Assigned Area Task (Gliding)

Assigned Area Task is a special kind of task where pilots can choose their turnpoints in large areas. This task is often used in uncertain weather conditions where it would be difficult or dangerous to predict exactly where the turnpoints should be for that day.

The winner of the day is the fastest pilot who reached all of the assigned areas of the task.

Example:
Coppa Internationale del Mediterraneo – Rieti – Task 2

Enter an Assigned Area Task (AAT)

A AAT task can be entered manually, by scanning a QR Code from the Task sheet or by loading it directly from Soaring Spot.

Assigned Area Tasks always have a minimum task time. Very often, the difference between A and B tasks in a competition is just the time. You can edit the task time in Menu > Task > Task Time.

Read more about how to load a task here >

Before takeoff

On an Assigned Area task, it is always useful to have an idea of where you want to set your turnpoints before you take off. Typically this is determined by the predicted speed that you will achieve on task.

Predicting the best turnpoints is a complex decision-making process. You want to move the turnpoints inside each area so that they will keep you in the best weather conditions and at the same time, you want to have options if the weather turns out better or worse than predicted.

To start moving the turnpoints, long-press on any Assigned area of the task. You get a white “Edit AAT” panel on top of the screen with essential information. You can move the points in each area by tapping inside the area.

Move the map and zoom appropriately to move all turnpoints to a position you think is best for your flight. Observe the numbers at the top of the screen:

• Distance remaining shows the distance between your current position, across all turnpoints in the areas to the finish. Before takeoff, this is the total planned task distance.
• Time remaining shows how much time is left on your task. Before takeoff, this is the total task time.
• Required speed tells you what speed you need to achieve to complete the task in the designated task time

Move the points in each area accordingly to setup a task that you think is best for today.

Flying AAT task

The process of moving the turnpoints in each area will usually continue throughout the flight. If you’re doing better than expected you will want to move one or more turnpoints further than you previously anticipated. Vice-versa, when things go bad, you want to move them closer to finish the task in time.

Navigation will not advance to the next assigned area automatically. As soon as you reach an area, a panel will be displayed at the top of the screen. You should press the “Goto next” button there once you’re happy with what you achieved in this assigned area.

While flying an Assigned Area task, you can use the navbox Task delta time to estimate whether you will finish the task in time or not. It will estimate the time you need to climb and the speed you will achieve in transition from your MacCready setting. By comparing the estimated time to reach the goal with the remaining task time, it will show a number that is positive if you will reach the goal after task time (good) and a negative number if you will reach the goal before task time has elapsed (not so good).

Final glide

Final glides are an important part of flying Assigned Area tasks. Speed can be gained or wasted very quickly. First you will get a notification that you are on final glide.

Once you have the altitude to start your final glide, the Task Delta time navbox can be helpful, but the Required speed to finish navbox can be even more simple to understand. For as long as the required speed to finish is low, you will reach the finish line too soon. It is better to extend your flight into one of the remaining areas. When the required speed to finish becomes higher than what you can achieve, it is safe to start flying towards the finish. You will finish a few seconds or a few minutes after the task time expires which is the right thing to do.

After landing

Your flight will be automatically uploaded to the SeeYou Cloud after landing.

To send your flight to the scoring office, you need to follow the procedure of the competition. If they want you to send the IGC file over email, you can do that from the Logbook page. Tap on the flight and then “Send IGC file”.