2012  DARTS ALES #4    Sunday, September 9, 2012   -   Pre-contest info

                              The pilots at our first ever DARTS Altitude Electric Soaring meet in 2010:

This was the 4th of the DARTS sponsored Altitude Limited Electric Soaring (ALES) contests for 2012
Click HERE for info on the other events

Due to the nature of the rules, many sport type electric gliders have proven to be very competitive.  Examples that have proven this out are the Radian and Vista designs

ALES or Altitude Limited Electric Soaring is just what the name implies.  It is a traditional soaring event, with the method of launching being that of an onboard electric motor and prop.  The launch altitude is limited by an approved onboard electronic device, limiting the motor run to an altitude of 200 meters, or 30 sec (whichever occurs first) We will be using a lower altitude limit for at least one of our other ALES this year

See the link at the left for detailed ALES rules. These are the official ALES rules as used by the LSF at the NATS

In summary, this event allows for a common starting height by the use of an approved altitude limiting device which shuts the electric motor down at 200 meters, about 660 feet (or 30 sec, whichever occurs first).  This is about the height of a really good zoom winch launch, so all contestants start at a very nice altitude from which they can seek thermals The tasks are normally 10 min maxes, plus landing points. 

The landing tape is 10 meters long, about 33 feet, graduated at 5 points per meter. So the landing points max out at 50 points.  This makes for a somewhat desensitized landing task.  The result is that beginners should find this landing task easy and a confidence builder Seeded Man-on-Man format allows the flight groupings to be such that you fly with others of similar performance. 

In Seeded Man-on-Man format, the flight groups for the first round are chosen randomly.  In each of the succeeding rounds,  the scores are sorted in order from high to low and the flight groups are chosen to accordingly from high to low. Thus as the day progresses, contestants are flying in flight groups with like performing pilots.  This Seeded Man-on-Man format has been a long time DARTS tradition and keeps things fun as you are competing with other similar airplanes and piloting skills

Come on out to fly or watch.  Spectators welcome!

From the CD: 

Boundaries for Off Field Landing or OFL will be set at the pilots meeting (Weather dependent).

OFL is zero flight points for the round.

Standard ALES landing tapes. Zero landing for landing upside down or if plane is not in a flyable condition IE: BROKEN.

Any motor turn on after launch height or 30 seconds is Zero Flight for the round. Launch Height for the entire contest will be standard ALES 200 meters.  

Tasks Time for the first round will be 6 mins and may change on following rounds (Weather dependent).  

Please spread the word,  

David  Rice, CD

Hope to see you out at the Field!