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In competition, the Japanese Slalom is great for smaller areas, or
when it's too windy for a cloverleaf. But it still takes lots of space
because the first turn, a 180, is towards the spectators.
So I've proposed a simple change to reduce the space needed. Instead
of turning away from stick 4, turns are towards it (see
diagram). Organizers must already protect 50 meters out to stick 4, so
this is a better use of their space. The only drawback is for pilots who
have learned it already now must relearn it. Me, for example. But
there's probably only a dozen people in the U.S. that have flown this
task a lot since we try to do cloverleafs whenever possible.
If this is approved then we'll probably use it at the Paratoys
Competition (Feb 2012) if we don't do a cloverleaf. Another nice thing
about this is that you set it up and forget it because the pilots would
just reverse the course if needed for wind. Just remember that, when
done properly, each turn at stick three is always towards stick four.
Trying It Out
While at Pine Island airport, while flying with Paul Czarnecki and
company, I tried it out. Thanks Don for helping set it up. I taped the
diagram to my leg and did take a couple runs to get it right but then
I flew it a few times down low and it worked brilliantly. I first flew it up
high (students were launching anyway) to get the gist then came down and
tried it normally. I was flying my Pluto 18 which is moderately fast
because of its small size. Those who are heavier loaded yet (and a lot
are!) will need to be pretty steep to be competitive, but that's no
different than the regular slalom.
Organizers might want to make the spectator area off limits -- in
other words, if you fly over a protected spectator area, your points are
zeroed. Besides being illegal, it's just so dangerous to do so. And in
this task, there's no need. If you're flying over the spectator area
you've planned very poorly.
One thing to note: at the asterisk, it doesn't matter which side of
stick two you go on. That helps prevent turning so steep as to need
heading for the spectator area.
See other
competition related information from Chapter 20.
See even more
competition
related stuff (events, records, news).
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A version of the FAI's Japanese Slalom that
requires less room. It's scored exactly like the FAI version just the
directions are changed.
It can be flown as a mirror image so, if the wind
changes, the course doesn't need to be reset.
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