raymod2

I've uploaded video of the competition runs during the 2005 CPC Championships. This is the same footage that Ian posted awhile back. But I used a higher resolution and bitrate so it is close in quality to the original footage. I also added subtitles that shows each competitor's name and the score they got on each run. The codec is H.264 so you will need a fairly fast computer to play it and the filesize is pretty big (330MB). If you don't have the proper DirectShow filters installed and you don't want to bother with that then you can download VLC which will play it natively. http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=4679

I doubt any canopy will climb on its own when you have it tipped over going through a carving course.

Ian, I just don't buy the "projectile trajectory" explanation. A canopy is not the same as a cannonball or a bullet. The difference is that a canopy generates lift. There is also one point that seems to get forgotten: A canopy must pass through a point where it is flying level (generally somewhere near the gates). To get it to rise after that you need to generate more lift than would be necessary to stay level. And more lift means more induced drag.

I would have gone but the cost is ridiculous.

This is very interesting. If true it would help explain the benefit of popping up during a downwind distance run.

Name Speed 1 Speed 2 Dist 1 Dist 2 Accy 1 Accy 2 ------------------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ Dan Raymond 3.04s 3.14s 233' 158' 69 Giedrius Kasiulynas 5.24s 7.84s 155' 126' 69 76 Derrick Krakau 159' Jason Derrick 18 Name Speed 1 Speed 2 Dist 1 Dist 2 Accy 1 Accy 2 Total ------------------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Dan Raymond 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 69 469.00 Giedrius Kasiulynas 58.02 40.05 66.52 79.75 69 76 389.34 Derrick Krakau 68.24 68.24 Jason Derrick 18 18.00

A carving course can be set up very quickly (10 minutes or so) with three people, a 300' tape measure, and a 50' tape measure. First you need to do a little bit of math. Start by choosing values for the following: a = angle of the speed course s = length of the speed course n = number of gates w = width of the gates Now compute the following: 180 * s w x = -------- + --- pi * a 2 [ a ] y = 2 * x * sin [ ----------- ] [ 2 * (n - 1) ] For example, these are the values we used this year in the Illinois CPC district: a = 60 degrees s = 180 feet n = 6 w = 24 feet x = 183.9 feet y = 38.45 feet Now define the camera position as point A, the outside of the entry gate as point B, and the outside of the next gate as point C. Start by marking points A and B which must be x feet apart. Now one person holds the end of the 300' tape measure at point A while another person holds the end of the 50' tape measure at point B. The third person, while keeping both tape measures taut, measures x feet from point A and y feet from point B to mark point C. Repeat this process until the outside of every gate is marked. Now go back and mark the inside of every gate. Hold a tape measure taut between the camera point and the outside gate. Measure w feet from the outside gate in the direction of the camera point.

Ian, maybe people turn lower in high wind conditions because they don't like getting pushed back by the wind so they rush their turns?

1) Safety: If a carving course is unsafe then why were the regions instructed to use one all year? If people were getting "fucked up" last year then why didn't we see any yellow cards or red cards being issued? 2) Ease of course changes: The speed event is the only event scheduled for Friday. It would be nice if Jim just told us why he eliminated speed carve instead of sitting back and watching everyone guess.

Your method of scoring doesn't really solve the problem. Those who hug the inside gates will have a shorter distance to travel. When the difference between first and second is often less than a tenth of a second this can make a big difference. The same problem exists for the carving course but at least in that case you can't hug the inside gates or else you will clip the blade markers with your lines.

At the briefing before last year's championships Jim told us that the purpose of the speed carve course was to teach us awareness of our canopy. Flying through a carving course requires you to know where your canopy is to avoid hitting the blade markers. Especially at high speeds, when you need to tip over the wing more, it becomes important to choose a good line through the course and stay near the tops of the gates. All the CPC pilots have been practicing that skill this year because all the CPC regions have been using a carving speed course. Why now, at the championships of all times, would you eliminate this event and make it easier for someone with a smaller skill set to win?

This is disappointing. Speed carve was the most challenging event at last year's championships and I have been practicing it all year. I don't see how a straight speed course will be any different than a distance course. We might as well just have 6 rounds of distance.

Is this a typo? A straight speed course?

This analogy is flawed. In a car acceleration is not constant. It decreases as velocity increases. No, lift is perpendicular to the direction of flight (by definition). It is definitely NOT perpendicular to the wing since that would mean your angle of attack is zero in which case you are producing no lift at all. No, the angle of attack and airspeed will determine riser pressure.

...the reason I mention it is because the 2006 IPC Competition Rules for Canopy Piloting 9.4.3.2(c) states: "In the Zone Accuracy event each result of a round equals the points for the round." Not that I'm arguing against the way you are scoring it. Your way ensures that all events (distance, speed, and zone accuracy) affect the total standings equally. Maybe the IPC rules need to be changed.

You guys are using the percentage scoring system for zone accuracy?

...which makes sense. A 10.68 second run *should* score better than a vertical extension.

Derrick, why don't you ask Stein to jump his Crossfire 119 and then report back here?

Could you elaborate on this? Do you mean that they tried in past years but there was lack of participation?

Name Speed 1 Speed 2 Dist 1 Dist 2 Accy 1 Accy 2 ------------------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ Dan Raymond 190' 181' 74 Peter Piotrowski 4.64s 4.50s 131' Andy Metcalfe 9.28s 125' 110' Name Speed 1 Speed 2 Dist 1 Dist 2 Accy 1 Accy 2 Total ------------------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Dan Raymond 100.00 100.00 74.00 274.00 Peter Piotrowski 100.00 100.00 72.38 272.38 Andy Metcalfe 50.00 65.79 60.77 176.56

@SkymonkeyONE: You brought down your turn initiation altitude to improve performance?

VLC will play it: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Just to throw in my two cents: I am jumping at East Troy, WI which is 800 ft above sea level. I am under a Velocity 103 at a 2.05 wing loading. I will not do a front riser 270 under 700 feet.

It looked like a downwind run to boot.

Changes can be good (ie. the new weight restriction rule). Which rule changes don't you like?