For further disussion in our F5J forum it will be useful to compare all versions of competition rules. Then it will be easier to come up with common rules for the countries of all the participants of the international F5J-euro-2005 that we want to organize.

At this site you can see the rules currently valid in Slovakia (F5 magazine-SK version- revue 48). They have been used since 2001 and were modified at the end of 2003.

Here (bellow) you can see the rules valid in Australia. They have been used since 2002 and were last modified at the end of 2004.

The original F5J rules come from 2001 from Arizona and you can find them in our magazine too (F5 magazine-EN version- revue 01).

We would like to publish your ideas of modification of these rules in our F5J forum and then deal with them in the discussion that will take place as a part of the competition in Kecsked on 25th Sept. 2004.

F5J – R.C. Thermal Duration Electric Gliders (valid in Australia)

1.1. Competition requirements:
1.1.1. The radio shall be able to operate simultaneously with other equipment at 20 kHz spacing. When the radio does not meet this requirement, the working bandwidth (max. 50 kHz) shall be specified by the competitor.
1.1.2. For the sake of randomness of the starting order among the successive rounds, each competitor must enter two different transmitter frequencies with 20 kHz minimum spacing. The competitor can be called to use either of these frequencies during the contest, so long as the call is made at least 1/2 hour prior to the beginning of a round to the pilot.

1.2. Cancelling of a Flight and Disqualification
The flight is annulled and recorded as zero if:
1.2.1. If the pilot uses a model aircraft not conforming to the rules. In the case of intentional or flagrant violation of the rules, in the judgment of the Contest Director, the competitor may be disqualified.
1.2.2. If the model aircraft loses any part during the flight time, except when this occurs as the result of a midair collision with another model aircraft.
1.2.3. The losing of a part during landing (i.e. contact with the ground) is not taken into account
1.2.4. If the model aircraft was already used by another competitor at the same contest
1.2.5. If the pilot uses more than two helpers
1.2.6. If any part of the model aircraft does not come to rest and remain at rest within 100 metres from the designated landing spot.
1.2.7. If in contrast with the declaration of the competitor the model aircraft carried more than 30 cells as a power source for the motor.
1.2.8. The model aircraft is controlled by anyone other than the competitor.
1.2.9. If the model aircraft touches either the competitor or his helper during landing manoeuvres, no landing points will be given.

1.3. Competitors and Helpers
1.3.1. Each competitor is allowed a maximum of two helpers.

1.4. The Flying Site
1.4.1. The competition must be held on a site having reasonably level terrain, which will minimise the possibility of slope and wave soaring.
1.4.2. The flying site shall include landing spots, one for each competitor in a group.
1.4.3. The centres of the landing circles must always be marked. At the discretion of the Contest Director, marks indicating the circumference of the circles may be omitted and replaced by the use of other means of measuring, such as a tape, to check distances from the centre of the circles.

1.5. Safety Rules
1.5.1. No part of the model aircraft must land or come to rest within the safety area.
1.5.2. The model aircraft must not be flown at low level (below 3 meters) over the safety area.
1.5.3. Every single action against the safety rules will be penalised by deduction of 100 points from the competitor’s final score. Penalties shall be listed on the score sheet of the round in which the infringement(s) occurred.

1.6. Contest Flights
1.6.1. The competitor will be allowed a minimum of three (3), preferably more, official flights.
1.6.2. The competitor will be allowed to make multiple attempts at each official flight.
1.6.3. There is an official attempt when:
1.6.3.1. the model aircraft leaves the hands of the competitor or those of a helper with the motor running;
or
1.6.3.2. where the model is already flying and the competitor nominates that they are making another attempt and re-starts the motor.
1.6.4. In the case of a second or other attempt, the result of the last attempt will be the official score.

1.7. Reflights
The competitor is entitled to a new working time if:
1.7.1. the model in flight collides with another model in flight.
1.7.2. the attempt has not been judged by the official time-keepers.
The new working time is to be granted to the competitor according to the following order of priorities:
1) in an incomplete group, or in a complete group on additional launching/landing spots;
2) if this is not achievable, then in a new group of several (minimum 4) refliers;
3) if this is also not achievable, then with his original group at the and of the ongoing round.
In priority-case 3, the better of the two results of the original flight and the reflight will be the official score, except for the pilots who are allocated the new attempt. For those the result of the repetition flight is the official result. A competitor of this group who was not allocated the new attempt will not be entitled to another working time in case of hindering.

1.8. Organisation of the Flying.

1.8.1. Rounds and Groups
1.8.1.1. The flying order for the initial qualifying rounds shall be arranged in accordance with the transmitter frequencies in use to permit as many simultaneous flights as possible. A minimum of 6 and preferably 8 to 10 competitors should be scheduled for each group where possible.
1.8.1.2. The flying order shall be scheduled in rounds sub-divided into groups.
1.8.1.3. The flying order shall be determined by a system that minimises situations where competitors fly together more than once.

1.8.2. Flying in Groups
1.8.2.1. Competitors are entitled to five minutes preparation time, which is counted from the moment his/her group is called to take position at the designated launching area, to the start of the group's working time.
1.8.2.2. There shall be a one-minute “launch window” prior to the start of the groups working time. Competitors may launch their models and the motor may be switched on or off as desired. Any number of launches may be made in this time period.
1.8.2.3. The working time allowed to each competitor in a group shall be of exactly ten (10) minutes duration.
1.8.2.4. The organisers will positively indicate the start of a group's working time, by audible signal.
1.8.2.5. An audible signal will be given when eight (8) minutes of the group's working time has elapsed.
1.8.2.6. The end of the group's working time will be indicated by audible signal, as for the start.
1.8.2.7. Any model aircraft airborne at the completion of the working time must land immediately.
1.8.2.8. If the pilot nominates that they want to make another attempt at the task, and starts their motor, timing will start again when the motor stops. The score for this attempt will be the score entered for the heat.
1.8.2.9. Otherwise (no nomination of an attempt); If the motor is re-started in the working time, timing will stop and zero landing points will be awarded.

1.9. Landing
1.9.1. The pilot and only one helper are allowed inside the 15 m radius landing circle.
1.9.2. After landing, competitors may retrieve their model aircraft before the end of their working time providing they do not impede other competitors or model aircraft in their group.

1.10. Scoring
1.10.1. The attempt will be timed from
1) the start of working time if the model’s motor is already switched off; or
2) when the model’s motor is switched off after the start of working time,
1.10.2. until either:
3) the model aircraft first touches the ground; or
4) the model aircraft first touches any object in contact with the ground; or
5) the motor is re-started; or
6) the completion of the group's working time.
1.10.3. The flight time in seconds shall be recorded to one decimal place.
1.10.4. A penalty of thirty (30) points will be deducted from the flight score for overflying the end of the group's working time for up to a maximum of one (1) minute.
1.10.5. A zero score will be recorded for overflying the end of the group's working time by more than one (1) minute.
1.10.6. Note: in 1.11.4 & 5 above, even if the timing of the flight has stopped, if the aircraft is still airborne, then the appropriate penalty will apply.
1.10.7. A landing bonus will be awarded in accordance with distance from the landing spot marked by the organizers according to the following tabulation:
Distance from the spot in meters
Points awarded
<= 3 .....100
<= 6 ...... 80
<= 9 ...... 60
<= 12 .....40
<= 15 .....20
> 15......... 0

1.10.8. The distance for landing bonus is measured from the model aircraft nose at rest to landing spot allocated to the competitor by the organisers.
1.10.9. No landing bonus points will be awarded if the model aircraft touches either the pilot or his helper during the landing manoeuvre.
1.10.10. No landing bonus points will be awarded if the model aircraft overflies the end of the working time.
1.10.11. The competitor who achieves the highest aggregate of points comprising of flight points plus landing bonus points minus penalty points, will be the group winner and will be awarded a corrected score of one thousand (1000) points for that group.
1.10.12. The remaining competitors in the group will be awarded a corrected score based on their percentage of the group winner's total score before correction (i.e. normalised for that group) calculated from their own total score as follows:

1.11. Final Classification
1.11.1. If three (3) or less rounds are flown, the aggregate score achieved by the competitor will be the sum of his/her scores for those three rounds. If more than three rounds are flown, then his/her lowest score will be discarded before determining his/her aggregate score.
1.11.2. In the event that two or more competitors have the same aggregate score, final positions of those competitors shall be determined by their respective position in the discarded round; the higher positioned competitor being awarded the higher final position.

1.12. Advisory Information for organizers (these are not rules!)

1.12.1. Organisational Requirements
1.12.1.1. The organisers shall ensure that each competitor has no doubt about the precise second that the group's working time starts and finishes.
1.12.1.2. Audible indication may be by automobile horn, bell or public address system etc. It must be remembered that sound does not travel far against the wind; therefore the positioning of the audio source must be given some thought.
1.12.1.3. To be a fair contest, the minimum number of fliers in any one group is four (4). As the contest proceeds, some competitors may be obliged to drop out for various reasons. When a group occurs with three (3) or fewer competitors in it, the organisers move up a competitor from a later group, ensuring if possible, that he/she has not flown against any of the others in previous rounds and of course that his/her frequency is
compatible.

1.12.2. Time-keeper Duties
1.12.2.1. Organisers must make sure that all who are to act as timekeepers are fully aware of just how important their duties are and to make certain that they are conversant with the rules particularly those that require quick positive action in order not to jeopardize a competitor's chances in the contest.
1.12.2.2. The organisers must ensure that an official is nominated to note any competitor who overflies the end of the group's working time and to time his/her excess flight time.

1.12.3. Matrixes
It is recommended that you use a matrix or some other method to ensure that each competitor has a chance to fly against as many of the competitors as possible over the competition. In doing this you are to try and minimize the number of times that they fly against the same competitor. Ideally, each competitor would fly against each other competitor once, but this is not possible in
practice.
1.12.3.1. A matrix should be employed to minimise situations where any competitor flies against another more than once. It is recognised that, in practice, with certain numbers of competitors, or where more than three rounds are flown, a situation where a competitor flies against another more than once may be unavoidable. This must be kept to a minimum.
1.12.3.2. The method by which each competitor is given a contest number from the matrix is left to the organisers.
1.12.3.3. Once the contest has started, neither the matrix table nor contest numbers should be changed.
1.12.3.4. In order to minimize the time needed to run the contest, it is very important that the matrix which gives the minimum number of groups per round, with the maximum possible competitors in each group, will be selected, and the number of frequency groups adjusted accordingly.&

1.12.4. Frequency Groups
1.12.4.1. Depending on the number of competitors in the contest and the frequencies available, the organisers will select a matrix and allocate the competitors into equally sized frequency groups according to their frequencies; reserve (dummy) places may be inserted into a frequency group at this stage. Each frequency group can comprise a number of different actual frequencies, but a frequency can only appear in one frequency group. These frequency groups are named “A”, “B”, “C” and so on, in the matrix tables that follow. At this stage, some competitors may have to change their radio frequencies in order to balance the numbers in each group.
1.12.4.2. Organisers can then assign a unique contest number to each competitor from the matrix for round 1 of the contest; the competitor must keep this number for the remainder of the contest (round 2, round 3,....). For example, in a contest with 36 competitors, using matrix B, a competitor may be grouped into frequency group B and then given competition number 8. He then flies in flying group 2 in round 1, in flying group 1 in round 2, in flying group 3 in round 3.

1.12.5. The Matrixes
Matrix (a) 25 Competitors, identified by their competitor's number (1 - 25), divided equally into 5 frequency groups (A, B, C, D, E). Each round divided into 5 flying groups (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Round 1 Round 2 Round 3
Matrix (b) 36 competitors divided into 6 frequency groups (A, B, C, D, E, F ). Each round divided into 6 flying groups ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ). Round 1 Round 2 Round 3
Note: See the FAI F3J rules for larger matrices Frequency Group