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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you everyone for a great day of flying gliders. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I was sort of mystified by the changes in the different sailplane classes and since I had never read the sailplane contest rules I gave them a quick read.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The old sailplane classes:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Class A: 1.5 meter or less<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Class B: 1.5m to 2m<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Class C: 2m to 100”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Class D: greater than 100” 100” was a popular wingspan for American gliders back in the 1970s<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>AMA appears to be making their contest rules conform to FAI standards which does not include a 100” category. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So the new sailplane classes are:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Class A: 1.5 meter or less<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Class B: 1.5m to 2m<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Class C: Unlimited wingspan<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Other interesting things I found in the rules are:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2.5.2 Model must land within 75 meters of the launch point or 75 meters from the center of the landing tape<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2.15.2 Landing outside of the 75 meter landing zone results in a zero for the flight<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2.10.1 You CAN use a variometer in a contest. <i>I was very surprised at this, I always turned mine off during a contest.</i> <i>Not that it would make one bit of difference for me at my level</i>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2.10.2 You CANNOT use flight stabilization in a contest<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2.14.1 Timing starts at towline release or timing starts upon release of the model by the pilot or helper for self-launching sailplanes. <i>So we actually did this correctly today</i>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>3.2.1.3 You can use up to three different models or combination of models in a contest. Any model can be flown at any time at the discretion of the competitor. <i>Was surprised at this also</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>6.5.2 No landing points if the model loses parts during landing. It is ok for rubber bands to pop off during landing<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>6.5.3 No landing points if the model comes to rest inverted<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>7.2.6 30 second motor run.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All timing is “truncated time” no rounding up. If your timer shows 5:32.44 then the time marked down is 5:32<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Link to AMA sailplane rules<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/RCSoaring%202019-2020.pdf"><span style='color:blue'>https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/RCSoaring%202019-2020.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’m not saying we need to get hard-nosed about all these rules. I rather like our low key style. This was the first time I actually read the rules and was somewhat surprised at what I found. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dirk <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>