sailplane handicaps
Ian Strachan
In article <4u9jfr$5...@newsource.ihug.co.nz>, Godfrey Larsen
<lar...@ihug.co.nz> writes
>I am looking for any info on a rational basis of sailplane handicapping.
Basis: relative glider cross country speeds calculated by the formula
based on achieved rate of climb and the appropriate speed to fly and L/D
of the glider concerned.
You need a polar for the glider in order to make the calculations,
although once a system is up an running you can insert other gliders
with respect to figures calculated for gliders of known performance.
The more sophisticated systems have a thermal profile (rate of climb
varying with radius) so that good climbing gliders have a higher climb
figure fed in to the formula than heavy ships with high speeds for min
sink.
Figures are normally expressed as a percentage of the speed of a datum
glider and so percentages are speed indexes rather than handicaps.
The UK system (which I originated back in the 1970s) uses a 100% cross-
country speed which is close to that of a Standard Cirrus. A Nimbus 4
is 130% and a K6E is 90% on the UK system which assumes a rate of climb
of about 2.5 knots (there is a thermal profile but I would have to look
it up).
The German system is similar, I believe, but uses a stronger thermal.
Here are the current BGA figures with some notes:
---------------------------------------
BRITISH GLIDING ASSOCIATION SPEED INDEXES FOR GLIDERS
(Extract from the BGA Competition Handbook)
4.8.1. The table which follows shows the current list of BGA
glider speed indices for the no-wind situation.
The index for a new glider is calculated from the
best information available and may be adjusted after experience
and comparisons. Suggested changes should be submitted to the
chairman, BGA handicapping sub-committee, c/o BGA. Changes will
normally be considered only on the basis of evidence from
measured polar curves, tested points from a calibrated glider,
or comparisons with well proven types.
4.8.2. Pilots whose gliders are not listed, or
whose gliders are significantly modified from the normal version,
must apply for a speed index to the BGA handicapping
sub-committee. Significant modifications must be notified to the
director at or before registration, and in the absence of
confirmation of speed index by the sub-committee should be
assessed as follows :-
a) Span. Extra span shall increase the speed index by 2% per
metre of extra span or part thereof, until the handicapping
sub-committee awards a final figure. Gliders with optional
wingtip extension shall have their speed index increased
accordingly when flown with the extension fitted.
b) Winglets. Gliders fitted with optional winglets shall have
their speed index increased by 1% above the standard index for
the type.
c) Other modifications. Other significant modifications
considered by the Director to be performance enhancing shall
increase the speed index by at least 1% until the handicapping
sub-committee awards a final figure.
131 ASW 22BWL
130 Nimbus 4
129 ASW 22B, Nimbus 3 (25.5m)
127 Nimbus 3 (24.5m), ASW 22 (24m), ASH 25WL
126 Nimbus 4D
125 ASH 25, Nimbus 3D, Nimbus 3DM
116 ASH 26, DG 800 (18m), LS6C (18m), Ventus 2 (18m)
115 ASW17, DG 600 (18m), Glasflugel 604, Jantar 2,
Kestrel 22, LAK-12, LS6C (17.5m), Nimbus 2
114 Jantar 1, Kestrel 20, Ventus (17.6m)
113 ASW12, ASW 20BL, DG 600 (17m)
112 ASW20CL, DG 500, DG 500M, Kestrel 19, LS8 (18m),
Ventus (16.6m)
111 ASW 20L
110 DG 400, DG 202/17
109 DG 800 (15m), IS 32, LS 3/17, LS 6, Vega L (17m),
Ventus 2 (15m), SZD 56
108 ASW 20B, ASW 20C, Calif A21, DG600 (15m), Diamant 18,
Glasflugel 304, Ventus (15m)
107 ASW 20, DG 200, Kestrel 17, LS 3, Mosquito,
Nimbus 15, Duo-Discus
106 DG303, Janus C, Janus CM, LS 7WL, LS8 (15m)
105 ASW 24, Discus, Janus C (Fixed wheel), LS 7, SZD 55,
Speed Astir, Vega (15m)
104 Cirrus 18.8, DG300, Janus B, LS 4, Pik 20
103 Pegasus, Pik 20E
102 ASW 19, Cirrus 17.7, Phoebus 17
101 Libelle 301, Std Jantar
100 ASW 15, DG 100, Hornet, LS 1, SHK-1, Std Cirrus
99 Astir CS, Club Pegasus, DG 300 Club, Std Libelle
98 ASW 19 Club, Diamant 16.5, FK3, Marianne, Sport Vega
97 Silene
96 Acro Twin 3, JP15-36A, KH 1, Motor Cirrus, Twin Astir
95 Astir Jeans
94 Acro Twin 2, ASK 21, ASK 23, Club Libelle, Cobra 15,
SFH 34, Viking
93 SZD Junior
92 Dart 17, Foka 5, IS 29D, Puchacz, SB5E (16.5m), Torva,
Zugvogel IIIB
90 Foka 4, Ka 6E, SB5, SD 3/15, SF 27, Sie 3
88 Iris, IS 28B, SF 27M
87 Olympia 419
86 Ka 18, Skylark 4
85 Skylark 3
84 Dart 15, Ka 6CR, Olympia 403, Pirat, Olympia 463
82 BG 135, Fauvette, M 200
80 ASK 14, L-Spatz, M 100S, Moswey 4, Super Blanik
78 Bergfalke 4, Jaskolka, Ka 8, Moswey 3, SF 26, T 53
77 Eagle
76 ASK 13, Sky, Skylark 2, Weihe
74 Bergfalke, Blanik, Bocian, Mucha Std
73 Superfalke
72 Ka 2, Ka 7, SFS 31
70 Capstan, Meise, Olympia 2, Swallow
68 ASK 16, Kite 2A, RF 5B, Tandem Falke
66 Kranich, Mu 13
63 Prefect
62 Grunau Baby
56 T 21
52 Falke
------------------------------------------
--
Ian Strachan
i...@ukiws.demon.co.uk Bentworth Hall West
Tel: +44 1420 564 195 Bentworth, Alton
Fax: +44 1420 563 140 Hampshire GU34 5LA, ENGLAND
Godfrey Larsen
Raul Blacksten
Carl Herod has a handicap system. I know it covers almost all
gliders flying in the US. I do not know how many gliders are
included which have never flown in the US.
You can check this out via the Soaring Society of America (SSA)
homepage at <http://acro.harvard.edu/SSA/ssa_homepg.html>
--
***************************************************************
RAUL BLACKSTEN Wishing you green air!
Vintage Sailplane Association Archivist
ra...@earthlink.net
<http://www.earthlink.net/~raulb>
"It may not be smart or correct, but it's one of the things
which make us what we are" --Red Green, The New Red Green Show
Raul Blacksten
See the Carl Herod Handicap on the Soaring Society of America
(SSA) homepage.
Raul Blacksten
Carl Herod has a handicap system. I know it covers almost all
gliders flying in the US. I do not know how many gliders are
included which have never flown in the US.
You can check this out via the Soaring Society of America (SSA)
homepage at <http://acro.harvard.edu/SSA/ssa_homepg.html>
Rich Carr
Raul Blacksten (ra...@earthlink.net) wrote:
: See the Carl Herod Handicap on the Soaring Society of America
: (SSA) homepage.
: http://acro.harvard.edu/SSA/ssa_homepg.html
Well, I don't think the basenote was looking for handicap lists per
se, but Carl Herold's list is a bit hard to find under the SSA home
page. Try http://csrp.tamu.edu/Soaring/sailplane_handicaps.html for a
more direct route.
- Rich Carr
Rick Filipkiewicz
I've always had this question about handicaps. To what extent do they
allow for thermal spacing? In the worst case they may be so far apart
that that my 33-1 K6-E can't reach the next one from the height I
climb to in the current one whereas a 42-1 Discus will. This would be
made worse by a relatively low cloudbase or airspace restrictions.
Even if I CAN reach another one the Discus will be able to sample more
thermals, allowing the pilot to be much more selective and only stop
and circle in the best stuff.
_________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Richard Filipkiewicz phone: +44 171 700 3301
Algorithmics Ltd. fax: +44 171 700 3400
3 Drayton Park email: ri...@algor.co.uk
London N5 1NU
England
Kevin AstirCS 1U KO0B
ri...@news.algor.co.uk (Rick Filipkiewicz) wrote:
>I've always had this question about handicaps. To what extent do they
>allow for thermal spacing?
There is just no way to make a handicap which allows for all
conditions. Take a perfect scheme, and add 20 Kt. wind, and the slow
ships are suddenly at big disadvantage.
Handicapping is an attempt to level the playing field, unfortunatly
the only tool available is dynamite...the really big hills get
flatened, but the end result is nothing those on the field could
consider level.
Even schemes which attempt to incorporate feedback fail due to the
wide range of conditions encountered.
To make most of wide spaced thermals, use hang gliding technique:
Don't leave thermal if you are still climbing. Keep trying untill you
have lost 100'.
-KF-
Peter Cassidy
Kevin AstirCS 1U KO0B wrote:
> Don't leave thermal if you are still climbing. Keep trying untill you
> have lost 100'.
No, keep trying until you are _about_ to lose 100'.
Peter
br...@asiaonline.net
> ri...@news.algor.co.uk (Rick Filipkiewicz) writes:
> I've always had this question about handicaps.
I believe this is the fundamental question. I'm now a sailor due to location more than inclination. The same problem is present. The
only way to tell the difference between a good sailor and an average one is in match racing. Identical boats with identical kit are
raced against each other then the crew swap boats and do it alll again. After a series of races you have a good idea about who is
the better driver under the prevailing conditions. I don't think this is done with sailplanes even by the French!
>
>>>>
Chris Cullinan
ri...@news.algor.co.uk (Rick Filipkiewicz) wrote:
>I've always had this question about handicaps. To what extent do they
>allow for thermal spacing? In the worst case they may be so far apart
>that that my 33-1 K6-E can't reach the next one from the height I
>climb to in the current one whereas a 42-1 Discus will.
Hello Ric,
Back in about '68 when the Dart was a hot ship a Texas Judge, Hal
Lattimore proposed the TSA-Lattimore handicapping system. It was
written up in 'Soaring' about that time. (March?) Basically it used
the sailplanes published polar curve as the handicap.
If someone in a H201b Libelle acheived, say, 100kph doing the task then
from the polar you can easily work out what average thermal strength
used. Should you in your K6e average, say, 85kph for the same task
your average thermal strength can also be attained. Ditto every other
competitor.
If the highest average thermal strength was acheived by a K8b who took
yonks to do the task but averaged, say 5kt climbs, why did not all other
competitors use that thermal strength?
Taking the highest average thermal strength acheived on the day one
applies that figure to all other competing sailplanes and attains their
theoretical possible speed from their individual polars. A percentage of
efficency can then be worked out giveing a handicapped speed if you wish.
This system has been used at Horsham, Vic. for over 25 years and after
the screaming died down its now well accepted. Comps with over 50
sailplanes have used it. You can apply the handicap just to thermalling
efficiency & need not show that as a corrected speed.
Problems:: It's a pain to put all polars on a graph at the same scale.
Manufacturers often enhance their printed polars.
(The rebuf is to accept a polar published at a later
stage in any reputable soaring magazine)
It does not overcome the problem where it's impossible
for a 30/1 glider to reach the next thermal, whereas a
40/1 ship can. So one still needs to have competing
'classes'.
The only 'snag' is when the organisers outland everyone. You have no
'base' thermal strength to work from. But you can select a few pilots
at random, question them as to acheived climbs, and then set an 'average
attaniable climb'.
The magazine gave a formula that took all this into account & also
provided for those who outlanded.
Those flying for the farm will not permit this system to be used in our
Nationals.
Next FAI Nationals, Horsham, 11-25 Jan, 1997. Next 'Horsham Week' with
TSA-Lattimore System, is 1 - 8 Feb. 1997
Cheers
Cheers,
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Chris Cullinan, Melbourne, Australia, 3043.