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Canada_150Bluegrass Can Am Rally 2017 USA  

   presented by Bluegrass Airlines  

 

 

Instructions for Test Flight

 

Download the Test Flight zip file and unzip the enclosed files to your Flight Simulator files folder.   The default location for FS9 is c:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Flight Simulator Files. The default location for FSX is c:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Flight Simulator X Files.

BCAR Test Flights

In preparation for the flight, ensure you have added a flight timer to the panel of your chosen aircraft.  It is recommended that you download and use Tom Goodrick’s FTime flight timer, available from the following link.

FTimeV4

For the FS9 Test flight and Daily start flights we have set the Mike Stone Goose as the default aircraft as the Microsoft Cessna 208B is too young. The Goose is in the Bluegrass FS2004 Library and also is available from the following link.

FS9 Goose

Select the aircraft that you wish to fly in the BCAR. Three of the legs are for amphibian/floatplanes. you can either fly an amphibian for all 10 legs or swithc between a landplane and an amphibian/floatplane. 

These can be any piston engine or turboprop driven aircraft manufactured between 1903 to 1975, or any GA aircraft up to the modern day. Pilots please remember that the shortest runway for the BCAR is 3,900 ft in length.

Your cruising altitude will be 7,000 ft for the test flight.

This is a compromise altitude between piston and turboprop driven aircraft.

If your aircraft has difficulty reaching or operating at 7,000 ft, you may fly the test flight at a lower altitude. The minimum safe altitude for the test flight is 4,000 ft.

PROCEDURES AND INFORMATION

The test flight is a timed flight at cruise level from overhead the Renton NDB RNT 353.0, direct to overhead the Graye NDB GR 216.0 on a heading of 197 degrees.

Distance from Renton NDB to Graye NDB is 26.1nm.

Test flight is to be flown in daylight, clear weather with nil wind.

Set your ADF to 353.0.

Depart Seattle-Tacoma Intl KSEA from your runway of choice: 16/34, or Will Rogers Wiley Post Meml W36 from 12W/30W.

Once airborne track to the North-East of the airport and commence your climb.

You may use any climb pattern you wish remaining North-East of the airport.

When established at altitude and cruise, track to return overhead the Renton NDB.

Once overhead the Renton NDB set your track to 197 degrees and start your timer.

Set your ADF to the Graye NDB 216.0.

Track directly to the Graye NDB.

Once overhead the Graye NDB, stop your timer and record your time.

Remember, all times must be in minutes and converted to decimals (see the Rules for clarification).

Test Flight Hints

Trial the Test Flights a number of times before submitting your Test Flight times in order to achieve a consistent result.  You will find this helpful during the flying of the actual Flight Legs.  Pilot Registration can be submitted up to September 19th and sufficient time has been allowed for the flying of the event (even in advance for those who have other commitments that may conflict with the official September-October period).

In particular, give yourself sufficient time to establish your aircraft at the cruise altitude of 4,000-7,000' and a steady cruise speed before intersecting and turning onto the 197 radial to GR and overflying RNT to commence your timed run.

The Test Flight is to be flown in perfect weather conditions.  The actual Flight Legs of the BCAR will have a variety of weather variables typical of the area and time of the year being flown.  Therefore, it is strongly recommended the Test Flight is flown at an economical cruise speed.  This should ensure you will have enough of a performance margin capability in your chosen aircraft to compensate for the weather variables.

Good Luck.

 
Because this time is used to calculate the reference speed on which all estimated times and scoring are based, it is a good idea to use an autopilot to make the flight as steady as possible.  Due to a flaw in Flight Simulator 9, which does not calculate the speed = distance / time correctly, we are including a correction in calculations for Reference Speed,  Estimated Flight Time and Scoring.  We are using Reference Speed = 57.78 / Time x Distance.  If FS 9 made the computations correctly the 57.78 would be 60.00    57.78 is an average we obtained by testing eight aircraft.
 
Submit your elapsed time in minutes rounded to 2 decimal places on the BCAR 2017 Application.
 
If you are using another timer, convert seconds into a two decimal place number.
 
Add the decimal equivalent for the seconds to the minutes flown. 
 
Here is a conversion chart.  Use this method for all of the BCAR 2017 flights.

 

Seconds

Decimal

 

Seconds

Decimal

 

Seconds

Decimal

1

0.02

 

21

0.35

 

41

0.68

2

0.03

 

22

0.37

 

42

0.70

3

0.05

 

23

0.38

 

43

0.72

4

0.07

 

24

0.40

 

44

0.73

5

0.08

 

25

0.42

 

45

0.75

6

0.10

 

26

0.43

 

46

0.77

7

0.12

 

27

0.45

 

47

0.78

8

0.13

 

28

0.47

 

48

0.80

9

0.15

 

29

0.48

 

49

0.82

10

0.17

 

30

0.50

 

50

0.83

11

0.18

 

31

0.52

 

51

0.85

12

0.20

 

32

0.53

 

52

0.87

13

0.22

 

33

0.55

 

53

0.88

14

0.23

 

34

0.57

 

54

0.90

15

0.25

 

35

0.58

 

55

0.92

16

0.27

 

36

0.60

 

56

0.93

17

0.28

 

37

0.62

 

57

0.95

18

0.30

 

38

0.63

 

58

0.97

19

0.32

 

39

0.65

 

59

0.98

20

0.33

 

40

0.67

 

60

1.00

 

Once completed, submit an email to gaar15director(at)gmail.com (substitute @ for (at) in the email address) with the following information:

Name: "Your Name"
Email Address:
 "Your Email Address"
FS Version: "FS9 or FSX"
Aircraft:
 "Aircraft you are flying in the event"
Country:
 "Country of Residence"
Virtual Airline:
 If Applicable - "Virtual Airline you fly with"
Virtual Airline ID:
 If Applicable - "Your Virtual Airline ID"
Test Flight Time:
 Time flown for the Test Flight in each aircraft (in minutes and decimals, e.g. 53.84)

No confirmation email will be sent regarding Pilot Registration.  The Roster is the authoritative confirmation of your Pilot Registration being received by the event organisers.  Any queries, concerns, errors or omissions should be directed immediately to the Rally Director at gaar15director(at)gmail.com (substitute @ for (at) in the email address).

Your submission of Registration for the BCAR is taken as your acceptance of the Rules for the event.