SEN 2939
- America’s Cup 2022
- USA Sportsmen wanting to buy All-Tee
America’s Cup 2022
2022 AmCup Competition Rule changes
Up front for those that don’t read long messages. The 2022 AmCup sanction fees are now due. Still just $30! Thanks to those that have already sent in payment.
The AmCup rules have not changed substantially since Al Hotard conceived the idea in 1989. We’ve added 7 events from the original F1ABC events. Twelve years ago the bonus point system was changed from increments of 3 (18 entrants for +5 points) to increment of 2 (14 entrants for +5 points). The mission statement has remained the same:
“The purpose of the America’s Cup Competition is to foster the development of flyers and models across North America in the FAI F1 (free flight). This coast-to-coast competition requires flyers to attend multiple contests each year in the United States and Canada in order to win.”
As the demographics of our sport has changed the entry level trend over the last 10 years has dropped and in the last two years further reduced due to Covid impacts on traveling. We are now seeing less Covid travel related contest attendance impact and hope we’ll see a resurgent in 2022. The great aspect of our sport despite the entry decline is there is still outstanding FAI FF competition across the USA and Canada.
With that said, an ongoing discussion within SCAT is, “Has the Mission Statement been fulfilled or even become out dated”? Should we change to a goal of recognizing the best FAI FF flyers across the USA and Canada and eliminate the multiple site requirement? Again this year the club has decided to maintain the Mission Statement as is. However a change in the scoring system was approved with the approach to “do no harm”. The new scoring system was developed and analyzed by rescoring the 2021 contest results with various changes to the 1st through 5th point allocation and bonus point allocation. The new point system would not have changed the top 5 results (except to break a tie for 5th place in one event). It did tighten up the scores in the top 5 and many changes in the lower placements.
Rule charges for 2022:
The first change is the allocation of points from 1st place of 25 points to second place was 5 points is now 2 points. For 2022 the rule reads:
4) ……….1st place 25 points, 2nd place 23 points, 3rd place 21 points, 4th place 19 points and 5th place 17 points
The second change is the bonus points will start with 5 entrants, before it was 6 entrants. The 2022 rule reads:
5) Extra “Bonus” points are scored on the number of contestants in an event:
1 to 4: 0 points
5 to 6: +1 point
7 to 8: +2 points
9 to 10: +3 points
11 to 12: +4 points
13 or more: +5 points
These changes we believe will make the medium size contests (5 to 10 entrants) more attractive to those wishing to place high in the AmCup. For example, with the old scoring only the largest contest (>14 entrants) does placing second receive 25 points. Now a second place in a contest with 7 flyers will get 25 points.
One other significant change was made for F1E. Due to the current limited flying sites for F1E the number of required flying sites flown has changed. The new rule is:
4) ……… For F1E only. The total score may include three scores from one site only and the fourth score must come from a different sites.
We also simplified and clarified the number of required rounds to be flown. Now the same for all events. New 2022 language:
1a) The events composing the America’s Cup are: F1A,B,C,E,G,H,J,P,Q and S.
1b) All contests must be scheduled and conducted in good faith for a minimum of 5 rounds to be scored. In the case of extenuating circumstances and noted in the contest results, contests with 4 completed rounds will be scored. Completed Fly-Off rounds are counted in the completed round total. …..
The complete 2022 AmCup rules follow. They will soon be on the NFFs website under the ‘Competition’ header / ‘AmCup rules’.
Jim Parker
SCAT AmCup Administrator
America’s Cup, FAI Free Flight, 2022
The purpose of the America’s Cup Competition is to foster the development of flyers and models across North America in the FAI F1 (free flight). This coast-to-coast competition requires flyers to attend multiple contests each year in the United States and Canada in order to win. To this end the Southern California Aero Team has formulated the following rules:
1) America’s Cup designated contests must be flown in accordance with the provisions of the FAI Sporting Code and as follows:
a) The events composing the America’s Cup are: F1A,B,C,E,G,H,J,P,Q and S.
b) All contests must be scheduled and conducted in good faith for a minimum of 5 rounds to be scored. In the case of extenuating circumstances and noted in the contest results, contests with 4 completed rounds will be scored. Completed Fly-Off rounds are counted in the completed round total. First round max durations should be the current extended flight times as stated in the FAI Sporting Code The contest should have discreet rounds and should be flown from a launch line or boundary
c) A $30 US America’s Cup Contest Sanction Fee is requested on or before April 1 of the current schedule year. Acceptable forms of payment are Money Orders or Checks made out to “SCAT or Jim Parker” and sent to the address below. Non-payment may result in the removal of the contest from the following year’s schedule.
d) The maximum number of America’s Cup contest is 36. The SCAT America’s Cup Administrator will recommend changes to designated contests to the SCAT Club after careful consultation with contest organizers and FAI competitors in the USA and Canada. The preferred method of making changes to the designated contests is for the active clubs and participants in the affected region to submit the recommended changes.
e) For any AmCup contest that requires rescheduling or cancellation prior to the published date (which should match the AMA primary sanction date) or during the contest, a 30-day advanced notice is recommended and a 12-day notice is required and the organizer must make a good faith effort at widespread notification, such as a message posted on SCAT Electronic News (SEN). Special attention shall be made to avoid conflict with other AmCup contests in that region. Rescheduling of a contest within 12 days of the scheduled date from the AMA primary sanction date is not allowed. The use of reserve a day as part of the AMA sanctioned primary dates and published in contest bulletin are encouraged to maximize the opportunity to complete contests.
f) Contestant eligibility is restricted to residents of the United States, Canada and Mexico. The residency of a person means the place where a person lives for at least 185 days prior to the start of the America’s Cup cycle for which they desire eligibility. This residency is based on employment status and/or personal ties; in the case of a person not working in North America, a close link between that person and the place where they live must be demonstrated. New residents should contact the Administrator to establish eligibility. Other foreign competitors are not considered in the quantity of entries or in the individual scores.
e) Local rules in exceptional circumstances
i.) Must not change the model specification
ii.) Should be published in bulletins (SEN, NFFs etc.) preferably in advance of entry
iii.) If after entry, contest organizer must notify all competitors prior to the start of the affected round
Flights flown to local rules that do not meet the above rules will not be scored.
2) Any number of Designated Contests can be entered and at any contest site.
3) Deleted
4) The highest scores from a maximum of four contests will be counted with the following criteria. The total score may include two scores from one site only; all other scores must come from different sites, that is, the scores must come from at least three sites. For F1E only. The total score may include three scores from one site only and the fourth score must come from a different sites. Points will be scored only if the contest was flown to the minimum number of rounds as stated in section 1b. Points are scored as follows:
1st place 25 points, 2nd place 23 points, 3rd place 21 points, 4th place 19 points and 5th place 17 points
5) Extra “Bonus” points are scored on the number of contestants in an event:
1 to 4: 0 points
5 to 6: +1 point
7 to 8: +2 points
9 to 10: +3 points
11 to 12: +4 points
13 or more: +5 points
6) Contest ties must be settled, or else the competitors receive the lowest score possible. For example, if three tie for first place and the ties are not settled, then each of the three receives the third place score (21 points plus bonus points. Contest ties are to be broken in a sporting manner, in which the event’s models are flown. The preferred method is the completion of the contest using a standard flyoff. In the case of exceptional circumstances, a single flyoff flight at a later time or the results of a future contest may be used. The flyers are responsible for arranging a suitable tiebreaker. The results of the tiebreaker are to be documented in writing (e-mail), and agreed upon by the participants. If attempts at breaking the tie are ultimately unsuccessful, the America’s Cup Committee is responsible for adjudication. Ties must be broken within 90 days of the contest or by the conclusion of the first AmCup contest of the following year, whichever is sooner, or the scores will remain as ties with the lower score recorded.
7) Ties for first place in the final scoring are settled by counting 5 contests in totals or more if necessary, Rule 4 not used. If this does not settle a tie, then taking the scores from the five best contests and multiplying by the total number of contestants in the 5 contests in the competitor’s event determines the winner.
8) For contests with fewer than 5 entrants, full points will be awarded as per Rule 5. In the case of only one entrant, 25 points will be awarded only if all conditions of these rules are met and the contestant flies in a sportsman-like manner.
9) ‘Entry’ means a flyer registered before the first flight start time and made at least one official flight.
10) Points are scored on the calendar year basis. The America’s Cups 1st place perpetual awards and 1st place trophies will normally be awarded at a banquet on Saturday night of the Max Men 14 Round International Contest in California. Also, certificates for the first five places and for Junior High Point will be awarded. SCAT will pay for the Cups to be shipped to the winners who are unable to attend. However, it is the responsibility of the winners to have their names engraved on the placard and return the Cups to the America’s Cup Administrator in time for the next Awards Banquet. If Cups must be shipped, it is the responsibility of the winners to insure the America’s Cups for $500.00 US.
11) Contest Directors or FAI Event Sponsors are required to send full contest results. Please include all contestants, all round scores with indication of all FAI Junior scores and any non-AmCup entries in each event to Jim Parker, preferably in Excel format via email within two weeks of the event. Plain text, WORD, RTF electronic formats, PDF or paper copies will be accepted. Contest results with the above information should also be sent to SCAT Electronic News SCAT Electronic News (SEN)
America’s Cup Administrator:
Jim Parker
605 Wills Point Dr, Allen, TX 75013
USA Sportsmen wanting to buy All-Tee
From:Jerry Fitch
All-Tee altimeter now available. Shipping to the USA is EU 19.30 but All-Tee can ship combined. Is anyone in the USA getting one of these who will be at Fab Feb.? Then we can have shipped all at once. Email me direct if so.
Jerry Fitch
jerry.fitch@sbcglobal.net