Guidelines

Flight Challenge

Eligibility

• Entries are limited to five (5) teams per school, 1 member per team.
• Entries must be started and completed during the current school year.

Procedure

• Participants are provided a minimum of thirty (30) minutes for trim flights at the event site.
• Models are evaluated for specification compliance during the trim session. Time allotted for the trim portion may be extended according to the number of participants and site scheduling.
• Participants have two (2) opportunities to fly their models for official times.
• Participants attend a pilot's meeting to review the sequence for making the official flights.
• In an orderly fashion, participants wind their models and proceed to a group timer for permission to fly.
• Participants place their models on the floor and wait for the signal to release from the timer. Timing begins when the model rises off the ground.
• Flight time ends when models hit the floor/ground or when they touch an obstruction.
• No repairs are allowed after time trials begin.
• Each participant has the times of two (2) official flights recorded by the timer.

Regulations

• Models are to be made of wood and tissue paper for fuselage and flying surfaces (wings, fin, and stabilizer). No plastic foams, films, or condenser paper are allowed.
• Models use a commercially available plastic propeller or propeller assembly: minimum of 140mm to a maximum of 170mm in diameter. Trimming or thinning propellers is allowed to achieve balance and/or to reduce weight.
• Fuselage dimension: minimum of 300mm in length measured with prop assembly attached.
• Wingspan: maximum of 50cm horizontally projected, wing chord 12cm projected.
• Rubber motor: maximum weight of motor is one (1) gram, including the O-ring. No length measurement is made. Spare motors are allowed during the official fights. One rubber O-ring may be used on the rubber motor loop at the motor hook end for easier handling of wound motors.
• Model weight: minimum of 7 grams, maximum of 21 grams. Models are weighed without motors attached. Clay is permitted for trim ballast. (Model is weighed with clay ballast.)
• Steel wire may be used only for propeller shaft, motor hook, and landing gear.
• The two wheels must be a minimum of 15mm in diameter of plastic or wood and they must roll.
• Acceptable flight support equipment includes the following:
  • Mechanical rubber motor winders (Electricity may not be available at every site).
  • A winding stooge may be used to anchor the model while its motor is being wound.
  • The landing gear must support the airplane without sagging in its rested position.

Evaluation

• Evaluation is based on the duration of flight. A bonus of ten (10) seconds is added to the flight time per flight if the airplane successfully lands on its wheels and comes to a rest on its wheels.
• The times posted during the time trials are used to determine the three (3) top times.
• Following the second flight, the three (3) top combined times' models are awarded 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place.
• Ties are broken by determining the longest single flight time.

Hydro Rockets

Eligibility

• Each school may enter Five (5) rockets - one (1) student per rocket.
• Rockets must be designed and built in the current school year.
• All work is to be completed at the participant's school.
• Repairs may be made by students but no changes to designs.

Requirements

• Rocket must be launched from a Pitsco Hydro Port Launcher.
• Standard mouth on bottle - no 3L or Gatorade bottles, they won't fit on the launcher.
• Fins cannot obstruct the function of the launcher.
• No weight or size restrictions.
• Students will decide the amount of water to add to their bottle for launch.
• ONLY water may be used in the bottle for launching.
• Pressure regulator will be set to 80psi, student may launch before full pressure is attained.
• Participant will pull their launch cord.
• Students will be responsible for setup, launch and full recovery (all your pieces) of rockets.
• NO PARACHUTES. Streamers must be less than 1 inch wide.
• Rockets that do not fit on the launcher will be disqualified.

Regulations

• Rockets can be made from any blow molded plastic bottle, 2L, 1.5L, 1L, 20oz or 16oz that will fit on the launcher.
• Green bottles are OK but not recommended.
• NO water bottles.
• NO PVC or metal pipes.

Evaluation

• Launch will be timed with a stopwatch from initial launch until the rocket hits the ground. Rockets that land on roof tops or get stuck in trees their time ends when the rocket touches an obstruction or leaves the sight of the judge.
• Longest flight time wins.

Trebuchet

Eligibility

• Entries are limited to three (3) machines per school, four (4) students per team.
• Must be designed and constructed during current school year.
• Each device will compete in only one category.

Procedure

• Participants report to event coordinator at the designated time and place for the event.
• Participants should bring enough ammunition to practice and compete, do not depend on reusing your projectile.
• Participants will then attempt five (5) throws from behind the designated foul-line.
• Target will be flat on the ground ten-foot circle with concentric rings. Outer ring worth 2 points. Middle ring, six-foot diameter is worth three points. Bulls eye target one foot diameter worth five points. Successful launch missed target worth one point. Participants choose the location of the target. Target may not be relocated.

Regulations

• Maximum throwing arm length of 36 inches.
• Maximum total height of 4 feet.
• Powered by torsion, counterweight, bungie, rubber tubing, and/or springs.
• Materials and construction must be deemed "safe" by instructor and judge.
• Minimum throw distance six (6) feet. Each machine can have only one firing apparatus. Participants will provide their own projectile, enabling the device to be tuned to the projectile.

Evaluation

• Points will be awarded for distance thrown, the longer the distance the more points.
• Points will be awarded for accuracy; each throw will be given the points marked on the target that was hit.
• All points will be combined to give the final score, highest score wins.
• Scoring Formula: a * (d - 6) where "a" is the accuracy score according to Procedure point 4. and "d" is distance measured in feet. Example: a bullseye hit at 10 feet would be 5*(10-6) = 20 points.

VEX Robotics

Eligibility

• Entries are limited to two (2) machines per school, four (4) students per team. Must be designed and constructed during current school year.

*All the 2023-24 VEX Robotics rules will be used. You can find these rules on the VEX and RECF websites:

Bridge Design

Eligibility

• School Entries are limited to five (5) - one (1) person teams.

Procedure

• Entries are reviewed by evaluators to determine, among other things, safety on the track.
• Safe dragsters are staged and raced by judges for official time on the raceway.
• The top three (3) qualifying cars in each category are evaluated against the criteria for this event.
• Dragsters that do not meet event regulations are disqualified.

Regulations

• The official distance between the start line and the finish line on the racetrack is twenty (20) meters.
• No repair or maintenance is allowed after the entries have been registered.
• Any entry damaged during the race is evaluated by the event coordinator to determine whether the vehicle is allowed to race again.
• If the vehicle is damaged by the conference personnel, the event coordinator rules as to whether the vehicle may be repaired by the student entering the vehicle. This is the only reason a student is allowed to touch his/her vehicle after registration.
• Undamaged wheels that come off during the event may be replaced as determined by the event coordinator.
• All CO2 cartridges for the race are provided by BSTA the day of the event.
• Dragsters that do not meet the following specifications/tolerances are disqualified from the race.

Specifications

• Dragster Body
  • One-piece, all-wood construction.
  • Any type of lamination results in disqualification.
  • No add-ons such as body strengtheners, fenders, plastic canopy, exhausts, or air foils may be attached to or enclosed within the vehicle.
  • Fiberglass and shrink wrap are considered body strengtheners and cannot be used on the car body for any reason.
  • Decals may be used for decoration only; they may not be used to gain an aerodynamic advantage, i.e., decals cannot cover the exterior axle holes or be used to cover open areas of the body.
  • Two (2) or more like or unlike pieces of wood glued together are not considered one-piece, all-wood construction.
• Axles/Axle Holes/Wheelbase
  • Dragsters must have two (2) axles per car, no more, no less
  • Bearings, bushings, and lubricants may be used.
  • Glue may be used to secure bearings to body.
  • Spacer Washers/Clips
    • Spacer washers 8 max
    • Axle clips 8 max
    • Silicone adhesive or any other type of glue/adhesive may not be used in place of wheel clips to hold wheels or axles in place.

Evaluation

• Evaluation for time trials is based on the speed of the car.

CO2 Dragsters

Eligibility

• Entries must be started and completed during the current school year.
• School Entries are limited to six (6) - one (1) person teams.
• Dragster completion will be one (1) category.
  • Open wheel
  • 1 Special Award - Best Paint (worth 1 point for club award)

Procedure

Regulations

Evaluation

• Evaluation for time trials is based on the speed of the car.

Logo Design

Eligibility

• Each school may enter three (3) logos - one (1) person per logo.
• Logo must be made during current school year.
• Entries will be submitted one 1 week prior to the contest.

Procedure

• Participants will submit a presentation board with single design demonstrated in:
  • Color
  • Greyscale
  • Line Art

Evaluation