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UNITED
STATES HELICE ASSOCIATION
RULES AND
REGULATIONS
Version 61104
Note: Subject
document was composed from a translation of the FITASC International rules
for Helice dated February 2000. USHA revisions are identified with italics
and underlined. USHA reserves the right to modify/change subject rules as
deemed appropriate.
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ARTICLE 1 |
These
Rules are mandatory for USHA sanctioned competitions.
All Shooters are expected to know the Rules and abide by the results.
Any person who is proved to have shot at a Helice in a Competition without
intending to break it may be banned from future competitions.
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ARTICLE 2 |
12
bore shot-guns are the largest gauge permitted to be used.
No advantage is given to smaller bores.
36 grams/1¼ oz is the largest shot charge permitted.
The maximum size of the lead-shot must not exceed American #7 ½ or
European #7.
The Referee may check Cartridges and contents and have the right to
disqualify any Shooter breaking these rules.
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ARTICLE 3 |
The
Shooter must stand within the marked space on the Shooting Stand at the
designated distance. The gun can be held in any position judged to be safe
by the Referee, from Gun down to fully mounted.
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ARTICLE 4 |
The
Shooter may only load the Gun on the Shooting Stand, pointing towards the
Helice Machines and only when the Ring is clear and staff has returned to
their places.
The Gun must be unloaded before the Shooter turns to walk off
the stand.
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ARTICLE 5 |
If
the Shooter is disturbed by a spectator or other competitor a “baulk” can be
claimed, and if upheld by the Referee another Helice shall be allowed.
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ARTICLE 6 |
Shooters must follow each other promptly onto the stand. If a Shooter fails
to arrive after being called by name three times, they will be given a
“Zero” which will be noted down only when the next Shooter walks onto the
Shooting Stand.
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ARTICLE 7 |
If
the Shooter shoots out of turn without the Referee’s permission
and breaks the Helice it will be scored “No Bird”.
Provided that the cause for shooting out of turn was an
honest mistake, the Referee has the option to allow the shooter to resume
his correct position in the shooting order.
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ARTICLE 8 |
As soon as the Shooter is at the designated mark and loads
the Gun, the operator will start the Machines. The Shooter must say
“Ready” and the Operator must reply “Ready”. The Shooter may then call for
the Helice using the call of “Pull” on which command the Helice must be
released instantly. If the Shooter fires unintentionally before giving the
command of “Pull” a “No Bird” will be called and a further Helice allowed
which the Shooter must pay for.
If the Helice is released before the call of “Pull” the Shooter may either
refuse it or shoot it and the result will stand. If it is refused another
Helice is given.
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ARTICLE 9 |
To be
scored “Good”, the White Centre Cap of the
Helice must completely separate from the
Orange Wing
at the first or
second shot and fall inside the Shooting Ring.
If any piece of the
Orange Wing is still
attached to the White Centre Cap, the target shall be scored “Zero”.
If the White Centre Cap bounces inside the Ring and then over the Fence, the
target shall be scored “Good”.
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ARTICLE 10 |
Both
shots must be fired during the acceleration phase of the flights of the
Helice.
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ARTICLE 11 |
The
Shooter has the right to another Helice if the gun miss-fires due to faulty
percussion of the Cartridge or Gun mechanical malfunction.
After three such misfires subsequent Helice shall be recorded as “Zero”.
If the miss-fire was caused by the barrel being un-loaded or due to Safety
Catch position, a “Zero” shall be recorded. Upon
occurrence of a misfire, the shooter is required to immediately point the
barrel upward and request inspection by the Referee. Shooter failure to
allow proper inspection of the gun by the Referee shall result in the target
being scored “Zero”.
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ARTICLE 12 |
The
Shooter will not have to pay for another Helice if it is called a “No Bird”
due to a Machine malfunction or fault in the Helice.
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ARTICLE 13 |
If
both barrels discharge at the same time and the Helice is missed, a “Zero”
is scored.
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ARTICLE 14 |
If
the first shot is a misfire and the Shooter fires the 2nd barrel
and the Helice is missed, a “Zero” is scored.
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ARTICLE 15 |
If
after having shot at and missed the Helice with the first shot and the
Shooter has a misfire on the 2nd shot, the Shooter shall be
allowed another Helice. After the release of this repeat Helice the
Shooter must fire the first shot safely at the ground or in the air
and attempt to shoot the Helice only with the second shot.
If the target is broken with the first shot, the target
shall be scored “Zero”.
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ARTICLE 16 |
Incorporated into Article 9 above.
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ARTICLE 17 |
If
the Helice falls inside the Ring after the first shot with the White Centre
Cap still attached the Referee must decide if the Shooter had enough time to
shoot the 2nd shot. If the Referee decides there was enough
time the Helice is declared “Zero”. If the decision is that there was not
enough time then another Helice shall be allowed
and the shooter shall be required to load and shoot only ONE
shell at the target.
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ARTICLE 18
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Each
time a Helice is shot and broken within the Ring the White Centre Cap
may, at the Referee’s discretion, be
retrieved by authorized staff only.
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ARTICLE 19
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If
more than one Helice is released the Shooter can decline to shoot by raising
the gun. However, if one of the Helice is shot at and breaks it will be
declared “Good” and if missed “Zero”.
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ARTICLE 20 |
Any
Helice shot outside the boundary flag markers is declared “Zero” and the
Shooter shall be subject to a fine or other
appropriate disciplinary action.
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ARTICLE 21 |
Any
Shooter who shoots a Helice from a lesser distance than the fixed or
handicapped distance must shoot another Helice from the correct
distance.
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ARTICLE 22 |
The
Shooting Director or a designated Committee must adjust the
speed of the Machines before the beginning of the event and certainly not
alter the speed of the machine until the end of each
rotation (crank) . All competitors should be informed
immediately following a speed adjustment.
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ARTICLE 23
Click to view
7 Box Ring Helice Layout
Click to view
5 Box Ring Helice Layout
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The
Helice Shooting Ring should be located on a level
shooting field.
The general direction of the shooting should be
North or North East with the axis going through the Shooting Stand and the
Middle machine.
5 Machines shall be positioned 4.50 meters minimum and 5 meters maximum
apart.
7 Machines shall be positioned 3.3 meters apart, evenly spaced.
The Ring has to be enclosed by a rigid Barrier measuring 0.60 meters to 0.80
meters maximum.
The mesh size of the fence must not allow the White Centre Cap of the Helice
to pass through.
The distance from the Helice Machines to the Barrier must be a maximum of 21
meters.
When a Pigeon Shooting Ring is being used the distance between the Machines
and the Barrier Fence can be slightly less than 21 meters.
For all new Helice installations the distance between the Machines and the
Barrier Fence must not be less than 21 meters.
The Shooting walk way must be marked from 24 to 30 meters minimum.
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ARTICLE 24 |
The dimensions of the Helice must be the following:
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Size: |
The
overall size of the Helice is 28cms.
The
diameter of the White Centre Cap is 10.4cms. |
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Weight: |
Total
weight of the Helice is 70 grams maximum
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Material: |
The
wings are to be made of a material fragile to impact (Polystyrene).
The White Centre Cap to be a material not fragile to impact (minimum of 50%
Polyethylene).
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Fastening System: |
The
White Centre Cap must attach to the wings.
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Color: |
The
wings are to be Orange or Red, the White Centre Cap must be White, or as
decided by the Helice Commission.
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Machines: |
There
should be a beak on the end of a Rotor Shaft. The speed of the main motor
should be adjustable from 0 to 10.000 RPM.
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ARTICLE 25 |
All shooters shall begin shooting from 27 meters and slide
back 1 meter each time that 5 (for 7 box rings) or 3 (for 5 box rings)
consecutive targets are scored “good”. Maximum slide shall be to the 30
meter mark.
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ARTICLE 26 |
During competitions or championships organized with five Machines the
Shooter will have to shoot 3 Helice on the Stand.
During competitions or championships organized with seven Machines the
Shooter will have to shoot 5 Helice on the Stand.
There must be an electronic system to allow for random selection of
Machines.
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ARTICLE 27 |
All Referee declared “No Birds” shall be reloaded upon
occurrence.
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ARTICLE 28 |
“Veterans” shall be age 65 or older and “Juniors” shall be
age 20 or younger at the time of the event.
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ARTICLE 29 |
Only
official USHA designated Referees shall be entitled to judge
at USHA sanctioned events.
The Shooting Director or Judge appointed by USHA shall
be responsible for the correct application of USHA Rules.
Complaints from Shooters must be presented in writing
to the USHA whereby
USHA Directors shall
tender official response and final ruling as deemed appropriate by USHA.
USHA reserves the right to change or modify the present Rules
as deemed necessary.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ASSIST REFEREES
This section has been
provided to assist Referees and Shoot Directors giving clarification and
advice on some of the more vague rules of Helice Shooting and the way in
which these rules have been interpreted at Home and Abroad over the past 10
years.
It is important to
remember the “ROOTS” of Helice Shooting, it was designed to replace and
replicate as closely as possible shooting of Box Pigeons. It is not a Clay
Shooting discipline and this point needs to be made clearly to all new
comers to the sport and to inexperienced Referees.
One important
difference concerns safety, a Helice Shooter is out on his or her own on the
graduated 24 to 30 meter walkway and there is very often no Referee within
20 feet on the Shooter, shooting is not in a Safety Cage so the Shooter must
be ultra conscious of loading and unloading the gun down range, turning
around only with an empty gun. Also, unlike modern Clay Shooting
Competitions, there can be Shooting Range Staff moving in front of the
Shooter, loading Helice Machines or picking up White Centres, and therefore
the Shooter must keep the gun empty until all Staff is back in safe
locations. Many of the Articles are self explanatory but the following
points hopefully clarify those which are not and also cover the question of
charging for extra targets.
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ARTICLE 5 |
The baulk rule
The Shooter should not be charged for the repeat Helice if
the baulk is upheld. The Referee shall make the
judgment call if whether or not a baulk is to be declared. Not the shooter.
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ARTICLE 7 |
Shooting out of turn
The Shooter must pay for one or both Targets shot out of turn
unless of course it was a management fault.
Targets shot out of turn shall be scored “Zero” unless the event was
approved by the Referee or determined to be an honest mistake. If the
Referee declares the event to be an honest mistake, the targets shot out of
turn shall not be scored and the shooter shall assume his proper position in
the rotation and be allowed to re-shoot subject target(s).
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ARTICLE 8 |
Shooting before the call of pull
This result in a “No Bird” decision, the Shooter must pay for
a new Helice.
The Helice thrown before the call of “Pull” and the Shooter declines to
shoot should not be charged for the repeat Helice.
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ARTICLE 9 |
Target scored “Good”
If
the Helice hits the top of the perimeter fence and drops outside, it is a
“Zero”. To be scored” Good”, the target must
fall inside the ring and separate completely from the
Orange Wing. The
Referee shall have the option of retrieving targets for inspection and shall
score “Zero” for any White Centre Cap that has a piece of the Orange Wing
still attached. If the target detaches and hits inside the ring and then
bounces out of the ring, the target shall be scored “Good”.
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ARTICLE 11 |
General gun malfunction
The
Shooter must pay for repeat Helice released because of Gun or Cartridge
malfunction. If the Gun malfunctions the shooter must remain on the Stand
facing down range and hold up the gun, being careful not to touch the safety
catch and not to touch the opening mechanism until a Referee comes to
confirm the malfunction.
The Shooter may change gun or ammunition because of misfires at anytime with
the Referees permission. If a test fire is required the Referee must give
permission. Test Firing is not permitted at the start of are during
competition without Referee permission.
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ARTICLE 15 |
Gun malfunction on second shot
If the Shooter experiences a Referee determined Gun
Malfunction on the second shot (bang-click), the Shooter shall reload TWO
shells and be required to shoot the first shot safely into the ground or air
once the Helice is released and attempt to break the target with the
second shot only. If the target is broke with the first shot, it shall
be scored “Zero”.
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ARTICLE 16 |
See Article 9.
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ARTICLE 17 |
Target comes in contact with the ground
(This Article can be and is often abused)
The amount of time that a Shooter has to fire two shots at a
low Helice before it strikes the ground is solely the Referees decision
which can be made more difficult by a Shooter who having missed with the
first shot commits a “Professional Foul” by hesitating with the 2nd
shot hoping the Helice will hit the ground or fence and be allowed a
repeat.
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Another situation that can occur, the Helice when released
flies low and brushes the ground and flies on. If the Helice touches the
ground on release but has enough energy to fly at a reasonable speed and
distance for the Shooter to have taken two shots at it, the Referee has the
sole discretion to declare the Helice “Fair”. He may also if not satisfied
call “No Bird”. The decision however, is not for the Shooter to make - the
Shooter must attempt to shoot the Helice and wait for the Referee’s
decision.
If the Shooter holds firing on a Helice in these circumstances which the
Referee considers “Fair”, the target shall be scored a “Zero”. If the
Referee declares a “No Bird”, the shooter shall reload and shot only ONE
shell at the repeat target.
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ARTICLE 20 |
Shooting a helice outside of the limits of the side marker
flags
A difficult rule to interpret as a very strong wind blowing at the machines
can put a Helice from One or Five machines over the boundary as the Shooter
fires.
Benefit of the doubt should apply but only once.
The Shooter must pay for the repeat.
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ARTICLE 21 |
Shooting from incorrect distance
Shooters shall be responsible to make sure they are shooting
from the correct handicap distance. Referees shall make every effort to
insure that the shooter is shooting from the correct distance as noted on
shooter’s scorecard however, the Shooter shall be ultimately responsible.
Targets shot from the incorrect distance shall not be scored and shall be
re-shot from the correct distance.
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ARTICLE 22 |
Machine speed adjustment
Machines may only be adjusted by the Event Director/Judge or
designated Committee.
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ARTICLE 27 |
Reloading of “No Birds”
All Referee declared “No Birds” shall be re-loaded upon
occurrence.
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