50-Meter-Class Racing

50-Meter-Class Racing is the official name of the 50-meter starship racing league. Although historically less well-liked than either hopper racing or endurance racing of larger vessels, 50-Meter-Class Racing has been gaining in popularity in recent years for a number of factors: entertaining commentary; a focus on shorter races with more turns, requiring more maneuverability from competitors; and better options for spectators in-person.

Origins
Although starship racing has existed since the first days of spaceflight, organized leagues for midsize vessels are a much more recent invention. The 2630s and 2640s saw the sport's first major popularity, but the Kretonian invasion in 2651 ended it. After numerous attempts at restarting a league through the 3000s, the first incarnation of today's league began in 3969, taking its current name in 3981.

Today
Since the inception of the modern 50-meter racing circuit, the rules have remained much the same, placing an emphasis on pilot and navigator skill over automated aids. The races, however, have developed over the years, as 50-meter racing transitioned from an enthusiast activity to a true organized spectator sport. In the early years, races were little more than point-to-point tests of speed, straight-line runs that only required powerful engines. Today, races have grown shorter, to an average length of under two hours. Starting in the 4006 season, several races were held on circuit courses, with the number growing to nearly half the schedule in 4008.

Executive Board
The FMCR Executive Board is the primary governing body of 50-Meter-Class Racing, responsible for rules updates, scheduling races, enforcement of rules, and dispute resolution. Each team is entitled to one representative to the Executive Board. Eight members sit for one-season terms; new members are elected at the close of every season from among the teams' board representatives.

Planetary Race Boards
Every planet that hosts one or more races in a season is required to organize a Planetary Race Board. The PRB is tasked with acquiring facilities for spectators, finding local sponsors, and promoting the race.

Starship Eligibility
A starship is eligible for 50-Meter-Class Racing only if it meets all of the following requirements:


 * Maximum Length: 50m
 * Minimum Length: 37.5m
 * Maximum Total Volume: 61250 m^3
 * Minimum Total Volume: 5000 m^3
 * Maximum Tonnage, full fuel: 250 metric tons
 * Minimum Tonnage, full fuel: 175 metric tons

The only navigational aid allowed during races is a heading-hold autopilot, while the only engine-control aid allowed is a percentage-thrust throttle.

In addition, each crewmember aboard a racing vessel is required to have access to a vacuum suit within 10 meters of his race station, and each ship must carry a crew escape vehicle able to accomodate all crewmembers and vacuum suits for each.

Further, all ships must submit to inspection at the request of any race official.

Opening Practice
A practice period of at least four hours or twice the FMCR course record, whichever is more, and at most twice the minimum length, must occur prior to the first qualifying period. All teams must have unlimited access to the course during the practice period.

Qualifying
During the qualifying period, each competing ship must complete three timed runs of the entire course or a predefined section of it. No other ships may be present on the course during the qualifying runs. The average of each ship's top two qualifying runs is taken as that ship's qualifying time. Starting order is determined by qualifying times, sorted in ascending order.

Final Practice
A practice period half the length of the opening practice period must occur following the qualifying period and before the start of the race. Each team will be granted an exclusive time range during which it may elect to allow no ships but its own on the course. The length of the time range is to be the length of the practice period divided by the number of teams.

Starting
The starting grid is to be arranged as follows. The grid consists of a number of starting boxes equal to the number of ships competing in the race. Each starting box is a hypothetical cube fifty meters on each side. A ship may position itself at any point in the starting box, so long as no part of the ship is outside the starting box. A row consists of three starting boxes, a separation between the sides of zero meters. The highest place in the row must be on the left, with the next two on the highest's right, set back four and eight meters, respectively. The starting grid will consist of as many rows as is necessary to fit all competitors. The first row will be placed with its forwardmost starting box touching the starting line. Additional rows will be placed with a separation of fifteen meters from the back of the row ahead, and will be placed with a separation of zero meters between the base of the row and the top of the row ahead.

The start will be signalled by a communications signal with a visual and audible component.

The visual component is as follows: black for one half second, red for one quarter second, black for one half second, red for one quarter second, black for one half second, red for one quarter second, black for one half second, one second green.

The audible component is as follows: one half second delay, one eighth second at 440HZ, one half second delay, one eighth second at 440HZ, one half second delay, one eighth second at 440HZ, one half second delay, one second at 880HZ.

At the start of the green display and the 880HZ tone, the race begins.

Finishing
The first ship to cross the finish line and come to a complete stop relative to the finish line platform will be declared the winner.