AH Air Races

[Vad]

TracerX, I would like to give it try too but ... Rules published on your site are very laconic. A lot of details are unclear. I just don't want to ruin your fun and be a problem for others just becuase I don't know some aspects.

For example, what is about refuel? Just land on any field, rearm and fly? 1 live per race - per race or per heat? Ok, I finished the first heat, what else? I have to land and run the next heat? Or wait till all others land? Can I take fuel tanks? I don't need ammo in this race, so it is better to shoot it out but kill shooter is on.  Is it possible to unload all ammo shooting aside before I will take my position on ranway?  I finished flying through hungar, must I land or I can  crash? No alt cap but must be below top of marker on turns. On this map shore batteries are turn points, we must be below them? etc...

[RATTFINK]

nice, umm, site......

[Sloehand]

It's really simple.  A plane is picked well in advance by the previous winner and the CM's create a race course (or select and possibly modifly an previous course).
Depending upon other events the terrain and course is ready in the SEA sometime after Sunday night for practise.  A race description, and sometimes a course diagram, are available.
Monday sees many racers practising the course in the SEA throughout the day.  If you have any specific questions, most of the racers will go over Start Procedure, race restrictions and rules.

At 10pm Eastern, after standard pre-race instructions (and possibly a course parade lap for familiarity and questions) racers are instructed to spawn at the designated base on a specific runway, with throttles back and engines shut off.

Upon command, racers start recorders (to resolve any race conflicts) and then engines and await the start command, give as a verbal and text "Go Go Go", and a tank cannon shot.

Courses typically involve flying around and between radar and water towers on the base and in the town, under city bridges, through one or more bomber hangars (one is usually the end the laps and the heat).

There are three heats per night in which everyone is eligble to race regardless of the outcoming of a single heat.  Finish points for the three heats are totaled give the race winner and runners up.  Individual Season anb Team points are given for the first 20 race positions - 1st place = 20 pts., 2nd = 19, 3rd = 18, etc.  

All ordinance is disabled, and fuel loadout is completely up to the individual.  This is usually a closely guarded secret and different for every race.  With different planes, courses and number of laps (usually 3-5 laps per heat), a pilot must run the course in advance to determin fuel load.  Unnecessary excess fuel will slow the aircraft down noticibly.  

This racing requires absolutely spot-on fuel, throttle, engery and control surface management to win.  Very good MA pilots come in to race and can get dusted for weeks until they learn the nuances of fine speed and turning performance.

And going through the first hangar without hitting the sides in the first lap of a heat can be intense as 6 or 7 planes try to go through at the same time.  

And, have you ever had to race a Komet at 300+ mph inverted through a bomber hangar?      Can you?

[crockett]

For those of you that want to see how the races work. This is my film from the last race during heat 2.

http://www.wargamerx.com/temp/race2heat2.ahf

There are a lot of things that you have to take into account such as WEP management and of course your racing lines. Just finishing a heat can be a challenge in many cases.

F3 is turned on for the races, simply because as you can see in this film the starts are pretty crazy. A lot of guys choose to fly in F3 mode but personally I fly in the cockpit (Like a real pilot should ) with the occasional F3 peak behind me.

[TracerX]

Originally posted by Vad
TracerX, I would like to give it try too but ... Rules published on your site are very laconic. A lot of details are unclear. I just don't want to ruin your fun and be a problem for others just becuase I don't know some aspects.

For example, what is about refuel? Just land on any field, rearm and fly? 1 live per race - per race or per heat? Ok, I finished the first heat, what else? I have to land and run the next heat? Or wait till all others land? Can I take fuel tanks? I don't need ammo in this race, so it is better to shoot it out but kill shooter is on.  Is it possible to unload all ammo shooting aside before I will take my position on ranway?  I finished flying through hungar, must I land or I can  crash? No alt cap but must be below top of marker on turns. On this map shore batteries are turn points, we must be below them? etc...

Vad, if Sloehand's briefing did not answer all your questions, let me add a bit.  The rules that are published are a little old, and I admit I should go through and bring them up to date.  We rarely run races where you have to refuel anymore, but the rules on refueling still apply on any race where refueling is relevant.  You can hotpad to refuel anytime during a race, but the races generally only last around 10-15 minutes each, so most people take enough to finish the entire race.  The amount of fuel you load, including fuel tanks is entirely up to you, this is where practice comes in handy.

There is only one life per race.  People that crash out, wait in the tower or watch via CM Eye mode until the next heat is ready to run.  There are 3 heats each night, and everyone can race in as many as they like.  The more you participate, the better your points will be.

You will not have to worry about ammo.  There will be none in the plane, so your guns will be dry.  You can select any armament package you choose.  Bombs and rockets are forbidden however.

At the finish of the race, we ask that everyone stay clear of the finish line area till all racers have finished, then it is up to you how you end your flight.  Land, crash, Alt-F4 if you like.  Just come back for the next heat.  We record the results and post them for everyone to compare.

Altitude restrictions apply on the turns, and we require the planes to not be higher than the turn marker within reason.  On this track, the tops of the shore batteries would define the altitude limit on those turns.  A warning is usually issued first on any minor infraction, and a 360 degree turn penalty would follow if the infraction occurs again.  Significant deviation from the course will be immediately penalized without issuing a warning.  This is extremely rare however.

I hope that answers most of your questions.  It is really not that complicated, and is much easier to comprehend once you have given it a try.  I think that the races are one of AH's hidden gems.  Until you have tried one, it is just too hard to imagine how much fun they can be.

Hope to see you there next Tuesday.  

[TracerX]

Originally posted by Stang
Aces High air races are done every night in the MA.

Been practicing Stang?  You should come over and put all that experience to good use in the SEA on Tuesday nights.  

Hope to see you again Mystic.

[Denholm]

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If you need the message to move faster across the screen change the numerical value of "scrollamount". Acceptable "direction" codes:

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Have fun with it.

[BMathis]

RACE NIGHT TONIGHT! 10pm EST in the SEA

Plane: P-51 B

Here's the link to the course: http://ahevents.org/race-tracks/seaside-strafing-500.html

Come out and get your practice on early, there will be people in there to help, just ask

And SkyRock, let's see if these dorks can beat you in something other than a turn fight

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Mathis

[Husky01]

Bearkats ownz Skyrock in racing!

[crockett]

getting close to Race Time

[TracerX]

Yep, bmathis dominated again, winning all three heats.  Check the AHXARL link here to see the full report of results.  It was another fine night of racing.  Here was the photo finish of Heat 3.  PH missed the win by just inches.  



Come join the fun again next Tuesday, you are missing a real great time.

[Denholm]

Haven't had a more close finish in my own racing arenas (when H2H was still alive).

[Shuffler]

Originally posted by bnasty
I thought I'd let everyone know, mainly those who havn't heard...

Aces High Xtreme Racing League has a website!!! http://www.ahxarl.com/

Created by 4440, one of the racers in the league.

Every Tuesday night 10pm EST!!! Come in and join the fun. We usually get up to 40 racers per  Race (3 Heats per Race). Come check us out! <>

Mathis

Nice to see this on the boards instead of in the MAs.....

Yall have fun.. I'll never go as I find it irritating the individuals posting CAPS over and over in the MAs about the races starting.... makes for squelch material.
All you need to do is post it on the boards.... if it is good then they will come. Granted not all read the boards, but like I said if it is good there will be alot of word of mouth advertising.

[TracerX]

Originally posted by Shuffler
Nice to see this on the boards instead of in the MAs.....

Yall have fun.. I'll never go as I find it irritating the individuals posting CAPS over and over in the MAs about the races starting.... makes for squelch material.
All you need to do is post it on the boards.... if it is good then they will come. Granted not all read the boards, but like I said if it is good there will be alot of word of mouth advertising.

We believe in a combined marketing approach shuffler, we have many ways to advertize the races.  I am sorry you have to endure a few lines of caps text in the MA's once a week.  It is certainly not excessive or abusive behavior.

[BMathis]

Race for Tuesday Night is ready to run. It's set up in the SEA for practice!

Here's the link:
http://forums.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=219033

Plane: Yak-9U

It's a night race, so get your night vision goggles ready! It should be a blast. Come and join in;

Tuesday 10pm est. in the Special Events Arena

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Mathis