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GliderScore

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F5J Introduction
F5J - Thermal Duration Glider
with Electric Motor and Altimeter/Motor Run Timer

A rules proposal for F5J was considered and approved by CIAM in April 2011
and became an official FAI provisional class on 1 January 2012.
F5J was elevated to full official status at the 2016 CIAM Plenary Meeting effective 1 January 2017.

A good resource for F5J (particularly in the USA) is www.f5j-usa.com.

GliderScore 6.23 (and later) has the features to run F5J competitions.

F5J is like F3J but with electric powered models.
In the F5J rules there is a height penalty based on "... the maximum altitude recorded from
the moment the model leaves the launchers hand until 10 seconds after the motor is stopped."

An F5J score is made up of
- one point per second of flight time, plus
- the F5J landing bonus, less
- the height penalty.

The height penalty is based on a reference height of 200 metres.
0.5 points per metre is deducted for start heights up to 200 metres.
3 points per metre is deducted for start heights above 200 metres.

As an example, a start height of 201 metres would incur a height penalty of 103 points.
With GliderScore the reference height and penalty points per metre can be changed for local competitions.

  • Select one of the Motor Restart options. These change the way that Overall Results are compiled.
  • The official (FAI) rules about Motor Restart apply from 1 January 2023.
  • FAI rule - Motor Restart is not allowed in Category 1 events (World and European championships).
  • FAI rule - Motor Restart is allowed at other events however the resulting zero score cannot be dropped.
  • GliderScore provides a third option.
  • Unofficial rule - Motor Restart is allowed and the resulting zero can be dropped.

Click to view and/or save the official FAI F5J rules (2018 Edition).

Main features

  • Unlimited number of pilots. Up to 99 rounds can be drawn.
  • Unlimited number of Landing Bonus tables.
  • Reference height and penalty points per metre can be changed if required.
  • The draw separates pilots in the order based on same frequency and/or same team.
  • Pilots can be 'retired' and a re-draw made with the remaining pilots for later rounds.
  • Whole groups can be re-flown.
  • New re-flight groups can be 'built' with selected pilots.
  • Keeps track of each pilot's best score for each round (if pilot is re-flown)
  • Deducts drop scores at predetermined number of rounds flown.
  • Deducts (safety) penalties from the final score.
  • Allows for one or two timekeepers. If two, times are averaged (but if one time entered, averaging does not occur).
  • Where a time or landing score is entered, validates that a height has also been entered.
  • Where a time greater than the target time is entered
    - prevents entry of a landing score, and
    - time score is based on the target time.
  • Provides a comprehensive suite of reports. All reports can be previewed, printed or downloaded.
  • Score cards can be printed from the Reports menu.
  • Multiple competitions can be selected into a Competition Series and a series Championship report automatically produced.

Expand F5J on the side menu to work through these features.


Example competition setup for F5J

  • Decimals for Total Score should be set to 1
  • Target time can be changed
  • Decimal places for timing can be changed
  • Different Landing bonus tables can be used
  • 'Deduction from Flight Score' is set to 'Height Penalty'
  • Reference height and penalty points per metre can all be changed
  • Number of timekeepers can be one or two
  • Motor ReStart options are
    - Not allowed
    - Allowed but zero cannot be dropped
    - Allowed and zero can be dropped.

Watch the Comp Setup F5J video.