April 25-27,  2014

Hosted By:

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



INDIA 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.

India Class News and Answers to Questions
Suggestions for India Class Teams and Teachers

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



Mission Requirements





Design Constraints


Flight Procedures and Scoring





Score:

Scoring is based on distance traveled (laps) within two minutes, on a course with 2 turn markers spaced 600ft. apart.  One point is awarded for each turn line reached (including the first).


Awards:

The Speedfest organizers will present 9 India Class awards in the following 7 categories.  Criteria shown in parentheses:

Tiebreakers: 




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:
Pilots

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 (approximately 0.5 inches) on both sides, white.  This is to reduce chances of injury. (Teams should balance their propellers after they are painted.)

Engine Mounting
The engine should be securely attached to the mount, and the mount to the airframe.  Due to vibration, mounting bolts must use nylock nuts, or blue Loctite.

Radio Gear:
Only 2.4 GHz spread spectrum radios will be allowed.  A standard radio range check should be conducted at the Speedfest airfield by the mentor or teacher, who will then verify pass, to the technical inspection judges.  The receiver battery must be a 4-cell (4.8v) NiCD or NiMH pack and have an external switch.  There must also be a simple means for displaying voltage to the judges.  At a minimum, teams may have an external connector to check voltage with an expanded scale voltmeter. Any brand of voltmeter is allowed as long as it is a load test type.  Alternatively, teams are encouraged to use a voltage monitor (example) mounted permanently to the exterior of the airplane.  

Team Numbering
Each team will mark their airplane with their team number which will be assigned by the Speedfest organizers.  Each airplane must be numbered on the port wing (left side as viewed from sitting in the cockpit) top AND bottom of the wing.  Numbers must be 10 inches tall, and at least 1 inch thick.  The bottom of the number should face the wingtip so that the judges can easily read the team number during turns.  Teams may choose the number colors, but the color chosen should be the highest contrast possible with the background color of the wing so that it is easy to see from a distance.  Teams should take care to choose fonts, or number styles so that it is difficult to mistake a number when it is upside down (such as 6 and 9) or from other numbers (1 and 7, 4 and 9).   The picture below illustrates a properly numbered airplane:



Preflight Airworthiness Inspection of Aircraft
Prior to competition, all aircraft shall undergo a safety inspection.  Safety inspections will be conducted on a first come, first served basis. Teams are encouraged to go through safety inspections on the Friday afternoon of Speedfest so as to not miss any flight opportunities.

The overall quality of construction must be considered safe and airworthy. Safety inspectors will be checking the following:

  1. Push/pull rods or cables and control horns, shall be installed in such a way that they will not become disconnected in flight. Clevises must have a "keeper mechanism." Adjustable control linkages that use set screws or friction are NOT acceptable.  
  2. Pushrods shall have only one threaded end that is free to turn. 
  3. Control surfaces shall be firm on the hinge line without excessive play.
  4. Servos shall be mounted securely with little play.
  5. Any servo extensions used must have connections secured with a servo lead lock
  6. All screws holding the engine to the mount and the mount to the firewall shall be in place and secure using nyloc nuts or Loctite.
  7. Spinner or prop nut used to secure propeller.
  8. Prop tips painted white last 0.5 inches of span.
  9. The radio receiver and battery pack shall be secure, and surrounded by soft foam rubber or other vibration-dampening material and adequately protected against contamination by engine exhaust, raw fuel, or fuel residue.
  10. Receiver battery check: 4-cell NiCD or NiMH, external switch, team must display voltage check to judges.
  11. Wings, if removable, shall be securely attached to the fuselage by some mechanical means such as bolts.
  12. The aircraft shall be free of structural damage which may compromise safety.
  13. Range check verification with mentor or teacher
  14. 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.  This will include inspection and measurements of the airframe and engine for compliance.




Contest-Day Information
Registration
During the designated time on the day of the event, flight crews must register.  Speedfest officials will then provide each with a flight line pass.  Registration consists of the following:
Flight Sequence

Speedfest Team Promotional Video Award

All India class teams are required to create a Team Promotional Video.   Videos can promote: their team, airplane, school, Speedfest, or any combination of these in an entertaining and informative way.  The videos can be as simple as an introduction to the team taken with a smart phone camera, to as complicated as a fully edited promotional music video.

Guidelines:
Teams will send the link to their videos to SpeedfestAero email address no later than April 20, and the winner will be chosen by electronic voting.  There are no restrictions on who may vote.  Votes will be accumulated from April 20, until Speedfest contest day.  Teams who do not submit a video by the deadline, will not be eligible to compete in Speedfest.



Eligibility



Entry Form Format

The team advisor (not the mentor) shall send an email with all of the following information, in the following format, for each team entered:

-  Academic institution name
-  Team Name
-  Class to be entered
-  Team Advisor name
-  Team Advisor email
-  Team Mentor name
-  Team Mentor email

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

Subject line example:  India Class Speedfest Entry Request, SHS Lancers, 21Sept2012


Send entries to:  

                           


Deadlines



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










India Class News and Answers to Questions

News



Answers to Questions