SAPFA Equality Competition System

Introduction

A new system was introduced by Jonty Esser to help all pilots compete at suitable personal skill levels, the system has been used in the aerobatics community for many years and has proven to allow all pilots to progress safely and enjoy the personal challenges and increase their flying skill while having fun at a competition level.

This document will help guide all Pilots to understand and implement the SECS (SAPFA Equality Competition System).

Classes

The classes are as follows:

Sportsmans Class

Intermediate Class

Advancded Class

Unlimited Class

Sportsmans Class

The Sportsmans class is the fun class and is open to any Pilot wanting to enjoy accurate and precise flight that will enhance the pilots flying skills including good observation, navigation, CRM (cockpit resource management) and landing skills.

Each rally will consist of a night before briefing and class on how to fly a rally, in this briefing/lecture the TEAM (Pilot and Navigator) will be given their papers (photos in order of flight and from which turn point they should find them) with the clue sheet to work out the route and prepare for the rally the next day. (ALL OTHER CLASSES ARE IN QUARENTINE AND MAY NOT GET ANY INFORMATION)

This gives each TEAM the advantage needed to learn the skills to progress to the next class.

Once the starting list has been published in the morning they will then simple add their minute markers and go have FUN.

 How to progress to the next class?

The first, second and third place automatically progress to Intermediate Class as they have proven to be competitive enough to progress.

Any TEAM that has flown three Sportsmans Class competitions in one year will automatically progress to the Intermediate class.

The scoring will be as per the 15 seconds gate penalties with wide gates.

Intermediate Class

To be eligible to fly in any National Competition the TEAM must have reach this class.

This class will only get there papers on the day after briefing and will be done in quarantine from the two other classes. To ensure there is no information shared the Advanced and Unlimited classes will start the rally and immediately get their start times and papers. This will set them off flying while the Sportsmans and Intermediate Classes prepare for their competition.

The Intermediate competitors will be assisted by SAPFA staff and organizers to ensure they are well equipped and fully prepared for the competition flight.

The Intermediate Class TEAMS will bet the same clue sheet as the Sportmans Class with the photos in order of flight however not given the turn point the photo has been taken from)

The scoring will be as per the 15 seconds gate penalties with wide gates. Clue sheet worked out the day of the flight after briefing and photos without indication from which turn point they are from.

How to progress to the next class?

As a team you will have to have been selected and represent our Country at an International competition, this will elevate you as a TEAM to the Unlimited Class. However, if you are a Sportsmans or an Intermediate Class pilot or navigator and you have managed to find a Protean to fly with you; this TEAM is then automatically classed to be in the Advanced Class as there is a clear advantage over new teams that are up and coming.

Advanced Class

This class will be full competition mode and will be handled at the international level and rules. See the rules on the website.

The scoring will be as per the 3 seconds gate penalties with narrow gates. Papers handed to the TEAM in the aircraft.

This class is to encourage current Proteans to help and assist new enthusiastic competition pilots.

Unlimited Class

Now you are at an International Standard and the competition is run strictly according to the International rules.

The rules are as will be flown at the World Championships.

Concluision

This system will encourage new pilots to compete at their skill levels while enhancing them and ultimately growing our sport we love.