The Decentralised Competition

This article was by Gary Hollands (GFA Decentalised Competition Convenor),
when it appeared in the September 1996 edition of "Australian Gliding".

To enter the Decentralised Competition.

The summer decentralised competition runs from 1 September 1996, to 30 April 1997;
the winter decentralised competition runs from 1 May to 31 August, 1997.

PILOT ELIGIBILITY
All pilots, including international visitors, are eligible to enter.

LEAGUES
League 1 - for all pilots 1 to 50 on the GFA Ranking List or the equivalent list in overseas countries.
- For national and world record holders.
- For members of international teams (last 10 years).
League 2 - For pilots who do not qualify for League 1.
League 3 - For two-seaters, as a club rather than pilot competition.
League 4 - For pilots who have 200 or less SOLO hours at the commencement of each season ie, 1 September for summer season and 1 May for winter season.

PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH LEAGUE WILL BE A ONE-CLASS HANDICAP COMPETITION.
SCORING
Any number of flights (including badge flights) may be submitted. (Flights made in club regattas or national and state competitions are and state competitions are ineligible.)
The winner will be the pilot or club with the highest total point score from the best three flights made during the competition period.
Flights made in different types and classes of sailplane can count for your best three flight score.
FAI photographic evidence rules apply but a barograph is not required.
Flights must he certified by an official observer, and in the case of League 4 the official observer should sight the pilot's log book to verify solo hours.
All flights will be scored on distance only, using the following task ratings.
(a) free distance, distance to a goal, top or post type tasks, multiple circumnavìgations of a minimum 200km triangle, undeclared turn point triangle, 1.0 pts/km.
(b) goal and return, non-FAI triangle, FA1 zigzag or 3 turn point task, l.l pts/km.
(c) FAI triangle l.2 pts/km.

An incomplete FAI triangle will he scored as (b) for complete legs and (a) for the incomplete leg of the distance to landing point. Incomplete (b) tasks will be scored as (b) tasks for complete legs and (a) tasks for the incomplete leg or distance to landing point.
Distances will be calculated on the FAI great circle distance formula from the latitude and longitude of relevant start, finish and turn points.

MOTOR GLIDERS
Motor gliders are eligible as long as the motor is used only for launching. These sailplanes will need to carry an engine-use recording instrument and have its use for each flight certified by an observer.

COMPETITION PERIODS
SUMMER: September 1 to April 30. WINTER: May 1 to August 31.

TO ENTER
Entry forms are available from all clubs and from the convenor, or can be copied from the April '93 AG.
The completed form should be certified by the official observer and submitted to the convenor within two months of the flight, or by 31 May for summer entries and 30 September for winter entries.
Flight documentation from an approved IGC GPS unit will be accepted in lieu of a contest form entry. The preflight declaration should be stored in the GPS unit or a preflight declaration witnessed by an O/O should be submitted with the claim.
For League 4 entries please advise under "comments" on the entry form that your entry is for League 4, otherwise you will be scored in a higher league.

AWARDS
For the summer competition, trophies will be awarded to the winners of each league with the AG trophy going to whichever pilot has the highest point score overall. In addition, the first 3 placings in each league will receive GFA certificates. Please note that if a trophy is won by an international visitor it will be held in Australia.
For the winter competition GFA certificates wipetition GFA certificates will be awarded to the winners in each league.
Club coaches are asked to encourage their early cross country pilots to enter League 4, which has been specifically set up with low hour cross country pilots in mind.

THE BARRON HILTON CUP

The Barron Hilton Cup has a contest period running from 15 March 1996 to 15 September 1997, and offers a prize of a week's gliding and recreation with some transport to the Flying-M-Ranch, USA, for the winner of the Australian-New Zealand contest zone.

The rules are more stringent than for a Diamond Goal, so I suggest that you ring the FAI Certificates Officer for a prior briefing on what is required. For example all documentation, using the FAI Form B, must be presented within 42 days of the flight. Australian Gliding has featured two articles on the BHC rules. These are to be found in AG Jan '94 p32, and AG Apr '95 p32. Electronic Flight Documentation (GPS) according to the Sporting Code, using IGC approved GPS's will be accepted.
More Detail on the Barron Hilton Cup

All entries to Decentralised Competition Convenor

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