What is required for virtual submission?

[mmhchi]

Hello. Apologies in advance for the question - I have searched around for answers but have come up short.

I am helping coach a first-time Electric Wright Stuff B team for sixth grade. We've made good progress with our airplane and testing and flight log. We are in Illinois and our event requires a virtual submission prior to March 11th. I am having difficulty finding definitive instruction on what is required for this virtual submission. So far I believe we need photographic evidence of the 1) flight log 2) mass of plane 3) voltage of the batteries and charger 4) voltage and capacitance of the capacitor 5) size of the wingspans and chords as well as a video of the actual flight.

I've seen mixed information regarding if the pre-flight testing needs to be videoed, if the blacked markings on the wing are required, if the flight log requires plane schematics/BOM, etc. Are we also still limited to an 8-minute window in which we can officially conduct our flight? Should the pre-time period be recorded as well? I am unfamiliar and uncertain on how formal the requirements are, given that we will be recording all this on our own and not at an actual event site with on-site judges.

Given we are a first-time team, I am worried about making errors in what we need to submit and have missing or incomplete components or making mis-steps under the rules.

Can anyone help provide direction on what exactly is required as part of the submission for a virtual Electric Wright Stuff B event? Thank you very much.

[coachchuckaahs]

Coach:

There are no National guidelines on what must be in the videos. Your tournament should release video submission requirements or deviations before the due date, as each tournament is different.

However, IN GENERAL, I would expect the following:

• Rulebook requirements remain the same unless deviations are published. This would include the wing markings, the plane identification (label), logbook requirements, etc.
• Most tournaments will require a single non-stop video that includes check-in processes as well as the flights. These include the 2-minute (max) preflight prep time as well as the 8-minute flight window.
• Some tournaments require you to retrieve a code word from online, and film retrieving that, and finally to upload in a certain amount of time, to ensure only one "take" is performed. Others simply allow many takes and you upload your best flight.
• Logs and other required documentation do not change generally, and are generally uploaded ahead of a zoom call, or with the video
• Most if not all tournaments will require a gym height measurement, as they will do a gym height adjustment to level the playing field
• The flying time (and check in) is treated like any in-person event, in that the students cannot receive ANY outside coaching during the process. This can be hard oin the coach if the coach is filming!

I am near a release of a film, put together in conjunction with Nationals ES's and other coaches, to help streamline the check-in process. Keys are to be sure you have accurate but not time-consuming means to measure the plane, and an accurate scale that can measure to 1/100g (available for under $15 at Amazon). When that video is fully reviewed I'll add a link here.

Coach Chuck

[knightmoves]

Here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zIT ... q-TzY/edit
is a link to a document for EWS video/photo requirements that were circulated to IL coaches earlier this month.

If you have questions, I would urge you to seek clarification from the IL state tournament people.

[knightmoves]

In general, multiple "takes" would look like cheating to me (unless explicitly permitted), and the presence of the local coach for satellite build videos is supposed to ensure the integrity of the process, and that local coach should not allow multiple takes. But of course there's no real way of policing that - the system has to assume that coaches have some integrity.

For that matter, there's no actual mechanism to prevent a coach taking a test on scilympiad in place of their kids - you just have to assume some reasonable level of honesty.

[coachchuckaahs]

It does appear they did away with the new "build log" requirements, as well as the black wing marking bonus, and the preflight bonus. These are substantial changes form the rules, but for this event, these become the rules. The requirements are clearly spelled out in the linked document.

The one area that, as a coach, I cannot agree with, is that the remaining flight log (actual flight data) must fit on one sheet. I am adamant to students pursuing this event that EVERY flight should be logged carefully, and this log data is critical to improving. As an ES at Invite, Regional, and State levels, I commonly see the bare minimum log (10 entries), which will fit on one page, but does nothing in terms of the science of flight optimization. By this time in the season, my team has at least 5 pages, if not more, of flight logs.

It is also interesting, and concerning, that they do not have the gym height as part of the submittal. The duration is strongly dependent on altitude, and the national SO has published a gym height correction factor table for remotely administered events in the logistics manual. While this is not required, it is strongly urged so that schools with higher gyms do not have a distinct advantage. Under the Satellite model, you are supposed to compete from your regular school facility, so presumably people cannot pursue a particularly tall facility.

That said, many EWS planes we have observed do not climb at all, negating the ceiling issue. This does not mean the ceiling should not be accounted for. This is a trim issue. These exceptionally-well-flying planes this year can climb (and even too much) with proper trim on the plane. Play with CG and incidence, logging your flights, to optimize performance. The neat thing with EWS is that the reset time between flights is very short, so many fights can be attempted in minimal practice time. You will probably find that logging your flight takes longer than the flight-to-flight turnaround. But, do not skimp on logging!

The published rules deviations are what you go by for your event. If you have questions of interpretation on these, contact the event organizers with plenty of advance notice for clarification. Anything we could say here would not be binding.

Coach Chuck

[knightmoves]

The one area that, as a coach, I cannot agree with, is that the remaining flight log (actual flight data) must fit on one sheet. I am adamant to students pursuing this event that EVERY flight should be logged carefully, and this log data is critical to improving. As an ES at Invite, Regional, and State levels, I commonly see the bare minimum log (10 entries), which will fit on one page, but does nothing in terms of the science of flight optimization. By this time in the season, my team has at least 5 pages, if not more, of flight logs.

This seems to be for the convenience of the ES doing the grading. For our team's various build events, the logs we bring to a competition are generally selected to tick all the boxes in the rules, rather than being the full set of testing & design work we've done.

(Rule #1: make it easy for the ES to give you points. If you make the ES think, they have the opportunity to think "no".)

[coachchuckaahs]

I can see that, but I also can easily see the logs thrown together as a minimum to meet the rule without being "valuable". I see far more of the latter.

But, yeah, I can see that turning in a "clean" log is worthwhile. Especially if some pages get chicken-scratch and could be downgraded for illegible.

Coach Chuck

[mmhchi]

Coach Chuck and knightmoves: thank you very much for this feedback. This is very helpful and gives me guidance on how to move forward in preparation for the virtual submission. Much appreciated!

[coachchuckaahs]

We are releasing a video that will help you (coach or student) to prepare for remote submission, whether live or zoom. This video addresses areas that have been observed at major invites, and tries to ensure quality measurements can be made without taking too much time or $$.

Watch the SO WS and EWS pages for a link this weekend.

Coach Chuck