UK Basic Carrier Deck Rules
1. You can use any fixed wing model of 29 dm2 (450 sq.in) wing area or less, any fixed line length of 18.3m (60ft) or less and any engine(s), throttled or un-throttled
2. Except elevators used only for normal pitch control, you cannot use any additional control surfaces, slow speed/high lift devices, boundary layer control systems or yaw variation methods, eg: such moving items as flaps, ailerons, rudder, spoilers, air brakes, slats and line rakes or such fixed items as slots are not permitted. Tuned pipe systems of any form are banned – except for Glow Ducted Fan models – click for details here.
3. You must have insurance that is acceptable to the Contest Director. The model must have a stable wheeled undercarriage, an effective silencer and an arrester hook no longer than a third of model length. The hook must have no other function than to arrest the model. You must provide a visible stranded steel safety cable of minimum bulk diameter 0.457mm (ie: heavy Laystrate) between the bellcrank and the engine. You must use a safety strap between your wrist and the control handle throughout the duration of each flight. Flying wires must be of the multi-strand variety. The model, lines and handle combination must be capable of withstanding a pull test of 15 times the model weight, sustained for 10 seconds.
2017 Addendum: to clarify and legitimise the widespread use of R/C throttle control: Throttle and hook release only may be activated by a) radio control b) electrical signals transmitted along the control lines c) mechanical means e.g. Brodak three-line bellcrank; however, control of the elevators MUST be achieved solely and directly using the pilot’s handle, control lines and in-aircraft bellcrank or equivalent mechanical means
4. Flying procedure is as follows. You take off from a miniature aircraft carrier built on the ground and fly as fast as you can for 7 laps. Then you fly as slowly as you can, also for 7 laps. Finally, you make a landing back on the carrier by hooking up on the arrester wires.
The specification for the miniature carrier deck can be found here
5. You will normally be allowed a maximum of 3 attempts to make a maximum of 2 official flights. Once 2 official flights have been recorded, no further attempts or official flights are allowed unless these maxima are extended by the Contest Director. Your flight is defined as an attempt once you have begun to start your engine(s). Unless waived by the Contest Director, you have 3 minutes to start a single engined model and 4 minutes for a multi engined model. The flight remains an attempt during the take off and fast run and only changes into an official flight once you have given your signal for the low speed run (see part 7).
6. Your model begins its high speed run from a standing start on the deck. You may not take off until the Contest Director has indicated to you his readiness to start timing. 7 complete laps are then timed from this position. You will receive a signal from the Contest Director when these laps have been completed.
7. When your high speed run has finished and when you feel ready for the next stage, make a clear signal of readiness. If you do not hear an audible acknowledgement from the Contest Director, your signal has not been seen. Once your signal has been acknowledged, the slow speed run then starts when the model next passes over the timing position in part 6. 7 complete laps are then timed. You will receive a signal from the Contest Director when these laps have been completed.
8. Throughout the entire flight, you must remain within the 3m diameter pilot’s circle, you should not fly higher than 6m (20ft), model progress should always be forwards and anticlockwise, and ground or deck contact, except after landing, is considered ditching and is not allowed. Whipping is not permitted during the fast run. Any infringement of these requirements during an attempt will terminate the attempt. Any infringement during an official flight will disqualify the flight. At no time should model attitude exceed 300 to the horizontal. To assess this angle, a clearly visible line shall be either temporarily adhesive-taped or permanently painted onto both sides of the model fin or other vertical surface in such a way that the line is either horizontal or vertical when model attitude is 300. Except after the landing signal, each exceedance of 300 for one second or less will incur a warning. Three warnings will disqualify the flight. After the landing signal, a single exceedance of 300, however momentary, will disqualify the flight without warning. The Contest Director may choose to position himself close to the pilot’s circle in order to monitor the above requirements.
9. When your low speed run has finished and when you feel ready for the next stage, make a clear signal of readiness. The Contest Director will not acknowledge this signal. You now have to land on the deck at the next approach. You’ll lose 5 points from your landing score for each complete lap flown after this.
10. The quality of the landing will be assessed and points awarded as follows:
a) Arrested.
When stationary, model has correct deck attitude for wheel arrangement:
100 points
b) Arrested. When stationary, model does not conform to a)
but has all main wheels on deck:
80 points
c) Arrested. When stationary, model does not conform to either a) or b)
but is still on deck:
60 points
d) Not arrested. When stationary, model has correct deck attitude for wheel arrangement:
40 points
e) Not arrested. When stationary, model does not conform to d) but is still on deck:
20 points
f) Any part of model makes ground contact after deck contact, whether arrested or not:
0 points
11. If the model has the scale-like appearance of a specific navy aircraft which has made an arrested landing on an aircraft carrier, you will be awarded 10 bonus points. If the model also has a navy-like colour scheme, you will also be awarded an additional 10 bonus points.
12. Your score is calculated as follows. Times will be recorded in seconds to the nearest 1/10th of a second. Subtract the high speed time from the low speed time. The resulting number of seconds is expressed as the time difference, in points. Subtract any deductions from the landing points and add the resulting figure to the time difference points. Finally, add any bonus points to produce the overall score.