RC Pylon Racing at Sanderson Field - Excitement From the Flight Line

The Sanderson Field RC Fliers (SFRCF) hosts several sanctioned Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) pylon competitions each year. The competitions are sponsored and organized by the Pylon Racers of Puget Sound (PROPS). The events are held at Sanderson Field in Shelton, Washington, the SFRCF home field. Several members of SFRCF are dedicated RC pylon racers and are also members of PROPS.

THE PILOTS

Tom Strom Sr., Tom Strom Jr., Tom Graves, Edward Graves, Eric Ide, and Dan Nalley are regular participants at the Sanderson Field competitions and are all SFRCF members. They are also members of PROPS and some often serve as contest director (CD) or equipment coordinator.

Tom Strom Sr. and Jr. regularly serve as "caller" for each other during the competitions. Tom Sr. is a long time pylon racer and set the national Q-40 speed record of 57.83 sec on 8/5/2007--and did it at Sanderson Field. His "caller" at that time was Tom Jr. He flew a Nelson LS powered Polecat for the record. Tom Sr. continues to be an inspiration and mentor for pylon racers of all experience levels and also continues to be a fierce competitor. As pilots, both Sr. and Jr. are often among the winners at the end of the competitions.

Tom and Edward Graves fulfilled a pylon racer's dream by competing in their first NATS competition for the 428 Q-500 event in July. Prepping and testing their planes and then packing and shipping them was done just before flying to the competition. Insuring that their equipment arrived safely was quite a challenge. Although they didn't bring home a trophy, they both felt like winners after the great experience of participating in the competition. Tom and "Eddie" are a father and son team and each serves as the "caller" for the other during competitions.

Eric Ide and Dan Nalley are also serious competitors at the Sanderson Field events and are often among the winners for the events they enter. As do many pilots, Eric also served as a caller at a recent event.

THE PLANES

Specifications for planes flown at AMA sanctioned pylon events are detailed in the AMA competition regulations. The regulations discuss everything from the spinner to the tail. Design specifications in the regulations for each class of competition include those for the wing, fuselage, power plant, landing gear, propeller, construction materials, and many other parts of the plane.

There are three AMA classes (Events) that are flown at Sanderson Field, as follows:

Event 422: Quarter 40 (Q-40),
Event 424: Sport Quickie, and
Event 428: Quickie 500 (Q-500).

The Sport Quickie (424) is the entry level event and the planes are the slowest of the three, reaching about 110 mph around the course. Their specification insures that the cost for the plane and engine will be low. The planes are readily available commercially. Wings and tails must be constructed of either all wood or wood sheeting over a solid foam core. An example of a commercially available Sport Quickie is the Great Planes Viper 500.

The Quickie 500 (428) is the next step to high performance RC pylon racing. The "500" refers to the minimum wing area for the class of 500 square inches. Unlike the Sport Quickie, wings and tails manufactured in molds designed to produce hollow core structures can be used. With the engines permitted for this class, the planes can reach speeds around 170mph.

The Quarter 40 (422) is the fastest of the classes. These are the planes that reach the 180-200mph top speeds. Q-40 planes are often all composite and "painted in the mold" resulting in beautiful, sleek--and fast--racers. As specified in the regulations, the planes in this class must also resemble real airplanes:

"Models entered in this event shall be recognizable replicas of full-scale, human-carrying, propeller-driven aircraft that either raced in or were built for closed-course or cross-country racing or a speed record attempt."

THE RACE COURSE

The race course is defined by three pylons that create a triangular course. Ten laps around the course equals 2.5 miles. The actual distance flown is longer, as Tom Strom Sr. points out:

"... a pilot needs to deviate course for many reasons. Held up by lap traffic, have to fly around and pass traffic, changes in altitude, wider lines around the course for any reason. I think it would be safe to say the average aircraft flies between 3 to 3.5 actual miles, but the course is a 2.5 mile course."

Pilots fly their aircraft around the course in a counterclockwise direction. The course length is selected to result in 10-lap times between one minute (fast pace) and two minutes (slow pace for beginners). For the quickest aircraft, the speed around the course is typically between 180-200mph.

THE PREPARATION

Preparing for a pylon race actually begins before arriving at the field. For Example, Tom and Edward Graves spent many hours testing their Q-500 aircraft at Sanderson Field before flying off to the NATS--and this does not count the hours of building time. Although Tom and Edward purchase pre-built wings for their Q-500 aircraft, they use their own design for the fuselage. Like other pylon pilots, Tom and Edward pay close attention to every detail of the aircraft in order to increase reliability, reduce drag, and increase performance--before the race begins.

The day before a scheduled competition at Sanderson Field, the PROPS organizers are on site setting up the course. At this time, the field is open for practice flights. Sometimes, before the races actually start in the morning, time is also scheduled for practice flights.

Pilots prepare their aircraft with meticulous attention to detail. The difference between first place and last place is often so close that every aspect of the aircraft's readiness is important. As an example, glow plug elements are frequently checked for color, an indication of the right carburetor adjustment. It is very disappointing to be on the flight line, with the clock counting, and not be able to establish flight control or start an engine before the start-flag drops--and this does happen!

Before the ride to the flight line, pilots check the "heat matrix" for their races, fuel their aircraft, and apply identifying decals to their aircraft that correspond to the starting lanes on the flight line. A heat matrix used for the Sanderson Field competitions also shows which drop of the flag launches which lanes. The aircraft launches are staggered slightly to prevent congestion at the starting line on takeoff.

For safety, hard hats are required for everyone on the flight line and also for judges and other course workers. After putting on hard hats, pilots board a trailer for the ride to the flight line.

THE FLIGHT LINE

As new pilots and their callers arrive and ready themselves for a new heat, others begin the ride back to the campsite. For safety purposes, everyone who is not on the flight line must be a minimum of 300 feet from the race course, as defined by the three pylons. At Sanderson Field, the campground is further away and the participants are shuttled to and from the flight line.

Among the many responsibilities of the starter is to have pilots perform a control check to insure that the RC system is functioning properly: the transmitter and receiver for each aircraft must be functioning correctly.

When the pilots/callers are ready, the starter starts the 60-second clock. After the clock starts, and because pilots do not want to start their engines too soon, they watch the clock closely until, in their experience, it's the right time to do so.

Pilots have 60 seconds to start their engines and signal their readiness to control the aircraft to the starter. After the engine has been started, the pilot typically moves away from the start line (towards pylon 2 and 3) and prepares to control the aircraft.

After the starter "drops the flag," the caller launches the aircraft and races to the side of the pilot. With the first drop of the flag in a three pilot heat, the two outside lanes launch; the middle lane launches with the second flag.

While the pilot controls the aircraft, the caller "calls" to the pilot when it's time to make a turn. Course judges watch the race carefully to make sure the planes round the pylons on the outside and do not turn a corner by cutting inside the pylon. A "cut" results in an extra lap; two "cuts" and the pilot is out of the race. Other course workers keep track of each lap completed by every aircraft and their time around the course.

As each aircraft completes the last lap, the starter drops his flag to indicate this to the pilot. When all of the planes have completed their last lap, the starter records the heat results. As specified in the regulations, the pilots will later receive points for the heat as follows:

"After each heat, points shall be awarded based on the order of finish. If the matrix is set up for four-plane heats, the result is four (4) points for first place, three (3) points for second place, two (2) points for third place, and one (1) point for last place. If the matrix is set up for three-plane heats, the winner receives three (3) points, second place two (2), and last place one (1) point. If the matrix is set up for two-plane heats, the winner receives two (2) points and the loser receives one (1). Zero points are awarded for a no-start (DNS), failure to complete the heat (DNF), double cut (XX), or black flag (DQ)."

When the pilots arrive back at the campground/pit area, the heat winner must weigh his/her aircraft to insure that it is at or above the minimum allowable weight, as specified in the regulations.

After the last heat of the last day, it's time for the awards ceremony. It's also time for the course-workers' prize drawing.

CREDITS

It takes the dedicated effort of many course workers, organizers, and other supporters to put on a pylon event. Although they are not listed in this article, they should all know that their efforts are always greatly appreciated. Having volunteers for the course work frees the pilots and callers to concentrate on preparing and flying the aircraft.

Special thanks to Patt and Dan Nalley for reviewing the article and offering their comments and suggestions.

REFERENCES

Model Aviation

"Racing is addictive, and that's a good thing"

by Scott Causey

April 2009

Page 130

Model Aviation

"The call to racing"

by Scott Causey

June 2009

Page 135

Copyright © 2009 Royce Tivel at Select Digitals

RC Pylon Racing at Sanderson Field - Excitement From the Flight Line, September 18, 2009

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My Golden Rules Of Betting For National Hunt Horse Racing

How do you avoid doing your money when betting on National Hunt horse racing? By definition jumps racing brings with it additional risk every time your horse leaves the ground. Making a profit from punting over the sticks is treacherous enough without falling for the bookmakers' seductive bets which often leave the unwary punters pot-less.

So to help you swerve those rushes of blood to the head I have devised a set of National Hunt punting rules. Sticking to these rules may mean you miss a few winners throughout the season, and although you may not win a fortune by following them, they will probably stop you from losing one. We'll leave that to the less-savvy punters shall we?

If you have a passion for horse racing, then for pure exhilaration there can be nothing quite as spectacular as seeing thirty or forty horses thunder off across the Melling Road at the start of the Grand National. Or perhaps you marvel at the athletic prowess of the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup as they stretch clear of the field up the hill towards the finish line at Prestbury Park?

Traditionally the National Hunt jumps racing season would start around early November and carry on throughout the winter months. The climax of the season is still the Cheltenham Festival in March, with the Grand National in April at Aintree.

Today you will find national hunt meetings pretty much all year round, and although the summer meetings are thinner on the ground and lower key, there still exists the opportunity to profit from horses racing over obstacles.

Here are my Golden Rules for betting on National Hunt horse racing:

Rule #1

When the rains come in the deep mid-winter, and the going turns proper heavy, look out for horses who have already demonstrated form in these kind of conditions. In reality, not many horses actually enjoy galloping through mud. If you can uncover a horse which relishes testing ground - even if the price suggests they are something of an outsider, and with recent form figures reading like a row of duck eggs - you may well be sitting on a good value bet.

Rule #2

This rule is about horses who are taking a step up to race in a better class of race and at one of the more imposing tracks. Where you have a number of steeplechasers, who are already performing well in quality races at the top tracks, it is easy to over-estimate the chances of a 'live' outsider who jumps well and won last time out, albeit in a lower grade race at a provincial track. In these situations, it is often better to lump on the fancied horses along with everyone else. Admittedly this will often result in poor value prices at the top of the market, and the profitable move may well be to keep your money safe, and sit these races out.

Rule #3

As an addendum to the last Rule, this one is so simple, but none-the-less true. When you are trying to pick winners at Cheltenham, and especially at the festival in March, it pays dividends to give extra merit to those runners who have already shown winning form around this unique race-course. If a horse has managed to win here, they should be credited with a real chance to triumph again.

Rule #4

A long-standing myth that two-and-a-half-mile chasers possess the best characteristics to win the Grand National is utter rubbish. Why? Well, for starters the Grand National is staged over more than FOUR miles. Find a horse who can stay forever, and who jumps for fun, and you will have a horse capable of winning the greatest steeple-chase in the world.

Rule #5

Let's imagine you have narrowed down your selections in a jumps race to just two horses. One is piloted by a top-20 jumps jockey, and the other is ridden by a less-able jockey who gets to claim a weight allowance over his rivals. In this situation my advice would be to choose the professional every time. In Flat races, a weight advantage of a few pounds can make all the difference, and trainers will often make clever use of talented apprentice riders to gain a competitive edge. Over the sticks however, it will often pay to side with the proven skills of the experienced horseman, even if it means sacrificing a little weight to your rivals. After all, they are a winning jockey for a reason.

Rule #6

A horse who turns in a fine performance at a flat, easy or 'fast' track may not necessarily produce the same performance at a more testing race-course. To me this seems one of the most obvious statements when studying National Hunt form, but it is one that punters ignore time and again, getting their fingers burnt in the process. If a horse has jotted up an impressive sequence of wins at easy tracks such as Musselburgh, Fakenham, Hereford, Taunton, Southwell, and Aintree's Mildmay course, they should not necessarily be considered a 'steering job' when they contest a race at a course with a more testing profile. Of particular note should be courses with an uphill finish such as Cheltenham, Sandown Park, Hexham, Carlisle, and the daddy of finishes at Towcester.

Rule #7

There exists an old maxim which says "never bet odds-on in a novice chase". This rule needs modifying slightly. If such a short price is based solely upon a horse's hurdling form, then in the long-run you would be wise to steer clear. When a horse is tackling the bigger obstacles in public for the first time, it is not the time to lump on with all your 'hard-earned' without the prospect of at least doubling your money. However, if the horse has already shown some decent ability over fences (boasting a win or perhaps finishing close up in a previous novice chase) then its chances of winning as an odds-on shot are probably no better or worse than in any other kind of race.

Rule #8

One of the biggest betting minefields in jumps racing is when top-flight horses are on the comeback trail after injury. This is precisely when to treat horses with caution, but all too often punters will jump right in and throw this caution, and their money, to the wind. It is very difficult for a trainer to bring a top horse back into a high-grade contest at the same level of form as before the horse suffered an injury. Yet just because a horse is seen once again on a race-track, many punters will expect to see this kind of form repeated first time out. Bookmakers will take advantage of this high-expectation and keep prices short - based purely upon the animal's reputation and historic form. But the low prices are not a true reflection of the horse's actual chance of winning on the day. In these instances it may well be more prudent to watch and learn, to gauge the horse's level of fitness. Alternatively, the shrewd punter will take advantage of punters plunging on the false favourite, and seek value in one of the other runners.

Rule #9

During the course of the jumps season there are several two mile handicap hurdles with bountiful pots of prize money. Finding the winner in these races is incredibly difficult, as they tend to be over-subscribed and doggedly competitive down to the money and prestige on offer. Similar to the big-field summer handicaps on the Flat, it seems horses often land these races in turn. Consequently, the cautious punter will reduce his stakes on these races to a minimum. A more fruitful avenue to take would be to concentrate upon the longer handicap hurdle races run over three miles plus. These stamina-sapping contests are more likely to be won by distance specialists who have already proved they can stay the longer trip. Winning stayers have a habit of cropping up in these distance handicaps time and again.

Rule #10

Finally, the clue is in the name, and this sport of kings is called jumps racing. If you can spot the true equine athletes who bend their back and jump seemingly for fun, tackling obstacles with relish, then you will unearth a plentiful seam of winners over time. Equally, beware of the self-styled 'experts' who declare "he may not be a fluent hurdler now, but he is shaping to be a fine chaser in the future". In reality, the chances are he will be just as poor, if not worse, over the larger, less forgiving fences.

I hope that by following some or all of these rules, you can begin to think a little more outside the box, distance yourself from the madding crowd, and take some money back off those bookies during the otherwise gloomy winter months.

Author: Max Redd http://www.reddracing.co.uk

Max Redd has been making a living betting on horse racing for over 10 years. He runs the Redd Racing betting advisory service which offers members a FREE trial and a 60-day money-back profit guarantee. Find out more at http://www.reddracing.co.uk