posted on January 11, 2009 15:55
from IMAC Board of Directors
The IMAC Regional Points Series (IRPS) is a per class competition held over the course of the entire flying season. Competing pilots are awarded Series Points based on their final results in IRPS Qualified Contests. Winning the IRPS in your class simply means you are the top pilot in your class in your region.
IRPS Details
The IRPS will begin on January 1st and continue through the event designated by the regional director as the end of season event. It will include all five classes - Basic through Unlimited. The IRPS will be based on points earned from the pilot’s top five (5) contests. Plaques will be awarded for first through third place in each class.
Points per contest will be calculated from the contest’s final results. The winner of each class will receive 1000 points. The following competitor’s scores will be a normalized score based on their final score respective to the winner’s. Regional Points are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Example: (standard normalization = highest average score gets 1000, others are calculated as % of highest)
| Place | Score Total | Normalized |
| 1st | 6875 | 1000 |
| 2nd | 6723 | 978 |
| 3rd | 6145 | 894 |
| 4th | 5475 | 796 |
Changes for 2009
- All US regions now follow exactly the same standard.
- Total contests reduced from 6 to 5.
- Pilot bonus eliminated (points awarded for # of pilots in class)
- Regional “finals” overweighting was eliminated and are open to all classes.
What is an IRPS Qualified Contest?
IRPS Qualified events are those listed in the regional IMAC Online Event Calendar. Contests must comply with all IMAC Contest Standards. A regional “Final” (as designated by the respective Regional Director) will have the same IRPS point value as any other Qualified Contest. In keeping with the established IMAC Contest Guidelines, the region’s “Final” will be open to all classes.
What are the Pilot Requirements to compete in IRPS?
Any competitor that wishes to qualify for IRPS points must be an IMAC member in good standing. If a competitor joins mid-season, only events attended from that point on will qualify for regional points.
May I count contests outside my region for points?
A competitor may receive IRPS points for contests in their home region, as well as for up to two contests outside of their home region. The AMA Scale Aerobatics (NATS) will not count in IRPS as this event falls outside the IMAC Contest Guidelines (dropping of pilots in final round). Any competitor is eligible to fly in any region, regardless of residence. IRPS points for out-of-region events will not be awarded after the end of season event in a pilot's home region.
What happens in case of a tie?
In case of a tie, the pilot with the highest average normalized score among his top 5 IRPS Qualified contests would win. If still tied, the pilot that finishes ahead at the region’s final contest will be declared the winner.
What about IRPS points if I am the only competitor in the class?
If a pilot is the only competitor in his class, IRPS points will be awarded to that competitor if a complete contest schedule is flown as set forth by the IMAC Contest Guidelines.
What if I change class mid-season?
A pilot will not be eligible for IRPS awards in more than one category. If a pilot moves into a higher competition class during the year, any points earned in the lower competition class will not be carried into the new class. The pilot will only be eligible to compete for points in the higher class.
What if I live in one region and want to compete in another?
Any competitor may petition the appropriate Regional Directors or BOD to change his/her home region. These requests must be made yearly in writing, and are considered on a case by case basis
I am in Basic and I won an IRPS award, do I have to move to Sportsman?
If a Basic competitor places first, second or, third in the IRPS, the competitor will have to move to the Sportsman class in the next season. This overrides the number of contests requirement stated in the rules. In the event that the competitor doesn’t move up, that competitor will not be eligible for further IRPS points until doing so.
How is the IRPS funded?
The IRPS awards are funded through IRPS event fees. A $3.00 fee for each competitor in all classes MUST BE collected by the Contest Director and sent to the Regional Director for a contest to be considered an IRPS Qualified Contest. At the discretion of the Regional Director, fees not received within two (2) weeks of the contest date may result in the revocation of the IRPS Qualified Status and no points will be counted .