2020 Team Selection Flyoffs and North Coast FAI World Cup

Bulletin #2 – July 1, 2019
2020 Team Selection Flyoffs and North Coast FAI World Cup

The 23rd FAI World Championships for Space Models will be held in August, 2020 in Buzau, Romania. The exact date and location will be announced in November, 2019.

The National Association of Rocketry is responsible for organizing the US Senior and Junior Teams that will compete in the 2020 World Championships. This bulletin outlines the procedures that will be used to competitively select these teams.

Basic Ground Rules

  • A competitive flyoff for team selection will be held July 28-30, 2019 in conjunction with the 2019 North Coast FAI World Cup contest and NARAM-61 in Muncie, Indiana.
  • The NAR FAI Activities Committee for this contest cycle is John Langford, Trip Barber, Chris Flanigan, Mike Nowak, and Matt Steele. This group will serve as the contest jury and oversee the selection process.
  • The team selection flyoff will be flown under the 2019 edition of the FAI Sporting Code. Rules for the competition may be found at https://www.fai.org/page/ciam-code . In cases where FAI and NAR rules conflict, the NAR Model Rocket Safety Code shall have highest precedence, followed by the FAI Sporting Code, except as modified herein or in subsequent bulletins.
  • Contest director for the flyoffs will be Matt Steele (MattMSteele@gmail.com).
  • Anyone participating in the flyoffs must also register as either a contestant or a sport flyer at NARAM-61 and must be a current member of the NAR.
    • Competitors who will not have reached the age of 19 by December 31, 2020 will compete for the Junior Team. All others will compete for the Senior Team
  • Flyoffs for the S4A, S6A, S8E/P, and S9A events will be conducted in conjunction with the flying of these same events in the North Coast Cup, an FAI World Cup contest. Flyoff participants have the option to also compete in that contest, if they have a current FAI license.
  • The US team for each event will be named as follows: All qualifiers in each event will be ranked based on flyoff performance. Slots will be offered to qualifiers in order of rank, until a three-member team has been named or until all flyers with a score equal to 50% or better of the top score have been offered a slot. Further assignments will be at the discretion of the NAR FAI Activities Committee. Flyers with scores below 50% of the top score are not guaranteed an assignment.
  • Pending availability of qualified applicants, no person will be named to the team for more than two events (not counting S2/P). Those who are ranked in the top three of more than two events based on flyoff scores must pick which two events they will compete in once the final flyoff standings are announced.
  • Junior and Senior teams will be selected for S2/P, with the understanding that this event is not guaranteed to be flown at the World Championships and. if flown, it will be an “Open International” (lower rank) of competition with cash prizes and not FAI medals. For the last four World Championships, the US has sponsored and run this event, courtesy of the approval of the host organizers. We intend to offer to do so again in 2020, but host approval is not guaranteed.
  • Registration for the flyoffs will be handled through the NARAM-61 website (https://www.nar.org/site/naram-61-rocketry-festival/registration/).
  • As a condition of application to become part of the US Team, all applicants agree to be responsible for the following costs and obligations if selected:
    • Maintaining membership in the NAR through September 2020.
    • Holding an FAI license issued through the National Aeronautic Association and holding a membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics, both by no later than March 2020, and both of which must be valid through at least September 2020.
    • Placing a non-refundable deposit of within 30 days of selection and the balance of the non-refundable team fees, as shown below:
    • Category Deposit

      (August 2019)

      Balance

      (February 2020)

      Total

      (w/o travel)

      Seniors $300 $1,200 $1,500
      Juniors $300 -0- $300
      Supporters -0- $800 $800
    • These fees cover contest entry fees, room and board at the contest, contest motors, local transportation during the contest, team shirts and team caps. Team jackets are included for competitors and are $100 extra for supporters. Travel to and from the contest site is not included and is the responsibility of the team member.
    • Regularly practice by building and flying models for their event(s) in the interim between selection and the championship. Team members may be asked to provide their team manager regular assessments of their progress.
    • Attending either a US World Cup or a separate US Team practice session (if one is held) after team selection and prior to the WSMC.
  • The costs above include a subsidy for Junior members provided by the NAR and corporate sponsors. For the past two cycles, we have provided an additional $1,000 travel subsidy to Junior competitors, paid after the competition. This amount is not guaranteed; it may be less if the Junior team is larger than ten members.
    • In return for this subsidy, Juniors agree to contribute a short first-person account of their experience for publication in Sport Rocketry. These are due within one month of the end of the World Championships.

Events

Events for the flyoffs are those currently announced for the World Championships:

  1. S1B (Altitude Models – 2.51-5.00 NS)—Juniors and Senior (see “Special Provisions”)
  2. S3A (Parachute Duration Models – 0 to 2.5 NS)—Senior and Junior
  3. S4A (Boost Glider Duration Models 0 to 2.5 NS)—Senior and Junior
  4. S5B (Scale Altitude Model 2.51-5.0 NS)—Junior
  5. S5C (Scale Altitude Model 5.01 to 10.0 NS)—Senior
  6. S6A (Streamer Duration Models – 0 to 2.5 NS)—Senior and Junior
  7. S7 (Scale)—Senior and Junior
  8. S8D (Rocket Glider Duration – 10.01 to 20.00 NS)—Junior
  9. S8E/P (Rocket Glider Duration and Precision Landing Models)—Senior
  10. S9A (Gyrocopter Duration Models – 0 to 2.5 NS)—Senior and Junior
  11. S2/P (Precision Fragile Payload)—Senior and Junior

Motors

Only motors with a current contest or safety approval from the NAR may be used in the flyoffs. Only motors with up to 30 grams of propellant per motor may be used since motors with more than 30 grams of propellant cannot be shipped internationally and will not be available at the WSMC. Those competing in the North Coast FAI World Cup may not use reloadable motors as these are not permitted under FAI rules.

Aerotech C3.4-6 motors are safety certified by the NAR (this is expected to be published shortly) and will be available for sale for use in S5C Scale Altitude. They will be available for purchase at a cost of $15 each, and pre-ordering through Matt Steele is highly recommended.

Special Provisions

  • All models shall be inspected for conformance with FAI rules prior to the start of the round. Check-in on the evening before flight is strongly preferred.
  • A third model may be used in the third round in S1B, S3A, S4A, S6A and S9A. Any flight using the third model will not be an official flight in the North Coast Cup FAI competition but will count towards team selection.
  • Altitude events (S1, S2/P, and S5) must use an Adrel ALT-BMP altimeter. You may provide your own, or there will be altimeters available for purchase for $80.
  • For Scale (S7), models will be judged for craftsmanship, but a boilerplate may be flown. S5 Scale Altitude must fly the model that is judged – no substitutions.
  • Depending on the availability of timers, we may elect to fly with one timer per model.
  • While S1A (Juniors) and S1B (Seniors) will be flown as separate power classes at the World Championships, due to limitations on the types of appropriate motors available in the US, all S1 flyoff entries for both Juniors and Seniors will be required to use A10-0T motors in the lower stage and 1/2A3-4T motors in the upper stage.
  • Pistons – per FAI rules, no pistons will be permitted in S1B and S5B/C. Fixed head pistons or floating head pistons with a tether connected to the launch pad and the piston tube will be permitted in S3A, S4A, S6A, and S9A. Note – this is the current interpretation of the rule and may change prior to the WSMC.

For More Information

Please contact Matt Steele at MattMSteele@gmail.com for if you have questions.

2020 Team Selection Flyoffs and North Coast FAI World Cup Schedule

Note: The schedule is updated. Last update July 1, 2019.

Saturday
July 27, 2019

7:00 pm – 7:30 p.m. Contestants’ Meeting Conference Room A
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Turn-in of S5 and S7 Conference Room A
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Check in for S2P, S8E/P, S8D

Conference Room A

Sunday
July 28, 2019

8:00 am –
12 Noon
Check-in for S8 E/P, S8D Field
8:00 am – 9:00 am S2P, Round 1 Field
9:00 am. – 10:00 am S2P, Round 2 Field
10:00 am – 11:00 am S2P, Round 3 Field
11:00 am – 12:00 pm Lunch Break Field
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm S8 E/P and S8D Field
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Check-in of S3A, S4A, S6A, S9A Hotel

Monday
July 29, 2019

8:00 am – 12:30 pm Check-in for S3A, S4A, S6A, S9A Field
8:00 am. – 9:30 am. S3A, Round 1 Field
9:30 am – 10:30 am S4A, Round 1 Field
10:30 am – 11:30 am S6A, Round 1 Field
11:30 am – 12:30 am S9A, Round 1 Field
12:30 am – 1:00 pm Lunch Break
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm S3A, Round 2 Field
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm S4A, Round 2 Field
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm S6A, Round 2 Field
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm S9A, Round 2 Field
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm S7 & S5 Model Display Conference Room A
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm S7 & S5 Model Pickup Conference Room A

 

Tuesday
July 30, 2019

8:00 am – 11:00 am Check-in for S3A, S4A, S6A, S9A Field
8:00 am – 9:00 am S3A, Round 3 Field
9:00 am – 10:00 am S4A, Round 3 Field
10:00 am – 11:00 am S6A, Round 3 Field
11:00 am – 12:00 Noon S9A, Round 3 Field
8:00 am – 12:00 Noon S7, Round 1 Field
12:00 Noon – 1:00 pm Lunch Break Field
1:00 pm – 4:30 pm S7, Round 2 Field
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm S5 B/C, S1B, Round 1 Field
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm S5 B/C, S1B, Round 2 Field
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm S5 B/C, S1B, Round 3 Field
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm S3A, S4A, S6A, S9A flyoffs (if needed) Field
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm Awards Field

2020 Team Selection Flyoffs and North Coast FAI World Cup—PDF File.

 


Bulletin #1 – September 2018
2020 Team Selection Flyoffs and North Coast FAI World Cup

 

The 23rd FAI World Championships for Space Models will be held in August, 2020 in Romania.  The exact date and location will be announced.

The National Association of Rocketry is responsible for organizing the US Senior and Junior Teams that will compete in the 2020 World Championships.  This bulletin outlines the procedures that will be used to competitively select these teams.

Basic Ground Rules

  • A competitive flyoff for team selection will be held July 28-30, 2019 in conjunction with the 2019 North Coast FAI World Cup contest and NARAM-61 in Muncie, Indiana.
  • The NAR FAI Activities Committee for this contest cycle is John Langford, Trip Barber, Chris Flanigan, Mike Nowak, and Matt Steele.  This group will serve as the contest jury and oversee the selection process.
  • The team selection flyoff will be flown under the 2019 edition of the FAI Sporting Code.  Rules for the competition may be found at https://www.fai.org/page/ciam-code .  The 2019 edition will be released in late December 2018.  In cases where FAI and NAR rules conflict, the NAR Model Rocket Safety Code shall have highest precedence, followed by the FAI Sporting Code, except as modified herein or in subsequent bulletins.
  • Contest director for the flyoffs will be Matt Steele (MattMSteele@gmail.com).
  • Anyone participating in the flyoffs must also register as either a contestant or a sport flyer at NARAM-61 and must be a current member of the NAR.
  • Competitors who will not have reached the age of 19 by December 31, 2020 will compete for the Junior Team.  All others will compete for the Senior Team
  • Flyoffs for the S4A, S6A, S8E/P, and S9A events will be conducted in conjunction with the flying of these same events in the North Coast Cup, an FAI World Cup contest.  Flyoff participants have the option to also compete in that contest, if they have a current FAI license.
  • The US team for each event will be named as follows: All qualifiers in each event will be ranked based on flyoff performance.  Slots will be offered to qualifiers in order of rank, until a three-member team has been named or until all flyers with a score equal to 50% or better of the top score have been offered a slot.  Further assignments will be at the discretion of the NAR FAI Activities Committee.  Flyers with scores below 50% of the top score are not guaranteed an assignment.
  • Pending availability of qualified applicants, no person will be named to the team for more than two events (not counting S2/P).  Those who are ranked in the top three of more than two events based on flyoff scores must pick which two events they will compete in once the final flyoff standings are announced.
  • Junior and Senior teams will be selected for S2/P, with the understanding that this event is not guaranteed to be flown at the World Championships and. if flown, it will be an “Open International” (lower rank) of competition with cash prizes and not FAI medals.  For the last four World Championships, the US has sponsored and run this event, courtesy of the approval of the host organizers.  We intend to offer to do so again in 2020, but host approval is not guaranteed.
  • Registration for the flyoffs will be handled through the NARAM-61 website once it opens.  There will be no fee for participation in the flyoffs, but there will be an entry fee for those who wish to compete in the North Coast FAI World Cup in connection with the flyoffs.
  • As a condition of application to become part of the US Team, all applicants agree to be responsible for the following costs and obligations if selected:
    • Maintaining membership in the NAR through September 2020.
    • Holding an FAI license issued through the National Aeronautic Association and holding a membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics, both by no later than March 2020, and both of which must be valid through at least September 2020.
    • Placing a non-refundable deposit of within 30 days of selection and the balance of the non-refundable team fees, as shown below:
Category Deposit

(August 2019)

Balance

(February 2020)

Total

(w/o travel)

Seniors $300 $1,200 $1,500
Juniors $300 -0- $300
Supporters -0- $800 $800

 

    • These fees cover contest entry fees, room and board at the contest, contest motors, local transportation during the contest, team shirts and team caps.  Team jackets are included for competitors and are $100 extra for supporters.  Travel to and from the contest site is not included and is the responsibility of the team member.
    • Regularly practice by building and flying models for their event(s) in the interim between selection and the championship.  Team members may be asked to provide their team manager regular assessments of their progress.
    • Attending either a US World Cup or a separate US Team practice session (if one is held) after team selection and prior to the WSMC.
  • The costs above include a subsidy for Junior members provided by the NAR and corporate sponsors.  For the past two cycles, we have provided an additional $1,000 travel subsidy to Junior competitors, paid after the competition.  This amount is not guaranteed; it may be less if the Junior team is larger than ten members.
    • In return for this subsidy, Juniors agree to contribute a short first-person account of their experience for publication in Sport Rocketry.  These are due within one month of the end of the World Championships.

Events

Events for the flyoffs are those currently announced for the World Championships:

  1. S1B (Altitude Models – 2.51-5.00 NS) – Juniors and Senior (see “Special Provisions”)
  2. S3A (Parachute Duration Models – 0 to 2.5 NS) – Senior and Junior
  3. S4A (Boost Glider Duration Models 0 to 2.5 NS) – Senior and Junior
  4. S5B (Scale Altitude Model 2.51-5.0 NS) – Junior
  5. S5C (Scale Altitude Model 5.01 to 10.0 NS) – Senior
  6. S6A (Streamer Duration Models – 0 to 2.5 NS) – Senior and Junior
  7. S7 (Scale) – Senior and Junior
  8. S8D (Rocket Glider Duration – 10.01 to 20.00 NS) – Junior
  9. S8E/P (Rocket Glider Duration and Precision Landing Models) – Senior
  10. S9A (Gyrocopter Duration Models – 0 to 2.5 NS) – Senior and Junior
  11. S2/P (Precision Fragile Payload) – Senior and Junior

Motors

Only motors with a current contest or safety approval from the NAR may be used in the flyoffs.  Only motors with up to 30 grams of propellant per motor may be used since motors with more than 30 grams of propellant cannot be shipped internationally and will not be available at the WSMC.  Those competing in the North Coast FAI World Cup may not use reloadable motors as these are not permitted under FAI rules.

Special Provisions

  • All models shall be inspected for conformance with FAI rules prior to the start of the round.  Check-in on the evening before flight is strongly preferred.
  • A third model may be used in the third round in S3A, S4A, S6A and S9A. Any flight using the third model will not be an official flight in the North Coast Cup FAI competition but will count towards team selection.
  • Altimeters allowed:
    • Altitude events (S1, S2/P, and S5) must use an Adrel ALT-BMP altimeter.  You may provide your own, or there will be altimeters available for free rental with a $60 deposit refundable on return.
  • For Scale (S7), models will be judged for craftsmanship, but a boilerplate may be flown.  S5 Scale Altitude must fly the model that is judged – no substitutions.
  • Depending on the availability of timers, we may elect to fly with one timer per model.
  • While S1A (Juniors) and S1B (Seniors) will be flown as separate power classes at the World Championships, due to limitations on the types of appropriate motors available in the US, all S1 flyoff entries for both Juniors and Seniors will be required to use A10-0T motors in the lower stage and 1/2A3-4T motors in the upper stage. 

For More Information

Please contact Matt Steele at MattMSteele@gmail.com for questions .

 

 

 

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