RC Pylon Racing: Turn Left - and Fly Fast! Recently, I attended a race pylon radio-controlled model aircraft. I was not prepared for the excitement of the event. During and after the event, I wanted to learn more about RC pylon racing. I talked with pilots, callers and workers, of course. To learn more, I decided to dig into the Academy of aircraft type (WADA) rules and regulations for pylon racing.
A pylon race is defined by three pylons. Each pylon is 15-20 feet high. Pylon-1 is positioned at one end of this course near a board signal. The start / finish is positioned 508 feet of tower No. 1 at the center of the course and 100 feet from a line connecting pylons # 2 and # 3. Pylons # 2 and # 3 were separated by 100 feet and formed the end of a triangular course.
Ten laps on the course is equal to 2.5 miles. The actual distance traveled on the course probably varies between about 3 to 3.5 miles. This is because the aircraft fly in loops around the pylons, have to steal and pass traffic, and change altitude for one reason or another. The pilots fly their aircraft near the course in a counterclockwise direction, making sharp, left turn only.
The course length was chosen for terms of 10-laps between one minute (fast pace) and two minutes (slow pace for beginners). For the fastest airplane, the speed on the course is usually between 180-200 mph.
The board signal is equipped with red lights to signal when a pilot's plane "breaks the door." The "door" is a line of a pole-position to the flagging "no less than 300 meters. As a plane passes this line, a signaller active channels allocated for a pilot light. A pilot seeing his signal knew he could make his turn at pylon-1 without "cutting." There are also two white lights on the card for each four lanes. They are used to indicate a "cut" (a tower within a tower). The lights cutting are controlled by the flaggers.
The start and finish of the race has four lanes: a maximum of four pilots may participate in both. The lanes are designated according to the place where, on an aircraft, an identifying red or green sticker is applied.
If you see an aircraft in front of you at a high left bank near you and around a pylon and a wing tip will be higher than the other. Aircraft in lane 1 or 2, have a sticker on the bottom of the wing aircraft Lane 3 or 4 have a sticker on the top of the wing.
Pilots apply a decal according to their assigned routes starting position for warmth as follows:
Lane 1, green sticker on the lower end of the wing,
Lane-2, red stickers on the lower end of the wing,
Lane-3, green sticker on the upper end of the wing, and
Lane-4, red sticker on the high end of the wing
A color matching system is used to indicate the means of the map signal.
Judges also use the stickers to identify each device. For example, a "Cut Judge" may signal a cut like that, "Cut the red high."
Before the races begin, the pilots perform last minute checks on their aircraft, fuel, and apply the sticker color.
The Competition Director (CD) conducts short briefings for court workers and drivers. The course workers include cut judges, fueling supervisor, flaggers, timers and lap counters.
After the meetings, the workers occupy their positions during the course and the pilots of the first round are pushed to the line of departure / arrival.
Everyone on the course is required to wear a helmet. In addition, safety, all stations workers are of course a minimum of 300 feet of the race.
When drivers are placed at the start / finish, a 60-second timer is started. The drivers have one minute to start their engines and prepare for takeoff.
Posted on June 7, 2010.
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