Rules

Local Regulations

XContest XRace 2010

Dates of the Event

Registration for the competition: 11 ^th July 2010

Competition days: 12 ^th July - 17 ^th July 2010

Reserve day: 18 ^th July 2010 (will be a competition day if less then 3 valid tasks were flown during previous days)

Place: Tolmin, Slovenia

Competition Rules

The competition is organized under the General Section and Section 7 of the FAI Sporting Code, Czech Sporting Code and these Local Regulations. When necessary, interpretation of these rules will be made by the Czech Sporting Committee after discussion with the Meet Director. Where there is conflict between the FAI sporting codes and/or the Czech Sporting Code and these Local Rules, then these rules shall take precedence.

Exceptions
Exceptions to the rules are not permitted where the rules are definitive and feasible. If compliance is not feasible, the Meet Director shall make the necessary exceptions after discussion with the Technical Director. Competitors shall be informed by:
Posting a dated-, written addendum to the written rules on the main competition notice board.
Verbal advice at the next scheduled general - or task briefings.
If there are no rules or penalties applicable to the circumstances, the Meet Director will make a decision that is appropriate and fair under the given circumstances.
Once competition flying on the first day has started, no rules or regulations may be changed.

Conditions of participating

Appropriate skills related to IPPI 4.
Holding national pilot licence and FAI licence
State of health enabling practicing extreme paragliding.
Third party insurance according slovenian laws.
Equipment, i.e. harness, helmet, reserve parachute, means of communication (radio and mobile phone), whistle.
A paraglider fulfilling the requirements of a given class:

a) gliders up to equivalent of DHV 2 or CEN „C” - for pilots of the standard class

b) all of the other higher classes, or not belonging to any class – in the open classification

Paid entry fee

The organizer has the right to demand the documents confirming the complaisance with the above-mentioned conditions.

Briefings

All the information concerning the competition and tasks will be supplied during the briefings and/or displayed in a place indicated by the organizer.

There are two types of briefings:

a) Information briefing – takes place every day at 9:00; if need be, the organizer will announce the time and place of the next information briefings. Each pilot is obliged to participate in the information briefings personally ot through a representative (team leader or another pilot)

b) Task briefing takes place at the take-off in the presence of all pilots.

Pilots take all the responsibility for aquainting themselves with the information supplied at the briefings and information boards.

The data concerning a given task are displayed on the information board. The window (take-off) can not be opened until 20 minutes after the briefing.

Transportation to the Take-off

For the purpose of the transportation of pilots and their gliders to the take-off pilots are divided into two groups. The time of departure for each group will be announced on the briefing. Pilots will be allowed to go only with the group displayed on their ID card. The ID card will be requested by the drivers.

Take-off

Because of the size of the take-off area no specific queuing system will be used. Only pilots ready to take-off are allowed to enter the take-off area. If the take-off window has been opened for less then 30 minutes the task will not be valid.

Sign-in to Fly

It is obligatory for every pilot to personally sign the fly list at take-off. Competitors who fail to sign will score zero points for the task.

Check-in, Report Back

A pilot who signed-in for the task must check-in as soon as possible after landing. The check-in is to be done via SMS containing the pilot’s name, number and delivered to a given telephone number. The latest time for check-in will be announced at the task briefing and displayed on the briefing board. It is important to comply to avoid unnecessary search and rescue operations.

Besides this pilots must hand in their GPS and personally sign the report back list. Checking-in is obligatory even if the task was stopped or cancelled.

Pilots who do not respect this rule will score zero for the task and could be disqualified from the event.

Contest numbers on the Gliders

It is obligatory for every pilot to have his competition number on the glider. The number should be placed top towards the leading edge. The minimum size of the number is 40 cm.

First Turn

The turning direction of all 360 ° turns in vicinity of take-off and within a given radius from the take-off will be specified every day during the task briefing. Failure to comply with turn direction will incur a penalty 20% of the maximum task points and for a repeatitive offence pilot could be disqualified from the event.

Safety regulations

Each pilot has to observe the rules of the air traffic.

The paraglider can be used only as indicated by the producer.

Pilots are obliged to inform the organizer and other pilots about situations which can influence safety.

Maneouvres dangerous to other pilots or the audience, acrobation, dangerous flying, failing to observe the regulations, and unfair behaviour are prohibited and can lead to the disqualification of the pilot.

Each pilot has to use a helmet and reserve parachute.

Each pilot is obliged to inform the organiser about any injuries or medications which could influence behaviour of the pilot during the flights.

Flying under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited.

The organizer can stop a task due to safety reasons.

In case of stopping a task, the signal informing about it and ordering landing will be a cross made of two 10-metre-long strips of fabric or two crosssed paragliders.

Cloud Flying

Paragliders must fly clear of cloud and in sight of the ground. Cloud flying is defined as any part of the glider or the pilot disappearing into cloud, from the view of an adjacent pilot. Cloud flying is prohibited and will be controlled by the Meet Director and his assistants and evidence supplied by pilots and by GPS track altitude.

Should a pilot unintentionally enter cloud he/she must be seen by adjacent pilots to return to a point of no advantage, or must demonstrate avoiding taking an advantage on the track log (for example by turning 90 degrees to the course line and pulling big-ears to descend until clear of cloud).

Penalty for cloud flying is 20% of the maximum task points and for repeatitive offence pilot could be disqualified from the event.

Means of communication

For safety reasons it is advisable that all pilots have radios and mobile phones.

Any other devices influencing safety are also advisable.

The organizer will indicate the main frequency for communication with pilots and staff. Throughout a task pilots are obliged to constantly stay at this frequency. Exchange of short correspondence among pilots at the organiser's frequency is allowed.

Pilots are obliged to report via their means of communication any information concerning safety, including information about the place and consequences of before-goal landing of other pilots.

External help

Tasks should be performed without external help or control.

External help with looking for thermals is prohibited.

Assistance to a pilot in danger

The organizer will start a rescue action if pilots do not report landing in a specified time after the end of task.

In case of failing to inform the organiser about a safe landing, the pilot pays the cost of the rescue action.

All pilots must pack their gliders immediately after landing. A glider lying open on the ground means: 'I need help'.

Each pilot who sees an accident or a signal asking for help must immediately inform the organizer stating the place of the accident, its short description, and the pilot's or glider's characteristics.

During a rescue action pilots are asked to exchange only the most essential correspondence via the radio.

The competitor who has landed to help an injured pilot should not suffer any loss of points. The decision is left to the organiser.

The cost of a rescue action and any medical costs will be paid by the pilot and their insurance companies.

GPS documentation

The only acceptable means of flight verification is GPS allowing record of track. Each pilot must have a GPS together with required interface to personal computer.The organiser supplies the interface to typical GPS instruments.

A pilot is obliged to prepare and set up the operating parametres of GPS:

a) turn on track log before take-off

b) set GPS track log interval between 1 – 30 seconds

c) delete the previous track log before each take-off

Flight verification must contain elements lasting unceasingly for 2 minutes:

a) take-off

b) before and after reaching turn point

c) landing or reaching goal

A pilot shows GPS during submission of task documentation and whenever the organiser should demand it. Changing and deleting data of the flight before submitting is prohibited.

TASKS

TASK TYPES The following task types are available for use during the event.

Speed run
Assigned Area Task

Assigned Area Task (AAT)

Speed over a course through two or more designated Assigned Areas, with a finish at the contest site. The task is specified by the designation of the Start, the Assigned Areas (in order), the Finish, and the Minimum Task Time.

Finishers receive “distance points” (the same number of distance points for each finisher) and “speed points”. Speeds are calculated based on each finishers elapsed time or the Minimum Task Time, whichever is greater.

Non-finishers receive “distance points” only (the “distance points are calculated relative to the maximum distance flown).

EXPLANATIONS OF AAT

a. The Organisers shall designate a Start , two or more Assigned Areas to be achieved in order, a Finish and a Minimum Task Time .

The following distances should be included in the task information for pilots:

 The nominal Task Distance, assessed via the center of each Assigned Area, and

 The minimum and maximum Task Distance achievable via the Assigned Areas.

The Assigned Areas should be large enough to allow the pilots to adjust the length of their flight in order to avoid finishing before the Minimum Task Time if their speed is higher than expected.

b. The task is completed when the Competitor makes a valid Start, passes through each Assigned Area, in the sequence designated by the Organisers, and makes a valid Finish.

c. For each Assigned Area, a single fix will be determined which will be taken as the end of the previous leg and the beginning of the next leg. The scorer will choose the set of Credited Fixes that results in the maximum possible credited distance.

d. The score given to each competitor (in accordance with Part 8) shall take into account the Marking Distance and the Marking Time defined as follows:

(i) For a completed task, the Marking Distance is the distance from the Start Point to the Finish Point via all Credited Fixes, less the radius of the Start Ring (if used) and less the radius of the Finish Ring (if used).

(ii) If the competitor has outlanded on the last leg, the Marking Distance is the distance from the Start Point, less the radius of the Start Ring (if used), through each Credited Fix, to the Finish Point, less the distance from the Outlanding Position to the Finish Point. If the achieved distance on the last leg is less than zero, it shall be taken as zero.

(iii) If the competitor has outlanded on any other leg, the Marking Distance is the distance from the Start Point, less the radius of the Start Ring (if used), through each Credited Fix, to the point of the next Assigned Area which is nearest to the Outlanding Position, less the distance from the Outlanding Position to this nearest point. If the achieved distance of the uncompleted leg is less than zero, it shall be taken as zero.

(iv) For finishers, the Marking Time is either the time elapsed between the last recorded valid Start Time and the Finish Time, or The Minimum Task time, whichever is greater. For non-finishers the Marking Time is undefined.

(v) For finishers the Marking Speed is equal to the Marking Distance divided by the Marking Time. For non-finishers the Marking Speed is zero.

Scoring system

The Championships shall be scored according to the

1000-Points Scoring System: The Score is expressed in points (the maximum available Score for the day is 1000 points).

Exact scoring formula will be published later.

The competition is considered valid if at least two cross country tasks have been performed.

Results, Complaints and Protests

Provisional results will be posted on the official board immediately after GPS download. Complaints can be raised until 8.45 a.m. the next day in writing in English language to the Meet Director. The Meet Director deals with the complaint.

If the person complaining is not satisfied with the outcome he has the right to protest. Such protest must be made in writing (in English) and be handed to the Meet Director with a protest fee of EUR 20 (or equivalent) within 2 hours of the announcement of the decision regarding the complaint. The protest committee will deal with the protest. This committee may decide to refund the protest fee if the protest is upheld.

Language
The official language of the competition is English.

Awarded Categories

OPEN – order of all competition participants.

OPEN FEMALE – order of all female competition participants.

SERIAL – order all pilots flying certified gliders of categories of equivalent DHV 2 or EN C.

Minimum number of participants in each category is 5.