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Bob Axsom

Well Known Member
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:
9A4.jpg

T1wtrtwr.jpg

M22.jpg

Rocket.jpg

damisland.jpg
 
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Draw the course on the sectional

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.

Route.jpg
 
The start of the checksheet

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.
 
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Start sheet

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
 
Turn 1 Check sheet

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
 
Turn 2 Checksheet

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
 
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Crossover 9A4 Checksheet

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
 
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Turn 3 Checksheet

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
 
Turn 4 Checksheet

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
 
Finish Checksheet

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
 
Bob,

I am impressed. The race is well planned, sort of like a low altitude bombing run. :)

Looks like it is set for October 30, good luck.
 
can't miss

I couldn't believe that Saturn 1B rocket. If anybody misses this landmark they are going to be up for some harrassment.

We need more RV's at the event. We will probably run the race in 3 heats based on classes so if you are not on the course you can watch the other classes go over. We have a waiver of the 250kt rule so the sport and unlimited classes will be running unrestricted. We are planning to live stream the brief and racing.


Should be a fun deal come over and check it out.

CM
 
Pine Bluff is interested

Chris, I sent a copy of Mike's Message to Gerald Loyd and got this response:


A couple of us are talking about going. Not as competitors, we want to watch.

Gerald​

Gerald flies a RV-4 with an O-320. He may compete with you some day in the RV-Red class. I heard from Don Hull at MSFC last year (RV-7 I think) saying that he was going to try to make it as well.

You and the FBO operator at courtland are really focusing on spectator interest development by looking at what will make this more enjoyable to watch and I think it is working. The heat idea is new to me and I think I will enjoy seeing the Unlimited and Sport class compete if the RV classes fly later.

Bob Axsom
 
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The race checklist is done- want a copy?

The race checklist is done - want a copy? Just let me know your e-mail address and I will send it in Power Point format. Just print it and cut it and it is ready for your knee board.

When you actually fly the race it is just like any other cross country flight that you make by yourself. Since the airplanes are launched fastest first and slowest last the distance between airplanes increases as the race progresses and it is very rare to see another racer.

Bob Axsom
 
Wind History

Looking at the wind history in the area on October 30 around 11 am for the past 5 years, it looks like it is usually out of the south when there is any wind so the fastest legs will probably be from turn 2 through the cross over to turn 3. All of the rest will probably be at best a cross wind. I still need to make up some wind/altitude/climb/descent tables but the winds seem pretty mild.

Bob Axsom
 
Simple leg speed calculator

I made up a simple calculator in Excel where I enter 500 fpm climb/descent speed, leg distance, cruise speed and altitude change and it gives me altitude change time, altitude change distance, cruise distance, cruise time, leg time and leg speed. I put the required info into another Excel file and predict the race speed. At minimum altitude and zero wind it says I should be able to average just under 205 mph in the TVARIII cross country race. There is no allowance for turns in this primitive system but with better speeds than I used for climb (130 kts), descent (cruise + 10 kts) and cruise (182 kts) I should be able to do that. The "C" and "D" numbers are climb and descent target altitudes in K MSL.

Leg 1, 11.9nm, C1.8, 4.49min, 158.86kts, 182.81mph
Leg 2, 27.8, D1.5, 9.13, 182.66, 210.20
Leg 3, 22.1, C2.0, 7.57, 175.13, 201.54
Leg 4, 28.7, D1.4, 9.42, 182.85, 210.42
Leg 5, 26.0, C1.7, 8.74, 178.43, 205.34
Leg 6, 8.7, D1.2, 2.81, 185.55, 213.53
Race, 125.2, na, 42.17,178.13, 204.99

Even in its primitive form it makes for some interesting "what if" trials that the current wind can be taken into consideration with for its effect on speed and altitude selection. The struggle continues.

Bob Axsom
 
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next!

The race at courtland went very well - I averaged 215.83 MPH. I just finished the first cut of the race checklist for the Rocket 100 at Taylor, TX on november 20, 2010. If anyone wants a copy just give me your e-mail address. It may contain errors but it is a good start.

Bob Axsom
 
Rocket 100 Turn 1 change

Somethng I missed because I printed what was at the website for the race earlier and worked from that. The first turn has been changed from the Birds Nest/Austin Executive airport to the CENTEX VOR. I will work on fixing my race checklist tonight.

Bob Axsom
 
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