Thursday, 08 March 2012 09:01
The most taxing of all the events which calls on all the skills of rotary wing control -airmanship, navigation, and communication.
With 5 minutes to prepare prior to departure, the crews are given the task to plot turning points which form part of the course (ranging from 70 to 90 kilometres) on a 1:250,000 map. Upon departure, the requirements en route are to identify 10 3 metre x 2 metre orange & black ground placed symbols within a search box of dimensions 5-25 Km long x 2-5 Km wide at a nominal height of 250 metres and a further 3 symbols to be overflown at 50 metres sited at turning points; complete a target drop on to two 5 metre circles 100 metres apart which require hitting with 1 Kg rice filled bags from a height of not less than 10 metres; and pass overhead timed gates marked on the ground by 35m long X 1m wide white lines collecting penalties for errors of each 10th of a second early or late.
The event concludes with a timed arrival to a line which is to be crossed at a given time followed by a flight manoeuvre comprising of three 90 degree turns to form a square to be completed in 60 seconds whilst descending to arrive at a finish line at the correct height to allow a skittle attached to a 7 metre rope to be deployed without striking the ground and then discharged into a 400mm square hole sited in a dog house roof.
Like all helicopter events you start with a full score and as you discover the penalties so the score will decrease!
