Nationals

[bjt4888]

I don't see that the dimensions of the room for Wright Stuff have been posted yet on the Wright State Nationals website.

Is there someone on this wiki that encourage this to happen right away? Or, maybe they are on the site and I am looking in the wrong section of the site (although I believe that I've looked thoroughly).

Of course, the key dimension needed is ceiling height, but details such as: lowest hanging obstructions, diameter of area clear of obstructions to listed height, peaked shape or flat ceiling, and a few pictures, etc. would be good.

Brian T.

[chalker]

The info is on the Invitational Tournament website: http://www.wright.edu/event/science-oly ... al/coaches

Union Gym Dimensions for Wright Stuff Event

The gym is approx 81' x 60'. The event space (inside the pipe and drape railing) is 72' long by 60' wide. The air handlers will be turned off in that space. The ceiling height is 22 feet to the bottom of the pipe and lights.

And here are a few pics I took at the Invitational:
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AiDNRgPxV7d-hZYnmwdrhWALDmo6SA
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AiDNRgPxV7d-hZYpTd81wxQbdkTq8g
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AiDNRgPxV7d-hZYrqYAqXeEQcc9ppw

[bjt4888]

Thanks very much.

[bjt4888]

I see that this is the site used for the Invitational. Are we sure that this same gym will be used for Nationals?

[chalker]

I see that this is the site used for the Invitational. Are we sure that this same gym will be used for Nationals?

Yes

[Buckstops]

What a shame. A 22 foot high ceiling at Nationals? One would think that the event organizers could find a venue with higher ceilings. Even if Wright Stuff had to be scheduled for Friday somewhere off campus in order to find an exciting venue for these students who have worked so hard all year. There are very few events that offer the viewing crowd such a breath taking vision of elegance when a flight is approaching 3 minutes. And the thunderous applause that breaks the hush when the plane finally lands is enough to convince even the naysayers that competitive Science exists.

If there is anyone out there who has any sway with the National committee, please ask that a better venue be identified for the culminating tournament of the season.

[calgoddard]

I respectfully disagree.

The venue planned for the WS competition at Nationals looks like a reasonable site for the competition, as long as the HVAC is turned OFF and the doors are kept closed during official flights. The only downside of the gym shown in the pictures is the plurality of light-weight truss style beams that will be a hazard to WS airplanes that climb too high. However, skilled WS fliers will plan on making safe, no-touch flights below the main beam and light fixtures.

Most students that compete in the WS event have practiced in middle school and high school gyms which typically have a flyable height of 20 - 24 feet.

So their practice will translate to the flying site at Nationals.

Venues with very high ceilings, like the Armory at the University of Illinois, are wonderful for experienced adult indoor fliers. They know how to change rubber and props for high indoor flying sites which are known as Cat III and Cat IV flying sites.

I remember watching the WS competition at Nationals a few years back in the Armory. Many WS airplanes ran out of turns while the airplanes were still very high, and headed straight for a wall, prematurely ending their flights.

Bear in mind that it is typically difficult to arrange a competition venue for any SO competition. Few venues will have facilities that are available on the specified date that are perfect for all SO events.

[Narwhalicorn]

I agree with Buckstops.

The low ceiling height of the gym will cause for many of the results to be clumped together, and it will be hard to distinguish the skilled flyers from the lucky ones. Also, since the times will end up so close together, slight, unavoidable consistencies in timing may result in inaccurate overall results, and a team that really should've gotten a medal may not have, which is saddening for both the competitors and the team as a whole.

As for practice translating to competition, partial motors can always be used, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Being from Illinois, our State competition is annually hosted at the University of Illinois, and the flying events have been in the Armory as long as I've been in SO. State is always especially fun, even though it is stressful, because our planes reach greater heights than we ever thought they could (lol sorry for the pun I had to).

Even if the airplanes run out of turns, their times will still likely be more that the competitors ever achieved in their own gyms, and that brings a sense of satisfaction of its own.

I agree that it is difficult to arrange a big competition like this, and even finding one venue may be lucky, but I still think the idea is worth exploring.

(yay first post done)

[Unome]

I agree with Buckstops.

The low ceiling height of the gym will cause for many of the results to be clumped together, and it will be hard to distinguish the skilled flyers from the lucky ones. Also, since the times will end up so close together, slight, unavoidable consistencies in timing may result in inaccurate overall results, and a team that really should've gotten a medal may not have, which is saddening for both the competitors and the team as a whole.

As for practice translating to competition, partial motors can always be used, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Being from Illinois, our State competition is annually hosted at the University of Illinois, and the flying events have been in the Armory as long as I've been in SO. State is always especially fun, even though it is stressful, because our planes reach greater heights than we ever thought they could (lol sorry for the pun I had to).

Even if the airplanes run out of turns, their times will still likely be more that the competitors ever achieved in their own gyms, and that brings a sense of satisfaction of its own.

I agree that it is difficult to arrange a big competition like this, and even finding one venue may be lucky, but I still think the idea is worth exploring.

(yay first post done)

It may be less than ideal, but it does mean you have a chance to (maybe) try out a torque burner!

[chalker]

What a shame. A 22 foot high ceiling at Nationals? One would think that the event organizers could find a venue with higher ceilings. Even if Wright Stuff had to be scheduled for Friday somewhere off campus in order to find an exciting venue for these students who have worked so hard all year. There are very few events that offer the viewing crowd such a breath taking vision of elegance when a flight is approaching 3 minutes. And the thunderous applause that breaks the hush when the plane finally lands is enough to convince even the naysayers that competitive Science exists.

If there is anyone out there who has any sway with the National committee, please ask that a better venue be identified for the culminating tournament of the season.

There are so many other factors you haven't even considered. Like most things in both Science Olympiad and the real world, there are tradeoffs to be made.

Let's say we did find another venue offsite somewhere - now there is a transportation issue that needs to be dealt with for all the teams, and potentially scheduling conflicts for competitors with events that immediately precede or follow Wright Stuff. And there potentially will be less spectators, since it won't be as easy to hop in or out of the venue.

Let's say we did move it to Friday - we can't conflict with the opening ceremony, so it'll have to be during the day. Teams that might have tried to travel to Dayton on Friday morning will now be at a disadvantage and potentially will have to spend more money to travel earlier and find lodging. Ditto for some event supervisors, general tournament personnel, arbitration committee, etc, etc. (which ends up costing more money that the tournament doesn't necessarily have available).

More importantly, moving it removes the event from the main rotation of events. There's a good reason why there are 23 events but only 15 team members allowed - Science Olympiad is as much about the TEAM effort as the individual event efforts. Resolving scheduling conflicts and rapidly changing focus from one event to another is an important part of testing the breadth of knowledge and capabilities of the competitors.