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Short field contest RULES??

Barefootpilot

Registered User
Colorado
I'm new to this forum, but have been reading a lot of the threads and since the subject of contests was brought up under this forum I thought it the appropriate place to ask.
I'm trying to put together a contest as part of a Kitfox fly-in later year but I don't really know the best way to do it. (yes I own a fox, but I also fly cubs occasionally)

How to establish categories? By weight? Engine HP?
Rules for short takeoff?
Rules for short landing? For example, do you measure from the point of touchdown, or make it more challenging by establishing a landing point and measuring from the point. This would force the pilot to also do a spot landing. Perhaps disqualify if the pilot lands prior to the point?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

We'll probably have a few cubs in our contest and invite anyone here to participate if you like. It will probably be held the first Saturday in November At Erie municipal (k48v). This will be a VERY informal event and will likely take place as a prelude to a fly-out somewhere during our kitfox fly-in. I doubt the whole short field event will last an hour.

My thoughts are to have the planes go around the pattern once to warm up, do the short field landing, pull up to a line further down the runway then do the short field takeoff.
Best regards,
Cliff (barefootpilot)
 
Rules.

Hi. OK I will try and do it this way.
Gulkana Ak. was by far the best run of any contest I have ever seen. So this is the information I will post.
This is the front side of the Rules page.
http://www.supercub.org/upload/burr/cc.jpg
This is the back side of the Rules page.
http://www.supercub.org/upload/burr/dd.jpg
This is an airport overview.
http://www.supercub.org/upload/burr/ee.jpg
This is the runway marking for the contest.
http://www.supercub.org/upload/burr/ff.jpg
This is the Take-off crew. (distance checkers)
http://www.supercub.org/upload/burr/gg.jpg
Without these people there would be no show.
http://www.supercub.org/upload/burr/hh.jpg
For me anyway, the rules come up giant sized then when it's finished loading it goes too small to read. Steve may be a great help here. If you read them while still loading it seems to work. The pictures I think are ok. I can twist wrenches better than punch keys. Perhaps someone else can fill in any spots I have missed. :) Jerry.
 
I put my mouse over it and I get a symbol to enlarge it. Click the mouse and then its ok to read.
 
Jerry, Thanks for this info.
It appears that a reference line is used for the short landing, is the measurement taken from the line?
I found it interesting that the takeoff measurement is taken from the last wheel to leave the ground. I assume that you try to make sure it is the tailwheel to shorten the distance?
Thanks again, Cliff (Barefootpilot)
 
Info.

Hi BFP. On the bottom of the bottom photo on the runway markings is the reference line. It is about 10 inches wide. That is where the TO run is started and the landing is measured from. My mains are the last to leave the ground. I don't want the tailwheel to touch. But you will see many styles. What part of the country is your competetion going to be in? Jerry.
 
Opps.

Sorry BFP, I see it is at Erie Mun. Some things weren't too clear in the rules. The open event was run on Saturday. They would run 4 airplanes at a time. Taxi out, get spotted on the line and do your first takeoff. Then the second, third and fourth would launch. By that time the first is on short final for landing. He lands they check the distance and he taxies off to the side of the runway. And the other three do the same. Then it is repeated for the second time and the best distance is used. They leave and four more come out. It worked very good. They had a lot of years to get it right and they did. Then on sunday at the end of the airshow the top 4 airplanes in the Bush Class would compete in the Super Bush Challenge. They would load ballast (usually 3 or 4 hundred pounds) into each airplane to simulate working conditions. Only the take-off counted and they had two tries. In all the years that I was there I never seen anyone go out the front gate on Sunday untill that match had been completed. I think the keenest competetion was in the heavy touring class between the 180/185 guys. It was like the T-6 class at Reno. The airplanes were well matched, and the pressure was on the pilots. I'm sure others can fill in what I have missed or forgotten. :) Jerry.
 
Thanks again, this is interesting stuff.
I was looking at some videos that were posted elsewhere on this site of your short takeoff and landing and Denny's takeoff. It looked like your tailwheel touched the ground when you rotated for takeoff. Of course it 's difficult to tell for sure in the video. This would have made it the last to leave the ground and of course would have been much closer to the "line" than the mains. Denny definately touched the tailwheel when rotating. Seems like a winning technique to me.

Care to talk about your landing technique?
Barefootpilot (Cliff)
 
Info

Hi Cliff. My target is to have the tail wheel within 2 inches of the ground but not to let it touch. Somewhere in the rules ( either in these or previous rules) it states that the landing distance will be measured from the reference line to the center of the main gear axle, when stopped in a straight line. (no 90 degree skidders) It was assumed that the last main is the wheels referred to in takeoff. Watch the checkers. They are all looking at the mains. If you don't have a copy of my Gulkana Video, PM me your snail mail address. :) Jerry.
 
When it comes to the short take off contest in a PA18 can I guy take off shorter with 850s with some air in them so they roll easy or 31 in tires. I realize the 31s give a higher angle of attack but was wondering if the extra weight and rolling resistence hampered the take off more than using 850s.?
 
??????

If you are asking me, I will answer it this way. "Everything is a compromise. What you choose to compromise has to do with your airplane and how you choose to fly it". With enough air you can make a 31 as hard as any 8:50, I learned that from Lynn Ellis. :) Jerry.
 
Jerry's Gulkana Video

I highly recommend this video for great viewing for anyone interested in Cubs and max perf flying whether you are competing or just spectating like me.
Don Caldwell
 
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