SSA Contest Rules and Waiver for Nationals Now Posted

US Racing Pilots

2020 Rules are now posted on the SSA website and can be found he

https://www.ssa.org/ContestRules

For pilots flying in FAI-class Nationals (that is all Nationals except Sports Class), please read the waiver found on the same page that describes which FAI paragraphs for tasking and scoring will be used this year at Nationals only. Links to the relevant FAI documents are also posted. Note that for Club Class Nationals we will be using the US Handicap list so please plan accordingly.

The Rules Committee encourages all US racing pilots to familiarize themselves with these important changes to minimize the potential for confusion and disappointment.

For the Rules Committee,

Andy Blackburn
9B

Andy,

I'm not trying to instigate (really), this is just an honest noob question. In the rules I see a restriction on using any software that has an attitude indicator (or similar) in it.

Is it really that much of an advantage? I don't know nearly enough at this point to have an opinion one way or the other. I don't compete either so it's not going to influence my decision making in the near future. Maybe not ever.

I read some comments from Max Kellerman (who's programming I truly admire) on the topic but never got a real feel for why this is viewed as almost blasphemous.

Thanks for any insights. It seems like a safety advantage to me, but what do I know?

Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

On 2/29/2020 9:32 PM, Tim Taylor wrote:
This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.
.... And illegal in the US.
--
Dan, 5J

Tim,

Thanks for the explanation.

On Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8:32:18 PM UTC-8, Tim Taylor wrote:
Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

Every state of the art Vario, Flight computer & Cell phone has this option. Will he CD be checking all contestants instruments and phone? It may be time to get rid of this rule.

Richard,

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 10:14:00 AM UTC+13, Richard Pfiffner wrote:
On Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8:32:18 PM UTC-8, Tim Taylor wrote:
Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

Every state of the art Vario, Flight computer & Cell phone has this option. Will he CD be checking all contestants instruments and phone? It may be time to get rid of this rule.

Richard,

LX9000's and Air Avionics devices both log the deactivation of AH in the IGC file. Cell phone AHRS's are not practical for flight, try it for yourself - it doesn't really work, they rapidly get confused.

On Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 2:07:55 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 10:14:00 AM UTC+13, Richard Pfiffner wrote:
On Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8:32:18 PM UTC-8, Tim Taylor wrote:
Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

Every state of the art Vario, Flight computer & Cell phone has this option. Will he CD be checking all contestants instruments and phone? It may be time to get rid of this rule.

Richard,

LX9000's and Air Avionics devices both log the deactivation of AH in the IGC file. Cell phone AHRS's are not practical for flight, try it for yourself - it doesn't really work, they rapidly get confused.

So which IGC files must you use in the contest. I have a S80, Air-Avionice and a NANO. Two can have AHRS. I chose to submit the NANO. How will you control this and make sure contestants do not use the AHRS. Again time to change the rules.

Richard

I’ve started using the Condor soaring sim and if anyone wants to see what flying in cloud is like, try it there. Especially on an alpine map!

So....just to summarize, the lack of an attitude indicator is going to stop people hell bent on winning at all costs....from flying into clouds?