5.5.6. CLASS F5D - ELECTRIC POWERED PYLON RACING MODEL AIRCRAFT

5.5.6.1 General
General Rules 5.5.1. and Contest Rules 5.5.2. are applicable except where otherwise stated.

5.5.6.2 Technical Specifications
a) Model Aircraft
Minimum weight ready to fly: 1,000 g
Maximum surface loading 65 g/dm2
b) Battery
Battery Type: Lithium-Polymer
Minimum weight of battery pack: 200 g
Maximum weight of battery pack: 400 g
The weight of battery includes soldering, insulation, cables and connectors.
Number of cells in serial connection: up to 5 (S)
Cells in parallel are not permitted.
Limitation of energy by an electronic limiter that stops the motor: max 1000watt-min.
c) Energy Limiter
The interruption must persist for minimum period of 10 seconds. When the pilot has finished his
race or has left the pylon course flight path the motor may be switched on again.
d) Each competitor may use a maximum of three model aircraft during the contest.
e) Any one model aircraft may not be used by more than one team, nor may roles be
interchanged in a team.

5.5.6.4 Racing Course Specification
The triangular course will be laid out as follows: the distance between pylon No. 1 and No. 2 is
180 m. The distance between pylon No.1 and No. 3 is also 180 m. The distance between pylon
No. 2 and pylon No. 3 is 40 m. The start/finish line is some 30 m from No. 3 in the direction of No.
1. The course is ten (10) laps with individual length of 400 m. Total distance length is 4 km. The
race starts at the start/finish line. All takeoffs will be hand launched; no mechanical device will be
used. The race is terminated at the start/ finish line 10 full laps later. The pylons must have a
minimum height of 4 m and maximum of 5 m.

5.5.6.5 Helper
h) All competitors must be accompanied by only one helper (caller) for reasons of safety. The
helper can be the team manager, another competitor from the same team, or a third party.
The pilot or helper of one team may act as helper in one or more other teams.
i) He may release the model aircraft at the start and give the pilot verbal information regarding
the flying course of his model aircraft and official signals.
j) In all cases the caller must be the holder of an FAI licence not necessarily issued by the NAC
of the pilot and must have paid the entry fee.

5.5.6.6 Officials
a) Each competitor shall be assigned four (4) officials during each heat:
b) One official, the timekeeper/lap counter will time the competitor's aircraft for the required ten
laps. In doing so, he will count the laps flown and advise the pilot by visual or audio system
when he has completed the necessary ten laps. He will keep the recorded time on his timing
device until he has entered the time on the score sheet.
c) At the No.1 pylon there will be one official as pylon judge and signaller for each competitor in
the heat. The pylon judge/signaller will stand perpendicular to the direction of the course on
the safety side of the course. Each pylon signaller will have a distinctive colour allocated, and
the contest director will arrange for each model aircraft to be identified by one pylon judge -
signaller before the start of every heat.
d) The pylon judge - signaller will have his flag in a ready position, or his light off as the aircraft
reach midcourse between No. 3 and No. 1 pylons, or earlier. At the instant the model aircraft
draws level with the No.1 pylon he will briskly lower his flag or switch his light on. There will
be no pilot's helpers at any of the pylons.
e) Note: Signals may be coloured flags, lights or shutters.
f) Pylon judge No. 2 is placed behind the base of the triangle at a safe distance in a 45 degrees
angel to the line between pylon 2 and 3.
SC4_Vol_F5_Electric_09 Effective 1st January 2009 Page 24
g) Pylon judge No. 3 is placed at a safe distance in a 45 degrees angel to the line between pylon
2 and 3 in the direction of pylon No. 1.
h) The judges at the No. 2 and No. 3 pylons will record pylon cuts (infringement). At the end of
each race the sideline and pylon Judges will inform the starter of any infringements by any
competitor.
i) The starter is in charge of each heat. He will first ensure that all competitors and officials are
ready to commence. Each signaller will have a flag or light of a distinctive colour. The starter
will arrange for each model aircraft to be identified by one signaller before the start of any
heat. A radio operation check from each competitor will be made prior to identification.

5.5.6.7 Starting Procedure
a) Starting positions in all races will be determined by draw with No.1 position being closest to
the No. 2 pylon. Model aircraft will be flagged off the starting line at 1 second intervals with
timing commencing when the model aircraft crosses the start/finish line for the first time.
b) A maximum of one minute will be allowed after identification of all model aircraft of the heat at
which point the race will commence. A competitor whose model aircraft is not ready to fly at
the end of the one minute period, will be disqualified from the heat.
c) No competitor shall be permitted to launch once the first model aircraft has passed the
start/finish line heading from No. 1 to No. 2 pylon on the first lap and no time shall be given
him for that heat.
d) After the starting flag has dropped, any contact between model aircraft shall be considered a
collision and the model aircraft involved leave the flight path immediately and land as soon as
possible. The Contest Director is required to give such competitors a second opportunity to
record a score in that round, provided that in his opinion the aircraft are still airworthy or the
competitors have airworthy reserve model aircraft. If a competitor fails to stop racing
immediately after the collision, then he will be disqualified from that round,
e) A penalty will be incurred if the competitor releases the model aircraft before the drop of the
starter's flag, cuts a pylon or flies outside the sideline. Two infringements constitute
disqualification for that flight.

5.5.6.8 Operation of the Race
a) A maximum of three (3) model aircraft per heat will be allowed.
b) All laps are to be flown counter-clockwise with turns to the left.
c) At the completion of the ten laps, the lap counter/timekeeper must immediately instruct the
competitor to remove his aircraft from the course.
d) In the event of a malfunction of the timing, lap counting, signalling or such equipment which is
the responsibility of the organisers, the competitor(s) affected by such malfunction shall be
given the opportunity to record a score for that round.
e) The loss of any part of the model aircraft after the drop of the flag and before the motor stops
disqualifies the model aircraft for that flight except as a result of a collision when Para.
5.5.6.7, d applies.

5.5.6.9 Scoring
a) As many heats as practical will be flown but at least three.
b) The flight of each model aircraft shall be timed with electronic stopwatch or timing device
measuring to at least 1/10 second by a lap counter/timekeeper.
c) The lap counter/timekeeper stops his stopwatch or timing device after ten laps have been
completed by the competitor. The elapsed time of each competitor will be transmitted,
supervised by the Contest Director (CD), from the stopwatch or timing device into the
competitor's score sheet.
d) At the completion of each heat, the pylon and side-line judges notify the CD as to which
model aircraft have infringed. The CD then advises the person who is responsible for the

score sheet of those who will record the total number of infringements for each competitor on
the individual score sheet.
e) The score sheets are then processed by a scorer who will:
•if one infringement has incurred, add 10% of the flyer's time for ten laps to give the
corrected time;
•if two or more or intentional infringements were incurred, cancel the flight;
•round the competitor's corrected time to the nearest 1/10 of a second.
f) Points shall be awarded after each race as follows:
•the competitor's score is his corrected time in seconds to the first decimal place;
•if a competitor fails to complete his flight or is disqualified the score shall be 200.
g) The winner of the event is the competitor who has accumulated the lowest score after the
conclusion of all heats. If four or more rounds are flown, each competitor's worst score shall
be discarded. If nine or more rounds are flown, each competitor's worst two scores shall be
discarded.
h) If time permits, and there is no frequency conflict, ties for first, second and third place shall be
resolved by a fly-off race. If not, the places are shared.

resolved by a fly-off race. If not, the places are shared.