2007 GTA Schedule & Rules

For 2007 we will try to have as many weekends as possible in the spring before & between the regionals, skip the hot summer and pick it up again in the fall.

We standardized on a pilot meeting time of 11:00 am, Grid at Noon. Also standard Grid procedure will be: A class first on the first weekend Day, then B Class grids first on the 2nd day. We strongly encourage pilots to pregrid before the pilot meeting – this will keep us from missing an hour or so of the best soaring due to late start times.

You do not need to attend every race. Just come a few weekends a year to be competitive in the scoring. However the more you race the better your chances. In order to qualify for a trophy the pilot must compete on at least 4 days during the season.

For 2007 we will score the best 6 races, so hopefully all the pilots that came out for 4-5 flights in previous years will come out for an extra one or two. If there are ties we will compare points on head to head races between tied pilots.

Start Gate does not open until most of the competitors can maintain 3300’AGL. For GTA we standardize on a 3 mile radius start cylinder, Please Note this SSA rule:

12.1.4.3 ‡ Start penalty (Rule 10.8.5.6): penalty = 25 + sum of the following (neither of which shall be less than zero):
Distance penalty = (Start Distance – Start Radius) * 200
Height penalty = 25, if (Control Height – MSH) is not greater than 200 ft.
otherwise, height penalty = (Control Height – MSH) / 2 

For GTA we standardize on a 1 mile radius finish cylinder with a minimum of 1000’AGL. Finishing below that altitude incurs a rolling finish. Finish time will be after landing, when the glider stops rolling plus 3 minutes.

10.9.2 Rolling finish
10.9.2.1 As an alternative to a flying finish, the CD shall designate one or more rolling finish areas on the home airfield. [any runway]
10.9.2.2 Communications When four miles from a rolling finish, the pilot shall transmit “[Contest ID] four miles, rolling finish.”
10.9.2.3 Pilots performing a rolling finish shall touch down and roll to a stop as specified by the CD, and will be timed as the sailplane comes to a complete stop.
10.9.2.4 If announced by the CD prior to the start of competition, a time adjustment will be added to rolling finishes. This adjustment will be based on the vertical and horizontal distance between the rolling finish and the location designated for a flying finish.

Flight traces need to be turned in promptly to allow for scoring. At regionals you have until 9am the following morning or you do not get scored. The GTA scorer does not need to wait more than 72 hours after the flight to allow for flight log submissions.

Information on our competition sites can be found on the links page
.
This schedule is VERY PRELIMINARY and subject to change, so check back occasionally. Schedule Updated: May 8, 2007 

Race
Date Location Comments
1,2
March 10,11 Cordele, GA An opportunity to try Cordele in early spring.
3,4
March 24,25 Pine Mountain, GA http://www.airnav.com/airport/KPIM
5,6
March [30] 31, April 1 Chilhowee, TN Cross Country Seminar, Lead & Follow XC on [unscored] Friday.
Chilhowee Gliderportbe sure to use the current turnpoint list * Region 5 World Class, 2006 [02 Feb 2006].
April 15-21 Perry, SC SSA Region 5 North Contest [not a GTA]
7,8
May 5,6 Moontown, /Eagleville
May 13-19 Cordele, GA SSA Region 5 South Contest [not a GTA.]
9,10,11
May 26,27,28 Cordele, GA 3 Day Memorial WeekendCordele.
12,13
June 9,10 Monroe, GA First race at MGSA in many years, the parachuters a gone a the place is spiffed up. http://www.soar-mgsa.org/
14,15
June 23,24 Kingston, GA Etowah Bend – return to the gliderport in north Georgia, near Rome. Central to our membership base.
16,17,18
Sept 1,2,3 Chilhowee, TN Labor 3 Day Weekend, Chilhowee Gliderport, be sure to use the current turnpoint list * Region 5 World Class, 2006 [02 Feb 2006].
19,20
Sept 8,9 Moontown, AL Huntsville Soaring ClubMoontown Airport
21,22
Sept 22,23 Eagleville, TN www.eaglevillesailplanes.com Turnpoints at:http://soaring.gahsys.com/TP/Eagleville/
Octoberfest 2007 5,6,7 Chilhowee Not a race, 2007 GTA Awards may be handed out the Saturday nite of Octoberfest.

19/22 days were valid in 2007. 16/26 in 2006. 18/24 in 2005.

Leave a Reply