This page contains important information for those pilots who wish to become
US Unlimited Team members.

 

Policy and Procedures

Number: 501

Date: 21 April 2006

Subject: IAC Championship Events                                                            Revision #21

 

h. Judges: Judges will be selected for each category of competitions in the

following manner:

1) All current IAC National Judges will be invited to participate no less than 90 days prior to the start of the Championship.

a) Judges who provide an affirmative response of plans to attend and

willingness to judge the U.S Team Selection category for the entire

contest no later than 75 days prior to the start of the Championship

will be placed on a ballot of “U.S. Team Selection Judges” as

follows:

(1) Judges who will also be competing in another category in the Championship will not be placed on the ballot if their category is

scheduled to fly immediately following the Team Selection category unless they specifically indicate they will be available

to judge prior to flying in the next scheduled category. A competition schedule will be made available when the Judges

are invited to participate.

(2) Judges names will be organized on the ballot according to the IAC Region in which they reside.

(3) The ballot will be provided to all pilots declaring for a spot on the U.S. Team (Advanced-Power, Unlimited-Power, Unlimited

Glider) who have completed the pre-registration paperwork, including the required entry fee no later than 45 days prior to the

start of the Championship. The ballot will instruct the U.S. Team aspirants to vote for no more than two judges in each IAC

Region.

(4) Completed ballots will be forwarded via e-mail to the Volunteer Coordinator at the end of the pre-registration process.

(5)The Volunteer Coordinator will count all ballots received by the deadline and then rank the team selection Judges in each

region according to the number of votes received. In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken by the date of each judge’s

response and then by a random draw conducted by the Volunteer Coordinator. Any ballot with votes for more than two

judges in any region or any “write-in” votes will result in the votes for that region on that ballot being discarded.

(6) The Volunteer Coordinator will contact each Judge, starting with the highest ranking in each Region, giving each Judge an

opportunity to accept or decline judging the category until there are seven confirmed Judges for each U.S. Team Selection

Category. In the event that there are less than two Judges who accept a position to judge the U.S. Team Selection Category

within any given IAC Region, the next highest ranked Judge from a neighboring IAC Region will be substituted before

selecting a non-ranked Judge from that Region.

(7) In the event that a judge who had initially accepted the invitation to judge is unable to fulfill his/her responsibilities at the contest

site, the next highest ranked judge present at the competition will be asked to judge. All judges present will be asked in rank

order to substitute before any unranked judge will be used as a replacement.

b) Judges who provide an affirmative response of plans to attend and willingness to judge at least one category for the entire

Championship, including those who respond after the deadline for inclusion on the U.S. Team Selection Judge ballot, will be selected

by the Volunteer Coordinator to judge the remaining categories as

follows:

(1) Judges will be selected for each category based on Regional location, the individual judge’s preference, and experience.

(2) Judges who will also be competing in another category in the Championship will not be selected to judge the category

scheduled to fly immediately prior to their category unless they specifically indicate they will be available to judge prior to flying

in the next scheduled category. A competition schedule will be made available when the Judges are invited to participate.

c) All Judges will be notified of their selection no later than 40 days prior to the start of the Championship.

2)The contest director will receive a copy of the confirmed list of Judges for the Championship.

3) The Contest Director will schedule a Judge Refresher Course on the IAC Official Contest Rules, judging criteria, and specific procedures

related to judging at the U.S. National Championships. This Judge Refresher Course will be conducted by the IAC Judge Program

Chairman or their designee immediately prior to the start of the Championship. All judges who will be judging the Championship will be

required to attend.

 

Policy and Procedures

Number: 504

Date: 21 April 2006 Revision #21

Subject: Selection of U.S. Aerobatic Teams

 

1. Mission: The mission of the U. S. Aerobatic Team selection process will be

to field a Team of pilots who can and will win the World Champion Team and

individual World Champion titles.

2. Policy:

a. Member Comment Period: When any proposed changes are made to

P&P section 504, there will be a two-month member comment period

before the IAC Board of Directors casts a final vote to approve the

proposed policy changes. IAC members should direct their comments to

the IAC Director assigned to their region.

b. Delegation of Authority:

1) In accordance with its Letter of Agreement with the National Aeronautic Association found in IAC Policy and Procedures Manual Section 302, IAC is responsible for the selection of the U.S. Aerobatic Teams and for U.S. participation in World Aerobatic Championship events.

2) Through a Letter of Agreement with Unlimited Aerobatics USA, Inc. found in IAC Policy and Procedures Manual Section 303, IAC has delegated part of this authority for the U.S Unlimited Aerobatic Team only. IAC will select team members through the IAC team selection process. Unlimited Aerobatics USA, Inc. is a separate entity that will then be responsible to train the U.S. Unlimited Team and to manage, administer, and raise funds for the U.S. Unlimited Team. Once a pilot has been chosen through the IAC team selection process and enters the training program, he or she will be considered a “member” of that U.S. Aerobatic Team until the next team is chosen.

c. IAC Team Selection Process:

1) Unlimited Team Eligibility Requirements

a) To be eligible for membership on the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team, a pilot must be a registered Unlimited competitor at the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships

b) In addition, the pilot must declare intent to try out for the Team in advance of the first flight at the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships.

c) However, the two highest scoring Unlimited Team members who placed in the top ten at the most recent World Aerobatic Championships (WAC) will automatically be selected as the first members of the next Unlimited Team as long as CIVA has gender specific aerobatic teams. If both men and women place in the top ten at WAC, one man and one woman will be chosen. Should CIVA change its rules to make unlimited competition gender neutral, the three top pilots that finish in the top 1/3 of the previous WAC will automatically be selected as members of the next team. They will not be required to attend the qualifying contest. These pilots must commit to take these team positions by January 1st of the year for the selection of the next team. If he/she elects to take one of these positions then he/she will agree to attend and fly in the European Championships during the selection year. If this is not accomplished then he/she will forfeit his/her place on the team.

d) The combined results of the following flights listed below will determine a pilot’s eligibility for the U.S. Aerobatic Unlimited Team.

(1) Known Program

(2) Unknown I Program*

(3) Free Program (10 figure or less freestyle limited to 420 K)

(4) Unknown II Program*

*Unknown Programs will be composed according to IAC Policy and

Procedures Manual Section 503.2

e) Whatever flights are actually completed at the end of the U. S. National Aerobatic Championships will determine a pilot’s qualification for the U. S. Unlimited Team. However, at least one Known flight and at least one Unknown flight must be flown. This means a minimum of two flights (1 Known, 1 Unknown) must be flown before the selection process is considered complete.

f) Pilots must achieve a minimum of 70% of the points possible on the total of all flown flights to be eligible for the team. This 70% is determined after scores have been computed by the CIVA supplied scoring software and after all penalties have been applied.

g) After the combined results are compiled, five (5) men and five (5) women will be selected by IAC in rank order as  U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team. In the event of changes in CIVA regulations eliminating gender specific teams, the maximum will be 10 pilots irrespective of gender. Funding for training   to these pilots in rank order. In the event there is not adequate funding for all qualified pilots, pilots will have the option to attend training programs at their own expense.

h) In the event that a member of the Team is unable to participate in the World Aerobatic Championships, a pilot of either gender may be added to the Team, provided that pilot meets all of the eligibility qualifications previously specified in this section, and that pilot ranks next in the order of finish at the U. S. National Aerobatic Championships. (Note: Current CIVA regulations require no more than six (6) be of the same gender.)