This was accepted by the 2014 Plenary
Proposal from
Barney Townsend - GBR alternate delegate
Proposal title
Number of pilots on the deck
Existing text
S.10 Annex 3
3.3.3 TAKE-OFF
In all tasks A PF must be foot launched and a PL must take off on its wheels.
No pilot may take-off without permission from the Director or a Marshal.
Open window or given order of take off may be applied to tasks.
All take-offs, unless otherwise briefed, must be effected entirely within the landing deck, except for emergency provisions given at briefing. Failure to comply will result in a penalty of 20% of the pilot's score.
Before departure, a pilot and/or his aircraft may be inspected at any time for contravention of any regulations. It is the duty of competitors to assist marshals as much as possible in expediting an inspection.
Except in specified tasks, an aborted take-off does not in principle attract any penalty, however the pilot must comply with any instruction from the marshals to expedite a re-launch or the pilot risks being relegated to the end of the queue.
In the case where the take-off order is given:
- No more than six pilots are permitted on a take off deck at any one time.
- The first 6 pilots must be ready to takeoff at the start of the task.
- Every pilot must take off before the sixth pilot in order after him has taken off or a 20% penalty will apply.
- If a marshal considers a pilot to be causing unreasonable delay (has been on the deck more than 20 minutes with the opportunity to take off), a 20% penalty will apply.
New text
3.3.3 TAKE-OFF
In all tasks A PF must be foot launched and a PL must take off on its wheels.
No pilot may take-off without permission from the Director or a Marshal.
Open window or given order of take off may be applied to tasks.
All take-offs, unless otherwise briefed, must be effected entirely within the landing deck, except for emergency provisions given at briefing. Failure to comply will result in a penalty of 20% of the pilot's score.
Before departure, a pilot and/or his aircraft may be inspected at any time for contravention of any regulations. It is the duty of competitors to assist marshals as much as possible in expediting an inspection.
Except in specified tasks, an aborted take-off does not in principle attract any penalty, however the pilot must comply with any instruction from the marshals to expedite a re-launch or the pilot risks being relegated to the end of the queue.
In the case where the take-off order is given:
- No more than six pilots are permitted on a take off deck at any one time.
- The first 6 pilots must be ready to takeoff at the start of the task.
- Every pilot must take off before the sixth pilot in order after him has taken off or a 20% penalty will apply.
- If a marshal considers a pilot to be causing unreasonable delay (has been on the deck more than 20 minutes with the opportunity to take off), a 20% penalty will apply.
Reason
This rule is often disregarded in competitions for reasons of practicality. There is no reason for there not to be more than just six pilots setting up on the deck, getting ready to launch within their correct order.