Events

The Thermal Soaring State Championships had to be cancelled once due to heavy rain soaking the field just ahead of the event.

The Championships were cancelled again due to persistent low cloud at Ballarat (but a sociable BBQ was some compensation).

This event will now count as the State Championships.

There is growing interest in the concept of having electric launch models included in these competitions.

So for those considering this option, here is a brief outline of the task.

You have a 12 minute window in which to

 - climb to a height not exceeding 200 metres (with motor run limited to 30 seconds), then

 - fly for 10 minutes from the time of motor shut down to the time the model first contacts the ground, and

 - come to rest so that the nose of the model is as close as possible to your designated spot.

One point is awarded for each second of flight time (max 600) and for the precision of the landing (max 100).

Pilots fly in groups. The highest scoring pilot in the group is awarded 1000 'normalised' points and the other

pilots a lesser score according to their total points score.

A vote before the competition starts will decide whether pilots flying these models will be eligible to become the State Champion.

Entry fee is $5.