At its spring 2013 board meeting, the IAC board of directors approved a set of changes to U.S. National Aerobatic Championships contest operations. These changes mostly affect pilots flying in the Advanced and Unlimited Power and Glider categories.
Supplemental rules for U.S. Nationals are defined by P&P 503, updated copies of which you'll find in the IAC Policies and Procedures Manual. (The latest version of this manual is available for download as a PDF Portfolio and a flattened PDF file.)
The significant changes from past years are:
Advanced and Unlimited Power and Glider Unknown Programs
- CIVA-style "Free Unknowns" replace jury-selected Unknowns
- The Power Unknown Figure Family Limitations Table is updated to match CIVA
- A submitted figure may be used in a sequence starting on either axis, regardless of how it was drawn when submitted
- Competitor and Chief Judge attendance at figure selection meetings is no longer mandatory, however a competitor must be present to submit a figure
- Competitors ranked below the top 10 may submit Unknown figures at a figure selection meeting should any of the top 10 ranked competitors fail to do so
- Limit to one the number of sequences that may be submitted by a competitor or group of cooperating competitors
- Remove the requirement that linking figures be "simple" (tracks CIVA)
- Permit sequence submission in any format, including handwritten, providing that catalog numbers and K-factors of each linking figure are listed
- Clarify the sequence correction process
4-Minute Free Program
- Define how qualified Advanced competitors are selected to compete
- Define how Glider competitors are selected to compete
Miscellaneous
- Add the U.S. Advanced Glider Aerobatic Champion title
- Raise protest fees to $50 per grievance
- Permit order-of-flight to be selected by computer program
- Require that Optional Safety Maneuvers for team selection categories be briefed by the Chief Judge and allowed to be flown unless the Contest Director determines that time does not permit it
We encourage Advanced and Unlimited competitors who are planning to fly at the 2013 U.S. Nationals to download and review the latest P&P 503.
