Post by League Commissioner on Mar 23, 2013 15:33:31 GMT -5
The League Racing Rules on the BPRL website have been modified to include the decision to impose handicaps on aircraft.
The adjusted rules are as follows:
Scoring
Each monthly race course will be a timed event, using the FS-Duenna client's "baton flight time" as the official leg completion time. Leg completion times will be adjusted according to an aircraft's handicap, and will be scored as "Race Time". Certain time penalties may be imposed for violating course restrictions or crashing the plane. Each leg's calculated "Race Time", adjusted for penalties or bonuses, will be added up to determine the overall "Course Completion Time". The pilot with the lowest "Course Completion Time" will be declared the course winner, and all other finishing pilots will be ranked from 2nd place onward. (see "Aircraft Handicaps" below for an explanation of "Race Time)
Points are awarded to all pilots when the monthly course window is closed (midnight UTC on the last day of the month). The winner will receive 10 points; second place 8 points; third place 6 points; fourth place 5 points; fifth place 4 points; sixth place 3 points; seventh place 2 points; and all other finishers will receive 1 point.
At the end of the racing season, all pilots' points will be added up. The pilot with the most points will be declared the season champion.
Aircraft Handicaps
To ensure that any BPRL-approved aircraft is competitive, each aircraft is "handicapped" by it's maximum cruise speed. This ensures that each pilot is scored according to his piloting ability, navigation, and environment, and not aircraft speed. A slow J-3 Cub flown more proficiently than a high-speed Cessna 185 will earn more racing points, despite the C185 finishing must faster (overall time) than the Cub.
A quick summary of the "Race Time" formula can be defined as follows: The theoretical fastest possible flight time minus the actual flight time = "Race Time".
Here is a more in-depth look at the handicap system "Race Time" calculation. First, each Aircraft ID is assigned a "Maximum Cruise Speed" (Vno). This is the speed at which the aircraft would fly at full throttle at 2000 feet in International Standard Atmospheric conditions with no wind. Next, the known minimum flight distance (MFD) between leg checkpoints is determined. A "reference cruise time" (RCT) is the calculation of MFD divided by Vno (MDF/Vno). A pilot's "Race Time" is the calculation of RCT minus actual flight time.
If a pilot were to achieve level flight at Vno in ISA conditions on a direct heading between the starting airport and the finishing airport; fly on this heading toward the starting airport; start the stopwatch while overflying the starting airport; fly on autopilot for a perfect straight and level flight to the finishing airport; and stop the stopwatch while overflying the finihsing airport... the pilot would have achieved a "perfect score" of 00:00 "Race Time". However, this "perfect score" is not possible under racing conditions. First, the pilot will have atmospheric conditions to deal with (lower/higher pressure settings, wind, etc.). Second, "normal" flight operations (take off, climb, slowing down for landing, etc.) must be conducted. These two factors combine to ensure that all pilots will have a "Race Time" value on any given leg. The pilot who is most efficient at operating his aircraft and navigating the race course will have the advantage over a less-skilled pilot, without requiring the fastest possible plane.
This handicapping system ensures that all pilots can fly their favorite aircraft, or even different aircraft, throughout the season, and remain competitive, even if their chosen aircraft is not the fastest plane in the hangar.
The adjusted rules are as follows:
Scoring
Each monthly race course will be a timed event, using the FS-Duenna client's "
Points are awarded to all pilots when the monthly course window is closed (midnight UTC on the last day of the month). The winner will receive 10 points; second place 8 points; third place 6 points; fourth place 5 points; fifth place 4 points; sixth place 3 points; seventh place 2 points; and all other finishers will receive 1 point.
At the end of the racing season, all pilots' points will be added up. The pilot with the most points will be declared the season champion.
Aircraft Handicaps
To ensure that any BPRL-approved aircraft is competitive, each aircraft is "handicapped" by it's maximum cruise speed. This ensures that each pilot is scored according to his piloting ability, navigation, and environment, and not aircraft speed. A slow J-3 Cub flown more proficiently than a high-speed Cessna 185 will earn more racing points, despite the C185 finishing must faster (overall time) than the Cub.
A quick summary of the "Race Time" formula can be defined as follows: The theoretical fastest possible flight time minus the actual flight time = "Race Time".
Here is a more in-depth look at the handicap system "Race Time" calculation. First, each Aircraft ID is assigned a "Maximum Cruise Speed" (Vno). This is the speed at which the aircraft would fly at full throttle at 2000 feet in International Standard Atmospheric conditions with no wind. Next, the known minimum flight distance (MFD) between leg checkpoints is determined. A "reference cruise time" (RCT) is the calculation of MFD divided by Vno (MDF/Vno). A pilot's "Race Time" is the calculation of RCT minus actual flight time.
If a pilot were to achieve level flight at Vno in ISA conditions on a direct heading between the starting airport and the finishing airport; fly on this heading toward the starting airport; start the stopwatch while overflying the starting airport; fly on autopilot for a perfect straight and level flight to the finishing airport; and stop the stopwatch while overflying the finihsing airport... the pilot would have achieved a "perfect score" of 00:00 "Race Time". However, this "perfect score" is not possible under racing conditions. First, the pilot will have atmospheric conditions to deal with (lower/higher pressure settings, wind, etc.). Second, "normal" flight operations (take off, climb, slowing down for landing, etc.) must be conducted. These two factors combine to ensure that all pilots will have a "Race Time" value on any given leg. The pilot who is most efficient at operating his aircraft and navigating the race course will have the advantage over a less-skilled pilot, without requiring the fastest possible plane.
This handicapping system ensures that all pilots can fly their favorite aircraft, or even different aircraft, throughout the season, and remain competitive, even if their chosen aircraft is not the fastest plane in the hangar.