A Double Flight Line?

In SEN 2119 I tried to analyze why so many B fliers (71%) reached the flyoffs at the Fab-Feb contests. It seems that the fly-one-time-one mode allows massive launches of up to half the models, once a thermal has been clearly marked.

To mitigate massive launches I suggested a slanted flight line, set at about 30 degrees to the dirft/wind at non-glider events. Instead of everyone getting an opportunity to co-piggyback in two mass launches, a slanted flight line would force more flyers upwind to find their own thermals. Consequently, contests would be more challenging and flyoffs would be smaller.

However, a drawback of a slanted flight line is that a flier might be at the upwind portion of the line three consecutive rounds. And a change in the drift/wind direction could require rotating the flight line during the round (although different color lines could be set up in advance).

Luckily, there’s a much better solution. Suppose there are (1) two flight lines perpendicular to the wind, one upwind and the otherdownwind set at least 50 meters apart, with fliers setup between the lines; that (2) poles, spaced at truly 10 meters apart, are even on the upwind line, odd on the downwind line; that (3) fliers would be assigned random starting positions. So those who fly upwind, beginning with an even number, would fly downwind the next round at a higher odd number. And once the last pole is reached, one moves to the lowest next odd/even pole.

Now, half the fliers are on the upwind line which means that only a quarter of the models could be launched almost simultaneously by those on the upwind line. And if poles are truly 10 meters apart, it will be riskier to piggyback models launched in parallel, further away along the upwind line. So more of upwind line fliers will be compelled to choose their own air (relative to what happens now on a single line setup). Those downwind would naturally piggyback, although only off up to a quarter the models. And because the lines are shorter, rotating the line is less onerous.

We all have been indoctrinated to fly from a flight line perpendicular to the wind. But when half the fliers are flying upwind and poles are spaced 10 meters apart, it’s more difficult for an upwind flier to co-launch in a thermal. So an upwind flier would have to choose their own air more frequently, increasing their chances to sub max. And counter intuitively, a double line setup is completely fair because the next round the upwind and downwind fliers are switched.

The minimum quorum of a double line setup are four fliers in a fly-one-time-one world. And yes, contests would be more challenging.

Aram