"FAI Combined" Class?

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Hey all - I've been seeing this terminology around, such as for next month's Region 10, but it doesn't line up with the current rules - can anyone clarify what this means?

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On Friday, July 26, 2019 at 1:06:39 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Hey all - I've been seeing this terminology around, such as for next month's Region 10, but it doesn't line up with the current rules - can anyone clarify what this means?

Regional organizers have a lot of flexibility in setting up classes based upon entries.
The "FAI handicapped class" is a handicapped class that may accompany another class such as Sports. This is commonly used when there are not enough ships for a Std or 15M so they get combined and handicapped to allow ships to be competitive.
UH

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Basically it means there are not enough Standard class or 15m class pilots to hold seperate classes. So they combine and then handicap them to make it fair. Sorta of a sports class limited to modern day 15m span ships.

CH

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Thanks for the responses - the confusion is caused by the terminology, since the rules refer to "FAI Handicapped". With the ever-present angst over the handicaps themselves!

[Andy Blackburn[_3_]]

The term is pretty flexible. At R11 FAI Class is regularly used to denote basically a Sports Class competition that permits water ballast.

As an aside, this year R11 also included by waiver a handicapped distance “California Grand Prix” task. I think it was universally viewed as a fun format by the participants.

Andy Blackburn
9B

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

Regardless of handicaps.....I still say about 90% is the nut behind the stick, and go from there. A good pilot in a decent ship will likely be near the top anyway.....
Weather or geographic may skew handicaps a bit.....but they're usually pretty decent.