2019 Tucson Aerobatic Shootout Rules
Sanctioned by the Academy of Model Aeronautics - Sanction Number: 8841
We will be flying five classes: Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, Unlimited and Invitational; plus, Four-Minute Freestyle. Additionally, we will award The Desert Aircraft Cup, based on combined rankings for Invitational and Freestyle, and the Schroeder Prize for a pilot age 16 years or younger.
The contest will be conducted using the current AMA RC Scale Aerobatics rules, with exceptions and clarifications as noted below.
Field Logistics
The south edge of the parking lot is reserved for vendor booths. The parking lot itself is for loading and unloading only. All cars and trailers must be parked south of the vendor area.
RV parking is to the east and south of the restrooms.
Shade tents are allowed only in the RV area.
No parking of airplanes under the Ramada.
Sequences
Sportsman through Unlimited will fly the current IMAC Known Sequence on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, a Known Sequence (Known B) prepared specifically for the Shootout will be flown.
All known sequences for the Invitational class will be prepared specifically for the Shootout.
All sequences (knowns and unknowns) will have a maximum normalized score of 1000. Specifically, the unknowns will not be weighted to comprise 20% of the total normalized score.
Starting Procedures
Pilots must be "on deck" at least four deep at all times. Your wheels must leave the runway before the pilot ahead of you finishes their sequence. Intentional or repeated violation will result in a score of zero for the round.
Judging
We will have at least 3 judges on each flight line. Our intent is to have a minimum of five judges for invitational. Judges may include non-competing Judges as well as participating Pilot Judges.
Judges may confer on zeros if desired. If the majority of judges score a figure as zero, the score of any minority judge will be changed to zero. If a majority of judges score a figure as not zero, the score of any minority judge will be changed to the lowest non-zero score.
Do not question the judges or the scorekeeper. If you have a question or concern, contact the CD. Violation will result in a score of zero for the round.
Restricted Areas
The scoring office is strictly off limits to all pilots. Violation will result in disqualification from the entire event.
Only pilots preparing to fly (and their callers) are allowed on the judge’s side of the flight line fence. This applies at all times, including during Four-Minute Freestyle.
Please do not stand near the fence behind the judges. Conversations in this location are distracting to the judges.
Pilot Order of Flight
The pilot order for Wednesday through Friday will be drawn by contest management prior to the event. The same list will apply to both Knowns and Unknowns. The starting order for each round will be spread as equally as practical. Where a pilot cut is applied for Saturday and Sunday, a new pilot draw will occur. The original draw will stay in place if no cut is applied.
Non-Contest Flying
TIMPA is closed to all non-contest flying Tuesday through Sunday. Exceptions may include demo flights arranged by contest management. If for some reason, you feel a trim flight is necessary, contact the CD for approval.
Additionally, no non-contest flying of any kind is permitted on contest days. This prohibition extends to all types of aircraft, all types of flying, and all flying sites, as well as flight simulators. Wednesday and Thursday are not considered to be contest days for pilots that are flying only Freestyle. Thus, they may fly (off site) on these days.
Aircraft
Any aircraft feature such as, but not limited to, counter rotating props, reverse pitch props, and side force generators, not on the full size plane being modeled, will not be allowed. Contest management may conduct inspections of any aircraft at their discretion.
Pilot and Instrument Panel
A realistic pilot figure and instrument panel are required to compete at the Shootout. Cartoon figures are not considered realistic and are not to be used. The pilot figure must be of scale size (similar scale to the model). Aircraft lacking these items will not be allowed to fly.
Safety
Any willful violation of a safety related rule will result in disqualification from the entire event.
Contest Jury
Any protests will be heard by a contest jury consisting of the contest director and four judges. Any weather related delays or stoppages will be decided by the contest jury.
Pilot Workers
Pilots will be required to work as scribes, callers, runners, judges, etc. Any pilot that misses their work assignment will have a penalty equivalent to a sequence break assessed on their highest scored sequence. Being late for a work assignment will be counted as missing it.
Four-Minute Freestyle
Freestyle is by invitation only. Contest management reserves the right to allow a pilot to enter only Freestyle (without competing in one of the precision aerobatic classes).
The number of judges for each round of Freestyle will be a multiple of five (e.g., 5, 10, or 15). Rather than all judges scoring all criteria, each judge will be tasked to assign a score for only oneof the five criteria described in the current AMA RC Scale Aerobatics rules.
No portion of the aircraft shall touch the ground, except (the wheels) during landing. An aircraft will be deemed to have touched the ground if a majority of the judges believe it has.
The aircraft shall not fly over the pavement except during takeoff and landing. Additionally, all personnel shall remain on the pavement. A violation of this rule will be deemed to have occurred if a majority of the judges believe it has.
All pilots must have a caller (multiple callers are not allowed). Only the pilot and the caller are to be on the runway during the flight. The pilot may only use extra personnel to assist with the starting and restraint of the model. Anyone assisting the pilot must be an AMA member and over 16 years of age (unless competing at this contest).
All pilot/caller teams will use standard signals to "start music" and "start time." To "start music" the pilot/caller will hold one arm well above the head and make a circular motion with the hand. The pilot/caller will then continue to hold the arm well above the head and the flight clock will start when the pilot/caller drops the arm. No other signals will be accepted. Failure to use these signals will result in a DQ for the round. If the Four-Minute Freestyle sequence begins while in flight, the pilot has a maximum of 30 seconds after breaking ground to signal “start time.”
A freestyle attempt is deemed to have occurred when the aircraft breaks ground. Only one such attempt is permitted per round.
The use of smoke during flight is highly desirable.
Freestyle music must be RECEIVED by the Contest Director in MP3 format no later than Friday, October 4.
Drop schedule for Freestyle
2 or less rounds - 0 dropped scores
3 to 4 rounds - 1 dropped score
5 or more rounds - 2 dropped scores
The Desert Aircraft Cup
The Desert Aircraft Cup will be awarded to a pilot that competes in both Invitational and Four Minute Freestyle. For each such pilot, their final ranking (placement) in Four-Minute Freestyle will be added to their final ranking in Invitational to yield a combined ‘score.’ The pilot with the lowest such score will be declared the winner of the Desert Aircraft Cup. In the event of a tie, the pilot with the best ranking in Invitational will be declared the winner. For example, suppose PILOT A places 2nd in Invitational and 3rd in Freestyle, while PILOT B places 4th in Invitational and 1st in Freestyle. Each pilot then has a score of 5. Since PILOT A has a better ranking than PILOT B in Invitational, PILOT A is the winner.
The Schroeder Prize
All pilots of age 16 years or younger will be eligible for the Schroeder Prize, which honors John Schroeder, who was active in the mentoring of young scale aerobatics pilots. Among all eligible pilots, the prize will be awarded to the pilot that achieves the highest percentage of perfection (pp), as computed per current AMA RC Scale Aerobatics rules.
We will be flying five classes: Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, Unlimited and Invitational; plus, Four-Minute Freestyle. Additionally, we will award The Desert Aircraft Cup, based on combined rankings for Invitational and Freestyle, and the Schroeder Prize for a pilot age 16 years or younger.
The contest will be conducted using the current AMA RC Scale Aerobatics rules, with exceptions and clarifications as noted below.
Field Logistics
The south edge of the parking lot is reserved for vendor booths. The parking lot itself is for loading and unloading only. All cars and trailers must be parked south of the vendor area.
RV parking is to the east and south of the restrooms.
Shade tents are allowed only in the RV area.
No parking of airplanes under the Ramada.
Sequences
Sportsman through Unlimited will fly the current IMAC Known Sequence on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, a Known Sequence (Known B) prepared specifically for the Shootout will be flown.
All known sequences for the Invitational class will be prepared specifically for the Shootout.
All sequences (knowns and unknowns) will have a maximum normalized score of 1000. Specifically, the unknowns will not be weighted to comprise 20% of the total normalized score.
Starting Procedures
Pilots must be "on deck" at least four deep at all times. Your wheels must leave the runway before the pilot ahead of you finishes their sequence. Intentional or repeated violation will result in a score of zero for the round.
Judging
We will have at least 3 judges on each flight line. Our intent is to have a minimum of five judges for invitational. Judges may include non-competing Judges as well as participating Pilot Judges.
Judges may confer on zeros if desired. If the majority of judges score a figure as zero, the score of any minority judge will be changed to zero. If a majority of judges score a figure as not zero, the score of any minority judge will be changed to the lowest non-zero score.
Do not question the judges or the scorekeeper. If you have a question or concern, contact the CD. Violation will result in a score of zero for the round.
Restricted Areas
The scoring office is strictly off limits to all pilots. Violation will result in disqualification from the entire event.
Only pilots preparing to fly (and their callers) are allowed on the judge’s side of the flight line fence. This applies at all times, including during Four-Minute Freestyle.
Please do not stand near the fence behind the judges. Conversations in this location are distracting to the judges.
Pilot Order of Flight
The pilot order for Wednesday through Friday will be drawn by contest management prior to the event. The same list will apply to both Knowns and Unknowns. The starting order for each round will be spread as equally as practical. Where a pilot cut is applied for Saturday and Sunday, a new pilot draw will occur. The original draw will stay in place if no cut is applied.
Non-Contest Flying
TIMPA is closed to all non-contest flying Tuesday through Sunday. Exceptions may include demo flights arranged by contest management. If for some reason, you feel a trim flight is necessary, contact the CD for approval.
Additionally, no non-contest flying of any kind is permitted on contest days. This prohibition extends to all types of aircraft, all types of flying, and all flying sites, as well as flight simulators. Wednesday and Thursday are not considered to be contest days for pilots that are flying only Freestyle. Thus, they may fly (off site) on these days.
Aircraft
Any aircraft feature such as, but not limited to, counter rotating props, reverse pitch props, and side force generators, not on the full size plane being modeled, will not be allowed. Contest management may conduct inspections of any aircraft at their discretion.
Pilot and Instrument Panel
A realistic pilot figure and instrument panel are required to compete at the Shootout. Cartoon figures are not considered realistic and are not to be used. The pilot figure must be of scale size (similar scale to the model). Aircraft lacking these items will not be allowed to fly.
Safety
Any willful violation of a safety related rule will result in disqualification from the entire event.
Contest Jury
Any protests will be heard by a contest jury consisting of the contest director and four judges. Any weather related delays or stoppages will be decided by the contest jury.
Pilot Workers
Pilots will be required to work as scribes, callers, runners, judges, etc. Any pilot that misses their work assignment will have a penalty equivalent to a sequence break assessed on their highest scored sequence. Being late for a work assignment will be counted as missing it.
Four-Minute Freestyle
Freestyle is by invitation only. Contest management reserves the right to allow a pilot to enter only Freestyle (without competing in one of the precision aerobatic classes).
The number of judges for each round of Freestyle will be a multiple of five (e.g., 5, 10, or 15). Rather than all judges scoring all criteria, each judge will be tasked to assign a score for only oneof the five criteria described in the current AMA RC Scale Aerobatics rules.
No portion of the aircraft shall touch the ground, except (the wheels) during landing. An aircraft will be deemed to have touched the ground if a majority of the judges believe it has.
The aircraft shall not fly over the pavement except during takeoff and landing. Additionally, all personnel shall remain on the pavement. A violation of this rule will be deemed to have occurred if a majority of the judges believe it has.
All pilots must have a caller (multiple callers are not allowed). Only the pilot and the caller are to be on the runway during the flight. The pilot may only use extra personnel to assist with the starting and restraint of the model. Anyone assisting the pilot must be an AMA member and over 16 years of age (unless competing at this contest).
All pilot/caller teams will use standard signals to "start music" and "start time." To "start music" the pilot/caller will hold one arm well above the head and make a circular motion with the hand. The pilot/caller will then continue to hold the arm well above the head and the flight clock will start when the pilot/caller drops the arm. No other signals will be accepted. Failure to use these signals will result in a DQ for the round. If the Four-Minute Freestyle sequence begins while in flight, the pilot has a maximum of 30 seconds after breaking ground to signal “start time.”
A freestyle attempt is deemed to have occurred when the aircraft breaks ground. Only one such attempt is permitted per round.
The use of smoke during flight is highly desirable.
Freestyle music must be RECEIVED by the Contest Director in MP3 format no later than Friday, October 4.
Drop schedule for Freestyle
2 or less rounds - 0 dropped scores
3 to 4 rounds - 1 dropped score
5 or more rounds - 2 dropped scores
The Desert Aircraft Cup
The Desert Aircraft Cup will be awarded to a pilot that competes in both Invitational and Four Minute Freestyle. For each such pilot, their final ranking (placement) in Four-Minute Freestyle will be added to their final ranking in Invitational to yield a combined ‘score.’ The pilot with the lowest such score will be declared the winner of the Desert Aircraft Cup. In the event of a tie, the pilot with the best ranking in Invitational will be declared the winner. For example, suppose PILOT A places 2nd in Invitational and 3rd in Freestyle, while PILOT B places 4th in Invitational and 1st in Freestyle. Each pilot then has a score of 5. Since PILOT A has a better ranking than PILOT B in Invitational, PILOT A is the winner.
The Schroeder Prize
All pilots of age 16 years or younger will be eligible for the Schroeder Prize, which honors John Schroeder, who was active in the mentoring of young scale aerobatics pilots. Among all eligible pilots, the prize will be awarded to the pilot that achieves the highest percentage of perfection (pp), as computed per current AMA RC Scale Aerobatics rules.