For an Assigned Area Task, the task setters choose two or three turnpoints
to define the task then draw quite large circles around them (perhaps 15 – 40
Kms). The turnpoints are chosen such that a medium performance aircraft (e.g.
Libelle) flown by a good pilot, could fly to each turnpoint in the minimum
time that must be spent on task - usually about 3 hours.
The circles around the assigned turnpoints, which become the assigned areas,
are sized such that high performance aircraft would have fly to the furthest
perimeters to achieve a competitive distance and speed in the allocated time.
A low performance aircraft need only fly to the nearest perimeters. Equally
an experienced and competitive pilot can fly a longer distance whereas a less
experienced pilot can fly a shorter distance. Both are scored for the distance
and speed they achieve then, depending on the competition conditions, a handicap
appropriate to their aircraft may be applied.