New Course......

[sierra fox]

Re: New Course......

Shorter is definitely not better, it's worse. Especially in the top gold runners, higher g loads, tigher deadlines will make for more lap traffic, which, imo, makes it more dangerous. The line around p8 thru home pylon is more gradual, which may lessen the energy toward the crowd, but it appears that the line around p1 is much tighter.

Like Brad, this doesnt make sense from my cheap seat perspective.

We have always said, the course can't be any shorter. Could it be they are trying to retard the 450mph+ club?

[Tigercat24]

Re: New Course......

We have always said, the course can't be any shorter. Could it be they are trying to retard the 450mph+ club?

...which is becoming more populated by the minute...

Here are the current members:

Strega
Rare Bear
September Fury
Furias
Dreadnought

Returning Members:

Czech Mate

Potentials:

Precious Metal

It could be a crowded club. And just think what would be if we had not lost Jimmy and GG...not to mention if Voodoo wasn't being sold and Dago Red & Ridge Runner III were still competing...and if Wildfire ever gets off the ground and Tsunami ever gets rebuilt...eesh.

[Tigercat24]

Re: New Course......

And a LOAD of jets...

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: New Course......

Dunno why you's guy's always have to look at glasses less than full with such jaundice... but.....

The new course was designed by and with participation of several racers... Including Steve H. Sr, Jon Sharp,... .I believe Tiger had, at least, an unofficial hand in it. (I don't believe my list is complete)

I know it defies logic but from the course perspective (eyes on the pylon) on outer 8, the line actually looked a bit softer...

Also, there may have been other forces at play in the reasoning behind the moves... bringing in the deadlines from those houses out along the VOS might well have been a reason....

Keeping in mind that this is an open to read forum, no joining to view posts, and they are mostly archived by google and others, usually in pretty short order (generally about 25% of the visitors here at a given time are search engine bots) might it not be a good idea to keep our "spin" positive?

Just thinking out loud....

[Warbird5]

Re: New Course......

Afternoon,

I've stayed away form this forum for the most part since the GG accident, but I've decided to add my two cents on the revised Unlimited course. Here goes.

The revised course has less "G" loading. I've been told the loads seen are in the 3.5 G range which does "soften" the course. The relocation of the outer deadlines more than likely mean that passing may be difficult to impossible without busting the deadline(s).

I'll go out on a limb and say that whom ever is in the lead at pylon three (3) on the start will win if they fly a smart course and do not suffer a mechanical issue. With the deadlines pulled in I foresee the leader flying a non optimal line that is a little wide to effectively eliminate any passing lane.

Warbird Willie

[Mluvara]

Re: New Course......

Here's an analogy:

Take a balloon - it has a fixed volume of air in it. You can squeeze the balloon all you want, but all you do is change the shape of the balloon. The radiuses and such of the curves change.

Applying this logic at bit further, a fixed radius circle will give constant g's at a given speed. a=v^2/r (velocity squared divided by radius equals acceleration).

If the course distance does not change, but the shape changes, all that one does is move the g levels around in the course (think of the balloon). If the course is shorter and one flies a shorter course at the same speed as the longer course, the g's will go up. It's simple physics.

Michael

[T. Adams]

Re: New Course......

Here's an analogy:

Take a balloon - it has a fixed volume of air in it. You can squeeze the balloon all you want, but all you do is change the shape of the balloon. The radiuses and such of the curves change.

Applying this logic at bit further, a fixed radius circle will give constant g's at a given speed. a=v^2/r (velocity squared divided by radius equals acceleration).

If the course distance does not change, but the shape changes, all that one does is move the g levels around in the course (think of the balloon). If the course is shorter and one flies a shorter course at the same speed as the longer course, the g's will go up. It's simple physics.

Michael

Even I understood that!!

[Big_Jim]

Re: New Course......

So what if the course is smaller and if it slows the airplanes down? As someone who remembers when the top speeds in the Gold were nearly 100 mph slower than the hot laps turned by Strega/Bear/Dago on their best days, I can truly say that it doesn't make a bit of difference in how exciting the races are or how great the engines sound.

If it slows the lap speeds for the hot cats down enough for the other guys to catch up and bunch them up more...even better. Might make a better race out of it.

Some of the best races I've ever seen were in the Silver class at 360 mph...and you couldn't tell the difference.

And several of the courses at other venues in the past have been within a quarter mile length of what this new course is measured at. Anyone remember how good all three Gold races were at Miami '79? That was a 7.5 mile course at Sea Level....and Whittington and Hinton put on a clinic of how to race side by side.

[Race 8]

Re: New Course......

Hello everyone,

I have been a "lurker" for several years.
I have now joined your group.
It is now time to throw in my two cents.

I fly sport 8, and I flew quite a few miles
around the new Unlimited course
last week. Granted I was only doing
a little over 300 (the dilithium crystals have
been removed for regeneration) but I
got a good feel for the course.

The track is very easy to fly, the arc
from pylon 7 to pylon 3 is very "soft".

The pylons are also very easy to find.
One of the more difficult ones to find previously
was pylon number 4. It is now on a little hill and
shortly after going by three it comes into view.
Even if you can't see it right away there is a
dirt "road" points almost right to it.

The big issue is going to be the "deadlines" now called
the "show line". The East, West and South lines were all moved in.
Coming around number six it will be very easy to fly over
the West deadline. If you have two or three airplanes
together it will become very interesting. The West deadline
it is very easy to see. It looks like a dirt road.
The South deadline is now the North edge of the runway.
Home pylon was moved north a little. The East deadline was moved in
and it is difficult to see (at least for me, it took me two days to find).
For me I am going to have to make a point of looking for those deadlines
or show lines. I can see the possibility of many DQ's this year.

Overall I think it is a good course but even if it wasn't
we get to fly!

Dave

[sierra fox]

Re: New Course......

So what if the course is smaller and if it slows the airplanes down? As someone who remembers when the top speeds in the Gold were nearly 100 mph slower than the hot laps turned by Strega/Bear/Dago on their best days, I can truly say that it doesn't make a bit of difference in how exciting the races are or how great the engines sound.

If it slows the lap speeds for the hot cats down enough for the other guys to catch up and bunch them up more...even better. Might make a better race out of it.

Some of the best races I've ever seen were in the Silver class at 360 mph...and you couldn't tell the difference.

And several of the courses at other venues in the past have been within a quarter mile length of what this new course is measured at. Anyone remember how good all three Gold races were at Miami '79? That was a 7.5 mile course at Sea Level....and Whittington and Hinton put on a clinic of how to race side by side.

Thank you Big Jim! I much prefer the "better race" scenario! All i want is some educated hypothisis.

[C_roundy]

Re: New Course......

Thanks Race 8!, good detailed pirep!!! WELCOME TO AAFO!!!


Any other pilot reports (having flown the course)? Anybody???

[Desertdawg]

Re: New Course......

Race 8

Welcome on-board.

Thanks for the first hand account of the new course, helped reassure me all will be ok from a spectator point of view. In the end once we get to the last checked flag September 16, I think everyone will have watched some great flying/racing.

[MRE]

Re: New Course......

I remember a good race a few years ago with GG and the Grim Reaper, side by side lap after lap........ oh wait a minute, that was a formation clinic! There is no way that a Mustang going 360 sounds anything like one going 450. There might have to be some inside passing.

[Leo]

Re: New Course......

Thanks Race 8 for fact and not conjecture.
Look forward to your posts and seeing you run in September!

[Air Boss]

Re: New Course......

If there's passing on the inside, it'll cost 'em...big time. Unless RARA changes the rules about overtaking.