Get better at F3K

Work in progress - March 2018......

Many thanks to Erik Dahl Christensen for the bulk of the information in this page. You can also find this information on RCgroups.

In Eric's words...
This document started as a thread on rcgroups about “Techniques to help WIN contests”. It is very detailed and if you find it too detailed, realise that it is because you have become so experienced that you don’t need all of it anymore. 
The stuff that you have mastered 100% - just skip it. I’m though not quite sure that I master anything 100%
On the other hand, if you are a beginner in this game, you may need even more advice than I have gathered. Please feel free to use this document as an unfinished document, and add whatever you feel is lacking. Either ask someone about what you miss, or close you eyes and think deep for a while.
Have fun.

Preparation
  • The road to winning a contest will start months before the day of the event.
  • Physical fitness will eventually come into play as you get closer to the end of the event. 
  • During a 2 day contest you will put up at least 100 launches and if you arrive on Friday that could be much higher. Stay in shape in the off season with aerobic exercise and stretching a couple of times a week. 
  • During the contest season launch launch launch!
Launching and catching
  • Start your flying sessions with a warm up of 20 launches.
  • Then try to string along 10 perfect tip catches.
  • From there work on the basic skills needed for any task. Read the air and get an idea where the lift is before you launch. Fly directly to that spot and sniff it out. When you find lift make a few climbing circles and bring it home for a tip catch and relight right back into it. Do this over and over until that thermal is to far to catch again.
  • Practise launching for height and consistency.
  • You must be ready to catch and relaunch in less than 2 seconds every time.

Thermaling
  • You must be able to find lift on every flight.
  • “In and out” - Land and launch again and try to find again the same thermal.
  • Never stay more than 3-5 minutes in a thermal during practice.
  • If reading lift still seems like voodoo to you try this to help make sense of it all. Next time you encounter lift quickly land your airplane and take a look around. What do you feel, see and hear? Now launch back into it.
  • Treat each flight like an all up last down task. Stand there and read the conditions first and then launch to the lift. When broken down to the very basics this game is the same for any task. Launch, find lift and land on time. Focus on those basics every time you fly.
  • Get comfortable chasing that lift way downwind, you know it is there so go for it. When that thermal is gone don’t just start launching and looking.
    • Spend some time practising and experiencing how to get back and exactly how far away you can fly downwind, to get to know your limits. This means that you will land out. It is though better to land out practising than during a contest.
  • Practice turning the plane around without too much height loss.
  • Practice finding your own lift, but use everybody else's lift during the contest.
  • Practice low level thermaling, but stay high during the contest.

Flying

  • You must be ready to fly in all conditions from wind to rain to big ole puffy clouds and blue sky. These things take practice and not just flying around with your buddies but practicing with intent.
  • Don't land out, but do it occasionally and part wise on purpose during practise, to push your limits.
  • If you normally fly in a right circle, learn to fly left circles. Don’t pay any attention to comments from the jocks that say you need to do right handed circle because the vertical is more efficient. Most people fly right handed circles, and by flying left, you make them struggle to circle better left. More struggle for them, makes them waste air. This is directly from George Moffat’s book. He thought were that if he could make you lose time, you might not win.
  • Learn to land in a crown. Learn how to drop your plane into a hole. You have flaps - use them.
  • You must be ready (confident) to fly in a crowded space standing on a crowded field.
Preparation
  • Have more than one primary ship. That is not saying that your backup should not be as good, but you should have two ships that you can fly interchangeably.
  • The past 2 seasons, I had 2-3 planes for contests for the first time. When I needed to switch planes, I could do so without worry. If I had to repair one on the field, I did not have to worry about finding CA fast, repair cloth, or even wait for epoxy to cure. It was a pleasure not to have to worry about the next task when you know you have a good plane all ready to go!
Preparing just before a task
  • Stay confident. Relax. Launch your (fully charged up) plane before a round to get the jitters and butterflies out. This should allow you to get a feel for the air.
    • I use 3 launches to get me going.
      • a small toss
      • a low power discus launch
      • a full power discus launch
        • I have once made one launch during practise, where I had the wrong model in my transmitter. This 3 phase launch sequence prevents major damages if I mess that up. It also prevents damages from unseen damages to the plane, which could course a totally damaged plane.
    • Always flight check the plane after the task to make sure that you are ready for the next task. If you set your plane down, it should be ready for the next task without any further attention. Store it so that a thermal cannot grab it to destroy it. They know how to do it!
    • Always charge your plane after the task.
    • Keep your planes charged up. If a plane isn't flying during a fun-fly or contest, it should be charging up. Before a contest, practice with your backups. I learned this hard way at the Blue Skies over Colorado. I kept practising with my primary (for the conditions) for the fly-off's and I almost launched it with a dead battery! Unexpectedly switching planes at the last second can screw with your current state of mind and confidence.
    • If you find lift in the preparation time, don't show it to every pilot
      • If flying Prep time, do not circle for a long time in a thermal you found. If you do, the other pilots will determine how fast the thermal is drifting, and if it is going downwind, they will know how far they have to fly to get to it. The old turn and burn routine that Bruce Davidson uses.
    • A preparation example from Matthias Hammerskiold, Sweden

      30-28 Check my gear and ballast
      28-25 Passing through the trigger point
      25-15 Check conditions of previous groups and winning tactics
      15-10 Preparation time is running. I review the tactics with my helper and make a final condition check. Position myself in the launch area according to tactics.
      10-0 Working time running. Carry out the tactics.


,



Things can happen within this window which force me to change ballast or plane but I see this as "failing" of the plan which will take focus from the tactics. With a good team the risk can be minimized since they can take care of previous group analysis.



Flying the task

Don't land out

Make sure you don't loose points in the ladder task.

If you have a good pilot in your group, GREAT! Don't let that intimidate you. Just relax. Use him! He's just another thermal indicator for you.

Know the planes in your group and who's flying them. I think Bruce D mentions this a lot-- Cover them! Fly far enough that you can work on your own and fly close enough that you can zoom to the planes seemingly in lift.

In a gaggle of planes. Stay in blue skies. It's not worth losing your plane and maybe the other guy's plane over something that can be easily avoided. Most of the times, thermals are big enough that you can stay out of the gaggle. I do this all the time. Sometimes you cannot avoid it if people are ranged far out. It took me two mid-airs at the 08 IHLGF to learn this. One of them was my own stupid fault. It took out Kiwi's plane and I still regret doing it. And this was before the contest started!!!

Keep your speed up!

Never loose time; for example if I land at 10 meters from me, I begin to walk when my model is still flying to save time

Fly against yourself, NOT the other pilots. You lose time because YOU did not make the flight task time, not because others do not make the time. You are competing to be the best at the task time and at the end if you drop time it is because you dropped the time. The more time you can get, the better you will place once any comparison is made for scoring.

Never come in early. If you have a chance to bury another pilot by flying as long as you can, do it! Don’t assume you are the best of a flight until you max and cannot accumulate any more points.

Let you timer know what you are going to do. Tell him your limitations, what you like to do and don’t, how you want time to be counted, that is, if he doesn’t already know.

Never let you timer comment on your flight other than trying to compare what you are in versus what the other pilots are doing. I once had a time keep saying get out of there, get out of there, you are in really bad sink. I ALREADY KNEW that because I was already trying to get out, and penetrate through the sink! I am not blind!

Winning a contest is a 2 step process. The first obstacle is to get into the fly offs. The tactics employed to do this may be quite different from those used to win the fly offs. It is wise to be a bit conservative and fly closer to the field during the preliminary rounds.

You should have a plan before every launch even if that means holding for a couple of seconds. The goal here is to be consistent. At the IHLGF this year (2009) it only took an average of 921 points per round to make it into the fly offs in 10th place. In the finals the game changes from conservative to calculated risk taker. It will take aggressive flying to get the most out of every flight. Transitions will come into play so you better be ready for tip catches on every flight.


Do not underestimate the importance of a great timer.


When you start to treat it like a team event you will have a big advantage.

Tactics for each of the tasks
Either memorize these task specific tactics, write them down and show them to your timer seconds before the start of the working time (not advisable), OR let your timer be part of these tactics, so you gather the synergy from 2 brains doing different parts of the necessary thinking during the flight :-). Think F3K as a team event.

Suggestion:
Print and laminate these task specific tactics AND the general tactics, and keep them on you score board until you don't need them anymore.
Generally)
Avoid the same sink twice – be “the river of air”
Avoid “cross overs” => no midair’s
Fly different areas if you don’t have a positive thermal indication
Circle only in lift
Be conservative - stay in the middle of the pack until you know where the thermal is
Learn to spot thermals from vegetation movements, birds, insects, wind shifts and other planes in the air.
Don't land out

1) if there is time left in the tasks
3 out of 6, ladder, 2 last, last, AULD
Use the excessive time to find lift => in & out
Don’t land early. Find lift while flying, then land a relaunch directly into the lift. Your don’t loose points for over flying the time.

2) Turn-around tasks
5x2, 1-2-3-4
Make the time a little short. 2 seconds “wasted” on ground is better spent watching for lift, than 2 seconds stressed over flying.
If you can find lift before you land = in & out
If you are in doubt before the launch, use 5 seconds to scan the sky, make a decision and launch

change of tactics
If you loose time in 5x2 or 1-2-3-4, the task changes from a turn around task to a task with time left in the working time. This change suddenly gives you time to either scan the sky from ground, or over fly the other times while searching for lift in the air. In the same manner a task with time to spare and the above mentioned changed turn around task, can change or change back to a turn around task, if you have used all the spare time :-)


“last flight” - working time 7-10 minutes dependant on CD
Find lift in the 2-5 surplus minutes
Your timer must be aware of anybody finding lift

Use the excessive time to find lift => in & out
Don’t land early. Find lift while flying, and then land and relaunch directly into the lift. Remember that you don’t loose points for over flying the time.

7 min w-time => 4x25 sec. free air scan time
or
10 min w-time => 5x50 s free scan air time
“2 last flights”
Find lift in the last part of the second last flight => in & out
Don’t land early – use the time in the air to find lift => in & out
Your timer must be aware of anybody finding lift

Use the excessive time to find lift => in & out
Don’t land early. Find lift while flying, and then land a relaunch directly into the lift. Remember that you don’t loose points for over flying the time.

2 min surplus time => 4x25 sec free scan time
“AULD”
Find lift from the ground
Choose where to fly if you can
be conservative – stay in the middle of the pack until you know where the lift is


“Ladder” – there is 75 seconds excessive time in the working time
Over fly each flight 1-2 seconds
Find lift during the first short and easy flights
Use the last part of the last longer flights to decide where to fly next

Use the excessive time to find lift => in & out
Don’t land early. Find lift while flying, and then land and relaunch directly into the lift. Remember that you don’t loose points for over flying the time.

The first 3-5 flights (dependant on skill) are free scan air time for the last longer flights
“5x2”
Find lift during the prep time – decide where to fly
Find lift in the last part of each flight => in & out

Make the time a little short. 2 seconds “wasted” on ground is better spent watching for lift, than 2 seconds stressed over flying.
If you can find lift before you land = in & out
If you are in doubt before the launch, use 5 seconds to scan the sky, make a decision and launch

If the full time is not flown -> change tactics

If the surplus time is spent on ground change back to turn around tactics

1 min surplus time coursed be a 1 min flight => 2x25 sec free air scan time
“3 out of 6”
Find lift in the first minute
If you search for lift in the air, make a decision at 0:40, so you can either stay in the thermal, relaunch in it if you are low or decide to fly the thermal that is somewhere else
Find lift during the last part of each flight => in & out
If you have time left, use it to find lift – preferably in the air
Use the excessive time to find lift => in & out
Don’t land early. Find lift while flying, and then land a relaunch directly into the lift. Remember that you don’t loose points for over flying the time.


“1-2-3-4”
Find lift during the first 40 seconds.
Find lift or decide where to fly next at times 0:40, 1:40, 2:40 and 3:40.
Make the time a little short. 2 seconds “wasted” on ground is better spent watching for lift, than 2 seconds stressed over flying.
If you can find lift before you land = in & out
If you are in doubt before the launch, use 5 seconds to scan the sky, make a decision and launch


Dependant on skill and weather:
1 min flight is free air scan time
2 min flight can be free air scan time

The following table can give you an estimate of which times you are aiming at when setting your target for next years competitions. Have a look at your scores from last year, and find where you can/will improve this year. Analyse where you can gain points. Practise that nad advance placings in your next contest.
Find out what your target shall be for this years contests, and see what times you apr. shall fly to reach your goal and contest placings your wish for
The mentioned combinations of times are of course only some of the possible combinations.
Be aware that the tactics for a turnaround task flown to less than 100% changes the task from a turn around task to a task with slightly different tactics.


at least 75% of max
min 750 points
at least 80% of max
min 800 points
at least 85% of max
min 850 points
at least 90% of max
min 900 points
at least 95% of max
min 950 points
100%

1000 points
AULD
3 x 2:15
3 x 2:24
3 x 2:33
3 x 2: 42
3 x 2:51
3 x 3:00
Gratulations
Ladder
all but 2:00
=771 = 77.1%
all
all
all
all
all
Gratulations
5x2
5 x 1:30
5 x 1:36
5 x 1:42
5 x 1:48
5 x 1:54
5 x 2:00 (not possible but close)
Gratulations
3 of 6
3 x 2:15
3 x 2:24
3 x 2:33
3 x 2: 42
3 x 2:51
3 x 3:00
Gratulations
Last flight
5 min
3:45
4:00
4:15
4:30
4:45
5:00
Gratulations
2 last flights
2x4 min
3 x 3:00
or
4:00 + 2:00
2 x 3:12
or
4:00 + 2:24
2 x 3:24
or
4:00 + 2:48
2 x 3:36
or
4:00 + 3:12
2 x 3:48
or
4:00 + 3:36
2 x 4:00
Gratulations
1-2-3-4 min
1+2+3 + 1:30
or
1+2 + 1:45 + 2:45
1+2+3 + 2:00
or
1+2 + 2:00 + 3:00
1+2+3 + 2:30
or
1+2 + 2:15 + 3:15
1+2+3 + 3:00
or
1+2 + 2:30 + 3:30
1+2+3 + 3:30
or
1+2 + 2:30 + 3:30
1+2+3+4
(not possible but close)
Gratulations



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