How is the handicap worked out, so it works accurately enough, when the difference between the first and the second could be just a second or so?
I don’t actually believe that anybody will just deliberately slow down at the end, to let somebody else win 
A colleague used to race in an American Yankee A-1 and took great pleasure in beating the Marchetti SF260 which is a regular on the circuit.
ch.ess wrote:
Each plane has its yardstick and gets a start time assigned so that all planes should arrive at the finish line around the same time – like in yacht races.
Quite right, but on a small point of order, most sailing races arent on this basis. Most races start at the same time, and the results are calculated using some form of handicap formula (where they arent all of the same class of course).
There are pursuit races, where the start time is based on handicap with the slowest going first, but they are pretty rare. The finishing order is then the result order.
Peter wrote:
How is the handicap worked out, so it works accurately enough, when the difference between the first and the second could be just a second or so?
Glider competitions have a very similar model with such handicaps. Learnings from these are:
- You can only equalize performance to a certain extend. The bigger the differences between models, the worse the equalization works. (To illustrate with a very extreme example: If you have 60kt headwind on the leg, no factor on flight time can equalize the difference of a 55kt One-plane and a 100kt one …) Therefore even though there are handicap factors there is the need for different classes in the competition.
- At the very top of the competition, even with the best handicap factors there is still only imperfect equalization. So in reality while such factors are great for broad competitions, there are still only 2-3 types (if so many) in every class that would actually allow you to become world champion.
It is a problem with any handicap system.
Yachts have developed very complicated formulas that involve hours of measuring and weighing, often with “secret” formulas because designers took to building yachts that take advantage of the measuring system. It is not perfect.
I have known golfers to cheet and artifically increase their handicap by filing bad rounds. If you play in enough competitions it is difficult to continue in that way mind you.
Of course with any handicap system some yachts and doubtless some gliders or aircraft will perform better in some conditions than others. In the yachting world there are some types you will struggle to beat in very light wins, but will do a far better job in strong winds etc.
Still everyone knows it isnt perfect and I dont think it detracts from the enjoyment. After all if you really want test yourself to the limit then sail a one design, the same type of glider as everyone else, or play off level. Even then anything involving a machine will be subject to one person’s machine being better than the other, even with so called one designs, and if you eliminate the machine sadly one person’s drug cocktail or running shoes will give them an unfair edge.
Fuji_Abound wrote:
After all if you really want test yourself to the limit then sail a one design, the same type of glider as everyone else, or play off level
A friend who was a world champion Star boat sailor said much the same thing to me.
Racing for trophies or whatever is boring to me – nature is a more interesting opponent with more meaningful challenges. OTOH If the ‘competition’ is really more about having fun with friends that fits me better, and the handicap thing becomes relatively unimportant – nobody thinks the ‘winner’ actually won on a rigorous basis, and nobody really cares.
