SPEED Trial
SFL Pilot SPINS
Course
18.8NM
2 laps · LV strip
Gates
18
3D physical objects
Start
Start Gate
KLAS RWY 25L
Finish
Gate 18
over KLAS RWY 19R
Penalty
+40s
Per missed/crashed gate
Weight
60/40
Speed / Distance
Mission Overview
Course length: 18.8NM
Gates: 18 precision air gates that are 3D physical objects
Competitors must fly through every gate
A 40-second penalty is added for missing or crashing into a gate. Crashing into a gate also stops the clock.
Route: Two laps around the Las Vegas Strip
Second lap is different from first (not the same circuit)
Gates must be flown in numerical sequence (1–18); flying through a later gate out of order counts the skipped gates as missed
Timing:
Starts as the A/C crosses the Start Gate on the departure runway centerline — on the takeoff roll or airborne
The Start Gate is not a course gate: it cannot be missed and carries no penalty
Timer stops as A/C flies completely through the finish gate over KLAS RWY 19R
Stops if the A/C crashes into terrain/gate
Admin
Line Up
Eligible aircraft: F/A-18C Hornet | F-16C Fighting Falcon
Environmentals
Ceiling and visibility unrestricted (CAVU), winds light, sun setting
Fuel
F/A-18 will start with 5,000 lb
F-16 will start with 3,500 lb
Marshal / Taxi / Takeoff
Self-serve — taxi and take off when ready in your slot.
Departure
From KLAS RWY 25L proceed to Gate 1 on the south side of Las Vegas Boulevard (Fabulous Las Vegas). Auto-cleared for the SFL Speed Course after takeoff.
A Start Gate sits on the departure runway centerline — the course clock starts as the aircraft crosses it, rolling or airborne.
Recovery
Gate 18 sits directly over the numbers of Rwy 19R at KLAS
TacAdmin
Fires
- None
Expendables
- None
Navigation
- Nevada Test & Training Range (NTTR)
- Moving map with waypoint-to-waypoint auto-route functionality
- Primarily visual navigation
Comm
- None
Threats
- None
TechAdmin
Authoritative source: SFL Charter Appendix B — TechAdmin SOP.
Required reading: all Competitors must read Appendix B in its entirety prior to competition.
Trial-specific: § B.7 — Trials execution standard.
Required reading: all Competitors must read Appendix B in its entirety prior to competition.
Trial-specific: § B.7 — Trials execution standard.
Relevant SOP Sections
- § B.2 Registration, entry, and qualification (register, enter, qualify, compete; account verification; qualification runs)
- § B.4 Competition environment: DCS server, MIZ files, MODs, terrain, aircraft
- § B.5 Client requirements and prohibited assistance, including the SFL Virtual Pilot Kit (VPK)
- § B.6 Authoritative record, run validity, and technical dispositions
- § B.7 Trials execution standard
- § B.9 Timing, reporting, and troubleshooting
- § B.10 Acronyms and definitions
Op Area
Initialization
Competitors will initialize near:
N 36 04.420
W 115 06.600
2051' MSL, 0' AGL
Hold short of Rwy 25L at Harry Reid International (KLAS)
Course
Two laps around the Las Vegas Strip. Second lap differs from the first. Click any gate for full detail.
Gate 01
Fabulous Las Vegas
HDG 359° TrueAGL 100' AGL
Gate 02
The Wave
HDG 359° TrueAGL 1200' AGL
Gate 03
Lady Liberty
HDG 359° TrueAGL 100' AGL
Gate 04
Celerite
HDG 359° TrueAGL 100' AGL
Gate 05
Fata Morgana
HDG 020 TrueAGL 100' AGL
Overview
Gates 6 to 7
Gate 06
Skypod Skid
HDG 025 TrueAGL 1200' AGL
Gate 07
Break Left
HDG 080 TrueAGL 200' AGL
Overview
Gates 8 to 9
Gate 08
Electric Playground
HDG 025 TrueAGL 200' AGL
Gate 09
Rush hour
HDG 190 TrueAGL 3000' AGL
Gate 10
Orbi
HDG 180 TrueAGL 200' AGL
Gate 11
Janet
HDG 180 TrueAGL 200' AGL
Gate 12
Lady Liberty
HDG 359 TrueAGL 100' AGL
Gate 13
Celerite
HDG 359 TrueAGL 100' AGL
Overview
Gates 14 to 16
Gate 14
The First T
HDG 007 TrueAGL 200' AGL
Gate 15
The Second T
HDG 331 TrueAGL 500' AGL
Gate 16
For The Wynn
HDG 120 TrueAGL 300' AGL
Gate 17
Dealer's Choice
HDG 180 TrueAGL 200' AGL
Gate 18
Finish Gate: OVER KLAS 19R
HDG 205 TrueAGL 0' AGL
Gate 01 · Fabulous Las Vegas
HDG359° True
Centroid LatN 36° 04.928
Centroid LonW 115° 10.367
Elevation2172' MSL
AGL100' AGL
Gate 02 · The Wave
HDG359° True
Centroid LatN 36 05.491
Centroid LonW 115 10.377
Elevation2149' MSL
AGL1200' AGL
Gate 03 · Lady Liberty
HDG359° True
Centroid LatN 36 06.076
Centroid LonW 115 10.377
Elevation2158' MSL
AGL100' AGL
Gate 04 · Celerite
HDG359° True
Centroid LatN 36 06.750
Centroid LonW 115 10.377
Elevation2139' MSL
AGL100' AGL
Gate 05 · Fata Morgana
HDG020 True
Centroid LatN 36 07.200
Centroid LonW 115 10.350
Elevation2140' MSL
AGL100' AGL
Gates 6 to 7
Gate 06 · Skypod Skid
HDG025 True
Centroid LatN 36 08.837
Centroid LonW 115 09.299
Elevation2070' MSL
AGL1200' AGL
Gate 07 · Break Left
HDG080 True
Centroid LatN 36 08.698
Centroid LonW 115 09.575
Elevation2054' MSL
AGL200' AGL
Gates 8 to 9
Gate 08 · Electric Playground
HDG025 True
Centroid LatN 36 10.295
Centroid LonW 115 08.348
Elevation2021' MSL
AGL200' AGL
Gate 09 · Rush hour
HDG190 True
Centroid LatN 36 10.455
Centroid LonW 115 09.300
Elevation2057' MSL
AGL3000' AGL
Gate 10 · Orbi
HDG180 True
Centroid LatN 36 07.330
Centroid LonW 115 09.845
Elevation2096' MSL
AGL200' AGL
Gate 11 · Janet
HDG180 True
Centroid LatN 36 05.550
Centroid LonW 115 09.865
Elevation2135' MSL
AGL200' AGL
Gate 12 · Lady Liberty
HDG359 True
Centroid LatN 36 06.076
Centroid LonW 115 10.377
Elevation2158' MSL
AGL100' AGL
Gate 13 · Celerite
HDG359 True
Centroid LatN 36 06.750
Centroid LonW 115 10.377
Elevation2139' MSL
AGL100' AGL
Gates 14 to 16 — Two T's for the Wynn
Gates 14 to 16 — Two T's for the Wynn (cont.)
Gate 14 · The First T
HDG007 True
Centroid LatN 36 07.433
Centroid LonW 115 10.263
Elevation2122' MSL
AGL200' AGL
Gate 15 · The Second T
HDG331 True
Centroid LatN 36 07.774
Centroid LonW 115 10.415
Elevation2104' MSL
AGL500' AGL
Gate 16 · For The Wynn
HDG120 True
Centroid LatN 36 07.673
Centroid LonW 115 09.946
Elevation2098' MSL
AGL300' AGL
Gate 17 · Dealer's Choice
HDG180 True
Centroid LatN 36 07.109
Centroid LonW 115 09.300
Elevation2077' MSL
AGL200' AGL
Finish Gate: OVER KLAS 19R
HDG205 True
Centroid LatN 36 05.819
Centroid LonW 115 09.479
Elevation2120' MSL
AGL0' AGL
Speed Trial Scoring
The SPEED trial score combines two weighted components: how fast the competitor flew the course and how far they progressed along it.
60%
Speed
How fast the competitor flew the course. Computed from elapsed time, with the missed-gate penalty applied.
40%
Distance
How far the competitor progressed along the course. Rewards crossing the finish line; partial runs still earn points.
Start Gate & Course Clock
The course clock starts when the aircraft crosses the Start Gate on the departure runway centerline — on the takeoff roll or airborne, whichever comes first. The Start Gate is not one of the 18 course gates: it cannot be missed and carries no penalty.
Cleared Gate Definition
A gate is cleared when the entire aircraft passes through the gate plane without contacting the gate structure. A gate that is contacted, skipped, or remains after a crash is counted as a Missed Gate (MG).
Penalty Rule
Each missed or crashed gate adds a 40-second penalty to the competitor's time before calculating PAS.
Gate Sequence
Gates are flown in numerical order across both laps (1 → 18). Flying through a later gate before the gates ahead of it counts each skipped gate as a missed gate (+40s each). Several second-lap gates sit near the first-lap line — fly your sequence, not the nearest ring.
Score = (wSpeed + wDistance) × 100
wSpeed = (PAS / bPAS) × 0.6 · wDistance = 0.4 × (CDT / TCD)
PAS = CDT / (T + 40·MG) · bPAS = TCD / 150 sec
wSpeed = (PAS / bPAS) × 0.6 · wDistance = 0.4 × (CDT / TCD)
PAS = CDT / (T + 40·MG) · bPAS = TCD / 150 sec
Definitions
TCD
Total Course Distance
CDT
Course Distance Travelled
MG
Missed Gates (count)
T
Elapsed time (sec, Start-Gate cross to finish-gate cross; stops at the crash on an incomplete run)
PAS
Pilot Average Speed
bPAS
Baseline Pilot Average Speed (TCD / 150 sec)
wSpeed
Weighted speed score (60%)
wDistance
Weighted distance score (40%)