Definitions

There is some confusion about the different terms used when describing tasks and scoring of hang or paragliding competitions. FS will try to stay as consistent as possible to avoid further confusion and help promote the understanding of how the software and scoring works.

This needs to be synced up with Section 7 terms, OE have started looking into this.

Tasks

Waypoint

A point having an ID, geographical coordinates, and optionally an altitude and a name.

Turnpoint

A cylinder. It is defined by a waypoint with a given radius.
In the case of the last turnpoint in a task, it may be a line instead of a cylinder.
In FS 2 x "radius" is used as the length of the line.
All turnpoints in FS has an open and close time.

Task

One or more turnpoints make a task.
Note: "Start" and "Goal" is also called turnpoint.

Start

Always the first turnpoint in a task.
Start is normally a cylinder placed on takeoff. Note: Start does not mean "Start of Speedsection" (SS), although in some cases it may be the same turnpoint.

Start of Speedsection (SS)

The turnpoint where the measurement of time starts.

Startgate

A time defined on the "Start of Speedsection" (SS) turnpoint.
A race task has at least one startgate which is normally the same as the open time of the turnpoint. It may have more startgates in which case it is a race with multiple startgates. A pilot is given as start-time the nearest startgate prior the actual time the pilot took the turnpoint.
NOTE: If first startgate is after the open time of the SS turnpoint, pilots starting in the periode between the open time and the first startgate will get distance but not time points (unless the scoring formula used decide differently).

Jump the Gun factor (JTG)

A feature of the scoring, allowing pilots to start before the first startgate, where a penalty is applied to the time of the pilots that start to early. The JTG factor specifies this time penalty by multiplying the JTG factor with the pilots time interval between SS and the first startgate. NOTE: If no JTG factor is used, pilots who start before the first start gate will receive 0 points.

End of Speedsection (ES)

The turnpoint where the measurement of time ends.
Sometimes "Goal", sometimes a turnpoint before goal for safety reasons.

Goal

Always the last turnpoint in a task.
Can be either a circle or a line.
Goal is normally also the "Landing". In the case of open distance tasks, obviously the last turnpoint is not goal or landing field.

Takeoff

The area where pilots take off from. Normally this is where the "Start" turnpoint is placed with a radius big enough to cover the area.

Landing

The area where pilots land after flying the task. Normally this is where the "Goal" turnpoint is placed.

"Race" task

A task with two or more turnpoints where one turnpoint is the "Start of Speedsection" (SS) and has one or more startgates, and another (later) turnpoint is the "End of Speedsection" (ES).
The pilot's start-time is the nearest startgate prior the actual time the pilot took the SS turnpoint.

"Elapsed time" task

A task with two or more turnpoints where one turnpoint is the "Start of Speedsection" (SS), and another (later) turnpoint is the "End of Speedsection" (ES).
There are no startgates and the pilot's start-time is the actual time the pilot took the SS turnpoint.

"Open distance" task

A task with one or more turnpoints. A pilot's performance is the distance flown via all turnpoints then straight in any direction from the last turnpoint.
A "true" open distance obviously has only one turnpoint which is the takeoff.

"Open distance on a heading" task

A task with one or more turnpoints + a heading from last turnpoint.
In FS this heading is defined by adding a "heading" point to the task. The "heading" point is not a turnpoint and is not intended to be flown to, only to be used to find the heading one should fly from the last turnpoint in the task. So, If you fly off the straight line from the last turnpoint to the heading point do not turn towards it, keep flying in the original heading showing on your GPS just after you took the last turnpoint.