This page gives more detail about the Helicopter event for Montana's 2021 tournament. All the clarifications below apply to both Divisions B & C

These details are modified for the miniSO (virtual) environment from Southern California's Helicopter event

Resources

  • 2020-21 Rules Manual (but please note that any Montana rules posted here will supercede those in the national rules manual
  • Team Checklist (this is a PDF file from the national trial events page) Scroll down to Helicopter under Creative Concepts and download the Team Checklist

Event description

Prior to the tournament, teams design, construct, and test free flight rubber-powered helicopters to achieve maximum time aloft. On tournament day, students will film and submit video of their helicopter(s) in continuous flight during the time block. Students must also upload their flight log (see penalties below for no flight log). These files will be submitted via a Google Form.

Number of team members

This event is for up to two team members. Please note: As we are using the miniSO (virtual) format, students may not be in the same location. One student may fly both helicopters, or two students may each fly one helicopter (submitting two separate videos)

Approximate time

50 minutes. Students will be given a “code word” in Scilympiad at the start of the contest block. This code word must be included in the video to show the event supervisors that the video was shot on tournament day. See additional details on video below.

Event parameters

  1. Teams may have up to 2 helicopters and any necessary tools.
  2. Teams must provide a ruler, which will be used in the video to show the radius/diameter lengths of the rotor(s)
  3. Teams must also provide a dime, which will be used in the video to show the size of the flat balsa wood disc, uppermost part of the helicopter.
  4. Teams must state the weight of their helicopter in grams (excluding the rubber motor) in their video

Technology required

Students must be able to shoot and upload videos and photos on tournament day. A parent or other person may assist with shooting the video but not with the flights. These files will be uploaded via a Google Form, and a Gmail account is required for sign in (this may be a parent or coach's Gmail address)

Construction parameters

  1. Helicopters may be constructed from published plan(s), commercial kits and/or a student’s design.
  2. Competitors must not use any components with pre-glued joints or pre-covered surfaces.
  3. A flat balsa wood disc, large enough to cover a dime, must be the upper most part of the helicopter, the part that would touch a flat ceiling first during the flight.
  4. Any materials except Boron filaments may be used in construction of the helicopter.
  5. Total mass of the helicopter throughout the flight, excluding the rubber motor, must be 2.5 g or more.
  6. The helicopter may use up to three fixed pitch rotors, not exceeding a maximum diameter of 20.0 cm. There is no maximum limit on the number of blades or their chord. Rotors are defined as one or more separate lifting surfaces, referred to as blades that contribute lift by rotating on a common path around a vertical axis. There must not be any other lifting surfaces.
  7. If a single-bladed rotor is used, the maximum radius from the center of rotation to the blade tip must be less than 12.5 cm. This does not include any non-lift generating counterweights.
  8. Participants must construct the rotors themselves. Commercially available rotors or propellers must not be used in whole or part. Commercial rotor thrust bearings may be used.
  9. The helicopter must be powered by rubber motor(s) of any mass. Motor(s) must be removable from the helicopter for check-in. Motors may be lubricated before and/or after check-in. Officials need not mass the motors.
  10. Participants must be able to answer questions regarding the design, construction, and operation of the device per the Building Policy found at www.soinc.org

The competition

  • The flight will be held indoors in a typical room (ceiling ~ 2.5 m or 8 ft) at school or home on the day of the tournament. It is recommended to minimize the effects of environmental factors such as air currents. Rooms with minimal ceiling obstructions are preferred. The flight may not be conducted outside or in a high-ceilinged area such as an auditorium, gym or home with vaulted ceilings.
  • During their video-recorded flight, participants must not receive outside assistance, materials, or communication. Only participants may handle helicopter components until the event ends. Teams violating this rule will be ranked below all other teams. An adult should be present throughout the flight. The student participant must launch the device on their own, but the adult present can help hold the device while the student winds their motor. The adult may not otherwise be involved in the flight. However, the adult may be involved in filming.
  • Each team must upload a flight log of recorded data. Data must include 6 or more parameters (3 required and at least 3 additional) for 10 or more test flights prior to the competition. The required parameters are: 1) motor size before windup, 2) number of turns or torque on the motor at launch, 3) flight time. The team must choose 3 additional data parameters beyond those required (e.g. turns remaining after landing, estimated/recorded peak flight height, the motor torque at landing, etc.). This flight log may be in digital format, or take a photo of your notebook.
  • Competitors may use any type of winder, but electricity may not be used.
  • In their submitted video, participants will present their helicopter(s) and motor(s) for inspection immediately prior to their 2 official flights. The submitted video must also include the winding of the motors. (See video instructions below)
  • Teams may make up to a total of 2 official flights using 1 or 2 helicopters.
  • Time aloft for each flight starts when the helicopter leaves the participant’s hand and stops when any part of the helicopter touches the floor, or the rotors no longer support the weight of the helicopter (such as the helicopter landing on something).
  • Competitors must not steer the helicopter during flight.

Scoring

The score is the Team's longest single flight time. High score wins. Ties will be broken by the longest non-scored flight time. When uploading their flight video(s), teams will include the longest flight time.

  1. Teams receive a 25% bonus added to their flight time for every single-bladed rotor assembly (up to 3) on the helicopter (max 75%).
  2. Teams with incomplete flight logs must have 10% of their flight time deducted from each flight.
  3. Teams without flight logs must have 30% of their flight time deducted from each flight.
  4. Teams that violate a rule under "CONSTRUCTION" or "THE COMPETITION" that does not have a specific penalty must be ranked after all teams that do not violate those rules.

Shooting your flight videos

Open the test in Scilympiad at the opening of the time block to obtain the codeword. The code word must be included in all video recordings to establish that it was recorded on tournament day.

You may end up shooting one, two or three videos: An intro video, then one video of both flights, or two videos each of one flight. Or, you can do one single continuous shoot video.

Whether you are submitting one video, two videos or three videos, the code word for your time block must be spoken at the beginning of each video. This shows us that all video was shot during your specific slot on tournament day.

Video intro

  • Give your school name, participants’ names and the code word
  • State the mass of your helicopter (excluding the rubber motor)
  • Verify that the rotors are constructed by students themselves and are not commercially available rotors or propellers
  • Use a ruler to show that
    • If fixed-pitch rotors, the rotors are not longer than diameter 20cm
    • If single-bladed rotors, the maximum radius from the center of rotation to the blade tip is less than or equal to 12.5cm
  • Demonstrate that
    •  No components containing any pre-glued joints or pre-covered surfaces are used.
    • A flat balsa wood disc, no larger than a dime, is the uppermost part of the helicopter (show your dime on top of the disc)
    • Boron filaments are not used in the construction of the helicopter
    • Rubber motors of any mass is/are used to power the helicopter and are removable from the helicopter

Video of flights

  • If one participant is flying both official flights, they have 10 minutes to fly up to 2 official flights and any number of trimmed flights. After that, they have 30 minutes to upload their flight to Montana Science Olympiad via the Google Form link we will give you. They may NOT fly during the submission period. (20 minute mark)
  • If two participants are flying one official flight each, they each have 6 minutes to fly up to 1 official flight and any number of trimmed flights. After that, they have 30 minutes to upload their flight to Montana Science Olympiad via the Google Form link we will give you. They may NOT fly during the submission period. (20 minute mark)
  • The Google Form will require the following information
    1. School and participant names
    2. Duration of Flight 1 (in seconds)
    3. # of single-bladed rotors for the device used in Flight 1
    4. Duration of Flight 2 (in seconds)
    5. # of single-bladed rotors for the device used in Flight 2
    6. Image of Flight Log (or file or link if the flight log was stored electronically)
    7. Video of each flight, or one video of both flights
  • Teams have a total of 50 minutes to complete their flights and upload all their materials via the Google form (note that flight logs may be uploaded ahead of time if you like). Every time block has its own code word.

Flight log

Your flight log is also due at the time of the video submissions (or you can upload it earlier). This may be a photo of your notebook, an electronic file such as a Word .doc or Excel sheet, or a link to an online flight log, such as a google spreadsheet. Be sure permissions are turned on if sharing an electronic document.

Upload links (these will also be given in Scilympiad)

Helicopter B event - upload flight log (ahead of time or on tournament day) and videos (tournament day)

Helicopter C event - upload flight log (ahead of time or on tournament day) and videos (tournament day)