Motorized Lofting in America’s Cup Contests?

The Team Selection Committee out ruled motorcycle lofting at the Finals on safely grounds. If the lofting is done by a contestant, their score will be annulled, and if by a non-contestant, they would be asked to leave the field. In either case the flier is not penalized, as motorized lofting can be done against their wishes for tactical reasons.

Besides the safety grounds, motorized lofting is an unfair, giving advantage to local or well known fliers – particularly at Lost Hills, were 45 motor cycles are stored near by.  The size of the Lost Hills property is another issue, as it is difficult to enforce any behavior on adjacent properties. Other sites are owned by public bodies and having any serious accident would terminate the use of the field. The fact that no serious motorized accident had occurred is due to having good luck (so far).

Who is supposed to observe motorized lofting?  It might be missed by the timer(s) who are concentrating on following the model in the air. Others standing on the launch line are in better vintage to observe what is happening underneath and fliers returning on foot are acutely aware of a speeding motorcycles charging a low flying model in their vicinity.  When motorized lofting is reported, the rider should have the opportunity to protest the ruling, as marginal cases could be interpreted either way. (For example, following a low flying model over the final portion of their flight.)

The fact that motorized lofting is absent as part of the FAI sporting code is due to the scant usage of motorcycle at European flying sites. It’s difficult enough to transport models and equipment to international contest by air, let alone bring a motor cycle along. And just imagine trying to rent a motor cycle and a car that could transport it in a foreign country. But in the States we have figured how to either store motorcycles near flying sites or log them around. So we need local rules restricting their usage to retrieval.

The Scat club is doing the right thing out ruling motorized lofting at their three Lost Hills contests.  The same should apply, in my opinion,to FAI contests and this could be achieved by a suitable American Cup stipulation; just like the requirement that an American Cup contests comprise of at least five 2-minute maxes (that does not appear in the FAI sporting code). It’s much easier to out rule motorized lofting this way than going through the AMA.

Aram

 an editorial comment

My understanding is that the TSC has stated that if a a sportsman has his/her  model flapped by someone on a motor vehicle then that person is disqualified. There is not mention if the person is participating party or not. I assume that the TSC may wish to clarify this before the event.  

I have a personal concern that another sportsman would ride or walk to close to my model when it was gliding and upset the glide causing the mode to stall, who gets DQ'd then?