Fun Fly Rules from the Holly Cloud Hoppers

 

Special Thanks to Ed Kincer who actually compiled these, and to Mike Wizynajtys for sharing them with Electron

3 types proposed below:

 

Daredevil Events

 

  • Dixie Death - Take off, do three rolls, three loops, and three spins (any order), and land. Fastest time wins.

  • Roops - Take off, do one roll, one loop (5 times), land.  Fastest time wins. Touch & Go’s - Do 10 T & Go’s in the fastest time.

  • Limbo 1 - Set the ribbon at one height, fastest 5 passes under it wins.

  • Limbo 2 - Fly under ribbon stretched between two poles over the runway.  The most number of passes in three minutes wins.  Double points for inverted  passes.  To prevent planes from looping around the ribbon, have them fly around another pole further down the runway, pylon-style.

  • Limbo 3 - Fly under progressively lower ribbons. Lowest pass wins.

  • Limbo 4 - Over and Under. Pass over an 8 ft obstacle then dive under 2nd streamer. Second streamer starts at 8ft, then moves to 6,5,4.  Double points for inverted

  • Chicken Take off, climb, trim out plane for 20 seconds, then take hands off the controls for as long as possible. Done for time

  • Climb and inverted glide - Climb for a designated time, cut engine, time starts when the plane rolls inverted.  Time ends when the plane is upright or it has hit the ground.  Award bonus points for doing loops while inverted.


Skill Events

 

  • Spot Landing or Spot T & G - Mark a spot on the runway, fly 10  passes, most  number of hits in it wins.

  • Bomb Drop - Bomb in a paper cup rubber banded to the plane. Drop it  on the spot.  Closest wins.

  • Bean Carry - Same cup, 5 - 10 dry beans.  Take off, fly the pattern, land.  Most beans in cup wins.  If you get too many ties, add a  maneuver like a loop or roll

  • Balloon Break - Pilot attempts to break tethered (or loose) helium-filled balloons.  Fastest time wins.  Use 2 - 5 pound fishing line for the tether.

  • Puddle Jump - great for the winter fun fly.  Spray paint on the snow a red line, mark off 30', spray a blue line, mark off 30', spray another blue line, mark off 30' spray a red line.  The "puddle" is the blue zone.  You must touch down for min 5' in the red zone, jump the puddle and touch down again in the other red zone for 5' and take off BEFORE you hit the red line.  Scoring can be any combination of successful hits in the zones.

  • Taxi with Balloon Pop - Taxi between several pylons, pop a balloon, and return. Done for time

  • Taxi with Balloon Pop 2 - Taxi and pop as many balloons as possible (10 max) in 45 sec.

  • Takeoff, Loop, Touch & Go, Spot Landing - Just what it says!  Done for time.

  • Carrier takeoff and landing - Define a carrier deck with crepe, tape, balloons, or whatever will stick to the field surface (grass, asphalt, etc.) - assign points for making it off the deck, and landing back on it - with penalties for falling off into the ocean, etc.  This can be made very simple, or very hard depending.....  One can also place a few balloons staggered on either side of the centerline, with additional points for how many are popped on takeoff or landing.  Also, a balloon barrier at either end, with major point deductions for hitting those!
  • Taxi around pylon course - Three pylons set in a line on the runway spaced at least 100 feet apart, with a chalked "start/finish line" near the middle of the field.  Pilot gets engine running, sets it to idle, places aircraft at start/finish line, sets tx on ground.  Starter gives the "Go", pilot picks up tx, steers aircraft around the pylons (sort of a figure-8 path) then crosses finish line.  Best time wins.
  • Taxi Balloon bust - Tack a balloon (or two or more) to the runway, place aircraft at start/finish line. At "Go" command pilot uses plane to bust balloons. then crosses finish line.  Best time wins.

Luck Events

 

  • Glow Plug/Prop Race - From 100 feet away, carry your glow plug in a teaspoon or your prop in your hand to your plane, install, taxi across a line.  First across wins.

  • Cracker Whistle - Eat 10 saltines, whistle, then take off.  First in the air wins.

  • Cracker Chew 2 - Always good for a few laughs.  Clock starts with engine running, plane sitting on the runway.  Pilot crams 4 saltine crackers in his mouth and takes off.  Pilot must keep the plane flying around as he chews and swallows.  Time stops when he can whistle. Or, after the "whistle", time stops when the plane lands

  • Mail Run - Plane on runway, engine running.  Partner runs to plane and touches tail (delivers mail).  Plane takes off, flies pattern, lands.  Does not  taxi after landing. Partner runs to wherever plane is, touches tail (picks up mail) and runs back to starting line.  Fastest time wins.

  • Mail Plane 2 - A piece of masking tape is stuck to the edge of the starters table (or some other fixture in the pits).  The pilot has plane idling at start/finish line, tx placed on ground.  At "Go" command, pilot runs to retrieve the tape, then runs to plane and sticks the tape on the plane (anywhere he prefers). Then runs back to tx, taxis plane to takeoff position, takes off, flies one circuit, lands, crosses start/finish line, shuts engine down, places tx on ground, runs out to retrieve tape, then runs back to pit fixture and sticks the tape back to stop the clock. Fastest time wins.
  • Mail Run 3 - Mission target: Deliver 2 pieces of mail, 4 minute limit.  Post Offices are located at each end of the field. One Post Office only accepts mail while the other only gives it out (something to do with postal regulations). You must fly a 360 turn around the field before stopping to pick up or deliver mail. The FAA fortunately has waived the silly ruling that take offs must be into the wind but not wishing to abandon all discipline they still insist that take offs must be made from the defined field area. Mail pilots are bared from applying for private runway construction permits. No weed wacker, create your own runway stuff. Time measured from when you start your engine at the pit gate until the last piece of mail is delivered by taxing back and stopping at the receiving "post office".  Congress has set a requirement for 2 mail deliveries. If you loose the mail during flight you must pick up another piece and fly the 360 around the field before you can deliver it.  If you loose the mail while still on the ground your helper need only to put it back on the plane (stopped) and you can continue delivery. Mail will be a business card supplied by the CD. How you fasten it to your plane is your problem, rubber bands, masking tape, sheet metal screws, CA etc. After all, the Post Office, FAA or postal union can't be expected to set rules for everything. Points awarded on timely delivery of the mail. The faster the better (this is not your typical U.S. Postal Service contract.). The postal workers union has decreed that helpers may not assist in any duties other than mail handling, no pushing of aircraft to get out of the ruff, restarting, or handling of service equipment. Also in the interest of containing workman's compensation costs no mail can be loaded or unloaded while the plane is in motion. 4 minutes max time is allowed. Any thing over this and you default on your mail contract (zero points).
  • Poker Hand - Draw two cards from a 4 suit A-K-Q-J-10 deck.  Make  rest of hand by 3 spot T & Gâ?Ts in marked areas.
  • Blind Taxi - Pilot stands with back to plane.  Helper tells him how to taxi through gates on the runway.  Fastest time wins.
  • Balloon Break - Pilot attempts to break balloons tied to the ground.  Fastest time wins.

  • Egg Drop Soup - fasten an "egg carrier" [ made from a Dixie cup and a Popsicle stick through the bottom ] with a couple of rubber bands to the top of the plane about at the center of gravity.  Take off and get into position.  You have 2 minutes to "drop" the egg in some kind of a target zone.

  • Simultaneous Bomb Drop - As an alternative to eggs, use small bags of flower made from kitchen wrap, with a couple of cc’s of flower then a bright streamer (30 cm) with a number on it for identification. Each pilot gets three "bombs" and a paper cup. The numbered bombs allowed us to run the whole event without stopping to measure between flights as each pilots bomb had his number on it. Several planes on a bombing run make it more interesting and the whole event can be over in under a half hour - Pilots must announce takeoff and landings for safety on the runway
  • Bombing Mission - The individual closest to the target will be awarded the same number of points that there are total entries with the rest awarded points according to their standing. Plane must be airborne at the time of bomb release. Note: The "bombs" are numbered so that scoring can be done after the missions are completed.  Bombs out of the mowed area are considered "lost" and will receive the lowest score. Example: if 3 out of the 19 entrants miss the mowed area then they tie for 17th place all receiving 3 points. If 11 of the entrants miss the mowed area they tie for 11th place and each receive 9 points, if all but one miss the mowed area they all receive 18 points and the one that hits it gets 19.One mission abort is allowed to rearm if a bomb is prematurely lost. Lost means the bomb falls out of carrier prior to start of bombing run. FGMAC supplied foam cup w/Popsicle sticks and rubber bands will be the issued bomb release system.  No modifications to the cup or bomb is allowed other than that required to fasten the cup to the plane.
  • Timed flight without timers - The pilot places plane at start/finish line, at "Go" takes off, then must land and cross finish line in exactly "n" seconds (eg: 120 seconds). Pilot with elapsed time closest to goal wins.
  • Climb-N-Glide - take off, climb high, shut off engine and glide around and land at the 2 minute mark.  You cannot use any timing device or have a helper mark time for you, just your good judgment.  Score 120 points for perfect 2 minutes.  Loose 1 point for each second greater than or less than 2 minutes.  Example, you glide and land and your time is 1 min 30 seconds.  You score 90 points.
  • Casino Draw or its variation Dice Roll - you draw a card, typically cards 2-8 are used.  You have 2 minutes to complete the number of rolls and number of loops shown on the card and land.  The dice variant stops the clock when you roll the same number you rolled at the start of the event.
  • "Blackjack" that was a BUNCH of FUN. -  There were 3 BIG boxes - about 30x30 each, on the runway, They were numbered 5,10 and 6. 3 flights were allowed. Each flight was scored on touchdown (3 minutes allowed -- really easy) with the objective of scoring 21 with the 3 landings. Over 21 was a bust. Of 17 entries, 7 scored 21. Then the fly-off was the same objective with all 3 landings in ONE 3-minute flight.  Several killed engines trying to "punch-down" and did not complete the 3 landings. There was one 21, one 20 and a 18(I think)  for the top 3 places. Had there been a 2nd fly-off, it would have been 3 landings on ONE approach.
  • Twenty one game - Lay out 2 rows of 3 boxes on the runway and put different values in them.  The pilot draws a card and then has three chances to do a touch-and-go in the boxes to make 21 with this his draw card.
  • Blind mans taxi - Keep all spectators a safe distance away!  Pilot taxis airplane while blindfolded with directions given pilots’ non-flying assistant.
  • Hauling Jelly Beans - Attach a paper cup to your plane and carry 10 jelly beans. Take off, make a circle around the field, and land. Count the remaining jellybeans for your points.
  • Aerobatics with Jelly Beans - Attach a paper cup to your plane and carry 10 jelly beans. Take off, make a circle around the field, do a split S, and land. Count the remaining jellybeans for your points.
  • Le Mans - Clock starts with plane sitting on the ground, engine off, pilot 50 feet away.  Pilot runs to the plane, starts engine, takes off, turns 180 degrees, does a loop, turns another 180, and lands.  Clock stops when plane ROLLS across the finish line.
  • What goes up must come down - Time starts when wheels leave the ground. Fly for a target time of 45 seconds, contestant must estimate this time. Cut the engine (timer records time engine stops). Then land at target time of 45 seconds, again contestant must estimate time. Time stops when model comes to a stop.  Scoring. Time off target 45 second climb to engine cut off added to time off target 45 seconds glide.  Lowest number wins. Two timers required or at least two stop watches. Points awarded according to standing in overall field. First in field of 19 gets 19 points, ties share same position and points. Spot landing points will be awarded in same order. Landings more than 100 feet from spot will not be measured and will share same point awards. Example: if 3 out of the 19 entrants more than 100 feet from spot then they tie for 17th place all receiving 3 points.
  • One Leg Stand - The pilot performs a take off, loop, roll, and land with one foot in the air. If the pilots’ foot hits the ground before he lands, he is disqualified.
  • Las Vegas run - Mission: Best 5 card draw poker hand, 4 minute limit.  52 playing cards will be distributed face down at random on the flying field. You will be dealt two cards. To get the remaining 3 cards you have to bring the plane to a stop over the card or at least close by. You must take off and 360 the field before each card draw. If you happen to stop over (near) a card that duplicates what you already have, tough luck, you get to play with 4 or go around for another draw if you have time.  You may continue to discard and draw cards until you run out of time (you must discard before you draw).  Best poker hand gets the highest points. Maximum time for event is 4 minutes, time starts when you release the plane. As stated, duplicate cards are not allowed, what kind of a game do you think we're running here? Since no one will know what your hole cards are, side bets will be allowed to the limit of your possessions at the field. Clear titles to autos must be assured before they can be wagered. Bartering of wives/children is discouraged. Suits rank as follows, hearts over diamonds over spades over clubs. Ace high or low in straights.
  • Holding Pattern - Before takeoff the pilot will pick a slip of paper from a hat that will have a time between 30 seconds and 90 seconds.  He is not told what time he picked.  The first clock starts when his wheels leave the ground.  The pilot can fly anywhere.  When the time is up the official yells "land".  The second clock is started and stops when the plane lands.  Shortest time wins.