SSA Contest Rules and Waiver for Nationals Now Posted

US Racing Pilots

2020 Rules are now posted on the SSA website and can be found he

https://www.ssa.org/ContestRules

For pilots flying in FAI-class Nationals (that is all Nationals except Sports Class), please read the waiver found on the same page that describes which FAI paragraphs for tasking and scoring will be used this year at Nationals only. Links to the relevant FAI documents are also posted. Note that for Club Class Nationals we will be using the US Handicap list so please plan accordingly.

The Rules Committee encourages all US racing pilots to familiarize themselves with these important changes to minimize the potential for confusion and disappointment.

For the Rules Committee,

Andy Blackburn
9B

Andy,

I'm not trying to instigate (really), this is just an honest noob question. In the rules I see a restriction on using any software that has an attitude indicator (or similar) in it.

Is it really that much of an advantage? I don't know nearly enough at this point to have an opinion one way or the other. I don't compete either so it's not going to influence my decision making in the near future. Maybe not ever.

I read some comments from Max Kellerman (who's programming I truly admire) on the topic but never got a real feel for why this is viewed as almost blasphemous.

Thanks for any insights. It seems like a safety advantage to me, but what do I know?

Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

On 2/29/2020 9:32 PM, Tim Taylor wrote:
This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.
.... And illegal in the US.
--
Dan, 5J

Tim,

Thanks for the explanation.

On Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8:32:18 PM UTC-8, Tim Taylor wrote:
Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

Every state of the art Vario, Flight computer & Cell phone has this option. Will he CD be checking all contestants instruments and phone? It may be time to get rid of this rule.

Richard,

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 10:14:00 AM UTC+13, Richard Pfiffner wrote:
On Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8:32:18 PM UTC-8, Tim Taylor wrote:
Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

Every state of the art Vario, Flight computer & Cell phone has this option. Will he CD be checking all contestants instruments and phone? It may be time to get rid of this rule.

Richard,

LX9000's and Air Avionics devices both log the deactivation of AH in the IGC file. Cell phone AHRS's are not practical for flight, try it for yourself - it doesn't really work, they rapidly get confused.

On Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 2:07:55 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 10:14:00 AM UTC+13, Richard Pfiffner wrote:
On Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8:32:18 PM UTC-8, Tim Taylor wrote:
Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

Every state of the art Vario, Flight computer & Cell phone has this option. Will he CD be checking all contestants instruments and phone? It may be time to get rid of this rule.

Richard,

LX9000's and Air Avionics devices both log the deactivation of AH in the IGC file. Cell phone AHRS's are not practical for flight, try it for yourself - it doesn't really work, they rapidly get confused.

So which IGC files must you use in the contest. I have a S80, Air-Avionice and a NANO. Two can have AHRS. I chose to submit the NANO. How will you control this and make sure contestants do not use the AHRS. Again time to change the rules.

Richard

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 1:19:05 PM UTC+13, Richard Pfiffner wrote:
On Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 2:07:55 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 10:14:00 AM UTC+13, Richard Pfiffner wrote:
On Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 8:32:18 PM UTC-8, Tim Taylor wrote:
Shaun,

The reason for the restrictions is having an artificial horizon would provide the potential for pilots to fly into clouds. This is both unsafe and unfair in contests.

Every state of the art Vario, Flight computer & Cell phone has this option. Will he CD be checking all contestants instruments and phone? It may be time to get rid of this rule.

Richard,

LX9000's and Air Avionics devices both log the deactivation of AH in the IGC file. Cell phone AHRS's are not practical for flight, try it for yourself - it doesn't really work, they rapidly get confused.

So which IGC files must you use in the contest. I have a S80, Air-Avionice and a NANO. Two can have AHRS. I chose to submit the NANO. How will you control this and make sure contestants do not use the AHRS. Again time to change the rules.

Richard

The onus is on you (the contestant) to prove that you did not use it, a process is typically specified in the local rules, i.e. from the most recent JWGC, where penalties were applied to a pilot due to cloud flying(!):
AHRS compatible IGC FRs are allowed if the AHRS is turned off for the competition period,
and this is logged to the IGC file. e AHRS compatible device must be the primary FR. In case
the FR does not support disabling AHRS than it must be removed. e Organizers shall be
informed of any change of equipment including the designation of the primary Flight Recorder
(in case it is an AHRS compatible IGC FR). All AHRS compatible FR’s files must be handed
over on all competition and training days.

A couple of years ago, I found an app for my phone that "simulated" a Heads Up Display (HUD). It showed all the neat stuff you would see in a real HUD- altitude tape, heading, speed tape and attitude. Cool! Or so I thought. Just for jollies, I tried it during a soaring flight. It turned out that the data provided from the phone's accelerometers assumed you were sitting on the ground, with a gravity vector directed downward. In the air, a coordinated turn tilted the attitude line to the apparent gravity vector, i.e. 45 degrees off while in a 45 degree bank.

A real AHRS uses more sophisticated sensors to give an accurate horizon. I doubt there are phone apps that can do the same. I could be wrong, but from what I've seen so far, AHRS phone apps are amusing toys, and nothing I would rely on in flight. If you know of an app that is better, let us know. Not that I would use it in IMC flight, but cool apps are, well....COOL!