North Texas

Pylon Racing Organization

Q-25 RULES & REGULATIONS

Aircraft must be a single engine, single wing type with an integral landing gear. All aircraft must be able to ROG (rise off ground) from an idling start.

AMA Event 424 legal Quickie 500 racers only: Aircraft can be ARF, kit, or scratch built (all aircraft must comply with all Event 424 Q500 dimensions). Wing and tail must be constructed of solid wood or wood over a solid foam core. No composite material wings or tail feathers are allowed. Minimum empty weight (no fuel) of 52 oz. (3-1/4 lbs.) Fuel tank can be any standard molded type or a bubble-less fuel tank only. * No pressure bladder fuel tanks allowed. Stock racing wheels can be replaced with an after market brand, but must be 2-1/4" minimum diameter.

Flight Controls: All aircraft must have all (4) radio flight controls operational these include: throttle, aileron, elevator, and rudder (ruddervator if V-Tail).
- Pushrods shall have only one threaded end that is free to turn. The other end shall consist of a “Z” bend, an “L” bend with keeper or collar, a metal clevis that is soldered on, or a threaded ball-link that is glued or otherwise secured so that it cannot turn. Each clevis on a pushrod must have a safety (i.e. fuel tubing) to prevent accidental opening.
- Servos controlling the pitch and roll functions shall be of adequate strength for the weight and speed of the aircraft. It is recommended that servos have a minimum torque rating of 30 in/oz. (27m/kg). Whenever a single servo is used to control one of these functions, it shall be designed and built to accommodate at least four mounting screws. When two or more servos are used together to control the same function, as in the case of dual aileron servos or the movable tail surfaces on a "V"-tailed aircraft, each of such servos may be of the two-screw variety. All screws holding the servos to the servo rails or trays and holding any trays to the airframe shall be in place and secure. Rubber grommets shall be used on all servos designed to accept them. If the heads of the servo mounting screws are small enough to pull through the grommets, washers shall be used to prevent this. Alternatively, servos may be permanently installed with glue.
- Batteries shall be of adequate capacity for the size and number of servos used. Minimum battery capacity shall be 250 milliamp-hours (mAh) for this event.

Engine must be an OS .25FX, OS .25AX, GMS .25, or Magnum .25XLS for this class. Starting in 2011 any other engine must be approved by the contest directors. All engines must be a front intake, side exhaust type using only the stock factory furnished "Out Of The Box" expansion chamber muffler and fully functional factory stock throttled type carburetor. All engines must be capable of sustained idle and be shut down by radio. * No engine or muffler modifications allowed except to remove the baffle from the muffler and to relocate the rear needle valve assembly if broken off or replace the factory remote needle valve with an after market remote needle valve assembly.

Spinner or Prop Nut: On all aircraft the front end of the engine crankshaft shall be covered with a rounded spinner or safety nut. A spinner with a flat, oval, Allen (Hex) of at least 3/16-inch in diameter on the front fulfills this requirement.

Fuel: Shall be commercially blended fuel containing not more than fifteen (15) percent nitromethane.

Propeller: Shall be commercially available APC or Master Airscrew (no carbon fiber composite or wood) with a minimum diameter of eight (8) inches and a nominal pitch of six (6) inches. * No prop modifications except to sand/debur the sharp edges for safety or sand prop blade (one side only) for balancing.

Pylons will be set up by 11:45am for pre-race practice until 1:00pm. Pre-race practice is optional for all race pilots. Flight line will be closed to all race pilots at 1:00pm.

Preflight Inspection of Aircraft: During registration, all aircraft shall undergo a safety inspection to ensure that, at a minimum, the following requirements have been complied with:
- Push/pull rods or cables, control horns, and servo leads shall be installed in such a way that they will not become disconnected in flight.
- Clevises shall be physically held closed by short pieces of fuel tubing or similar material. Metal clevises shall be protected from deterioration of the threads due to vibration by means of a jam nut, thread treatment such as Loctite® or Vibra-Tite®, or a similar method. Ball links shall be tight.
- All screws holding the motor to the mount and the mount to the firewall shall be in place and secure.
- Servos controlling the pitch and roll functions shall be of adequate strength for the weight and speed of the aircraft. It is recommended that servos have a minimum torque rating of 30 in/oz. (27m/kg)
- Control surfaces shall be firm on the hinge line without excessive play. Safety inspectors shall be alert to the danger of excessive play whenever electronic servo throw reduction is used in combination with a mechanically inefficient linkage.
- All screws holding the servos to the servo rails or trays and holding any trays to the airframe shall be in place and secure. Rubber grommets shall be used on all servos designed to accept them. If the heads of the servo mounting screws are small enough to pull through the grommets, washers shall be used to prevent this. Alternatively, servos may be permanently installed with glue.
- Servo trays, if used, shall be restrained by at least one safety screw (not turned down tight) that will prevent the tray from becoming completely dislodged if the primary mounting screws loosen in flight.
- Pushrods shall have only one threaded end that is free to turn. The other end shall consist of a “Z” bend, an “L” bend with keeper or collar, a metal clevis that is soldered on, or a threaded ball-link that is glued or otherwise secured so that it cannot turn.
- Wings, if removable, shall be securely attached to the fuselage with bolts or screws.
- Wheels shall be securely attached and shall turn freely.
- The aircraft shall be free of stress cracks and any other indications of structural damage.
- Pilot is issued an approved inspection card.

Registration opens at 12:00pm and closes at 1:00pm. Pilots should arrive before 12:00pm or earlier to have their aircraft and equipment inspected before getting registered. Must have approved inspection card to register.

Entry fee: $10.00 per pilot. All pilots must have a current AMA membership card and be in good standing with the AMA.

Pilots meeting starts at 1:15pm for racing rule questions and pilot heat bracket assignments.

First Heat Race begins at 1:30pm sharp or as soon as the matrix is completed.

Heat Matrix: Pilots will be assigned a pilot number at event registration and will be placed in the matrix. After registration closes and the matrix is completed all pilots will receive their round/heat assignments. Pilots on the same 72MHz frequency will be placed in the same lane to avoid radio frequency conflicts. This means they never race against the pilots in their lane, but race against the other pilots and fly the same total number of races. All pilots will remain in their assigned lanes throughout the entire event.

Wing Marking/Aircraft Number: All aircraft must have a race number. The number style is up to you except (no block numbers allowed) but any other style at least 8" to 8-1/2" tall x 4" to 4-1/4" wide for double numbers, single numbers at least 8" to 8-1/2" tall x 6" to 8" wide. Both double or single numbers must be a contrasting color to the wing color and wing color behind the numbers must be one color. Numbers must be on the top and bottom of the Right Wing Only, positioned from the end of the aileron toward the wing tip and orientated to be read correctly when the right wing is up.

All Pilots, Callers, Helpers, and Race Officials shall properly wear at all times a helmet approved by OSHA, DOT, ANSI, SNELL, NOCSAE or other recognized organization that certifies safety equipment when beyond the pit safety fence.

Two 20' tall pylons set 400' apart and positioned per AMA Setback Document 540-b for this class. Pilots must fly above the 20' high pylons at all times during the race except for takeoff and landing. A warning for low flying will be given to the pilot for flying below the pylons. After (2) warnings the pilot will be black flagged and disqualified. Another such violation in any later heat shall be cause for a black flag. Determination of low flying shall be made by the starter and is not subject to protest.

ALL HEAT RACING/FLYING WILL BE Beyond The Runway/Dead Line (No Fly Zone) Proper. Runway is used for takeoff and landing only. Southbound leg must be flown East of the Runway/Dead Line (No Fly Zone) a warning will be given any pilot who flies over the pit side of the Dead LINE (No Fly Zone), after (2) warnings the pilot will be black flagged and disqualified for that heat. The Northbound leg must be flown east of pylon course center line.

Starting procedures: Lane assignments shall be numbered lanes 1 through 4. Lanes will be assigned according to the heat matrix after it is completed and will be posted at the beginning of the race. Aircraft will be carried to their assigned starting positions on the start/finish line when starter calls for the next heat race. Starter will verify that all pilots' radios are on and airplane contols are working. Starter will call "you are on the clock", pilots and callers will have (90) seconds total to start their engine and for pilots to get to the pilots box ready to takeoff. After (90) seconds start time has expired NO RESTART WILL BE ALLOWED, pilot is disqualified for that heat race, scored as DNS (Did Not Start) and (0) points will be scored. Starter will motion the pilots to idle their engines. Starter will acknowledge each pilot's readiness, he or she will indicate to callers to hold aircraft for throttle up. Starter will call "Pilots Ready" and raise the flag, at which time all pilots will go to full throttle. After the starter raises the flag for throttle up, he or she should use a 5-second countdown to allow engines to reach maximum RPM before airplanes are launched. Airplanes will be flagged off in groups of two according to lane number. Lanes 1 and 3 shall launch together, and lanes 2 and 4 shall launch together. Lanes 1 and 3 shall launch first on odd numbered rounds while Lanes 2 and 4 shall launch first on even numbered rounds. The starter shall use two distinct motions of the starting flag to signal both groups approximately one-half (1/2) to one (1) second apart. This type of start allows separation of the aircraft for a safer start. In a (4) round race each pilot should get (2) first launches and (2) second launches. Callers can only release their pilot's racer, NO PUSH OFF STARTS or pilot will be disqualified for that heat.

Any aircraft crossing the start/finish line before the start flag drops will be penalized (1) lap and will have to fly at least (11) laps to receive heat points.

In the event of takeoff contact between aircraft or a midair collision during the heat the starter is empowered to black-flag any pilot whose aircraft may be damaged or whose flying becomes erratic or dangerous. Likewise, should an aircraft become damaged during the course of the heat either through structural failure or contact with any object the starter may at his sole discretion black flag that pilot. This decision is entirely at the discretion of the starter and is not subject to protest.

The starter may interrupt a heat in progress at any point if he or she believes that an unsafe condition exists. Unsafe conditions include, but are not limited to, persons or vehicles approaching the racecourse, full-scale aircraft in the area, sudden wind, rain, or lightning; or an out-of-control model. A heat that is stopped due to unsafe conditions shall be reflown at the earliest convenience of the officials and contestants, preferably before the beginning of the next round.

In the event of a dead heat, where the finish order of a heat is disputed or scoring equipment failure occurs and a clear-cut decision cannot be made as to the outcome of the heat, the heat shall be declared void and rescheduled for another attempt (“re-fly”). The re-fly shall be held at the earliest convenience of the pilots and officials, preferably before, or at the end of the round during which the void heat was originally scheduled. A pilot will be eligible to fly in the re-fly, if during the original heat, his airplane became airborne under its own power, unless the heat was declared void prior to any pilot in the heat become airborne.

The Race Event will consist of four (4) rounds of ten-lap heats. A maximum of four (4) aircraft per heat will be allowed. CD has the discretion to shorten a race event due to impending weather, darkness or other factors. A race event may be considered a full race event if all pilots have flown at least (3) rounds. All points count towards the overall standings.

Points: 1st= 4, 2nd= 3, 3rd= 2, 4th= 1. Zero points are awarded for a no start (DNS), failure to complete the heat (DNF), more than two cuts (XXX), or black flag (DQ).

The overall winner is determined by highest heat points total. Point Tie Breakers will be determined by: (1) Total points for all Heat Races, (2) Fewest number of cuts, or (3) Total number of Heat Races.

All pilots must fly beyond (pass & around) both pylons for each lap of a heat race. This means you must try not to cut any pylons. Racers must finish all (10) laps to score a completed heat and receive heat position points. Any cuts will result in an extra lap being flown per cut up to a maximum of (2) cuts for any ten (10) lap heat race. Reference (1) cut pilot must fly (11) laps, (2) cuts pilot must fly (12) laps. Any pilot with three (3) or more cuts will forfeit his/her finishing position for that heat race and zero (0) points will be awarded even if pilot finishes all ten (10) laps. Any pilot deliberately cutting the course to gain a lead or advantage will be disqualified for that heat race, possibly for the race series and zero (0) points will be awarded.

All pilots must cross the finish line on lap 10 (no cuts), lap 11 (one cut), or lap 12 (two cuts) and continue flying out pass the south pylon before pulling up off the course. This lets the pylon judges know the pilot has completed the required number of laps and that this action is not to be scored as a pylon cut. * No aerobatic flying or extra laps on the race course after a pilot completes his/her required number of heat laps. Any violation of this rule will result in a disqualification of that heat. Pilots should land as soon as safely possible so the next heat can start.

All protest, rules interpretations or violations will be reviewed by a selected (5) member Q-25 sport pylon race committee made up of active sport pylon racers and the Contest Director(s). Any violation of the Q-25 sport racing rules, including engine, muffler and or airframe modifications will be grounds for dismissal from the Q-25 Sport Pylon Racing Series. Any pilot found in violation of these rules by unanimous vote of the race committee will be banned from participating in any Q-25 Sport Pylon Races. This is a "Zero Tolerance Rule" and Committee or Contest director's decision is final.

North Texas

Pylon Racing Organization

Q-25 RULES & REGULATIONS

If the rules don't say you can do it, then you can't do it!