The purpose of this document is to provide contest directors and organizations with a guide on how to organize, sanction, and get endorsement for an SWRA Mini-Reno racing event. All SWRA endorsed events must be operated within SWRA approved rules. The contest director must be certified by the AMA as a contest director. All entrants must show proof of AMA or MAAC membership.

Event Sanctioning and Endorsement:

All radio controlled pylon-racing events using the terms "Scale Warbird Racing Association", "SWRA", or "Mini-Reno" must be both sanctioned by the Academy of Model Aeronautics, and endorsed by the SWRA Race Committee. Contest directors should first contact the SWRA Race Committee to obtain an available event date, and then apply for an AMA sanction as soon as possible. When the AMA sanction number is available, the contest director should then apply for SWRA endorsement using the Race Endorsement Application form provided as an attachment.

Event Deviations from SWRA Rules:

The SWRA believes that it is in the best interest of the participants of SWRA endorsed events to maintain consistency and fairness by following all SWRA event rules. If a contest director proposes to deviate from any standard procedures or rules, such deviations must be clearly described in the SWRA Race Endorsement Application form, and the SWRA Race Committee must approve such deviations, in writing, to the contest director.

Site and Course Requirements:

The flying site must have some method to keep spectators and vehicles behind the aircraft pit area, and away from the pilot stations and race course. SWRA endorsed events must be flown on the standard race course, consisting of two pylons, spaced 700 feet apart. The pylons are set parallel to the site’s runway, 175 feet beyond the edge of the runway that is furthest away from the pilot stations, pits, and spectator area, as shown on the standard race course layout provided as an attachment. A deadline must be established to separate the race course from the pilot, pit, and spectator areas; and typically coincides with the far edge of the runway, parallel to the line formed by the pilot stations. A start/finish line, marked on the ground in paint, chalk, or tape, is established perpendicular to the course, preferably between the #2 and #3 pilot stations. The locations of the pilot stations and lap counter positions are also shown the attached racecourse layout diagram. Pylon judging locations are located off the course, and set 700 feet apart directly in line with the pylons.

Personnel Requirements:

Contest directors and host clubs are encouraged to begin lining up their worker force well in advance of the event. Written lists of volunteers to serve on specified days are very helpful in assuring that adequate help is available for the Friday evening registration & static, as well as the Saturday and Sunday racing days. Clubs that have not received specific commitments from workers in advance of the event do not always have adequate numbers of workers. The following are the minimum number and types of personnel required for operating a race. The optimal numbers of workers will also be identified; and this staffing level will help to assure that the event will be of high quality without relying on contestants to help work.

Contest Director - One AMA certified contest director is required. The contest director may also compete in the event, if an assistant certified CD is designated to take over while the class the contest director is registered in is flying.

Scale Judges - Three scale judges are required and scale judges cannot also be contestants. Six scale judges are optimal.

Safety inspectors - One inspector, who is an experienced modeler, familiar with construction techniques appropriate to racing aircraft, is required to perform safety inspections of all participating aircraft, including pace planes. Inspectors will follow the inspection criteria in the SWRA Race Rules.

Flight line Coordinator (Flagman) - One flight line coordinator (flagman) is required.

Assistant Flagman - One assistant flagman is highly recommended; but not required.

Lap Counters (Timers) - One lap counter (timer) is required for each plane in a heat. Typically, this means four lap counters are required. If the CD plans to fly 5 airplanes per heat, the minimum requirement would be five lap counters.

Pace Plane Pilot & Helper/Observer - One pace plane pilot and one helper/observer to assist the pace plane pilot are required. Due to the number of flights required of the pace plane pilot each day, two pilots are highly recommended as the optimal staffing.

Pylon Judges - A minimum of two pylon judges are required, one to watch each pylon. The optimal level is a total of four pylon judges; so that there is one judge to observe, and one to record cuts at each pylon.

Impound Attendant - One attendant to run transmitter impound is desirable; two attendants are optimal.

Scorekeeper - One scorekeeper is required.

Announcer - One announcer to call pilots to the ready stations, and to provide spectators with information during each heat over a public address system is optimal, but not required.

Registrar - One registrar to assist the contest director with event registration, paper work, and handling registration fees, is optimal, but not required.

Runner - One runner to take completed score cards from the flight line to the scorekeeper is optimal; but not required.

Equipment Requirements:

Pylons - Two pylons are required. Pylons should be at least 16 feet in height, and need to be painted in a high visibility color, or have a brightly painted can or "bucket" attached to the top of each pylon pole. Pylons should be fastened in some way to prevent excessive leaning or sway in the wind. Large flags at the top of the poles are discouraged.

Timing equipment - Equipment capable of individually timing each aircraft in a heat, from the green flag start of the heat, until the airplane crosses the finish line following its final lap, is required.

Start/Finish Flags - A green start flag, a black & white checkered finish flag, and a black flag are required for hand use by the flagman.

Horn - A loud horn is required to signal the last pace lap for air starts of each heat.

P.A. System - A public address system or a "bull horn" is required for announcements.

Two Way Radios - A minimum of 3 two way radios are required for communication between the pylon judges and the flight line.

Lap Counter Cards - One set of lap counter cards that can be flipped, numbered from 1 through 9, are required behind each flight station. For four plane heats, four sets of cards are required.

Pace Plane - A minimum of one, and preferably two, pace planes utilizing channel 12 are required. Channel 12 is reserved for pace plane use.

Pylon Judge Barriers - It is highly recommended that pylon judges be placed behind an adequate safety barrier or cage.

*Please note that most of the race equipment can be provided to the contest director by the SWRA, as long as arrangements are requested in advance.
 
 

Qualification of Scale Judges:

The qualifications for a scale judge are left to the discretion of the contest director of record for the event. Previous scale judging experience at an SWRA event or any scale contest, is the ideal background for a scale judge. A short training class in scale judging prior to the event by a knowledgeable individual, is a recommended way to insure consistent scale judging by workers without previous experience in this aspect of the event. Training which utilizes an actual SWRA race plane that will not be flown in the event, and practice scoring using the SWRA judging sheets yields the best results. All scale judges need to be given a copy of the SWRA Scale Rules and Judges’ Guide, and must agree to follow it in their work as scale judges.

Race Flyer:

Club revenue from an event is highly dependent on insuring that both interested competitors and the public are informed about when and where the event will occur in sufficient time to make advance plans to attend. The easiest way to accomplish this is by preparing a race flyer, well in advance of the event, and posting it in local hobby shops, public shopping areas, convenience stores, etc. A mailing list of past SWRA race entrants can be made available at the request of the CD, and if the flyer is available early enough, the SWRA will reproduce it in our quarterly newsletter, the Scatter Pylon. The flyer should include the dates, locations and starting times of static judging, the race itself, and should include a registration cut-off time on Friday evening; (typically 8:30 PM). Additional information on the type of event, classes to be run, entry fees, AMA sanction number, food/drink concession availability, trophies, camping facilities, and nearby motel locations is also recommended.

Registration, Static Judging, Safety Inspection, Heat Size Determination, and Matrixing:

These activities are scheduled for the Friday evening before the Saturday race date, and typically begin between 4:30 and 5:30 PM, depending upon the time availability of the static judges, registration workers, and safety inspectors. Various types of locations are suitable for this activity, such as shopping malls, school cafeterias/gymnasiums, large uncarpeted conference/meeting rooms that can be cleared, fraternal organization halls, or the flying field itself if adequate lighting is available, and weather is not a factor. A space of at least 450 square feet is required. The safety inspectors will use the inspection criteria provided in the SWRA Mini-Reno Warbird racing rules. The CD will also need to insure the following items are available:

1. 6 pens for registration table and about 4 pencils with erasers for each scale judge.
2. A tape measure to arrange the judging tables.
3. AMA’s forms including the sanction, event participation list (form 11), safety declaration form, waiver forms, and AMA membership application forms.
4. SWRA’s forms including event registration sheets for each class to be run, scale judging sheet sets, SWRA membership application forms, and aircraft number identification slips and ballot forms for peoples’ choice judging will be needed, (if the CD elects to have a peoples’ choice competition).
5. Start-up money (small bills) for change.
6. Eight 6’ long tables and another table, or a stand to disassemble aircraft on, for safety inspection.

8. An SWRA member handbook and CD guide.

On Saturday morning, the contest director and the flagman, should hold two briefings; one for the event workers, and one for the pilots. The contest director should stress that contestants and workers keep safety as their primary concern. The workers briefing should be used to go over any last minute questions regarding workers jobs and race procedures. The contest director should also advise workers that consumption of alcoholic beverages will not be allowed while the race is in operation. The following is a suggested outline of topics that should be discussed during the pilot briefing, which is usually scheduled for 8:00 AM:

1. Welcome. Introduce CD, flagman, assistant flagman, and pace plane pilots. Remind pilots to fly above pace plane; and if they hit it, they buy it.
2. Discuss the size of heats that will be flown, use and location of transmitter impound, where the engine run-up area is for testing of engines, and whether transmitters may or may not be used for engine testing while race heats are being flown.
3. Discuss course layout regarding location of the deadline, pilot stations, ready areas, etc. Deadline will be the far edge of runway. Crossing the deadline will result in a warning for minor infractions, and a black flag for repeated or serious violations.
4. Discuss cuts at the pylons. Pylon judges will only call cuts if there is no doubt that the airplane did not come as far as, or fly beyond, the pylon pole. Also, they will only call a "cut" if they are positive as to which airplane cut the pole. Slices will not be counted as cuts; however, the flagmen have been instructed to watch for aircraft flying both sides of the course on the same side of the poles, thus creating a head-on midair potential. Pilots observed flying in this manner will be warned once of unsafe flying, and will be black flagged on the second infraction in the same heat. We want you to fly around the poles.
5. The bottom of the course is the top of the pylon poles. Flying below the top of the poles is considered unsafe flying, and will result in one warning, followed by a black flag on the second infraction in the same heat.
6. If the wind necessitates taking off from right to left, all planes will be launched from a line directly in front of the #1 pilot’s flying station. No launching allowed after the "last pace lap" horn sounds.
7. No aerobatics will be allowed at any time. No loops to avoid jumping the start - use a sharp left 90 degree turn, and go back toward pylon #2, allowing the other planes to start ahead of you. No diving starts. Aerobatics, diving starts, and looping at the start line will get you disqualified (black flagged).
8. Upon the completion of the 10^th lap, pilots need to pull up gradually, climbing off the course, and staying high until the heat is over. The same is true of black flagged aircraft, or aircraft experiencing problems.
9. Please be sure to keep track of when you are scheduled to fly, and have your airplane in the ready box behind the starting pad barrier by the time the heat in front of you takes off. If necessary, have a friend stage your airplane and equipment for you, as delays between heats must be minimized to insure six rounds get flown, in two days. If this becomes a problem, the flight line will not wait on you.
10. Hard-hats must be worn at all times when you are even with, or beyond the lap counter’s line, per AMA’s definition of being on the course including all pilots, callers, helpers, and/or workers. Any person who is on the course, must have signed a liability waiver form, as required by the AMA.
11. Determine if there are any first-time racers, and assure they are assigned an experienced caller. Provide additional details to first timers regarding starting procedures, take off procedures, race start, etc.
12. Stress safety again, reminding pilots and callers to keep safety as their first decision consideration as they are responsible for their actions. Pilots, callers, and anyone involved in the handling of aircraft, will not consume alcoholic beverages while the race is in operation.

Lunch Period & Peoples’ Choice Judging:

During each race day, the contest director should plan for a one-half hour lunch period, during which the event workers have the opportunity to eat, rest, and take care of comfort needs. If the CD is holding a People’s Choice competition, this is also the time to announce to all pilots that they should place their race planes on the centerline of the runway for judging. The pilot should place the aircraft number identification slip with his/her pilot entry number on it by or on the airplane, so the public can vote for their favorite airplane by number. Participation by contestants in the peoples’ choice judging is voluntary. Once the aircraft have been placed on the runway, an announcement should be made to all spectators, informing them that they will be allowed an opportunity to come onto the field, look at the aircraft up close on the runway, and vote for the aircraft that they like the best. A volunteer will be needed to hand out the peoples’ choice ballots (one per person), and pencils, and to gather the completed ballots for subsequent counting.

Awards and Prizes:

The first through fifth place finishers in each class, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Novice (if flown), will be recognized at the end of the race. The host club is responsible for providing the following trophies, as a minimum:

Bronze class - 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place

Silver class - 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place

Gold class - 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place

Novice class - 1^st place (if flown)

Top static scores – 2^nd, and 3^rd place

People’s Choice – 1^st Place (if held)

Most clubs present engraved plaques as trophies, however, the selection of what will be provided as a trophy is at the discretion of the host club/contest director. Prizes may be presented with, or in lieu of trophies. Trophies/prizes may be presented through 5^th place at the discretion of the host club/contest director.

The SWRA will purchase & provide two plaques for presentation at each race. These trophies will be for the Top Static award, and for the Combined Points champion (top score for combined static and racing points for the event).

Protests:

This section is provided to assist the contest director in dealing with contestants who believe that some situation occurred during the course of an event where the SWRA rules were not correctly followed, and the contestant wishes to lodge a formal protest on the situation in question.

Who May Protest - Only registered contestants may lodge a formal protest.

What may be protested - Only matters regarding eligibility of aircraft, qualification of pilots, math scoring errors or race operational issues that would materially effect the outcome of the event may be protested. Contestants may not protest decisions regarding scale scores arrived at by the judges following the scale judging rules, decisions of pylon judges or flight line officials involving cut pylons, false starts, or unsafe flying. Additionally, contestants may not protest sanctions placed upon them by the contest director or flagman for unsafe flying or unsportsmanlike conduct.

How to Protest - To protest an infraction of the rules, a registered contestant should approach the contest director and state, (calmly and in a sportsmanlike manner), that they would like to lodge a formal protest. It is the duty of the contest director to hear this protest no later than at the end of the current round of racing. The contestant must state the specific rule that he/she believes to have been violated, and the reason that he/she believes that the violation occurred. Contestants should notify the contest director of their desire to lodge a formal protest as soon as possible after the event occurs. The last opportunity for a contestant to lodge a formal protest will be during the thirty (30) minute period following the completion of the final round of racing. After the posting or announcement of the final results, no protests will be accepted by the contest director regardless of merit, as they are not timely.

Contest Director’s Decision - the contest director should give due consideration to the protest, carefully review the SWRA rules, and may elect to confer with SWRA officials, before arriving at his/her final decision. The contest director may rule on the protest immediately, if he finds it has obvious merit; but in any case, must render a decision on all protests and inform the protesting contestant(s) of such decision(s), prior to the posting or announcement of the final results of the race. If the protest involves inappropriate application of the rules in racing operations, the contest director must correct the operating methods in all subsequent rounds of racing, and must further inform the SWRA race committee of this procedural infraction within 3 days of the completed race. If the protest involves the qualification of an aircraft or pilot entered in the event, and the contest director determines that the aircraft or pilot does not conform to the rules, the entrant will be disqualified and will receive no score for the event. Disqualification is the only option available to the contest director, when it has been determined that the aircraft is illegal, or the pilot is not qualified to fly.

Appealing Protest Decisions - if the contest director’s decision on a formal protest is unsatisfactory to the protesting registered contestant, and if that protesting registered contestant is also an SWRA member in good standing, such SWRA member may elect to file a protest appeal to the SWRA race committee. The SWRA race committee can not change the awards and prizes given by the hosting organization, but it can and will change the season points accumulations, if the committee finds the protest to be well founded and with merit. The contestant must submit the written appeal, along with a $25.00 appeal fee, to the SWRA race committee within 3 days of the finished race. The race committee will notify the contest director, the protesting, and protested parties in writing upon resolution of the appealed protest. If the race committee finds the appealed protest unfounded, the $25.00 appeal fee will be retained by the SWRA; otherwise it will be returned to the appealing party.

Reporting of Race Results:

Contest directors, or the host club, are required to submit the results of the endorsed race to the SWRA race committee chairman by mail within 7 days following the conclusion of the event. The attached SWRA race results form is to be used for this reporting; with at least one heat sheet form being used for each racing class, (depending on the number of entrants in each class). This information is needed to complete the endorsement process, and is used to establish and track the season point totals competitors may have earned during the event toward their national accumulated season points. Failure to provide such information will prevent the SWRA from including earned season points from your race to the national total.

Basic Job Instructions:

These instructions are provided to assist the contest director in training workers for the event.

The lap counter’s job consists of four basic functions:

(1) Note the type and color of the aircraft assigned to your lap counter station and watch that airplane while it flies its heat.

(2) Count the laps your assigned plane has completed by flipping over the numbered cards at your counter station.

(3) Loudly notify the pilot/caller of your assigned plane when they start their last lap.

(4) Swiftly move to the timer table and push the stop watch button just as your assigned plane’s nose crosses the finish line on its final lap.

Do not start counting laps until the flagman has waived the green flag and started the heat. In each heat, the pace plane will take off first, followed by the competing airplanes. After all the race planes are launched, the pace plane will make three laps before the start of the heat, to allow the race planes to form up behind it. Cutting across the field and/or inside the pylons is allowed to let the racers get into position behind the pace plane before the start of the heat. At the beginning of the third pace lap, an air horn will sound which let’s you know the pace plane is on its last pace lap. The next time the pace plane crosses the start/finish line, the flagman will wave a green start flag, signifying the heat is underway. It is only then that you start counting laps as your assigned plane completes them.

The number cards are flipped over to show the number of laps your assigned plane has completed. After your assigned plane starts the heat behind the pace plane, the next time your assigned plane crosses the start/finish line, you will drop the card number 1 into position. On the next lap, as your assigned plane crosses the start/finish line, you will drop the card number 2 into position, and so forth. Please pay attention, it is very easy to get confused as to what lap your assigned airplane is on, if you start watching another plane, or something else (like a crash), during the heat. Remain alert for safety purposes in case any of the planes appear to get out of control! Immediately leave your station for a safer location if necessary. Please note that Novice class racers only fly 5 laps, so at the beginning of a Novice heat, flip over cards 1 through 5 and start their first lap with number 6.

When your assigned race plane completes it’s 9^th lap around the course, and you drop the number 9 card into position, yell out loudly to the caller & pilot, "Last lap #1 (or whatever position number of the pilot you are counting for, i.e. - #2, #3, or #4, etc.), and then quickly proceed to the timer table and carefully pick up the stop button corresponding in number to the position you were lap counting for. As your assigned airplane’s nose crosses the finish line, firmly depress the stop button, (just once), and then put it down.

The pylon judge’s job is to watch their assigned pylon, and record whenever any racing airplane does not fly past the pole.

At the beginning of each heat, the assistant flagman, (or the flagman), will use a two-way radio to identify the number of aircraft in the heat by their position number, type of plane, and the aircraft’s predominant colors. Example - "This will be a Silver Class three plane heat; the number 1 aircraft is a P-51 Mustang, silver with a red nose & invasion stripes; the number 2 aircraft is a P-63 King Cobra in all silver color; the number 3 aircraft is an FW-190, green and OD camouflage color". Write down, in the order of position, the aircraft type and colors as they are relayed to you. If you didn’t get one completely, or have a question, please use the radio to get clarification before the engines are started.

Your job as a pylon judge is to watch for and record cuts made by the competing race planes. A cut occurs when the race plane does not fly to, or past, the pylon pole and "cuts inside" the pole on the race course. Only when a race plane positively cuts inside the pole, should you mark down a cut on it. Race planes do not have to go AROUND the pylon; just TO it or PAST it, to be legal. In cases where a race plane comes very close to making it to the pole, and there is any doubt as to whether it was or wasn’t a cut, we do not call the cut. If you are sure that a plane cut, but not positive as to which plane cut the pylon, (sometime paint schemes are very similar), do not count the cut.

Do not start counting cuts until the flagman has waived the green flag and started the heat. In each heat, the pace plane will take off first, followed by the competing airplanes. After all the race planes are launched, the pace plane will make three laps before the start of the heat to allow the race planes to form up behind it. Cutting across the field and/or inside the pylons is allowed to let the racers get into position behind the pace plane before the start of the heat. At the beginning of the third pace lap, an air horn will sound which let’s you know the pace plane is on its last lap. The next time the pace plane crosses the start/finish line, the flagman will wave the green start flag, signifying the heat is underway. It is only then that you start counting cuts. Remain alert for safety purposes in case any of the planes appear to get out of control, and get out of the way, to a safer location, if necessary!

When a race plane completes it’s 10^th lap around the course, (5^th lap for Novice Class flyers), the flagman will wave the checkered flag as the plane crosses the finish line, and the plane will immediately climb to altitude to signify that it is finished and leaving the race course. Pylon judges will stop counting cuts for any plane that climbs to altitude and leaves the course. Planes that have mechanical or radio problems can elect to exit the course by climbing to altitude, and circling until the race heat is finished. Planes that are black-flagged by the flagman for deadline violations or unsafe flying are also required to climb to altitude and leave the course. No cuts are counted for planes that leave the course and/or do not finish the heat.

The flagman’s job requires a thorough knowledge of the racing rules & starting procedures, good judgement, and the ability to make sound and prompt decisions.

After the assistant flagman has identified each aircraft for the pylon judges, the flagman waves to the pace plane pilot to get the pace plane started and to launch it. As pilots get their aircraft motors running and the callers carry the aircraft to the edge of the runway, the flagman signals to each caller, when it is clear to walk onto the runway to launch their pilot’s aircraft. Only one person is allowed out on the runway at a time. The flagman will not start counting the three pace laps flown by the pace plane, until the 90-second starting period has expired, (unless all competing aircraft took off prior to the end of the 90-second period). The flagman needs to exercise judgement in this decision, however. If the competing planes have not all launched within 90 seconds because the flagman has callers waiting for approved access to the runway, the flagman should delay starting the 3 pace laps until all planes have the opportunity to launch. Such decisions need to be made on the circumstances. If a pilot elected to delay starting his/her motor, and then was late in being ready to launch, this is not a reason for the flagman to delay starting the 3 pace laps.

When the pace plane crosses the start/finish line and the flagman starts counting the pace laps, the flagman will hold two flags straight up and loudly announced "first pace lap". When the pace plane crosses the start/finish line again, the flagman will cross the two flags being held up into a "X" shape, and loudly announce "second pace lap". As the pace plane crosses the start/finish a third time, the assistant flagman will blow a long blast on the air horn to signify the start of the last pace lap. At the same time as the horn sounds, the flagman will drop one flag and continue holding the green flag straight up, and will loudly announce "last pace lap". The next time the pace plane crosses the start/finish line, the flagman simultaneously drops the green flag and the heat is started. If the pace plane has mechanical or other difficulties that do not allow it to complete 3 full pace laps to start the heat, the flagman will blow the air horn and then will loudly announce and begin a ten second verbal count down start. The flagman will raise the green flag, and start counting backwards from 10 in even intervals, until reaching 1. At the count of 1, the green flag will drop, and the heat will begin.

The flagman should be observant at the start for any planes that cross the start/finish line ahead of the pace plane as he/she must black flag disqualify these planes for jumping the start. Similarly, the flagman must disqualify any aircraft that were to the right of the start/finish line anywhere on the course when the pace plane crosses the start/finish line at the start of the race.

Additionally, any aircraft that executed a loop to avoid jumping the start must be disqualified.

The flagman watches the lead plane at all times during the 10-lap heat, and points to it with the checked flag. During the course of the 10 laps, he/she must also be vigilant for aircraft flying infractions such as flying over the deadline, erratic unsafe flying, and flying below the top of the pylon poles. When this happens, the flagman as a minimum instructs the assistant flagman to issue a warning to the offending pilot. If the infraction is sufficiently serious, in the flagman’s indisputable opinion, the offending pilot will be black flag disqualified. The assistant flagman should be close enough to the flagman to discuss such situations during the course of the 10-lap heat.

The flagman also needs to periodically check the lap card count for the lead plane so that he/she knows when the lead plane is about to complete the 10^th lap. As the lead plane crosses the start/finish line for the last time, the flagman waves the checkered flag, signifying the finish. The flagman will wave the checkered flag for subsequent finishers if time permits, and if the assistant flagman has informed the flagman when they are about to finish. The flagman and the assistant flagman will confer to record the finish position of each aircraft. If the 1^st and 2^nd place plane finish closely together, after reviewing the lap timing clocks, it is the flagman’s call as to who was first, subject to review only by the CD.

The assistant flagman’s job is also demanding and involves multiple tasks. Before beginning to identify the aircraft, the assistant flagman must assure that the lap timing devices are reset. Then, the assistant flagman will use a two-way radio to identify the number of aircraft in the heat by their position number, type of plane, and the aircraft’s predominant colors. Example - "This will be a Silver Class three plane heat; the number 1 aircraft is a P-51 Mustang, silver with a red nose & invasion stripes; the number 2 aircraft is a P-63 King Cobra in all silver color; the number 3 aircraft is an FW-190, green and OD camouflage color". Once all aircraft are identified to the satisfaction of the pylon judges, the assistant flagman tells the flagman to notify the pace plane to start. The assistant flagman moves to the 90-second timer and activates it when the pace plane’s wheels leave the ground, loudly announcing to the pilots "You are on the clock".

After the flagman has started the pace laps, and the pace plane begins its third and final pace lap at the start/finish line, the assistant flagman blows the air horn to warn all pilots that they are on the final pace lap. He/she then moves to the lap timing device and prepares to start the lap-timing device as soon as the nose of pace plane crosses the start/finish line completing the third pace lap. A separate control button is available for the assistant flagman that starts all the lap clocks at the same instant.

The assistant flagman then positions himself behind, but close to the flagman so they can communicate as needed during the 10-lap heat. The assistant flagman is responsible for keeping track of the 2^nd and 3^rd place aircraft during the heat. He/she must also be vigilant for aircraft flying infractions such as flying over the deadline, erratic unsafe flying, and flying below the top of the pylon poles. When this happens, the assistant flagman should notify the flagman verbally, and determine if the pilot is to be warned or black- flagged. The assistant flagman then tells the pilot/caller of the flagman’s decision. Similarly, the assistant flagman also watches for mid-air collisions or parts falling off of aircraft, informs the flagman, and obtains and relays the flagman’s decision to the pilots/callers, if the flagman determines the aircraft must be disqualified and land.

At the end of the heat, the assistant flagman confers with the flagman regarding finish positions of the competing planes, records the finish positions on the heat card (or sheet). He/she also obtains & records each aircraft’s official time from the lap-timing device, and obtains & records the pylon judges’ decision on cuts for each aircraft on the heat card (or sheet).