[TC15] Technic Aircraft Contest - Information Topic - 17th February

[Jim]

TECHNIC AIRCRAFT CONTEST - INFORMATION TOPIC
After discussing several contest ideas, we figured this was the most popular idea for the next contest....flying stuff!

"The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who...looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space...on the infinite highway of the air."

DESCRIPTION
Build a LEGO Technic Aircraft. Obviously, your model doesn't have to be able to fly. This is not a wacky competition so we are looking for realistic vehicles. It doesn't have to be an existing vehicle or a model of an existing vehicle, but it needs to be something we could potentially see in real life. You can come up with your own concept design (like the B-model of the BMW Motor Bike), but we are not looking for futuristic unrealistic scifi designs. No spaceships either. Drones, jetpacks, balloons, zeppelins, planes, helicopters, etc are some of the potential models that come to mind.

Here is a list of vehicles for which it wasn't very clear whether they are allowed: 

• Kites, yes
• Gliders, yes
• Spacecraft, no
• Spaceshuttles/Orbiters, yes
• Rockets, yes
• SSTOs are Single Stage To Orbit-Spacecrafts , yes
• Ground Effect Vehicles, yes
• Hovercrafts, no

DEADLINE
Deadline date is Monday the 17th of February 2019. Contest will be closed on Tuesday the 18th of February, OR LATER.

Disclaimer: I will close the contest when I see fit and when I have the time to process the results. This can be later than the deadline date. Please don't complain about this not being fair and all.

RULES AND REGULATIONS
The following section describes the contest specific and general rules and regulations. But before that, please take notice of a simple motto regarding the Eurobricks Contests:

CONTESTS ARE FOR FUN!

Of course there's competition, but at the end of the day, LEGO is just a hobby and the main goal for each of us is to have fun!

CONTEST SPECIFIC RULES AND REGULATIONS

• Each entry needs to have a name (no name, no entry).
• Model Team style building is not permitted. You can use system parts, but keep it mainly Technic.
• Mindstorms and LEGO Electronics are permitted.
• SBrick and Buwizz are permitted.
• 3rd party Strings, Hoses and Rubber Bands are permitted.
• 3rd party tires are not permitted.
• Other 3rd party parts are not permitted.
• There is no size limit. 

GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

• The contest is open to all EB members (also new members).
• Members can be banned from voting (when vote rigging is suspected).
• Voting rules will be explained later in the voting topic.
• One entry per member.
• Entries need to be new (never posted anywhere previously or shown at an event/LUG meeting).
• Only physical builds, so no LDD or other virtual entry.
• If you have any doubts about the suitability of your entry contact me, or Milan.
• All entries are to include only real LEGO. No clone brands, 3rd party parts, or digital entries allowed.
• Custom stickers are allowed.
• No cutting, sculpting or modifying parts.
• Entries are to be placed in the entry topic in this forum.
• Entries not in the entry topic are not eligible for voting.
• The entry post may be edited at any time up to the end of the contest, so feel free to make improvements if you wish.
• The contest might be closed later than the deadline. Don't complain about this not being fair.
• You have enough time to build. Don't ask for more time.
• We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that does not follow these rules.
• These rules can be changed whenever we see fit to ensure that people follow the intent of the contest.
• Jury members are not eligible to participate.

WHAT DO I NEED TO ENTER?
All participant need to create a discussion topic and create a post in the entry topic.

DISCUSSION TOPIC

• A discussion topic starting with [TC15].
• A discussion topic needs to show some actual progress (i.e. pictures of the build in progress) and should NOT be used to "reserve an idea".

ENTRY POST
The entry post in the entry topic should contain:

• Entry name.
• One or more pictures (max 3 of max 1024x1024).
• Embedded video (mandatory).
• Link to the discussion topic.

VOTING
Voting scheme will be public voting only, but only by members who have 50 posts or more. If you have less posts, you can vote, but your votes will be automatically excluded from the tally. 

Voting criteria are (in no particular order):

• Originality.
• Looks (shape, color scheme etc).
• Quality of the build.
• Functionality.

PRIZES
Three wonderful prizes can be picked from the five sets below. For the prizes we define two categories of contestants:

• Mortals (contestants who haven't won any medals in previous contests) and
• Immortals (contestants who have won one or more medals in previous contests).

Top-3 winners will get medals as usual, regardless of the category.

1st PRIZE: WINNER OF THE CONTEST
The winner of the contest calls dibs on one of the five sets.

2nd PRIZE: RUNNER UP OR FIRST MORTAL
The second prize goes to:

• Highest ranked mortal, if the contest winner is an immortal (already has a medal)
• The person who ended second (actual runner up), if the contest winner is a mortal (has no medal yet)

So, in theory both prizes can go to mortals, but I'm sure the immortals will do their best to prevent that

3rd PRIZE: RAFFLE PRIZE
The third prize will be raffled among contestants who have created a discussion topic (early on), are actively showing progress and providing value to the community. @Milan and myself will decide who gets this prize. No discussion. The raffle winner can choose one of the three remaining sets.

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

YESSS! The contest's up! My WIP topic comes out tomorrow 

P.S I really really like the mortal/immortal concept. It's a great way to distribute prizes.

 

[Jim]

Just now, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

YESSS! The contest's up! My WIP topic comes out tomorrow 

Hehe going for the raffle prize 

Just now, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

P.S I really really like the mortal/immortal concept. It's a great way to distribute prizes.

I hope it helps the less skilled or experienced builder to feel less intimidated to enter and have a better chance of winning a nice prize.

PS I still need to make a promo image, but I didn't want to stall the contest.

[letsbuild]

Hey, this is awesome. I planning on building a glider anyways for a lesson I was going to teach, so why not do it now?

[Jim]

Just now, letsbuild said:

Hey, this is awesome. I planning on building a glider anyways for a lesson I was going to teach, so why not do it now?

Sounds like a plan! 

[Seasider]

Now the question is what to build. I might have to find something a bit unusual from past aviation. I’ve done gliders and autogyros in the past so what to do this time ...

[Milan]

1 hour ago, Seasider said:

Now the question is what to build.

Our eternal question! 

[Jim]

1 hour ago, Seasider said:

Now the question is what to build. I might have to find something a bit unusual from past aviation. I’ve done gliders and autogyros in the past so what to do this time ...

I recommend building a Technic Aircraft for this contest 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

I'm waiting to see if sb can come up with a Technic Hot Air Balloon

[steph77]

22 minutes ago, Milan said:

Our eternal question! 

I know exactly what to build. Question is how can I do it.

My project name  will therefore be 'mission impossible'

[deehtha]

Are ground effect vehicles and hovercraft allowed?

[Seasider]

10 minutes ago, deehtha said:

Are ground effect vehicles and hovercraft allowed?

I’d say yes to Ground Effect as it’s technically flying just at very low altitude for efficiency 

 

hovercraft fall into the amazingly grey zone. They have pilots and hover on a cushion of air. But need the ground in close proximity and are often classified as amphibious craft.

 

I never did any work on hovercraft when doing my aero degree at uni

[Jim]

I am okay with Ground Effect Vehicles, since they are akin to flying machines.

I am not okay with Hovercrafts, since they are more akin to boats (imho).
(I know they are not, but I would probably allow this in a boating contest instead of a flying contest)

9 minutes ago, Seasider said:

...and are often classified as amphibious craft.

This 

[AkiyamaWataru]

Hey Jim and Milan,

 

SSTOs fit the rules? SSTOs are Single Stage To Orbit-Spacecrafts or something in the likes of the Spaceshuttle Orbiter/Buran?

Greetings Wataru

[Seasider]

I agree @Jim I think a hovercraft would fall more into a watercraft/boat competition.

[Jim]

27 minutes ago, AkiyamaWataru said:

SSTOs fit the rules? SSTOs are Single Stage To Orbit-Spacecrafts or something in the likes of the Spaceshuttle Orbiter/Buran?

Hehe, you guys never cease to amaze me 

As long as the vehicle is able to fly by itself without auxiliary propulsion (e.g. a rocket or something similar), I am okay with it.

[Seasider]

Well technically the Space Shuttle was a very very very large Glider.

but if it’s a rocket that’s not an aircraft

[Saberwing40k]

1 hour ago, Jim said:

Hehe, you guys never cease to amaze me 

As long as the vehicle is able to fly by itself without auxiliary propulsion (e.g. a rocket or something similar), I am okay with it.

Then that bars gliders, does it not? I think the distinction is whether or not the craft is designed to be atmospheric or not. A space plane, even if it were a glider, would not qualify. I dunno, I don't make the rules.

[Aventador2004]

Cant wait. Totally didn't see it coming.. 

[Jim]

1 hour ago, Seasider said:

Well technically the Space Shuttle was a very very very large Glider.

but if it’s a rocket that’s not an aircraft

Yeah, the orbiter is definitely a glider. 

And a rocket itself.....can be seen as an aircraft....LoL 

30 minutes ago, Saberwing40k said:

Then that bars gliders, does it not? I think the distinction is whether or not the craft is designed to be atmospheric or not. A space plane, even if it were a glider, would not qualify. I dunno, I don't make the rules.

It's a difficult isssue. Maybe we should include all of these machines (including rockets), since they are designed to fly or glide. This will also allow orbiter like machines and one manned gliders etc. I don't see any harm to include them and make the contest more interesting. This will nullify my previous statement about being able to fly by itself.

What do you guys think?

[Captainowie]

To me, "flying" needs to involve generating lift by passing through the air. A rocket "flies" in the same way that a skimming stone "floats".

I also feel it's problematic to allow rockets but ban spaceships.

[AkiyamaWataru]

Maybe we could include a rule that states: To qualify as an aircraft, the crafts main movement through air has to be in a horizontal fashion (eg. Angle. Of attack below 60 degrees) 

[shadow_elenter]

I'm glad to see the immortal/mortal system.

I might just take this challenge on...

[Thirdwigg]

I’m ok with rockets, but can we keep it away from spacecraft. Is there a way to differentiate?

[jwarner]

I am so ready for this. I've had a concept festering for a while and this is my motivation to actually make it. Really excited!