Race Day  

Passed you’re A test, spent a couple of months flying around your flying site, getting board? what are you going to do now  Big scale? Aerobatics? Heli’s Is your workshop/house/budget big enough? Well I went Pylon Racing.          

All FAI pylon racing events take place around a 400m triangular course, measuring 40M between the base pylons 2 and 3 and 180 M from pylon 2 to 1 and from 1 to 3, all flying takes place in an anti clock wise direction. The internal combustion engined aircraft flying this course normally use 0.40cu.in/6.5cc motor, with top speeds exceeding 220mph/340km.          

Now many of you will have seen some jets and special speed models going faster, don’t be fooled by their speed, a brick throne off the highest building will be traveling fast when it hits the ground, out on a pylon course these planes would not stand a chance, the racers will out turn and out accelerate them every time, tight and fully under control.               

The race starts with each caller/mechanic under the supervision of the starter, identify his pilots plane to the time keepers and pylon marshals. Then the fun starts as the clock starts giving you  one minute to start and tune your engine before  the start flag drops, most will not even attempt to start until 30 seconds has gone so as not to over heat the engine on the line, starts are staggered giving 2 or 3 seconds between each plane in an attempt to reduce the chance of a midair, on the drop of your flag the caller will push off and the timing system will start.              

With the planes now on the move, getting to number one straight is so important as 2 or 3 seconds lost here amounts to half a lap at full speed, keeping your line is crucial as with an engine at full power and an airframe under hard acceleration being affected by the engines torque trying to turn the plane off to the left requiring full right rudder and sometimes some very creative flying. So you have now reached/passed the number 1 pylon, your lane flag man will switch on the lane light (Red, Yellow or Green) your caller will then call the turn, you turn and fly back down the course and around the base pylons, repeat for 10 laps. Simple! not really as to be really fast you not only need the fastest planes, but you also have to take the shortest route around the pylons.              

What can go wrong

• 1st if your engine is not running after 1 minute / starter drops the flag your out and collect a penalty of 200 seconds for that race.         

•  2nd your engine is running but not tuned to full power, you have until the first plane off passes opersite the start line on the down wind leg, this again in-cures a penalty of 200 seconds.         

• 3rd your really trying hard and you cut inside one of the pylons this will be spotted and by the flagmen and conveyed electronically to the timing system and you will receive a penalty of 10%, so a 65.00 second time will now become a 71.50. 
• 4th In the event you cut again, this time you will recivie a no time/penalty of 200 seconds.
• 5th Midair yes they do happen, unless your proved to be at fault you will be given a re-fly.
• 6th You over fly the safety line 10% first time do it again and your out of the competition.
• 7th Crash 200 seconds.  

30 seconds to go

GO GO GO

Number 1 turn light

 

Number 1 flagmen

     

        

    

 

 

Timing Office

 

Timing Officer

 

 

 

 

     

Flagmen Number 2

 

Re Fueling rig