The Galactic Airbike Racing Circuit (GARC) is an Organization that has its roots from millennia before the Yamatai Star Empire and Democratic Imperium of Nepleslia were even thought of. Numerous organizations splitting, merging, and evolving eventually culminated in the modern racing circuit.

Information about the Galactic Airbike Racing circuit

The Galactic Airbike Racing Circuit is the Governing body that controls and oversees all Airbike races, events, and participants. It creates and enforces rules and regulations which are designed to bring order, safety, and fairness to an otherwise disorderly, dangerous, and unfair sport. As the governing body, the GARC is in charge of overseeing that every team follows the rules, every team is entered legally, spectators and vendors are kept safe, and that all information regarding the circuit is distributed properly. The GARC is responsible for sponsors of the races, and making sure that all rules are followed, and to objectively enforce these rules, giving no unfair advantage to any single team over another.

Information on rules, eligibility, and safety.

In order to participate in the GARC's competitions, one must be eligible for said circuit.

In order to become an eligible pilot or rider for the GARC, an individual must first pay an entry fee of 200 KS, then pass a Safety and regulation test regarding the circuit. Next, the pilot must qualify via a qualification tournament, and then apply for a Rider Card. Once a Pilot has received their rider card, they are eligible for the GARC. A Rider may compete in the GARC so long as they have their own bike, safety gear, and rider card. A team is not required, but is recommended.

A Bike must follow the guidelines Outlined in Article 3

A Team must follow a set of guidelines which are intended to keep teams from becoming big enough to completely dominate a class by themselves. Each team may only be for a single class of bikes. There are limits to each team, and they are as follows:

• A Team may have no more than three Bikes
• A team may have no more than two riders per bike, but MUST have at least one rider per bike.
• A Team can have no more than 3 Pit/maintenance crew per bike.
• A Team must comply with all safety, eligibility, and composition guidelines or it may be subject to modification by the GARC.

A Bike and its rider must follow the safety guidelines outlined in Article 4

Information on the bikes and regulations for them.

There are two major classes for racing, and each competes in three kinds of Racing: Endurance, technical, and Endurance-technical. Each racing class has sub-classes, and some rules may be different for the racing types, but are mostly identical.

Propeller -series bikes are slow, maneuverable craft that use older technology and are mostly raced for exhibition. Generally considered cheaper to use, they have a smaller following and less restrictions. There are two main classes with four subclasses each. Top speed for these bikes is approximately 200 KM/H

• Combustion - Powered by combustion engines, dangerous and more expensive. These craft are delicate and mostly antique, considered a 'vintage' or 'heritage' racing class, they are raced for glory rather than money.

• 1000 cc (single motor)
• 2000 cc (dual motors)
• 3000 cc (1000 lift, 2000 thrust)
• 4000 cc (1500 lift, 2500 thrust)

• Electric - Powered by electric motors, these fairly simple machines are considered a junior racing class and are usually used as a stepping-stone into the more important classes.
  • 20000 Watt (single motor)
  • 20000 Watt (dual motors)
  • 30000 Watt (1000 lift, 2000 thrust)
  • 40000 Watt (1500 lift, 2500 thrust)

• Electric

Powerplants: No brushed motors. Must not produce more than 250 degrees F of heat. Fuel: No more than four batteries, 50 volts each. Wings: Up to half a meter on each side. No more than two sets Chassis: No restrictions on size or shape Frame material: Cannot use Ceramics or Metals such as Yamataium or Zesuaium. Carbon fiber, Durandium Alloy, and Titanium are recommended.

• Combustion

Fuel: Self-sealing Fuel tanks. No more than 8 gallons (30 liters) for edurance, no more than 4 gallons (15 liters) for Technical Chassis: Up to 60 percent (roughly the size of the fairing) can be used for extra fuel. The WINGS cannot carry extra fuel. Controls: Maximum of two airfoils, placed anywhere on the vehicle. No other controls are allowed. Propellers: No wood propellers allowed. No Composite propellers allowed.

Jet/Turbine bikes are the 'big-league' of Bike racing, and the most commonly followed and therefore most profitable class of Airbike racing. These machines are generally expensive and very complex. Unlike the Prop classes, Turbine classes run on a turbine system, which helps to even the ranks a bit, and makes for a more fair, safe, and balanced circuit. Top speed for these bikes is limited to 1,000 KM/H for safety reasons.

Jet/Turbine bikes follow a special Points System, which governs how the bikes are made and what makes them eligible for which classes of racing.

• Pro Stock: Stock bikes with no modifications. This is where bike manufacturers showcase their new designs and technology, vying for market dominance.
• Pro Modified: mostly stock bikes with a few modifications. Generally thought of as the main class of airbike racing, its ease to get into and variability of competition make it a fan favorite, as well as a favorite for independent racers who ride on their own money.
• Super Modified: Unlike the previous two, this class accounts for heavy modification of stock racing bikes. This includes not only changing major sections of the craft, but chassis modifications.
• Ultra Modified: Like Super, but with an even higher level of modification. The competition in this class is fierce, as the machines and pilots are some of the highest caliber in the circuit.
• Unlimited: While there are maximum capabilities due to safety issues, as the name implies, the amount of modification in this class is Unlimited. The use of stock Chassis is not even necessary to this class. The Bikes here are truly superior, and often amazing to behold.

• Airbike Points System.
• Endurance bikes must be capable of carrying enough fuel to finish at least half of the race they are entering.
• Technical bikes have no restrictions on fuel limits (It's mostly not necessary)
• Bikes may not use Antigravity devices.
• Bikes are limited to an absolute top speed of 1,000 KM/H (Not that most bikes are capable of this speed)
• Bikes not in the Unlimited class must be based off of a stock chassis.

Specific safety information.

Safety is extremely important to the GARC. While it is known that airbike racing is dangerous, there are minimum safety requirements each individual or team must comply with.

A Helmet must fully cover a rider's head and face. A Helmet must be made of impact-resistant materials, but must be light enough that it does not cause undue stress on a rider's neck. A Helmet must have a visor to protect a rider's face and eyes, Or, a rider must wear approved safety goggles with their helmet. Visors and goggles must be made of shatter-proof materials such as Durandium-T.

A Jacket must be made of impact and abrasion-resistant materials. It must be padded and capable of absorbing at least half the force of an impact at 500 KM/h A Jacket must be properly ventilated to keep a rider from overheating. A jacket may be made with rigid plates in order to provide extra protection from impacts. A Jacket may have spikes, but they cannot be rigidly secured. Required padding is: Elbow padding, Chest padding, Spine padding, and shoulder padding

Pants must comply with the same guidelines as jackets. Required padding includes Knee pads, thigh pads, hip pads, and calf pads.

Suits must comply with the same guidelines as Jackets and pants.

Gloves must cover a rider's entire hand. Knuckles must be padded, but cannot contain rigid plates. Gloves cannot have spikes, secured or unsecured.

Boots must be impact and heat resistant. Boots must allow enough range of motion to allow for walking and the manipulation of controls, but must prevent a rider's ankles from over-flexing. Boots must at least cover a rider's ankles, but may go as high as their knee. Knee-high boots may be used in place of Calf padding on racing pants/suits.

Rules about Sponsors

There are two types of Sponsors for the GARC; corporate and Private.

Corporate sponsors must apply for sponsorship credentials with the GARC before they can sponsor anything. A Corporate sponsor can sponsor either a Single rider, a single team, multiple teams, or even an entire event. In order for a corporate sponsor to be recognized, they must provide all sponsorship materials and or funding to the parties they sponsor. A Corporate sponsor may dictate the policies of the parties that represent them.

Unlike Corporate sponsorships, private sponsorships do not need to apply for GARC credentials. Private sponsorships must provide funding, but are not required to provide materials. Private sponsors may not dictate the policies of the parties they sponsor. Unlike Corporate sponsors, Private sponsors do not have to provide information on who they are and remain anonymous.

Information on how riders and teams must act at all times.

The Codes of Conduct are essential to keeping the races fair, safe, and entertaining.

• Riders must ride in a responsible manner which does not cause danger to spectators or nearby private property.
• If the rider encounters a problem with his or her bike, which will result in his retirement from the race, then he or she should not attempt to tour at reduced speed to the pits but should pull off the track and park his or her machine in a safe place as indicated by the GARC officials. Stopping on the track during races is prohibited Unless it is completely unavoidable.
• Riders must not ride or push their airbikes in the opposite direction of the race on the circuit - whether on the track or in the pit lane - unless doing so under the direction of an GARC official.
• A speed limit of 100 km/h is enforced in the pit lane at all times. Any rider who breaks this rule will be penalized by either 120 points for a Technical race, or 3 positions for an endurance race.

• Riders may not carry weapons
• Riders may not target another rider's bike.
• Riders are allowed to punch (fists) and kick (Feet) each other, but may not hit with any other object or any other part of their body. Riders may not hit another rider with any part of their bike.
• Bike-to-bike contact is allowed, but deliberately trying to damage another bike with one's own bike will get a rider kicked out of a race.
• Riders are allowed to contact one another using communication devices during races.

Information on tracks, how they are built, and what types of tracks are allowed.

Tracks and courses must follow specific guidelines to be eligible for racing, and Endurance courses and Technical tracks each follow different rules, but share certain characteristics. A Listing of tracks and courses can be found Here.

Endurance courses must be a closed loop, or be at least 200 kilometers long. In loop-type courses, there must be one pit area that services all pit teams. Open ended courses must have at least one Pit, and must have one pit every 100 kilometers. If Endurance tracks are in urban areas, safety barriers must be erected in order to keep nearby property from being damaged. There is no regulation on track surfaces, but obstacles may be no more than 3 meters in height, and any obstacle higher than 2 meters must be clearly marked as such.

Technical courses may be enclosed, open-ended, an urban in nature. Technical courses may be no longer than 20 Kilometers, and must contain obstacles, jumps, and features which allow for the technical riding of one's airbike. Technical courses do not require pits. All courses must have safety barriers to keep spectators from being injured if a technical stunt goes bad.

Kai created this article on 2018/06/17 15:37.

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