ICARUS TROPHY

RACE RULES

 

1  Overview

1.1  The Icarus Trophy is an adventure and paramotoring competition for international paramotor pilots (the Race).

1.2  All decisions regarding the organisation and running of the Icarus Trophy are made by the Race Committee. The Race Committee consists of:

Kester Haynes

Tom Morgan

Daniel Wedgwood

1.3  The principal challenge is to travel the course unsupported from the designated start point to the designated finish line travelling in the directions of the course only by paramotor or on foot.

           1.4  The Race Committee reserves the right to change these rules before and during the race.

 

2. Minimum Conditions for Participation

2.1  Every Pilot must sign and agree to the terms and conditions in the pilot entry agreement and pay the entry fee as set out on the official race website.

2.2  Only pilots approved by the Race Committee will be allowed to take part in the Race.

2.3  All participants must be experienced paramotor pilots with an appropriate skill level and have provided evidence of this as outlined in the ‘Demonstrating Proficiency’ section.

2.4  Every Pilot must provide proof they have in place appropriate third party liability insurance for the paramotor used during this competition.

2.5  Every Pilot must have flying equipment fit for purpose and appropriate to the pilots skill level - Pilots must share details of this equipment prior to the race as a minimum;

2.5.1  Make, model and year of paramotor.

2.5.2  Make, model, size and year of wing.

2.5.3  Make, model and size of reserve parachute.

2.6  Every Pilot must carry the mandatory equipment listed in the ‘Equipment’ section.

2.7  Every Pilot must have any additional licenses, paperwork or equipment listed in the ‘Location Specific’ section.

2.8  All Pilots must attend the pre-race briefing. (See ‘Race Schedule’ section).

3. General Race Rules

3.1 Rules for all Pilots

3.1.1  Pilots must not in any circumstance endanger themselves or others, or bring the sport into disrepute in any way - as decided by the Race Committee.

3.1.2  No unsportsmanlike or un-gentlemanly behaviour will be tolerated as decided and defined by the Race Committee on a case by case basis.

3.1.3  Pilots must respect Visual Flight Rules and any additional regional regulations.

3.1.4  Pilots must follow all national, regional, city, county, state or any other local aviation regulations as appropriate for the given race course. Any Pilot violating any relevant regulation takes full responsibility for any and all legal consequences.

3.1.5  Pilots must respect all areas on the race course that are marked as no fly zones.

3.1.6  Pilots must plan and choose their own flight plans within the bounds of the course.

3.1.7  During the race all pilots must carry and operate the official race tracker according to the rules listed in the ‘Race tracker’ section

3.1.8  Pilots must only fly in weather in which they are confident and capable of conducting a safe flight.

3.1.9  The race committee reserves the right to enforce a race wide race hold. This will require an enforced landing. Pilots must accept that race holds may affect race timings.

3.1.10 Pilots must respect any further rules listed in the ‘Location Specific’ section.

3.2  Additional Race Division rules

3.2.1  The pilot that completes the race first after penalties are applied will be the winner of The Race Division.

3.2.2  Pilots can only further their race position in the direction of the finish line by means of flying their equipment, or on foot carrying all their flying equipment with them.

3.2.3  Pilots must launch from within 200 meters of their landing point.

3.2.4  Pilots can use other forms of transport to travel to a place of rest, or to find petrol or spare parts, but must return to within 200m of where they landed before continuing the race.

3.2.4.1  If no suitable launch site can be found inside this area pilots can only travel back towards the start line in search of a suitable launch site. Pilots can use other forms of transport for this.

3.2.5  Pilots must remain unsupported for the entire event. This is defined as pilots must;

3.2.5.2  use only ‘open access’ support, meaning anything that any non-participating person can access for example petrol stations, random lifts from strangers, buses;

3.2.5.3  not use any pre-planned or designated assets, or advanced logistical help for example support from the race ground crew or chase vehicle, pre-positioned spares or logistics caches;

3.2.5.4  use only spare parts that have been carried by the pilot from the start, or acquired locally enroute in an open access mannerr ie anything that any non participating person can access.

3.2.6  Penalties

3.2.6.1  Pilots who do not comply with any of the race rules may be subject to a penalty - For example a minor infringement of airspace will definitely incur a penalty.

3.2.6.2  Penalties can range from 3 hours upwards to being switched to Adventure division. Pilots deemed to be endangering their own or anyone's safety will be instantly disqualified.

3.2.6.3  All penalties will be issued by the Race Committee.

3.2.6.4  The Race Committee will decide if pilots must sit out any penalties during the race or have them applied to their time after completion.

3.2.6.5  Rule infringements that will definitely result in the pilot being switched to Adventure Division include but are not limited to:

3.2.6.5.1  Using the support truck for help or parts.

3.2.6.5.2  Using the event crew for assistance.

3.2.6.5.3  Using alternative transport to move forwards towards the finish line.

3.2.6.5.4  Accepting help or assistance from pilots who are not in race division.

3.3  Additional Adventure Division rules

3.3.1  The winner of the Adventure Division is voted for by the pilots of the Icarus Trophy and is the person who gets nominated the most as a total across any of the following categories:

Best tale of adventure

Best location flown to

Best overnighting adventure

Most remote landing

Success against the odds

3.3.2  In the event of a tie the winner will be decided by the Race Committee.

 

4.  Race Tracker

4.1  During the race all pilots must carry the official race tracker as given to them by the race officials.

4.2  Pilots must keep the tracker activated, charged and maintained.

4.3  The tracker must be set to report their position at 5 minute intervals during course opening hours.

4.4  During an overnight or any other period when stopped and planning to turn off the tracker as you are safe and not currently competing in the event, pilots must send an OK message through the tracker.

4.5  Before setting off each day pilots must send an OK message to confirm your intention to begin competing.

4.6  Any pilot found flying without the tracker will be disqualified.

4.7  Pilots must be prepared for spot checks on equipment and compliance with the rules by the Race Committee at any point during the race.

5.  Equipment

5.1  Flying Equipment

5.1.1  All flying equipment must be fit for purpose and individual skill level. The race committee reserves the right to check equipment at any time prior to or during the race and refuse further participation if unsatisfied.

5.1.2  Pilots must maintain their own equipment to a safe operational standard at all times.

5.2  Mandatory equipment list

5.2.1  Pilots must always fly with the mandatory equipment as specified by the Race Committee. The Race Committee reserves the right to check for this equipment at any time.

Mandatory equipment list:
Official Race tracker
Mobile phone
Airband radio with helmet interface (ptt)
GPS or compass
Digital or paper maps/air charts
Helmet
Reserve parachute
Power bank and cables for tracker, radio and phone - minimum 10,000mAh

5.2.2  Additional mandatory equipment listed in ‘Location Specific’ section must also be carried.

5.3  Equipment on the Spares Truck

5.3.1  Additional spare parts can be put into the official race spares truck. Each Pilot will be allowed a volume of 40cm x 25cm x 20cm plus two long items such as a prop or a cage piece. Combined weight allowance is 10kg.

5.3.2  The spares truck will endeavour to position itself somewhere near the majority of pilots route each day.

5.3.3  Pilots must get themselves to the spares truck - the truck will not come to the pilots.

5.3.4  Use of spares truck by Race Division Pilots will result in the pilot being switched to Adventure Division.

6.  Demonstrating Proficiency

6.1  All pilots must provide evidence of having completed a cross country flight over a minimum distance of 100 miles consisting of at least at least 1 fuel stop and 1 overnight camping.

6.1.1  Evidence of a qualifying flight must be submitted to the Race Committee a minimum of 1 month prior to the start of the race. Evidence will include as a minimum: GPS tracking data and pictures/videos.

6.2  The Race Committee reserve the right to additionally test pilots prior to the start of the race. The format of this test being:

6.2.1  Adventure Division - At the start line you'll be asked to take off from a specified location and then perform an engine off landing from 500 ft to within 50 meters of a target. You will need to do this either first time or 2 out of three times.

6.2.2  Race Division - At the start line you'll be asked to take off from a specified location and then perform an engine off landing from 500 ft to within 10 meters of a target. You will need to do this either first time or 2 out of three times.

The Race Committee reserve the right to switch a pilots division or refuse participation completely if they consider the pilot to possess an inappropriate skill level.

7. Location Specific (Icarus Trophy 2018)

7.1  Rules

7.1.1  The race course is open to fly 15 minutes before sunrise until 15 minutes after sunset.

7.2  Paperwork

7.2.1  Every Pilot must provide proof they have in place appropriate Medical insurance with repatriation cover.

7.2.2  Every Pilot must provide proof they have a South African Restricted Radio License.

7.2.3  Every Pilot must provide proof they have a SAHPA License or SAHPA Temporary Visitors Permit.

7.3  Equipment

7.3.1  In addition to the mandatory equipment list all pilots must carry the following location specific equipment:

Means to carry water inflight
Water purification tablets
Overnight survival kit inc foil blanket, whistle and torch
Sleeping mat
Tent/tarp/bivi bag

8. Race Schedule (Icarus Trophy 2018)

8.1  Dates and Locations may change and will be updated closer to the launch of the race.

22nd July - Launch Party

23rd July - Pre-race Training, Testing and Briefings

24th July - Pre-race Training, Testing and Briefings

25th July - Launch

1st August - Finish

2nd August - Contingency Flying Day

3rd August - Finish Party