Inter-University Competition

Editor's note: as of January 2018, the competition's website is inactive. The last entries were made in 2012. Is this competition still running?

Answer to Editor's note: "This year (2019): Yes, it is! I occasionally get notices on my fb; it will be hosted at Loughborough University / Buckminster Gliding Club in July 2019."

The Inter-University Gliding Competition is hosted at different airfield each year, and brings together many of the major universities for a week of gliding and fun. It is held every August for a week.

There are three different competitions at the Inter-Unis.

Contents

Soaring

This is becoming an established part of the competition and will follow a similar format to last year. Duration points may be scored with or without a logger but a logger must be used to prove height gain. The min flight time has been increased to 30 minutes for aerotow flights. Smokey Barograph traces will be accepted but the pilot must annotate heights manually. In case of dispute, the situation will be resolved by a diverse committee of organisers, captains and/or representatives.

1. Winch - One point is awarded for each minute of flight from 15 to 75 mins
2. Aerotow - One point is awarded for each minute of flight from 30 to 75 mins
3. Four points will be deducted for each minute of flight over 75 minutes.
4. The lowest score which can be recorded is 0 points.
5. Two points are awarded for each 100 feet of height gained after the launch, provided the climb is maintained for 500 feet (A climb is defined as 'maintained' provided no logged height point is lower than the closest point which precedes the current one by 30 seconds). Climbs of less than 500 feet do not gain height points.
6. For flights which are submitted without a logger trace, the competitor will specify the flight length which will be compared with the launchpoint log and the smallest flight time will be used as the duration.
7. For flights which are submitted with an accompanying logger or barograph trace, points will be calculated as per Rules 1 - 5.
8. Instructors may fly in scoring gliders and may verbally assist the competitor. They may not take control of the glider at any time, except for safety reasons.
9. Should both pilots in a two-seater be potential competitors, one must be named as competitor before launch. If the P2 is named as the competitor, the above rule still applies.
10. Any launch method may be used. For flights recorded with a trace, the launch height should be clearly marked by a dip in the barograph trace. If no dip is recorded to verify the launch height, the first climb will not be counted.
11. Each pilot may only submit one soaring flight per day to be scored.

Progression

Scores for progression are calculated using a simple points based system. The points suggested for each achievement are listed below. All points are awarded when the pupil has achieved competency (i.e. able to complete with no instructor control inputs and minimal prompts). Signoff in logbook and/or record card will constitute competency unless the relevant instructor can also vouch for pupil competency. Recommended exercises and points allocation were made with reference to BGA Instructor Manual (3rd Edition) Aerobatics badge requirements. In case of dispute, the situation will be resolved by a diverse committee of organisers, captains and/or representatives.

Cross Country

This relatively new competition will follow a similar format to last year. Currently, a day in which 5,000 points are scored by someone will completely overshadow a day in which the maximum score is only 500 By scaling the scores, they will better reflect consistent flying across all the days All other rules as per BGA Ladder rules. Please pay particular reference to the rules regarding what constitutes a 'declared' task For reference, the BGA Ladder rules can be found here. In case of dispute, the situation will be resolved by a diverse committee of organisers, captains and/or representatives.

Past competition reports

2003

In 2003, we turned up again (having not fielded a team in the previous 2 IUTWs). Unfortunately, the glider we were expecting failed to turn up, and we had to scrounge gliders to fly in. Despite this rather major handicap (and hence not being able to fly cross country) we didn't come last in the end. Hopefully we'll do better next year...

2000

In 2000 the Inter-University Task Week (IUTW) was a bit disappointing; only one day was really suitible for X-country flying and it was pretty weak and patchy...we won it with 123km by Paul Browne in the K6e and 50km by Stuart Crawshaw in the K8. The rest of the week was wet and only Stuart was there from Tues to Thurs...so overall we lost out to various "firsts" and spot landings. The final day of the comp was Saturday 10th August and, typically, Sunday turned out very good. Stuart flew from Hus Bos to Bury and back to Gransden...170km in a K8 in 5hrs in September...not too bad!

1999

In August 1999 the IUTW took place at our club (Gransden Lodge). The 1998 comp was held at Sutton Bank - home of Durham University (and the Yorkshire Gliding Club). Bristol, Durham, University College London, Nottingham Trent, Cambridge, Edinburgh and St. Andrews all took part. The weather wasn't brilliant but we still managed to do 20 hours of flying in a little over a week. Our K8 completed one 100k triangle, 70k of another and did a 5 hour+ ridge-bashing silver duration to win the wood class with Edinburgh's K13 coming a close second. UCL came joint first with Durham in the glass class.