SpeedfestIII Alpha Class Rules

April 19-21, 2013

Hosted By:

University Multispectral Labs (UML), Oklahoma State University, NASA OK Space Grant Consortium, Zivko Aeronautics, Spirit AeroSystems, AUVSI

ALPHA Class

Speedfest is an exciting, high-speed aircraft design competition which is intended to foster enthusiasm for aviation, and unmanned aircraft design. There are two flight classes: Alpha Class is the Advanced class which is open to all collegiate-level teams. India Class is the Invitational class. It is open to high-school level teams on an invitational basis. The top 3 teams in each class will be recognized with awards. The winners of each class will be awarded the Speedfest Cup.

Contents:
Mission Requirements and Design Constraints
Flight Procedures and Scoring
Safety Requirements
General Aircraft Requirements
Additional Information
Eligibility
Entry Form Format
Deadlines
Speedfest Site

Mission Requirements

Payload: Paintballs

Each plane must fly with a minimum of 40 paintballs which are contest-supplied immediately before each mission. Specific brand of paintballs TBA.

Mission 1: Efficient Cruise

With full payload, fly as many laps as possible on a 900 ft course in 3 minutes

Mission 2: Paintball Tag and Dash

Take off and drop paintball payload at a 10ft x 10ft target.

Perform a high-speed dash 900 ft and back, as quickly as possible.

Design Constraints

Battery-electric propulsion only

5S Lipo Maximum

Propulsion batteries must weigh 200g or less. Weight is inclusive of any wires and connectors soldered to the batteries.

Propulsion batteries must be connected to the ESC on the positive lead, through a limiter/arming (LA) system. The LA system must consist of two 30 amp, Standard ATO fuses in parallel. Each airplane must have the fuse holder connectors flush with the outside of the airplane so that the fuses may easily be used as the arming shunt. Any ATO-style fuse holders may be used. An example is the McMaster-Carr 8110K4. Fuses will be provided to each team at the flight line immediately prior to each flight. The fuses will be McMaster-Carr 7460K49 30 Amp. An example of an LA system fuseholder can be seen here. With fuses installed, here. The leads on each end are soldered together and then to a connector on each end. How this is accomplished, and what connectors are used, are at the discretion of the team.

Any BEC on the ESC must be disconnected. Receiver must be powered by a separate battery. The receiver battery may only power the receiver and servos.

ROG (Rise off Ground) only. No launch assist of any type, including hand launch. Nothing may be left behind. Nothing may be intentionally dropped from the plane other than the payload. Teams may use a flight crew member to hold the airplane at the tail prior to release if they desire, as long as the crew member is completely behind the propeller arc. The runway is a smooth geotextile material, and is 60 ft wide by 600 ft long. Three small seams run along the length of the runway spaced 15 ft. apart. There is also an adjacent grass runway of similar dimensions. Teams may use both runways.

Teams may compete with multiple airframes, however the basic airframe shape and size for each must be the same.

Flight Procedures and Scoring

Mission 1: Efficient Cruise

Take off and fly past the turn line, at which point the crew flagger raises a flag, and keeps it raised.

Turn parallel to the turn line until reaching the safe setback position, which will be indicated to the pilot by the flight line safety judge. Once cleared by the Safety Judge, pilots may enter course at their discretion.

Time begins when the aircraft crosses the turn line again, which the crew flagger indicates by dropping the flag. The 3 minute time starts at this point. The cut judge will watch to make sure the flag is dropped when the plane crosses the line.

Laps are figure 8’s with all turns away from the pilot as seen in the figure below. Each time a plane crosses the line outbound, the crew flagger should raise the flag and keep it raised until the plane has crossed the line again inbound.

The course will be administered similar to the standard AMA 2-pylon course method. Each team will provide two flight crew members to serve as turn indicators, and will stand next to the Cut Judges. When their plane passes the turn line, they will signal their caller by raising a flag. Cut Judges located near the spectator line, will use a sighting guide to determine when a plane has passed a turn line, and if a plane has "cut" the turn. If a cut occurs, the judge will wave a flag indicating a disqualification (DQ) for that flight attempt. If a plane is DQ'ed, the pilot should land as soon as possible.

Scoring is based on distance traveled (laps) within three minutes, on a course with 2 turn lines spaced 900ft. apart. One point is awarded for each turn line crossed (including the first).

Mission 2: Paintball Tag and Dash

Take off and drop payload at a 10ft x 10ft target (angled back about 25 deg from vertical) located near the Start/End line, aligned with the runway. Drop command must be given prior to airplane first passing the Start/End line. Teams may use an additional crew flagger to assist with the drop location if they wish. The cut judge will determine if the drop has been made. If the payload has not been dropped, the flight attempt will by DQ'ed.

Once the plane crosses the line, the crew flagger raises a flag, and keeps it raised.

The aircraft must remain past the Start/End line until ready to enter the course. Pilots will fly parallel to the line to the safe setback point indicated by the safety judge. Pilots may prepare for course entry and enter the course at their discretion. (See figure below)

Time begins when the aircraft crosses the Start line, which the crew flagger indicates by dropping the flag. The cut judge will watch to make sure the flag is dropped when the plane crosses the line.

The plane will fly a minimum of 900 ft. to the turn line at which point the downwind crew flagger will indicate passage by raising a flag.

When the plane again crosses the End line the crew flagger will raise a flag, and the timer will be stopped. If either cut judge raises a flag, that flight attempt is considered DQ.

Score is time to fly from the Start line, and back again. Time will be rounded to the nearest half second. If a Mission 2 score is not obtained due to a DQ, or a non-attempt, the Mission 2 time awarded will be 100.

Overall Score:

Score = 60 * Mission 1 Flags / Mission 2 Time

Tiebreaker:

The number of hits on the target will be counted during the day. At the end of the competition, if a tiebreaker is needed, it will be decided based on which team had the highest number of "hits" on the target. If it is not possible to count hits because the number is too high, a sudden death tiebreaker will be used. Teams will have 5 minutes to hit the target as many times as they wish. Teams may take off and land multiple times during that 5 minutes. The dash portion of the mission is not required in the 5 minute time. In the event that teams again tie in the tiebreaker, the same position will be awarded to both teams.

Safety Requirements

Safety must be the number one priority of all contest participants. The Speedfest organizers have gone to great lengths to keep the event safe for participants and spectators. Please carefully note the following:

Speedfest is conducted under compliance with FAA AC 91-57. As such it is an AMA event. Contestants are expected to conduct themselves, and operate their aircraft in accordance to the AMA Safety Code. (the following link contains all AMA documents including the Safety Code: http://www.modelaircraft.org/documents.aspx)

AMA racing rules require every person beyond the spectator line (including officials), to properly wear a helmet approved by OSHA, DOT, ANSI, SNELL,NOCSAE or other recognized organization that certifies safety equipment. There is a very wide variety of helmets that meet these criteria including; skateboarding helmets, bicycle helmets, construction hard-hats, etc.

Any flight crew member handling the aircraft during a mission, or when performing engine runups, must wear official safety glasses and gloves (leather, or other types of whole-hand cut-resistant gloves are acceptable).

Flight Crew: Minimum flight crew required for Alpha Class scoring is 4 members (Pilot, Caller, and 2 Flagmen). Beyond that, the number and makeup of the flight crew is at the discretion of each team, however it may consist of a maximum of 7 team members. Functions of flight crew members may be combined if desired. All must verify current AMA membership at the event. Typical flight crew functions include:

Pilot: The person flying the aircraft. (Speedfest is not a contest appropriate for new pilots. Teams should use experienced pilots with a record of safety, or use official Speedfest pilots.)

Caller: Stands by the pilot to call turns.

Crew Flagmen: Minimum of two. Stand near turn marker judges to indicate turn line passage
Recovery: (Optional) Only flight crew and contest officials may go recover aircraft
Starter/Timer: (Optional) Teams may have a member assist with starting the engine on the runway, and runup prior to start. The person may also serve as a timer or additional flagman.

Any level of flight autonomy must be compliant with AMA rules (See http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/560.pdf)

When a team number is called for a flight, only flight crew may enter the field beyond the spectator area.

All aircraft to be flown must go through an airworthiness inspection outlined below.

For teams not familiar with AMA contest airworthiness inspections, it is recommended that an experienced RC pilot or AMA Contest Director assist the team with an airworthiness inspection prior to travelling to the Speedfest in order to reduce the chances of a delay requiring repairs or modifications.

Teams must sign an AMA Pylon racing waiver form (AMA document #320). The waiver will be provided to teams at the contest during registration. If a flight crew member is under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the waiver.

All team members, who attend the event should be AMA members. It is the opinion of the organizers that all team members, must be committed to the AMA safety code when designing, building, and flying, unmanned aircraft.

Each team must bring a small, class ABC fire extinguisher for their work area.

Engines or motors must not be started in the teams pit area. There will be designated areas for engine runup and testing.

For electric planes, the propulsion system must have an arming shunt, breaking the main connection between the batteries and the speed controller. The shunt must be easily accessible, and visible from the outside of the plane. The arming shunt will be inserted during the startup time while aircraft are on the starting line, and removed before handling the aircraft.

General Aircraft Requirements

Landing Gear
No part of the aircraft may be jettisoned or fall off, including, landing gear which must stay with the aircraft at all times. For example, no “dollies” or sleds.

Propeller
Metal propellers are prohibited. Teams must paint the tips of their propellers (at least 0.5 inches) on both sides, white, or another bright color. This is to reduce chances of injury. (Teams should balance their propellers after they are painted.)

Radio Gear:
Only 2.4 GHz spread spectrum radios will be allowed. A standard radio range check will be conducted.

Range Check and Fail-Safe:
Aircraft receivers must be programmed with a fail safe system which will cut off engine power if signal is lost or interrupted. Operation of this feature must be demonstrated. A standard range check must also be demonstrated using the procedure detailed in the transmitter manual.

Team Name Lettering
Each team will mark thier airplane with their team name. Lettering shall be clearly legible and sized at least 0.5 inches tall. Lettering shall be on the top surface of the wing. Abbreviations may be used. For example; "SHS Lancers" would be acceptable.

Preflight Airworthiness Inspection of Aircraft
During registration, all aircraft shall undergo a safety inspection. Safety inspections will be conducted using the same team queue numbers discussed above.
Safety inspectors will be simply checking the following:

Push/pull rods or cables, control horns, and servo leads shall be installed in such a way that they will not become disconnected in flight. Clevises must have a "keeper mechanism."
All screws holding the engine to the mount and the mount to the firewall shall be in place and secure.
For India class: The radio receiver and battery pack shall be surrounded by soft foam rubber or other vibration-dampening material and adequately protected against contamination by engine exhaust, raw fuel, or fuel residue.
Control surfaces shall be firm on the hinge line without excessive play.
Servos shall be mounted securely with little play.
Pushrods shall have only one threaded end that is free to turn.
Wings, if removable, shall be securely attached to the fuselage by some mechanical means such as bolts.
The aircraft shall be free of obvious indications of structural damage which may compromise safety.
Alpha aircraft must have an external arming shunt discussed in the Safety Requirements section.
Spinner or prop nut used to secure propeller.
Teams must have propeller tips painted a bright color.
Range check and fail safe check
Safety Gear Check: Flight crew must verify that each member has a helmet. Flight crew airplane handlers must also verify gloves and safety glasses. Teams must each bring their own safety gear.
Proof of prior flight. Teams must demonstrate proof of prior flight. This may be done using pictures or video evidence.

Repairs:
Any aircraft that has been damaged after a safety inspection or has a known history of problems shall not be permitted to fly until it has been satisfactorily repaired and re-inspected. Materials used for repair may come from any source.

Confirmation of class rules:
Judges will also confirm that all aircraft entered comply with the Design Constraints listed above.

Additional Information

Each team will be provided at least 3 flight attempt opportunities per class entered. The best score of all attempts will be retained.

Design objectives have been created to be as straightforward as possible to minimize the chances of ambiguity, or multiple interpretations. If however, there are questions about the contest, please email the address found below in the Entry Form Format section.

Speedfest objectives and scoring have been designed to minimize the effect of weather conditions. Expect competition to continue unless winds are above 30 mph sustained, or if there is continuous rain.

Speedfest is a competition between teams. There are no restrictions on repairs, spare parts, replacement aircraft, etc. Repaired and replacement planes must still conform to the rules for a particular class. If an aircraft is damaged to an extent that airworthiness may be questioned, and is to be re-flown, the airplane must go through the airworthiness inspection again. Also, if a replacement plane is used, it must also go through the airworthiness inspection.

Contest-Day Information

Speedfest Officials will consist of: volunteers from the aerospace industry, universities and govt., experienced contest directors and AMA representatives.

Mandatory Items to bring:

Current AMA membership cards for flight crews

Small Class ABC Fire extinguisher (Can be purchased locally if necessary)
Helmets, safety glasses, and gloves for Flight Crew listed above.

There will be limited electrical service for individual teams. A charging station will be provided where teams may connect their charging equipment.

A Rules Committee will be formed for the purpose of resolving any rules questions during the Speedfest event. The committee will consist of the contest director, a representative from one of the host industries, and 3 volunteer team advisors (familiar with the Speedfest rules) taken from the competing teams. Any controversial rules interpretations, protests, or conflicts, will be resolved by the committee by a simple majority vote.

Flight Sequence

Teams will be assigned a queue number based on the date of their official entry.

Numbers will be called in sequence from 1 to n

Only teams that are called to the flight line may pass the spectator line and enter the course. They must wear the appropriate safety gear.

Alpha Class: Each team has a 10 minute window when called to the flight line. Within that window, the team must be able to set up their plane, compete, and clear the course. Failure to leave the course in the 10 minute window will result in forfeiting the team’s time slot in the next round. Continued violation will result in losing best score.

Optional Speedfest Team Promotional Video Award

Speedfest Teams that create promotional videos have the opportunity to be recognized at the event, and to recieve awards. Videos can promote: their team, airplane, university, country, Speedfest, or any combination of these in an entertaining and informative way.

Guidelines:

Videos may be no more than 2 minutes in length total.
May not refer to specific competitors teams in a negative light.
May not contain material considered to be obscene by professional standards.
Royalty-free music is preferred so that we may post your video publicly. If your video contains copyrighted material, it must conform to "fair use" standards, and be postable on sites such as YouTube, Livestream, Facebook, etc.

Teams will link their videos to the SpeedfestUSA page no later than April 12, and the winner will be chosen by electronic voting. There are no restrictions on who may vote. Votes will be accumulated from April 12, until Speedfest contest day.

Eligibility

Speedfest Alpha Class is open to all academic institutions of any type (2-year, 4-year, trade, postgraduate, etc.)
Team members (other than pilots), must be students of the institution. Students may be any level (undergraduate, graduate, etc.)
Speedfest pilots will be available upon request.
All team members should be current AMA members. Flight crew must be AMA members.
International teams: All team members must be members of the organization equivalent to the AMA in your country. Pilots however, must have either AMA membership, or membership in an organization that has a reciprocity agreement with AMA.

Entry Form Format

For each team entered, send a separate email with the following information in the following format:

- Team Name
- Academic institution name.
- Team Contact information
- Class to be entered

In the Subject line of your email write: “Speedfest Entry Request, (Team Name), (date)”

Subject line example: Speedfest Entry Request, ZSU Zebras, 21Sept2012

Send entries to:

To keep the Speedfest manageable and enjoyable, a limited number of entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

A single institution may compete with no more than two teams.

Deadlines

Teams may enter at any time.
Rules are subject to change until September 30. After this date, rules become final.
Optional Promotional Video due no later than April 12

Contest Site

Speedfest is held at the Unmanned Aircraft Flight Station (UAFS) in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
GPS Location: lat=36.1632229 lon=-96.836514
Stillwater Oklahoma is approximately 75 miles from two major airports: Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, OK, and Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City, OK.

Airfield Directions: From all directions, the best way to get to the UAFS is to drive to the intersection of Hwy 51 (E 6th st.) and N. Clay Road (bulls-eye in map below). Then take Clay road north approximately 3.2 miles. The UAFS is just north of the intersection of N. Clay Rd. and E. Airport Rd.

Speedfest Site Diagram and Course Layout