New for 2023!
Draft Rev 12-30-2022

Palomar Point Series

The SDHGPA Palomar XC Point Series is an educational, task based, out and back style race-to-goal held at the Palomar Mountain paragliding site. The inaugural season will be held from January through April of 2023. It will run in two more seasons each (May-August and September-October) if there is continued interest in a year round contest. The series is free to enter for all SDHGPA Members as a membership benefit. Launch is the standard Palomar Mountain launch.
​Palomar Point Series Purpose:
  • To learn operation of common flight instruments for the purpose of entering an flying a task.
  • To increase skill in determining wind and thermal conditions appropriate t complete a task.
  • To learn and practice safe and appropriate accelerator (speed-bar) usage (speed-to-fly).
  • To provide a safe setting to learn, practice and master techniques needed t participate in competitions worldwide.
​Palomar Point Series Classes:
For the first Point Series season, two classes of tasks for both PG and HG will be run to ensure that there are tasks appropriate for the full spectrum of mountain pilots:
  1. Fledgling (A and B PG wings)
  2. Serial (A/B/C wings, Open PG class, and HG)
We hope to add a third class of tasks "Challenge" following feedback from the first season. This would include longer tasks and classic XC lines starting at Palomar. 
Palomar Point Series  Parameters:
  1. All Palomar Site Protocols must be followed and pilots should have read and checked the Palomar Site Guide for any updates prior to running the Palomar Point Series. 
  2. One task is created in each category every month with the exception of Challenge tasks which are set at the beginning of each year.
  3. Fledgling and Serial tasks can be flown that month or any month after until the series ends for each four month season. Each months task will award additional points (flying February's task in February will award more points than January's task in February)
  4. Challenge tasks may be flown at any point throughout the year.
  5. Tasks are scored and points awarded based on common race-to-goal rules.​
  6. Task Speed Section: End of speed for each task is set at a waypoint close to Palomar launch for Fledgling and Serial tasks. This is done so that pilots are not coming in low, potentially on speed-bar, to a location that would be hazardous to do so to shave off time. This encourages higher altitudes to reach end-of-speed due.
  7. Goal: The goal is always the primary Palomar LZ at Roberts Ranch for Fledgling tasks. To reach the goal, pilots must reach the end of speed at a safe altitude above the terrain. For Serial tasks with goal not at Palomar LZ, pilots are highly encouraged to use the main LZ for landing.
  8. Thermic Conditions: Since the Palomar paragliding site is typically flyable late in the afternoon, thermic activity can be mild to moderate. At times, however, thermic activity is stronger than expected. As always, pilots must recognize and adapt to the conditions they encounter.
  9. Point Series Task selection: Fledgling tasks only use waypoints located in a defined area on and in-front of the main Palomar spine. This minimizes crossing of any large areas of rotor or expected sink and keeps pilots on all classes of paragliding equipment on easy glide to standard LZs.
  10. Fledgling Task Start times: To encourage safe flying the Task Committee will set an afternoon start time after peak heating from April through October for all Fledgling tasks to encourage flying in more mild thermic conditions. Start times for Serial tasks will be set at the discretion of the task committee. April through October, the task committee will set Fledgling task start times at or after the below times in the Pacific time zone:
    • April: After 3:00PM
    • May: After 4:00PM
    • June: After 4:30PM
    • July: After 4:30PM
    • August: After 4:30PM
    • September: After 4:00PM
    • October: After 3:00PM
  11. All pilots must fly with a VHF Radio set to 145.525 MHz (SDHGPA main frequency) and a tracking device linked to XCfind.paraglide.us (California group 16), LiveTrack24 SDHGPA Group (Group 316) , and/or XCtrack.me (SDHGPA group). Flights from pilots without both a radio and tracking will not be scored.
  12. Fledgling ​PG Wing selection: To encourage appropriate paraglider glider selection based on skill level, Fledgling tasks will award a bonus score modifier (x 1.1) for paragliders with a flat aspect ratio at or below 5.4 (low B and A wings). Only A and B rated paragliders will be eligible for scoring in Fledgling tasks.
  13. Hang gliders can fly all classes of tasks and will be scored in a separate HG category.
  14. Speed bar usage: Pilots must avoid using the speed-bar system when low to the
    ground (below 500 ft AGL over valley or spines) or during flight in excessive turbulence. Accelerated flight decreases the wing angle of attack, making the wing more prone to collapse.​
  15. Tasks will be set by a committee of 3 or more pilots who have each flown more than 50 hrs at Palomar. This committee is appointed by the SDHGPA board.
​Palomar Point Series Waypoints:
Waypoint files will be provided at the start of each year on the SDHGPA website. Waypoints eligible for Fledgling and Serial class tasks in 2023 are provided in the map above and files below depending on what file type your instrument requires. ​​Let the Comp Committee know if you need another file type.
​Palomar Point Series 2023 Task Committee:
  • Robb Milley
  • Cameron Eibl
  • Ana Krulec​​

Please send any constructive feedback on tasks, format, or other competition topics to Cameron Eibl. 
​Palomar Point Series Tasks
January 2023 - Fledgling Task
January 2023 - Serial Task
​Palomar Point Series Task Scoring Page
Registration and Scoring Links