ACTAA Thermal Glider Championship Rules
The ACTAA Thermal Glider Championship will be held over six rounds flown in separate months each calendar year.
The ACTAA Gliding Champion in each class shall be the competitor with the highest aggregate score from all six rounds of the competition. Trophies shall be awarded to the Champion in each class and placegetters shall receive ACTAA Certificates.
The Championship is open to un-powered, fixed wing, radio-controlled model aircraft with a total mass less than 7 kg.
Models will be divided into two classes:
One reserve model is permitted, provided that it also complies with all class rules.
A total of five flights must be completed by each contestant and all five flights must be completed within the five-hour period 10:00 to 15:00.
Each second of flight time shall be awarded one flying point.
In addition, for Open class only, landing points shall be awarded per flight, with a maximum of 15 points for a spot landing (see 9.2 below).
The objective is to accumulate a total flying time of exactly 25 minutes (1500 seconds) in the five flights, with a maximum of five minutes per flight.
The sum of the flying points shall determine the contestants finishing order.
The maximum possible score in Two-channel class is 1500 flying points.
The objectives are to accumulate a total flying time of exactly 40 minutes (2400 seconds) in the five flights, with a maximum of eight minutes per flight, and to execute five spot landings.
The sum of the flying and landing points shall determine the contestants finishing order.
The maximum possible score in Open class is 2400 flying points + 75 landing points = 2475 total points.
The Championship is open to current members (junior or senior) of any MAAA-affiliated model aircraft club. The CD may be an entrant.
The host club shall appoint a Contest Director (CD) for each round. In any dispute, the CD’s decision shall be binding.
The CD may act as official score-keeper or appoint an assistant. A copy of the completed record of scores for the meet must be forwarded promptly to the ACTAA Secretary to permit calculation of progress totals for the Championship.
Normally the contest shall consist of five flights. In the event of deteriorating weather conditions, the CD may reduce the number of flights to be completed and bring forward the finishing time from 15:00 to an earlier time.
For open class the maximum flight time will be eight (8) minutes and for two channel class the maximum flight time shall be five (5) minutes. One point shall be deducted from the possible maximum score for each second over the maximum flight time.
Pilots shall select an assistant to time each flight. Timing devices shall be of an electronic type approved by the CD.
Pilots must keep an accurate record of their own scores and ensure that they are correctly recorded by the official score-keeper after each flight.
Hand-tow (175 metres, no rubber), bungee (170 metres including 35 metres of rubber), winch (200 metres from model to turn-around) may be used.
A pilot may declare an aborted launch on the grounds of line break, line crossing, mid-air collision, winch failure or unsatisfactory launch. An unsatisfactory launch abort must be called by the pilot within thirty (30) seconds of release from the launch system. One more attempt shall be allowed after an aborted launch.
In the event of a tie in scores after five flights (equal total flying and landing points for Open class, equal total flying points for Two-channel class) a fly-off shall be held. The fly-off target shall be 10 minutes flying time with landing points applied, regardless of class. Fly-offs shall be repeated until a winner is decided.
Radio communication is limited to up-link transmissions (from ground to model aircraft). Use of down-link transmissions to obtain information from on-board devices such as video cameras or variometers is not permitted.
Timing starts on release of the model from the launching system and stops when the model first touches the ground.
One point is awarded for each second of flight
One point shall be deducted (from 300) for each second of flight exceeding five minutes
At the end of a flight, the model must land with an area designated by the contest director (typically the mown area of the field). The entire model must come to rest within the designated area. A penalty of ten (10) points shall be is applied to the score of each flight landing outside the designated area.
Timing starts on release of the model from the launching system and stops when the model comes to rest at the end of the flight.
One point is awarded for each second of flight
One point shall be deducted (from 480) for each second of flight exceeding eight minutes
Distance measurement is taken when the model comes to rest.
Measurement is from central spot of the landing circle to tip of nose of model
Points are as follows:
| Distance (m) | Points | Distance (m) | Points | Distance (m) | Points |
| <= 1.0 | 15 | <= 6.0 | 10 | <= 11.0 | 5 |
| <= 2.0 | 14 | <= 7.0 | 9 | <= 12.0 | 4 |
| <= 3.0 | 13 | <= 8.0 | 8 | <= 13.0 | 3 |
| <= 4.0 | 12 | <= 9.0 | 7 | <= 14.0 | 2 |
| <= 5.0 | 11 | <= 10.0 | 6 | <= 15.0 | 1 |
12NOV98 Original
16DEC98 Add new para 7.8, minor corrections to 8.1, 9.1
10MAR99 Correct para 1. (replace "from their best four
rounds" with "from all five rounds")
30MAY99 Revise para 0. (new date for 5th round)
05DEC00 Remove references to dates
01JAN03 Change para 1. to "six rounds"
Rules originally formulated by the ACTAA ad hoc Glider Subcommittee: Graham Maynard (chair), Fred Lambert, Ray Murray, John Rawlins with input from Brad Harris and Chris Chalker.