required number of points.

2 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS
Severe variations in roll rate.
Severe mis-timings on point roll hesitations.




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Stall Turns

See LINES, LOOPS and ROLLS for other possible deductions. Stall turns are subject to the 1 point per 15-degree rule.

1 POINT DEDUCTIONS
Pivot radius more than ½ wingspan.
Pendulum movement after the pivot.
2 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS *
Pivot radius of more than 1½ wingspans.



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Snaps

See LINES for other possible deductions. Snaps are subject to the 1 point per 15-degree rule.
5 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS *

Model returns to an unstalled condition during the maneuver.



Spins

See LINES for other possible deductions. Spins are subject to the 1 point per 15-degree rule.
1 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS *

Entry into the spin not level.
Wings not level during entry/exit.




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LOOP/ROLL COMBINATIONS

See LINES for other possible deductions. Loops and rolls are subject to the 1 point per 15-degree rule.
2 POINT DEDUCTIONS

Visible line between loop and roll in Immelmann and Bunt maneuvers.


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POSITIONING

1 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS *
Maneuver flown too far out to make evaluation of maneuver difficult, or flown beyond 175 meters.
1 OR 2 POINT DEDUCTIONS - FAI ONLY

Turnaround maneuvers partially out of the box - within 150 meter line.

2 POINTS PER EACH QUARTER OFFSET - AMA ONLY

Center maneuvers off center
Turnaround maneuvers partially out of the box.
3 OR MORE POINT DEDUCTIONS - FAI ONLY *
Turnaround maneuvers mostly out of the box.


1 TO 4 POINT DEDUCTIONS - FAI ONLY *
Center maneuvers off center.

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

Asteria, your English is fine.

A correction in regard to distance out from pilot. There is no FAI rule that spells out "...1 point for every 10% too far..." The distance out rule, is that the model shall be flown at a distance of 150 meters from flight line. If the model is flown at a distance between 175 to 200 meters out, a downgrade shall be assessed. If the distance out is greater than 200 meters, then a severe downgrade shall be assessed. In the US, we typically will assess a 1 to 2 point downgrade or 3 to 5 point severe downgrade when the distances are exceeded.

That does not mean that you couldn't have a local rule in your country that spells it out as 1 point for every 10%. It just isn't written out like that in the FAI regulations

MattK

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

Big Ned, many top International and Domestic US pilots use YS 4 strokes to power their planes. The YS 4 stroke will be hard pressed to run without nitro in the fuel. In fact, 30% heli blend from Cool Power is one of the best fuels you can run in these engines. This is allowed in International Pattern or F3A meets.

It isn't allowed in FAI racing or F4D events tho.

In regards to snaps, model must show a definite break in attitude only. This means the model's nose must show a rapid pitch, while the CG maintains as straight a flight path as possible.

A flight path break means that the model's CG has actually translated beyond the inscribed line of flight and shall be grounds for downgrade all the way down to zero possibly, if the departure is severe enough. Usually other things are happening in such a maneuver tho, such as a barreled snap, rather than an autorotative rudder flick roll.

If there is no visible and obvious ATTITUDE break shown, the maneuver is zeroed.

mattk

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

Yeah, I have had several YS engines up to 1.40 and I run Magnum 1.5.
I have always been told that the FAI guys cant run Nitro and it always threw me for a loop.
Didnt see how but thats what I always understood, thats why I said I dont think they can run nitro... So you are saying there are no nitro limits on FAI at any competition worldwde?? Just an interesting tidbit to know for sure...

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

I beleive the nitro restrictions in FAI are for "engine" events like racing (F3D) etc.

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

In any true FAI F3A event, anywhere, there is no nitro restriction. There may be local rules that restrict or prohibit its use, but then the event wouldn't be true to the FAI reg for Pattern.
MattK

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

oh yeah one more thing. FAI is the governing and rules making and maintaining body for all Aviation, full scale and miniature. Specific events are given specific titles, such as F3A being the Pattern event. I prefer to be more careful when talking about the event rather than the whole body.

When you say "....no nitro limits for any FAI meet anywhere..." I assumed you meant F3A event. Correct?

MattK

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

MTK,
Thank you for your comments..... ^_^

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

Asteria, you are most welcome, but you have my curiosity piqued: how do you folks in South Korea judge distance out from the flight line? This may be important for your World Championship representatives since the Worlds are only about 9 months away now.

thanks,

MattK

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

Well....
When we enjoy and practice pattern flying, we sometimes use the distance meter device. Like yard gauge for golfer...

My trainers are the best pattern pilots in my country. They had participated in World championship contest in Poland.

So, I always try to fly the aircraft like them....

I think pattern flying is very hard and difficult. But, it is my only and best interest.

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

thank you guys you were all a great help.

RE: What is the BOX ?
 

yes, F3A pattern since the original question was regarding pattern.