My flight planning for cross country Air Races in my RV-6A

[Bob Axsom]

This is just for information although I am coincidently starting my actual flight checklist for the race at courtland, Alabama on 10-10-2010. At the www.sportairrace.org website starting with the Calendar of events checklist SARL race organizer's start, finish and turn points are listed. For the Tennessee Valley III race they are as follows:

Start = Lawrence County 9A4
Turn 1 = 34 32.25'N, 8 9.70'W
Turn 2 = Russellville Muni M22
Crossover = Lawrence County 9A4
Turn 3 = 34 57.27'N, 86 53,51'W
Turn 4 = 34 48.08'N, 87 23.12"W
Finish = Lawrence County 9A4

I go into Google Earth and get an image of the key locations:

[Bob Axsom]

The next thing I do is use the lat/long and airport symbols to find the key points and draw the course with 5 nautical mile tic marks to the next key point.

[Bob Axsom]

I take these earlier images and use Power point to put the reduced size images in the the upper left corner of the page. This leaves room at the bottom of the page for INBOUND and OUTBOUND requirements and caution notes. After the package is printed (one page per Start, Turn, Finish and recovery) the page is cut in half so it is just the right size for the kneeboard.

The race information at the www.sportairrace.org site and the sectional need to be reviewed to capture the essential information that needs to be on the check sheet.

[Bob Axsom]

Start
- Freq = 122.7
- Wait for engine start order
- Taxi in order behind ( )

Outbound
- Turn to 131 past departure end of runway
- Min altitude 1300 MSL
- Climb to 1800 for turn
Caution Note
1075 tower 6 miles before turn 1

[Bob Axsom]

INBOUND
- Freq = 122.75
- Turn at 1,800 or above east side of water tower
- Call the turn

OUTBOUND
- turn to 262
- Min. altitude = 1200

Caution Note
- Several towers under 1,000 MSL before 12 miles to turn 2 - clear after that

[Bob Axsom]

INBOUND
- Freq = 122.8
- Min. turn altitude 1500
- call the turn
- Turn wsw of buildings at north end of runway

OUTBOUND
- Turn to 057
- Min. alt 1500

Caution notes
- 1346 tower 4 miles after turn 2 (18 miles from turn 3)
- 1009 tower 5 miles before turn 3

[Bob Axsom]

INBOUND
- Freq = 123.15
- Climb to min 2,000 MSL 2 miles before airport
- Call Air Boss 2 miles out
- Min. crossing altitude 2,000

OUTBOUND
- Turn to 054
- Min. alt 1400

Caution notes
- Many towers below 1220 MSL

[Bob Axsom]

INBOUND
- Freq = 122.75
- Min. turn altitude 1500
- Call the turn
- Turn east of rocket

OUTBOUND
- Turn to 252
- Min. alt 1200 except for 1700 over Rogersville (5 miles before turn 4)

Caution notes
- 1043 tower 20 miles before turn 4
- 956 tower 5 miles before turn 4

[Bob Axsom]

INBOUND
- Freq = 122.75
- Min. turn altitude 1100
- call the turn
- Turn over small island west of the dam

OUTBOUND
- Turn to 171
- Min. alt 1200

Caution notes
- 845 tower just right of course near finish

[Bob Axsom]

INBOUND
- Freq = 123.15
- Max. finish altitude 1500
- Call 2 miles from finish
- Fly over departure end of runway 17 Finish Line

Recovery
- Fly south for slow down - cool down
- land on runway 13 or 31