Turn Area Task problems

Just wanted to give a heads up on a couple of problems that have been encountered on Turn Area Tasks in actual practice. Before I get to the problems, I just want to say that I think the TATs are a great idea and enjoy flying them.

Now to the problems:

1. Turn area tasks that include restricted airspace. Computers and PDAs are great but contest directors and pilots still need to look at a current sectional chart before setting a task or flying. Unless one has current special use airspace on the computer map or cockpit PDA, it is important to look at a sectional chart to be sure that the TAT doesn't enclude restricted airspace. It is possible to follow a cockpit moving map right through restricted airspace and not know about it until the F-16s show up. Even if the CD screws up and puts the task through restricted airspace, the PIC will be held accountable. Special use airspace files for the U.S. that run on PDA's in conjunction with waypoint files are available at http://acro.harvard.edu/SOARING/JL/SUA/NA.html.

2. Turn area tasks that are 'too short'. Apparently the rules say that a contest task has to total at least 50 miles to be considered a valid task. On one day at a recent regional contest when the weather looked marginal, an out and return TAT was given in Sports class. The turnpoint was about 25 miles away and the turn radius was 5 miles. Subtracting out the 5 mile start cylinder and 2 mile finish cylinder from the total distance meant that one had to essentially fly all the way to the far side of the turn area to achieve a valid distance. Pretty much defeats the purpose of the TAT. Most of the competitors were not aware of the 50 mile minimum distance, or didn't think that it applied in the case of turn area tasks. With the turnpoint under heavy overcast, most of the pilots turned at, or a little before the center of the turn assuming that any point within the assigned radius would have made a valid flight. When this was scored nearly the entire field got no speed points because they came in under the minimum distance.

This is an inexcusable error on the part of the CD. The minimum distance possible for any given Turn Area Task definition should always be greater than that classes 'Standard Minimum Task Distance'.

The theoretical minimum and maximum distances for TATs are calculated and displayed by high quality scoring software.

Guy Byars

One might also say it's inexcusable for contestants not to read the rules! In any PST, MAT, or TAT, you're supposed to understand that you need minimum distance for speed points and plan accordingly.

I was at a recent regional when this happened, and I think Charlie made a good call. It was a really tough day, and there was a wide range of pilot and glider skills, from a national level pilot flying a duo discus, to first time contestants in a Pw5s, Ka6 and ASK21. The short TAT gave really nervous pilots a chance to go, get the turn, and come back for distance points if they were afraid or unable to go on. Better than having them land back at the field because they're too scared to even try, no? The turn area was wide enough to give the hotshots enough to do if the day got better.

On another day, Charlie called a MAT in which first turn and back was not minimum task distance for many gliders. To get speed points, you had to read the rules and know that you needed one more turnpoint. Many chose to come back and forego speed points. It's essentially the same circumstance, and again, I think this was a good call. A second mandatory turnpoint might well have been in the rain.

Keep in mind that in sports class there is not a uniform minimum distance for all gliders. If the minimum is set so the Nimbus 4 must get speed points, the Woodstock will land out for sure.

I did come away from this regional with the impression that the short day rules are ungodly complex, and especially so in sports class. Even Charlie-who-knows-everything was unclear on some of the arcane provisions relating to day devaluation, and most of the sports class had no clue. Yeah, they 'should have read the rules' but just try to read sections 10 and 11 of the rules, and keep in mind they're different for Sports, FAI, Regionals and Nationals. Most of the sports pilots had the entirely appropriate attitude that they were there to fly, gain some experience, and not particularly interested in exactly how the scoring formulas worked.

We all might suggest to the rules committe on this year's poll that dramatically simplifying the rules about short days is a good idea, especially for sports class regionals, where they happen a lot and it is to be expected that pilots don't really understand the fine points.

John Cochrane

I'll just add one more comment to the problems of the short day TAT.

On that day myself and one other glider both went to the far side of the cylinder. Both of us made it back way under time. Because I had a higher handicap, I won the day. I don't think that was fair. He had no chance of beating me. We are not talking about blazing speeds here. I achieved about 43 raw but had slowed up quite a bit as I knew I was way under time.

The TAT is new and both pilots and CDs will need some time to figure out some of the quirks. So much must be balanced in order to call a task on a day like that. I personally did not think we could get a day in. Charlie persisted and did a great job of getting one in. At least we didn't have a PW-5 and Nimbus 4's as we did in Perry. That has to drive a CD crazy.

68

Guy,

Maybe it would help if the scoring program also analyzed the flights against Restricted and controlled airspace.

The way this contest happened those that flew faster than speeding bullets/artillery [through restricted airpace] did not get caught.

SeeYou & StrePla can import .sua and OpenAir format airspace files.

The program is already fully featured and incredible feat as it is, but contest organizers are unlikely to look at each trace in another software program to look for airspace violations.

The latest versions of winscore that shows the Turn Areas Task length min, max and nominal are great planning tools. And the TAT is a great task, I think both the contestants and Contest staff are still learning how to use it and some of the pitfalls.

Winscore Rev 6 and later can already analyze the flights against Restricted and controlled airspace. Airspace is read into Winscore from a .sua airspace file. During flight log analysis, the logs are checked for incursion into the airspace and the scorer is alerted if any are detected.

The restricted airspace can be graphically displayed when the scorer/CD uses Winscore for task planning. The restricted airspace also can be graphically displayed when the scorer views the flight trace in Winscore.

However, this check does not happen by magic. The scorer has to have an up to date .sua file for his contest and he has to select this file in the program setup. These features are documented in the manual.

Guy Byars

Two potential solutions: 1) the TAT MAT

Well, on the day of the short TAT in question, the task had been changed in the air. One pilot misunderstood the change and flew a TAT MAT. He was confused by the very short distance to the assigned turnpoint with it's small radius and the disproportionately long minimum task time of 1.5 hours.

With regards to some earlier comments on this thread:

It is a disservice to the competitors to dismiss sports class as a bunch of newbies or oldies who aren't really competing. At least in the case of the contest being discussed, all of the pilots had competition experience and some were very high ranking pilots. It was a very closely contested race with serious competition. All but a couple or three were caught off guard by the short TAT. It can always be said that it is the pilot's responsibility to know the rules. However, as I said before, a TAT that requires one to fly to the far edge of the cylinder to achieve the minimum distance, is in fact NOT a TAT. Calling a task like that is like asking a trick question on an exam.

This is an excellent thread and has somewhat renewed my belief that RAS is not all trash. Thanks, Wally, for starting it. Now my two cents. The first day at Cordele last week was strong and great, but I was very dissappointed that I did not see another glider all day. No crowded gaggles at the start or at turns. Safer, yes. More fun, no! In the old days we spent much of the air time navigating, now we spend much of the time analyzing speed past and future, time, and where to turn (how far in to go). I muffed the task by underestimating the last leg speed, didn't go in far enough, and finished early. Does all of this in flight analytical analysis and rule interpretation measure soaring skill? Is this really a 'glider race'? I think not. GLIDER RACING IS DEAD! Sure, it's a glider contest, measuring something or other. If we are to fly all tasks by ourself why not just do it at our home base and mail in the trace? I'm facetious of course, but the new tasks and rules do remove a lot of the fun from contests. I like gaggle flying, leeching (by me and occasionally on me), and blasting through the start gate. I am willing to accept the fact that it is slightly less safe. I dream of the 'old days'. That's what getting old does to you. Forgive my rambling muses. (Don't misunderstand, I still love it and keep coming back!) Ed Byars

'Ed Byars'

This we can fix. The one problem I see with the TAT (and PST, MAT) is how vitally important it is for a good score to come home right as the time expires. Time over really hurts you, as your competitors dilute a fast final glide in less time spent cruising at normal XC speeds. Ed experienced time under. Surely, we want to measure soaring performance, not how good you are at buying and using the latest software to predict just where to make that last turn.

There are several ideas floating around on on how to adjust the scores so that even 15 minutes over dosn't hurt you much. This would make the exact finish time a much less crucial decision

This I do not understand. First, I am assuming this is a TAT. What is there that keeps you from pressing on into that last area and making sure you are over time? You are given credit for the extra distance. Of course, the assumption is that you haven't previously painted yourself into a corner by what you've done in the first areas.

With a PST/MAT, the same holds true, except there is less margin for the pilot. The number of turns available after the last mandatory turn is not as flexible as flying into a big circle.

D Brown

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