Rotor Egg Drop B

[chalker]

Cup or Not?......
Which will be true? Does anyone know?

.....

Your infer wrongly, we have read the rules several times.

The rules mention a cup several times. The DVD of past events do not show a cup. We understand that events change over time. This is a message board for people to post questions. The addition of a cup would dramatically affect the drop results, in short it seemed to make the event dramatically easier.

So, that would be my more direct question - why was the event modified to be much easier?

Just to be explicitly clear: you initially asked cup or not. And as you mentioned, the rules mention a cup several times. Thus the answer to your first question is: Cup.

Regarding your subsequent question about why the event was modified, there are a lot of factors, but you essentially answered it as well: the cup dramatically affects the designs and makes it easier.

However I think you've missed something regarding the history of this event. Notice in the current rules that certain words are in bold? Those are the words that were added this year compared to last year's rules. Also take note that most of the references to the cup aren't in bold. That means the cup was part of the rules last year as well.

Prior to last year the event was a trial / pilot event run in only a select number of tournaments (such as the 2012 National Tournament). One of the reasons we generally run events as trials is to work out the bugs in them. At the 2012 Tournament, which involved 60 of the best teams in the country, only 10 teams were able to drop their device without cracking the egg. That indicated that the event was way too hard, and thus we altered the rules to make it easier.

[chalker]

Follow-up question.

Which commercial brand of 3 oz. cup will be used?

Is it a plastic cup? A paper cup?

In general, when details like this aren't specified in the rules that means it's up to the discretion of the local event supervisor, so you should be prepared for any possible option. Feel free to submit an official question about this via the soinc.org website if you think there should be a more detailed rule regarding the cup. Likewise, you can also try to ask your local event supervisor in advance of the tournament.

[ebethke]

Thank you very much for the detailed answers, helpful, as we are a first year family, we are not (yet) savvy with all of your history.

[Beastybob12345]

Make a device using balsa wood. For the wings, use balsa wood as well, but cover the wings using clear plastic wrap. It's light, and durable.

[JAKE]

What are some good kits you guys have found for the event. I had a few kits last year that just didnt really do it.

[JAKE]

We're could I find pics of good designs

[JAKE]

anyone have any good designs

[jander14indoor]

Not sure there are any agreed good designs, but two places to look.

First, on general principles of how to make an efficient rotors, look at the Helicopter Duration Thread. Basic principles the same whether powered or gliding, though design details may differ.
Second, see the highlights video of last years national tournament. Early in the video are what look like some pretty good devices. Go to http://www.wright.edu/cats/technical/eventstream/ search for olympiad on the Video On Demand tool. Watch the video. There may be more, I stopped with the first Egg Drops I saw, but they showed up in the first minute or so.

Otherwise, its hard to answer such broad questions, if you can narrow down what you want a little more, we can give better answers.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

[Monstergob12]

Does anyone have an good ideas for designs? Because I know what materials to use, but i cant think of a good design.

[Monstergob12]

im confuzzled, can we use a cup?