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Hot Air Balloon
Competition
Optional (for the pilot) hot air balloon competition for the hot
air balloon pilots participating in the Mesilla Valley Balloon
is planned for both mornings of the rally. It will
consist of one or more of three standard competitions, the exact type to be
announced t
the Pilot Briefings on Friday evening of the event.
1.
Hare and Hound,
2.
Convergent Navigational Trajectory Event (CNTE),
or
3. Judge Declared Goal.
Descriptions of each type of
competition are below:
Hare and Hound.
One balloon, the hare balloon, shall launch from a
central launch area. After a delay of from five to fifteen minutes, the
remaining balloons on the field, the hound balloons, shall launch and attempt to
pursue the hare balloon. The hare balloon shall select an open, unobstructed
area for a landing and place a target there. The hound balloons shall then
attempt to fly as close to the target as possible and drop a scoring device.
Winners shall be selected based on the shortest distances from the marker to the
target.
Convergent Navigational Trajectory Event (CNTE).
Balloons
will be required to launch at least one (1) statute mile from the center of the
launch field (the target area). Pilots will select a launch area, consistent
with the rules, that will allow them to best maneuver over a target to be
located on the field after all of the Hare and Hound balloons have been
launched. (Please select your launch area with good landowner relations in
mind). Observers will be in the area to note violations.
Judge Declared Goal.
The MVBR competitors will launch from the launch
field for the Judge Declared Goal competition. The goal will be to reach a
target located in a clear area at least one mile from the center of the launch
field. The target location will be marked on a map located near the briefing
stage and will be described at the pilot briefing prior to the launch. The
target area will be secured by scoring officials. The target will be open for
competition at the time of the initial launch of hound balloons from the launch
field. Balloons will attempt to maneuver to the target and drop a marker on the
X, as described above.
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