T28 RULES & INFORMATION

Preliminary Rules for SEFSD T28 Racing Class. updated 08/05/20

SEFSD T28 Racing is a “SPEC CLASS” event. All pilots are required to fly the exact same aircraft. There are no limitations on servos or radio. Stability systems are allowed. The aircraft must be the FMS T28 800mm wingspan Trojan.   The planes  must be raced in the stock configuration. That means:

1) stock airframe—no mods to shape or area of wings tail or fuselage—no filling or smoothing of the exterior surfaces allowed.

2) motor and speed control must be the one supplied with the kit or approved substitute—no mods or rewinding allowed.

3) battery will be a 3S LiPo between 800 and 1300mah capacity—HV type cells(4.35V) are not allowed( battery voltage checks may be made prior to flight by CD). 

4) prop must be same as supplied with the kit by FMS or the APC 7×6 E 2 bladed prop—I suggest buying spares as they do break if you pick up a rock. Other replacement props may be approved by CD in the future. No mods to props other than balancing by removing small amounts of material on 1 blade or on 2 blades if a 3 bladed prop.

5) landing gear, wheels and associated plastic doors and strut parts must all be in place when racing—if they break glue them back on!

6) It is highly recommended to personalize the planes with different colors than stock to make them easier to keep track of when racing.

7) The top scoring planes may be subject to a tech inspection to make sure they are in compliance with the rules.

Aircraft MUST have a number. Numbers need to be 3-4 inches in height with numbers on both the top and bottom of the wing. The number on the top plan form needs to read right with the nose pointed left and looking at the top plan view of the plane. From the bottom plan form  the  number must read right when the nose of the plane is pointed to the right. If you already have a number from the Pop Wing racing series you can continue to use the same number. For those that don’t have a number one will be assigned —you need to let me know what number you prefer and if available it will be yours. Numbers must be between 1 and 99. 

Three to four planes in the air flying wing tip to wing tip is exciting—and risky. Expect there to be accidents from time—midairs can and will happen. Do not race if you can’t deal with the loss of your T28 nor should expect the club or other pilot to buy you a new plane if she accident occurs!

Scoring will be as follows:

1)There will be 3 or 4 planes per heat depending on the number of contestants

2) 3 preliminary rounds will be flown—with a fly off for the gold, silver and bronze groups. The “gold” group fly off will be the three pilots with the highest score from the preliminary rounds— and so on  down the line for the silver and bronze fly offs.

3) races will be 6 laps on a 200 foot 2 pylon course. All turns will be to the left with the shape of the course being a horizontal oval with the turn pylons at each end. The west bound track will he to the north side of the pylons and the southbound track will be between the pylons and the north edge of the our runway. The east-west centerline of the runway is considered the safety line and planes overflying the safety line while flying laps will be get a DQ for that round.

4) All starts will be from the runway with the planes distributed along a common line facing to  the west. A recorded audio track will be used for announcing the takeoff and race start. The start of the takeoff window to the entry to the race course will be 30 seconds.

5) There will be flagmen for the far pylon to signal the passing of the model, the pilots will stand inline with the near pylon so they can judge it for themselves—there will be a single cut official for the near pylon. The plane needs only to pass the plane formed by the pylon and the flagman—the plane does not have to go around the pylon. 

6) Pilots will need a caller to relay when they have passed the pylons as well as to count laps—the callers will announce in aloud voice “last lap” when their pilot starts the last lap so the officials can determine finish the order. 

7) Planes must land back on the runway after completing the race. Pilots landing off field get a DQ for the round.

The CD won’t take kindly to pilots attempting to abuse the sprit of these rules. We want to have a level playing field for everyone. If someone shows up with a plane that is 30% faster than the rest of the field you can be sure there will be some extra checking. Also for safety all the flying will be within the pattern described above—that means the  counter clockwise horizontal oval is the course you are expected to fly. No looping or other novel patterns will be allowed. If you try it and I see it expect a DQ for that round! If it seems suspect then don’t do it!

Schedule—

Racing is held on the 2nd Saturday of each calendar month, first race at 10:00am. Racing is complete usually before 11:00am. In the event of weather, we will reschedule to the earliest following Saturday that is convenient.

It will be wise to “decorate” your T28 since having a group of identical white and orange planes flying in close proximity could head to problems! Be creative!  A great website to help you out is Callie Graphics.  Check out their section on the T-28.  The T-28 above is 1/15 scale and Callie only goes down to 1/12 scale.  That just means the graphics will be about 25% larger than scale.

The plane on 3 cells is quite lively and fun to fly, plus it looks pretty good. Get one and join the fun!