I can’t understand how this is organised. They must somehow stop the fastest plane winning every time.
You are pulling our leg, aren’t you ?
They even mention it in the commentary.
Each plane has its yardstick and gets a start time assigned so that all planes should arrive at the finish line around the same time – like in yacht races.
The underlying assumption that the time differences originate from the skills applied to course setting, precise navigation, use of wind and maybe some risk management around the engine.
Of course the yardstick is an inherently rough estimate. But still, the timed start provides for an interesting , if crowded, finish. Maybe less of a good idea for planes, than for sailing boats ;-)
the yardstick is an inherently rough estimate
Exactly.
Great piece of film but 10hp in the winning aircraft seems a little unlikely….
I believe the handicap system involves your aircraft being flown with or by a handicapper before the race in order to establish its speed.
The Royal Aero Club still operates the race series under similar rules.
Contestants have to fly a set pattern at maximum power setting. I believe these days that GPS is used to determine distance and time which then forms the basis of the handicappers start staggers.
It seems to work well and means that flying an accurate race line and the optimum bank and G pull around the pylons should determine who crosses the line first.
Even going higher in tail winds and lower in head winds can gain valuable fractions of a second.
Contestants have to fly a set pattern at maximum power setting
OK; interesting.
However, while on say a TB20 that would be all three fully forward, and that is legal per POH continuously, there are types where 100% power is not allowed continuously, which means you could cheat 
Peter wrote:
which means you could cheat
These races sound like something where honour is highly valued and you just don’t. Think of the opposite of formula 1. Otherwise it won’t work because there are plenty of ways to fly deliberately slow with full throttle.
In car racing there is another interesting concept to avoid an arms race: The winner has to offer his car for sale at a predetermined (low) price. That leaves no room for cheating and still allows people with limited funds to win a race.
I suppose I am being the devil’s advocate
There are lots of areas where honour counts, or should count, but it doesn’t always
And who wants to lose, or even come second?
Just FYI,
The aircraft that won the race is still airworthy. It is a 1938 build, with a modified 62hp engine. It is capable of vne in straight and level at 155 mph.
The owner has said she would like to recreate a few bits of the film, but needs to work on a couple of CAA exemptions.
Nige wrote:
Just FYI,The aircraft that won the race is still airworthy. It is a 1938 build, with a modified 62hp engine. It is capable of vne in straight and level at 155 mph.
The owner has said she would like to recreate a few bits of the film, but needs to work on a couple of CAA exemptions.
Fantastic!
