2005 ARCS COMBAT EVENT RULES (6/7/2005 DRAFT)

Safety

1.      Follow AMA and FCC Rules

2.      Spectators shall maintain a distance of 75 feet from the flightline

3.      Competitors and Spotters on Flightline will wear protective headgear (hardhat)

Aircraft

1. SPAD Gnat (www.spadtothebone.com)

a. Modifications to the basic Gnat Design to improve crash worthiness of the aircraft without changing the basic design of the SPAD Gnat are allowed.

b. Modifications to the Gnat to improve its ability to cut streamers are not allowed.

c. One Gnat is allowed per Round.  Subsequent Rounds can use different Gnats.

2. Engine

a. Stock Engines are considered to be the Magnum-.15 and the OS LA-.15.  Stock engines to use Stock Mufflers.  Internal Muffler Baffles can be removed.

b. All other engines are subject to be tested for maximum rpm of 17,200 with specified propeller (see below).  Throttle endpoint can be adjusted to reduce max rpm.  Engine must have muffler.

c. Throttle must be servo operated.

d. Propeller is MA 8x3 (blue).

3. Streamer

            a. Aircraft must have a method to attach streamer.

            b. Streamers will be supplied by contest CD.

c. Streamer will be 5' of cotton string attached to 10' of paper streamer attached to 20' of alternate color paper streamer.

Contest

1. Site

a. 25' South of the North edge of the Moffit Runway will be the Flightline for Combat Participants and Spotters.

b. The North edge of the Moffit Runway will be the Safety Line.  No Aircraft are to cross the Safety Line accept in the Safe Launching and Landing Area.

c. A Safe Launching and Landing Area will be marked at the East and West Ends of the existing runway.

2. Contest Rules

a. Each competitor will participate in 4 rounds.  Each heat in a round will have 4 to 6 flyers.  The heats in the rounds will use a randomizing technique to maximize the diversity of competition for the overall event.

b. A signal will be given 2 minutes before the start of a flight.  Competitors in that heat will have the 2 minutes to start their engines and hand launch their Gnat from the Safe Launching Area.  You are allowed to launch late for a heat from the Safe Launching Area.  No points will be scored before the start of the heat is signaled.

c.  A second signal will indicate the start of the 5-minute heat.

d.  Competitors will get 1 point for each time they cut off a piece of their competitor's streamer.

e.  Towed streamer cuts/removals are scored the same as cuts/removals of original streamer.

f.  Each pilot will be assigned a judge/observer that will confirm cuts.

g. After five minutes a third and final signal will indicate the end of a heat.  No streamer cut after the final signal will count.

h. No points are given for cutting your own streamer.

i. If your streamer is cut shorter than 10' (indicated by the multicolored streamer), you are considered killed and must land in the Safe Landing Area and attach a new streamer and launch to continue fighting in the existing heat.  If you land outside of the Safe Landing Zone, you are finished for the heat.