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Login Join! Schools/Clubs Incidents Safety Regs Used-Gear Events News Resources PPG-Info |
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Task
Rules,
Scoring
& Materials
National
Powered
Paragliding Competition
As of Jan 28, 2005 The Diagrams below show an overview of what is flown and how the course is set up. The one on the right is for the competition pilot to reference when flying or before launch. It is useful to download and print this so that the basic order is insured. Click here for the Current Scoring Spreadsheet. Note: The written rules do not yet reflect the scoring in this updated spreadsheet. Highlights of the changes are: 1. The cloverleaf gives the most importance to time; those who complete the elements with the best time will be more richly rewarded because of their good time. The ability of a score to be affected by one very-slow time has been reduced by throwing out any score more than 150% of the best time. 2. Spot landing and Touch-N-Go have been linearized. Before, if you landed only 1 inch outside the ring you got a dramatic point loss. Now it's a smooth reduction in points the further from center that you land. Distances are now from the edge of the "frisbee". Click here for Scoresheet PDF's. These are used by competition judges to write down the contestant's raw data. This is entered into an excel spreadsheet, developed by George Hawkins, that automates the remaining scoring tasks. The most recent event spreadsheet is included here (315k).
TasksThese standard competitions are a combination of modified FAI tasks and others which have been suggested. An Attempt has been made to maintain a safety margin while offering the challenge that pilots want and providing entertainment for spectators as well. SafetyAny competition increases risk by virtue of focusing the pilots attention on a task other than what he is accustom to and motivating pilots to push their own personal limits. It is incumbent on each competitor to know this fact and fly accordingly to maintain reasonable safety. A good example is the spot landing. There is a tendency to sacrifice energy (airspeed) at a high enough altitude to wind up "dropping it in". This can easily result in body damage and equipment breakage. Scoring is done to minimize this motivation - for example, any landing that is hard enough to let the motor or body parts touch the ground, other than your feet, results in a 0 task score. All of the tasks are designed this way and it is simply an effort to keep all the competitors able to continue competing! Hitting the ground leaves one with a body sore and a horrible score - be careful!
Task Rules & Scoring For a PDF verision of the rules, click here. An event is a group of tasks flown by a field of competitors over a period of one or more days. The event must be completed within 7 days from the first day any competitor scores. The field must be open to all USPPA members who meet the minimum qualifications. Qualification can be done allowing the organizer to use the top percentage of competitors from a previous event. Rules for All Competitions: The same wing and motor must be used for all tasks. In the event of an equipment failure, identical gear may be substituted. For power units, that means the same make and model using the same power plant. For wings that means the same make, model and size. Pilots must have radios capable of receiving on FRS channels 1 through 7 at least. Pilots may not receive any assistance of any kind either physically or over the radio except in an emergency. Any such assistance zero’s the pilots score for that task. For example, if I pilot needs assistance to get launched, then he earns no points for the launch. Only members of the USPPA may compete in sanctioned events. Rankings will be maintained and published based on the scoring rules below and the top three ranked pilots will be published in various media for each qualified competition. The USPPA will sanction any requested event where the competition committee believes the organizers have an adequate location and sufficient resources to run it safely and fairly. The request should be made by writing to theUSPPA@gmail.com or by talking with any competition committee member at least 7 days before the event begins. USPPA will make available the competition kit which provides all the materials needed to run the event for a nominal charge to cover shipping, certificates, wear on gear, and replacement of batteries. Pilots must pay any required entrance fee and sign the competition waiver before being allowed to compete. Scoring Pilots will receive points for each task based on formulas below. All qualifying task scores will be added together to determine the pilot’s event total. In order for a task to qualify, at least 50% of the competitors must have a non-zero score in that task. In order for an event to count towards national ranking, at least 50% of the pilots must score. For national standing purposes, at the end of the event the pilot with the highest score is granted 1000 points. Each lower scoring pilot receives a percentage of 1000 points based in his final score as a percentage of the winner’s final score. For example, if the first place pilot garners 2000 points and the second place pilot gets 1800 points during an event (which is 90 percent of the winner’s) then for national tracking purposes the first place pilot get 1000 points and the second place pilot 900.
At least Five pilots must compete (have a non-zero score) for a competition
to count towards national ranking. If only 5 pilots compete, the maximum score
attainable is 500 points. If 15 or more pilots compete then the full 1000
points are attainable. Any number between those two gets the appropriate
points. Over the course of a calendar year, the pilots highest 2 average event scores will be used to maintain his/her standing in the national rankings. In the event of a tie for 1st 2nd or 3rd place in any event, the launch and spot landing tasks will be re-flown until those places are determined. Plaques or certificates (depending on the organizers) are given out to each pilot who places. Any fall, injury or damage to equipment during a task results in that task’s score being zeroed. The Judge working a task has final say in all matters relating to his/her task but they are encouraged to use video, if available, to decide. In the event of two judges, one lead judge will be assigned and have the final say although the lead is encouraged to get agreement with the other judge. No pilot may have a negative score on any task. If scoring would result in less than 0 then that task will be counted as 0. Acknowledging that there is increased risk in competition, pilots must have at least 50 logged solo flights or a USPPA instructor sign-off to compete.
AFT= Adjusted Flown Time Target The standard target for the landing, touch and go, and bomb drop tasks, will be a medium Frisbee (approx 25 cm) or disk of similar size, affixed to the ground. The target should be in a color that is easily seen from the air, and a flag or similar marker should be placed nearby to help the pilot locate the target. The standard target consists of three rings and a center. The outer ring is 6.5 meters radius, the middle ring is 4 meters radius and the inner ring is 2 meters radius. The lines do not necessarily have to be drawn on these radiuses but these values will be used for competitions. A center marker no bigger than 25 centimeters should be used to mark the “bullseye”. Tasks Foot Drag (See Graphic) The pilot flies through the first gate dragging at least one foot and continues through as many gates as possible until passing the last one. At least one foot must remain on the ground and points are scored each time a gate is passed. It is timed and greater speed is beneficial. The gates must be passed in order. Scoring:
Cloverleaf (see Graphic)
The pilot kicks the center stick then rounds the upper left one and flies according to the diagram, rounding the corner sticks, and kicking the center stick each time. The task is timed and greater speed is beneficial. The pilot is only allowed one try to kick or round any stick. [George note: Should we allow two tries of the first kick, since the judges will need that to get a good starting time? The same could be said of the ending time, but I guess they'll just have to 'judge' that.] Time runs from passing the first stick to the last stick. The sticks must be kicked and rounded in order. Slow/Fast The pilot flies straight through the gates as slow as possible then goes around flies straight through the gates as fast as possible. Each run is timed from gate to gate and the greater the difference, the higher the score. Time runs from passing the first stick to the last stick. The pilot must complete both the slow and the fast portion to get any points. Scoring:
Takeoff The pilot makes a clean takeoff in the fewest attempts. The wing cannot touch the ground after initial inflation. Scoring:
Power Off Landing The pilot flies over the landing spot at least 300 feet above ground level (AGL) and shuts off the motor. He then lands on, or as close as possible to the “bullseye” target with minimal energy (traveled distance) and stops. The point of first foot contact is the touchdown and is the most important element of scoring. Part of the score comes from having minimal distance traveled. Traveled distance is from initial contact to standing still and is measured to the touched point farthest away from initial touchdown.
Total score for the task is the sum of the initial contact points and the distance traveled points. Power On Touch & Go Landing The pilot flies the directed pattern and lands on or near the bullseye, which is the standard target described above, then runs/walks exactly 10 steps followed by a takeoff. The point of first foot contact is the touchdown and is the most important element of scoring. A part of the score comes from having as close to 10 steps as possible. The 10 steps must be made within 10 seconds. The walk/run portion is only counted within 50 meters of the touchdown point [George's note: This was changed from 'center point' because under that rule, a guy could touch down 49 meters short, and step for 98 meters and not be DQ'd. Granted, he's not going to win, anyway, so if you want to change it back to say 'center point' that's fine with me.]. 1. A zero score is assigned if any part of the pilot's body ore equipment touches the ground, other than his/her feet, from touchdown through liftoff. The task is completed when the pilot has climbed at least 50 feet. 2. Touchdown distance points are awarded according to the same formula as the Spot Landing. 3. 100 step points are awarded for traveling exactly 10 steps. 20 points are deducted for each step over or under 10. The first touchdown is step 1 and each foot fall is another step. 4. Step points are zeroed if the pilot steps beyond 50 meters from the center point, or if the pilot is on the ground for more than ten seconds before lifting off. Kite War All competitors kite their wing up when the judge starts the event. Pilots attempt to keep their wing from touching the ground as long as possible: last one up wins. The wing used must be one the pilot has flown or be within the recommended weight range (body weight only). This is to prevent the use of an abnormally small wing which could proffer an advantage. A box will be outlined (marked by cones) and pilots must remain in the box. The box should be sized so as to allow all pilots a reasonable layout area. Pilots location in the box will be determined by experience. Those with the most experience must be placed in the rearmost (downwind) location. For the task to count towards any pilots score there must be at least 5 competitors and at least one wing that remains up for 2 minutes or more. The wing fabric must not touch the ground or another pilot. Once this happens the pilot must ball up the wing and exit expeditiously without touching or interfering with other competitors or their gear. The task starts on “Go” when the judge shouts “Ready, Set, Go”. The task ends at the point where only one wing remains up or in the box. From start to finish is the task’s time. Scoring:
Bomb Drop Light weight, approved and marked “bombs” will be dropped from any height while flying. Where the “bomb” stops is the scored position. ORD=Outer Ring Distance, FDD=Farthest Drop Distance where the worst scoring bomb stopped as a distance from the center. Scoring:
Ball Scoop & Drop – Advanced Only The pilot either picks up or dribble kicks (runs) a soccer-sized ball with his/her feet and drops it into a circle or barrel 50 meters feet away in the least amount of time possible. Additionally, points can be scored getting the ball to simply hit the barrel.
Beam Walk The pilot lands on beam, walks in one direction then takes off. The pilot makes as many steps as possible in the shortest time. The time starts at first touchdown. The beam may be from 2 to 4 meters long and between 0.1 and 0.5 meters wide. No part of the pilot’s body or equipment can touch the beam or ground except his/her feet. Additionally:
Scoring:
Platform Stand This can be done with or without the motor. The pilot must stand in place or within a 1/2 meter square meter platform while kiting the wing for as long as possible. The competition director will declare whether or not stationary placement is used instead of platform placement. Stationary placement means the pilots feet must not move at all (vertically or horizontally) from the point he declares the start. The pilot must start within one minute of stepping onto the platform and will call “start” for the judge to start the task’s time.
Scoring:
Efficiency Each pilot starts with an empty gas tank and fuels exactly 2 liters of fuel (including oil as appropriate). He launches and tries to stay up as long as possible, up to 120 minutes in accordance with the following:
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