_AH_Racing League

[_AH_Lippy]

Ok Guys AH Racing is about to begin so I thought I would post the first track a little early and give a run down of the rules once again.The racing League rules are as follows

1> The Aces High Racing League will consist of ten races each featuring three heats of varying length depending on the circuit being raced. One race will be held per week.
NOTE: Race dates may vary due to squadron commitments so please pay attention to the calendar on the Aces High main page.

2> The tracks and corresponding files will be released one week prior to the race. The race circuits will vary greatly in length, terrain, type, etc

3> Custom skins are encouraged and welcome for use. The louder, the better but Aces High policy still stands as per the Code Of Conduct. Material considered to be in poor taste or offensive will not be permitted.

4> Races will be flown in "Open cockpit" with "vulnerability" set to "Off. This is meant to reduce the chance of collisions and any damaged caused by aircraft explosions. For the purpose of these races clouds will
be turned "Off" in an effort to improve frame rates.

5> All participating pilots MUST be on Ventrilo. Trash talk (To an extent), is encouraged. While not mandatory, pilots should communicate their intent to pass and give out their position in relation to other
participating aircraft to whom they may not be visible.

6> Should any single incident during the start of a race cause 4 or more aircraft to crash or sustain damage, the heat will be restarted.  The "Start of a race"  is refering to the area from the start
line to the end of the first turn..   There will be no midrace restarts, with the exception of a host disconnection problem.  Individual stutters, malfunctioning controls, tossings to the desktop and the
like will not be cause for restarting a race.

7> All of the race tracks will have specific instructions and rules that must be adhered to. Failure to comply may result in a pilot being disqualified. These rules will be featured in the mission briefing.

8> A committee of 3 judges (That are allowed to partake in the racing league) will be organized. This committee is expected to view race videos and decide on any disputes that should arise.
Any ruling of a judge is final and dispute decisions will be based on a vote basis. All races will be recorded and reviewed and any dispute, should there be any, decided upon.

9> If a pilot crashes during a heat, he can take no further part in that heat and must wait for the next one. No points will be awarded to a crashed pilot no matter what position they were occupying at the end
of the race. Crash landing with no damage to the aircraft constitutes a crash and will be treated as such. Any pilot re-spawning during a heat after crashing WILL be penalized.
A pilot may also be penalized for causing undue delays while lining up for the start.

10> This is meant to be both a training exercise (Learning how to push an aircraft to it's limits) and at the same time enjoyable. While winning is fun, flying with your friends and having a good belly laugh
should be equally, if not more so, important. Any pilot forgetting this may be asked to cease taking part in future races.

11> Going out of bounds means at any one point in the race your aircraft breaches the height on the objects to eather side (draw a straight line across from one side the opposite side) if the downward wing tip
exceeds this point EXCEPT when discussed before the race or more than half of the aircraft goes out side the sideways boundary you must exit and reenter at the point or close to it as humanly possible to avoid
gaining any advantage, if you do not exit and reenter it is grounds for a disqualification of that heat.

12> This racing league will be subject to the wishes and decisions of the Aces High command staff. Rules may be changed, modified, or nullified at their discretion without prior warning.

Points are as follows

1st heat
1st - 15
2nd - 12
3rd - 10
4th -  9
5th -  8
6th -  7
7th -  6
8th -  5
9th -  4   
10th - 4
11th - 4
etc..- 4
2nd heat
1st - 16
2nd - 13
3rd - 11
4th - 10
5th -  9
6th -  8
7th -  7
8th -  6
9th -  5   
10th - 5
11th - 5
etc..- 5
3rd heat
1st - 17
2nd - 14
3rd - 12
4th - 11
5th - 10
6th -  9
7th -  8
8th -  7
9th -  6   
10th - 6
11th - 6
etc..- 6
(This will be discussed at this Sunday's Meeting before declaring it official)
SCORING has changed just a little instead of DNF and DQ getting just 2 points and not receiving a position. The first person to crash, or DQ (due to going out of bounds without circling back) will get last place and the last to crash or DQ will get the position after the last man to cross the finish line. The plane with the most time in air will receive the best position in a manner of speaking. So if we have 10 racers on heat one 6 cross the finish line, #7 pranged his prop on take off, #8 went out of bounds lap 1 turn 1 and #9 crashed last turn on lap 1 and #10 crashed mid point of lap 2
#7 would come in 10th place #8 9th place, #9 8th place and #10 would get 7th place.
I know this looks confusing, but I am trying to award those that fly the most in the heat and give points to their perspective positions. If there are any questions please ask.

Now for our first track it is named Death trap and plane of choice is the P-38 L Late 1944. This track is name Death Trap for a good reason. make sure that you have the AIR BRAKE assigned to a button on the stick. There is one tight 90 (a bit more than 90 degrees) degree turn and one tight S turn. This should be entertaining and fun. ALL RIGHTY THEN. ~S~ Good Luck racers see you on the 16th for practice at 2100 EST and heat one starts at 2200 EST or 6 PDT and 7 PDT (I can feel the mistake in the time)  :happy-112: There is only one exception to be given when going down the one hill the first couple of pylons wont count towards a DQ BUT remember to be down before the bottom of the hill - DO NOT PUSH THIS ISSUE it isnt that hard of a hill.

Heat 1 - 2 laps
Heat 2 - 3 laps
heat 3 - 4 laps

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=7cd999872472e6dc#cid=7CD999872472E6DC&id=7CD999872472E6DC!2181

[_AH_DarkWolf]

There is a rule about needing to be flying when you cross the start finish line right?

DW

[_AH_Lippy]

You are correct DW rule 9 states
9> If a pilot crashes during a heat, he can take no further part in that heat and must wait for the next one. No points will be awarded to a crashed pilot no matter what position they were occupying at the end of the race. Crash landing with no damage to the aircraft constitutes a crash and will be treated as such. Any pilot re-spawning during a heat after crashing WILL be penalized. A pilot may also be penalized for causing undue delays while lining up for the start.
This rule nor does any other written rule state that you must be in the air when crossing the finish line to score a position. But we dont always just obey only written rules. The IDEA of Air Racing (while for the enjoyment of the game) is to learn to control your air craft both airodynamicaly and mechanicaly. With this in mind BBQ brought a good point last night. If we did not have vonurability turned off if you crash (tumble and roll or bounce off the ground) you would not survive. Belly landing is a controlled landing but once on the ground are you in controll of where the aircraft goes. We can WHAT IF this to death. If you land the aircraft and cross the finish line are you truly in controll of your aircraft. When in proper control of you aircraft both mechanicaly and airodynamicaly you will have a runnning engine and an air frame capable of crossing the finish line in the air. Nascar and other racing intitiies say as long as you cross the finish line whether upside down or not and you are the first to do so you win the race. There is a Air Racing leaque that race planes and I would like to know the ruling on landing and rolling across the finish line constitute a win.
I think crossing the finish line is up to the judges to determine if the pilot is in controll of his or hers aircraft. I can cut my fuel load by 10% and out run everyone and still run out of fuel and land the aircraft a roll across the finish line ahead of everyone, but is this in the spirit of Air Racing that we as AH Members want.
It is my Opinion that this should be evaluated on a case by case.

[_AH_taldrg]

~S~
   Sorry about this post Lippy...you doing such a good job and all but...It has been a long time since I raced I forgot where to put the race track DL.   
                                                          :idiot-0011:

[_AH_taldrg]

~S~
    Scratch the  :idiot-0011: sign. I messed around and around and finaly remembered how to do it.

    All is well for...."Fedelbaum".

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Invulnerability might mess up the notion of crossing the line in any state since it might be hard to judge the severity of a crash. Can you rip your gear off with invulnerability? No you can't eh, I remember now flipping the mig all over on the runway and continuing. That would'nt work then, if you still had to set the thing down without pranging it I think it would be viable but an invulnerable landing would be too easy I guess.

I can cut my fuel load by 10% and out run everyone and still run out of fuel and land the aircraft a roll across the finish line ahead of everyone.

I don't know about that, how many times did your carefully practiced fuel or engine strategies go pear shaped?  :bomb-034:

DW

[_AH_Lippy]

Excelent job TD, good to hear those two turns are tough ones work at it and you will get them. Good Luck Sir.
As for landing it would be a case by case issue. I did almost win a race by cutting my fuel load. I was supposed go full throttle on the third lap at the start line but went full throttle at the last turn and ran out of fuel at the last turn and didnt make it across the line I was feet short of it. It can be done if I had held off just a little more I would of won. That in mind it was before HSFX times I believe it was up3. Now with HSFX each time you run a heat it changes just a bit overheat and burning an engine isnt consistant so i believe fuel consuption would be different each time you run and isnt worth the risk.

[_AH_z5o]

Someone check DW's restrictor plate, I think he's pulling a Jeff Gorden on us. :lol

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Have the aircraft for this season all been decided? Either way I just thought I'd throw out some suggestions :

Beaufighter - Any version
P-51A
Spitfire XII or XIV
Typhoon - Any version
Ki-44

DW

[_AH_taldrg]

~S~
  May I suggest the F9F jet and a race track in the shape of an ovel..both straight aways of 20 miles with height alt. on them and at each end just a pole with no alt. restrictions on the turns. but you must be down to straight away alt. after the 180 degree turn.

[_AH_Lippy]

DW we are racing a double prop for the first race but that doesnt mean we cant race another and I am planing a P51 thinking the 25 model though. I am looking for a track that the spit would be a good one on, (the only problem I have encountered is the engine management is limited on most spits) but I thinking of a carburated one and a track that might be a good one for it. I will take the other planes under consideration. TD if I could build it I would if there is someone that will build it I will race it just for u. I have a track with a jet in mind already it isnt that difficult of a track, the only trouble is the elevator trim is bit of pain to keep in trim, as speeds build you have to retrim it out. ~S~ Guys

[_AH_DarkWolf]

The reason I suggest the P-51A/Mustang I is that it was'nt very good at high alt but was fairly speedy at low alt which is why they used it as for tactical reconnaissance. With the allison engine it would make a nice change from the usual merlin P-51s.

That's true the Spitfire XIV has no rad or pitch control (At least not without disabling auto-pitch), the XII has pitch control but still no rad. Does lack of either disqualify an a/c for racing?

DW

[_AH_Lippy]

No DW it does not disqualify it from racing but it is a quality I look for in a racer. i remember a track we raced a Spit and it was when BB was hosting. But the P-51 I will consider the merlin is fast. We raced once with MKIII.

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Here are my tracks from tonight :

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3mto6tbfdcpw9pc/Apr16Tracks.zip?m=

DW

[_AH_Jack]

Here are mine.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/08p8ymwd1zfi50f/Race%20Film%203%20%204-16-14.zip