Release Mechanism

[windu34]

When using a 2 liter soda bottle as a launch mechanism, at the competition, are you allowed to blow into the bottle for it to return to ambient air pressure? Thanks.

Yes - considered part of the recalibrating period

Question to chalker: Seeing as how this gets asked SO often, why is there no clause in the rules to prevent the ridiculous numbers of people from having trouble with this?

Not chalker, but I'll point out some things: It's being asked after the rules have been printed. Though the writers of rules try to make them as clear as possible, there can be situations/question they don't think of while writing. And I think they try to not write rules (or post official FAQs/clarifications) about specific approaches to devices (unless its prohibiting them).

I understand that, but this is the second year of Air Trajectory and the question was asked and discussed a lot last year.
Your second point makes sense for them to follow in general, but when a question like this gets asked a ridiculous am point of time, I would think the rule makers would make an exception?

[chalker]

Yes - considered part of the recalibrating period

Question to chalker: Seeing as how this gets asked SO often, why is there no clause in the rules to prevent the ridiculous numbers of people from having trouble with this?

Not chalker, but I'll point out some things: It's being asked after the rules have been printed. Though the writers of rules try to make them as clear as possible, there can be situations/question they don't think of while writing. And I think they try to not write rules (or post official FAQs/clarifications) about specific approaches to devices (unless its prohibiting them).

I understand that, but this is the second year of Air Trajectory and the question was asked and discussed a lot last year.
Your second point makes sense for them to follow in general, but when a question like this gets asked a ridiculous am point of time, I would think the rule makers would make an exception?

To be clear, we DID address this in the rules changes this year. I'm a bit perplexed why it's still a question for a lot of people. Note the bolded wording in 3.c. about chambers not having to automatically return to the same shape, which taken in conjunction with the bolded wording in 4.f. about resetting the device between shots, was supposed to cover all situations such as 2 liter bottles or beach balls needing to be re-inflated by the teams. What is confusing or ambiguous about those statements?

[windu34]

I think it's perfectly clear - I don't understand why so many people have trouble with this.