Landings
Three lines comprise "The Box": Zero, 100 feet short and 200 feet long. The goal? Land as close to the zero line as possible. Land outside the box? You lose. Land with improper crosswind correction? Penalty. Bounce? Penalty. The closer you get to the line, the fewer points you get — just like golf!
You get the idea. Precision landings are our most challenging and exciting event.
There are two precision landing events that you can participate in:
- Short Field Approach and Landing (Power-Ons)
- Power-Off Landing
As the names suggest, they differ mostly in whether or not the pilot has power available to them while landing.
Navigation
Tired of planning or flying a mundane cross-country flight?
The Navigation event is similar to a small cross-country flight. However, every second you write on that NavLog matters now!
This event is all about accuracy. The goal here is to fly a given route as close to your flight plan as possible. Time en-route, leg distance, chart coordinates, airspeed, fuel used — everything has to be precise and accurate. Oh, and you have 30 minutes to plan the flight with paper charts. Sharpen your pencil!
In flight, every second counts. A GPS receiver is placed in the aircraft so judges can see the route flown by the aircraft to judge and score points. Are you ready to take on the challenge?
Message Drop
Have you ever thought about throwing something out of the aircraft? Now you have the chance! Don't worry, we read 14 CFR 91.15 — thoroughly.
The goal of the Message Drop event is to throw a "bomb*" from 200' AGL and hit a target on the ground below.
It requires perfect coordination between the Pilot and the Drop Master to ensure the bomb falls at exactly the correct spot. Both must consider wind, prop wash, the speed of the aircraft, and how and when the bomb is released. A second early or late could result in missing the target by more than 50 feet!
IFR SIM
In a simulator, a competitor* flies an instrument cross country, conducts approaches, flies holding patterns and demonstrates other instrument flight procedures.
* Must be instrument-rated to participate.
CRM/LOFT
Whether you are aspiring to become an airline pilot, a corporate pilot or to work in the military, Crew Resource Management is the most important element for a safe and efficient flight deck environment. It is heavily emphasized in the aviation industry because of the multiple benefits it brings.
In teams of two, competitors** fly a simulated multi-engine flight in a crew environment. This event is meant to test teamwork and piloting skill in a simulated high-stress environment.
** Must have a multi-engine rating to participate.