Teams of two students construct up to three fixed-wing model gliders launched by means of a stretched rubber band attached to a handle. Points toward the team’s final score are awarded for flight performance and a quiz. The object of the flight performance task is to make as many flight attempts as possible within a five-minute launch window to obtain the highest possible duration for three flights. One point is awarded for each second that a model is in the air during flight, and the sum of the best three flight durations achieved is the team’s flight score. An attempt is recorded for any flight of less than seven seconds duration and no flight score is awarded for an attempt. The quiz is designed to test basic physics concepts related to flight, work and energy. The final team score is the sum of the quiz score and the flight score in seconds, with all fractions of a second dropped. In the event of a tie, the highest quiz score wins. If a tie still exists, the team with the fewest attempts to score its three flights wins. Click here for tips.  

Event Location and Time:

Apparatus and Materials:

Safety:

Gliders of this type have been flown safely for decades by observing some simple, common sense rules.

1. Never aim or launch a model toward another person.  Always make sure that spectators are alerted when a launch is about to take place and ensure that they are at least ten (10) feet distant from the person launching the model.
2. Flyers and nearby spectators should always wear eye protection (safety glasses) when flying these models.  Safety glasses will be provided to team members and officials in the official flight area.  Team members must wear their eye protection at all times during their flight window.

Failure to observe safety rules and/or follow the direction of the contest officials will result in disqualification and/or expulsion from the competition.

Each team will bring to the Olympiad the following materials:

• Models:  Each team may use up to three (3) models to complete their flights.  The models may be of different designs and parts may be freely interchanged between the models.  All surfaces are to remain fixed except for changes in camber or incidence due to the natural flexing of the surfaces in flight.  Folding wings and mechanically activated incidence or trim changes are strictly prohibited.  Each model entered shall display the team name and a model number 1, 2 or 3 permanently affixed to the upper surface of the right hand wing as viewed looking from the tail to the nose of the glider.  Models entered by one team may not be used by any other team during the competition.  There are no restrictions on model dimensions or weight.  Gliders may be constructed from kits, from published designs or from original designs at the team’s option.

• Materials:  Gliders may be constructed from wood, plastic, plastic film, paper, carbon fiber, wire, thread or string, tape and adhesive cements.  Clay, putty and/or small quantities of metal may be used to establish proper balance and/or flight trim.  The use of boron fiber products is strictly prohibited due to safety concerns.

• Launcher:  The launcher shall consist of a cylindrical wooden dowel not to exceed six inches (6”) in length, with a single loop of rubber firmly affixed to one end. There is no restriction on the type or amount of rubber used; contestants are to supply the rubber to launch their models.  The models are to be launched by stretching the rubber loop between the hands of one team member with one end of the rubber loop firmly affixed to the launch handle.  All launching apparatus must remain firmly affixed either to the launch handle or the model during launch.

• Support Equipment:  Contestants may bring any tools, equipment and supplies they wish to support their models.  No support equipment or materials will be provided.  Tools, equipment and supplies may be brought to the flight area and staged before the official flight window begins.  No additional tools or materials may be brought to the flight area once the flight window has begun.

 Event Rules:

• Teams:  Each team shall have two members.

  Quiz:  Prior to the start of flight competition each team will take a written quiz worth 50 points, equivalent to a flight score of 50 seconds.  The time allotted for the quiz is 15 minutes.

  Starting Time:  Each team shall be assigned a starting time at random prior to the start of the flight competition.

  Ready Area:  The team next in line to fly will stage their models and equipment in the designated ready area.

  Processing:  While on deck in the ready area, the team members shall present their glider(s) and launcher(s) to the contest official in charge of the ready area.  The official will verify that the launcher(s) and model(s) meet the requirements for the competition.

  Flight Area:  All flights must be launched from the designated flight area.  Additionally, all flight-related preparation must take place within the flight area.  Only team members and officials are allowed in the flight area during the competition, and no outside assistance or advice may be given to a team during the flight window.  Any team receiving outside assistance will be disqualified.

  Model Recovery:  One team member may leave the flight area as required to retrieve models so that they may be flown again.  Both team members are permitted to retrieve models, but only one team member may leave the flight area at a time.

  Flight Window:  All launchers will be in an unstretched condition at the start of the flight window.  The contest director will announce the start of the flight window.  Once the flight window is open the team may make as many attempts as possible to launch one of their models into flight.  The timekeepers will time each model while in flight and record the score for each flight in seconds.  Flights of less than seven seconds duration shall be scored as zero and recorded as an attempt.  The time aloft for flights lasting seven or more seconds will be recorded by the timekeeping official on the team’s flight score sheet, with all fractions of a second dropped.  Flights must be launched from within the designated flight area and during the flight window for the time aloft to count toward the final score.  Flights which land after the flight window has closed will count toward the final score if launched during the window and not otherwise disqualified.  Team members may ask the contest director for the time remaining in the flight window.  The suggested flight window is five minutes, but may be modified at the option of the Contest Director to accommodate the number of teams entered in the competition.

  Launching:  Either team member may launch the models and team members my freely exchange the duties of launching and model retrieval during the allotted flight window.  The models are to be launched by stretching the rubber loop between the hands of one team member with one end of the rubber loop firmly affixed to the launch handle.  All launching apparatus must remain firmly affixed either to the launch handle or the model during launch.  Prior to releasing the model, the team member who is launching shall alert the timer and give a verbal countdown “Three, two, one, LAUNCH” at sufficient volume to be clearly heard by all persons within the official launch area.  This is a safety requirement and failure to follow this procedure will result in disqualification from the event.

  Timing:  The official time for each flight is defined as the interval from when the model leaves the contestant’s hand until it either touches down on the floor or ceases motion due to contact with an obstruction.  Times will be recorded in seconds with all fractions of a second dropped.

  Repairs:  Models may be repaired as required during the flight window, but no additional time will be allotted for repairs.

  Post Competition Impound:  After a team’s official flight window has closed, the team members will immediately present their model(s) and launchers(s) to the official in charge of the official impound area.  All models and launchers which have been used in the competition will be impounded until the close of the event so that the models and launchers used by one team may not be passed to another team for further use during the competition.  All models and launchers will be promptly returned to the teams immediately after the event has closed.
  Test Flights:  No test flights will be permitted once the event has begun.  Any team making unauthorized test flights will be disqualified.  Test flights may be permitted prior to the beginning of the event at the discretion of the Contest Director.

Judging Criteria:

Total Score:  The time for each flight will be recorded to the nearest second, with all fractions of a second dropped.  The flight score is the sum of the three highest flight times in seconds achieved during the flight window which were otherwise not disqualified.  The score for the event is the sum of the flight and quiz scores.

Ties:  In the event of a tie, the team with the highest quiz score shall be declared the winner.  Should a tie still exist, the team with the fewest flight attempts shall be declared the winner.

Awards:  Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will be awarded to the teams with the highest three scores, respectively.