The rules for the event are simpler than most fliers think. They have been refined in many ways since the first World Championships in 1977. These rules make competition fair even when the stakes are high, as they can be in international and world championship events. Event participants don't usually have a problem with the rules other than how to use them and get the best score. Here is a run-down covering the principal aspects of the event. Complete FAI rule books are available from the AMA.

The event is flown in rounds. In each round you'll fly duration, distance and speed. Your score for a round is the total of normalized points from the three tasks. The highest "raw" score in each group is given a 1000 and the other pilots are given a percentage. Here's how it goes in the distance task, where your laps are counted. The pilot in your flight group with the highest number of laps gets a 1000 for the task. It doesn't matter how many laps he did, he gets the 1000! If he did 24 laps of the 150 meter course and you completed 12 then your score would be 12 laps ÷ 24 laps = .5 x 1000 = 500 and that would be your score for the task. You will be in a different group each round, maybe for each task. Duration points get normalized also. For the raw score you get one point for each second in the air up to ten minutes, one point taken off for each second after. This gets added to the landing bonus. The landing spot is a two meter diameter circle worth 100 points, each meter out is worth 5 points less out to 30 points. If you're in the air when working time ends, you won't get any landing points and the flight points stop. The flight group for speed is usually the entire list of contestants. For the speed task the fastest person in the group is given the 1000 and any other score is determined by taking the time of the flight and dividing it into the winners time for the normalized score. If the fastest speed run of the round was an 18 second flight and you flew a 24 second flight your score would be 18 sec. ÷ 24 sec. = .750 x 1000 = 750 points. Speed is usually flown in one large group which gives you a chance to beat your teammates. The scores from all the rounds flown in the contest are added to determine placing.

This is a thermal event so the flying field should be fairly flat, open and free of slope effects. Your field would probably do nicely! A winch line would be established with the turnarounds upwind, at least at the start of the round. The landing circles, one for each pilot in the flight group, are usually placed off to either side of the winches. For distance and speed tasks a course must be established. A vertical plane called Base A is established at or behind the winches. It extends up, higher than you can fly and for the distance task extends to either side as far as you can see. Parallel to Base A, 150 meters in the direction of the turnarounds is another vertical plane, Base B. It also extends out in either direction. One lap is the distance from Base A to B or B to A, not out and back. For a lap to count in either task the nose of the plane must pass through the base plane the glider is flying towards. Distance can be flown on either side of the winches or directly above, you pick the place on the course where you think the air is best and crank out laps. For safety reasons all flying in the speed task takes place to one side of the winches. A vertical plane referred to as the safety line is set up at one end of the winch line. It runs perpendicular to Base A and B, flying on the wrong side will get you a score of zero, no arguing allowed. There are safety areas established on the field where a pilot may not land.

Whether a plane crosses the safety line or Bases A or B is determined by officials using simple sighting devices. Pilots may not have anyone help them by signaling from Base B but help is allowed at Base A during the flight. Each pilot or team usually sets up a sight and aligns it with the official sight to help turn at Base A properly.

The contest organizers can determine the order that tasks are run in. Each task is assigned preparation time and working time. Prep time is a five minute period before the task begins for each flight group. You use it to check out your radio, plane and get your launching equipment set up. Prep time ends with the start of working time. All official flights take place in working time. You may launch any time within the working time. Your last flight is the official flight.

The task for duration is ten minutes, working time is twelve minutes. Flight points count from the time the plane leaves the launch line to the time it comes to rest on the ground. The end of working time is the last chance for flight points. There are no landing points given if the plane comes to rest after working time ends.

Distance has a seven minute working time. The pilot has four minutes, from the time the plane enters the course to do as many laps as possible. After launching the pilot flies the plane behind Base A then turns to fly to Base B. Only whole laps of the last flight are counted.

The speed task has a working time of four minutes. The plane must enter the course within one minute of leaving the launch line or be relaunched for another attempt. This rule prevents thermalling to extreme heights for an entry onto the course. Unlike the other tasks only one attempt for an official flight may be made. The plane may be launched as many times as the pilot demands. Once the plane passes through Base A and goes to Base B for the first of four laps, the flight is official! A shout of the word "Abort" tells the officials of a failed attempt and imminent relaunch! Flight time starts when the plane enters the course and ends after completing the four laps. A zero is given if the four laps are not completed.

Much of the fairness in the rules comes from the inclusion of "reflights" for those pilots who have been hindered during their attempts to make an official flight. The idea is to give everyone the same opportunity to find air and fly in it. The normalized scoring for each flight group rates performance on a man to man basis. Common reasons for reflights include being unable to launch because someone has fouled your line, not being scored properly, midair collisions or other unseen events. The decision to continue a flight for the best or take a reflight of the task adds an element not found in other forms of competition flying.

You may enter three planes in a contest. The FAI limits for plane size and weight are the same for AMA and F3B competitions. No landing aids or skegs may be used. The rules actually dictate the planes' characteristics. Limited winch power and seven minute duration task do as much to shape the plane as the need for pure speed and the weighty distance task. The plane that starts a round must be used for all three tasks. If an airplane is lost due to an incident that would allow you a reflight you may use another plane to finish the round.

To get the best score possible you may have the use of four helpers. A team is not necessary but very helpful. At international events a team is made up of three pilots. At a proper contest only the team manager is allowed to discuss event business with the officials.

Launches can be made several ways. The most preferred is the winch launch. Winch motors are limited in power by a specification for the internal resistance which must be greater than 15 milliohms, battery power is also limited to 460 CCA. A typical Ford long shaft motor has a resistance of 9 milliohms, a hot one can be 6-8. Older more powerful F3B winches were rated at 4 milliohms! Motors must be standard production items, you may modify them only to support the shaft on ball bearings. Drums must be at least 2.95 inches long and be a fixed diameter. The line is 400 meters long and the turnaround is 200 meters from the winch. So the used line doesn't foul anyones launch, the line must be run down to the turnaround. The winch must be equipped with a device to prevent line being let out while under tow. Launching must take place within three meters of the winch. Turnarounds can be no higher than .5 meter above the ground.

Hand towing is also allowed, the length of the towline is 175 meters. Pulleys can be used to gain some advantage. This method of launching is employed most when the wind has changed and the winches are positioned facing downwind. The plane is towed into the wind to a better position and hopefully as high a launch!