In part Phil Barnes responded, "We have been flying hand launch contests in the States since before there was F3K (I think). I'm not sure what the F3K rules say or what the differences might be. Getting zero for landing out is one area where the two sets of rules agree. If there are differences, I guess they stem from the people with different ideas about what makes a good hand launch contest."
For more years than I can remember (care to remember that is) I have been threatening to write "A 'Light' History of RCHLG" and have done considerable research, corresponded and interviewed. With my privilege of traveling the States (deputation as a missionary & president emeritus of a seminary in Japan) since 1992 I have been making regional, national and international RCHLG contests a part of my itinerary and am well acquainted with this unique crowd--in 2003: MidSouths, AMA/LSA Nats & the Worlds-IHLGF--been there done that three times.
Indeed a brief and entertaining history of RCHLG is at Ray Hayes Skybench Aerotech site http://www.skybench.com/index.html go from the index to "R/C Sailplanes" and there find "Hand Launch" ; now scroll down to Mark Miller and "Click here" for his site. THIS IS THE ONLY way to reach this material; in Mark's index look for "A 'Light' History of RCHLG" as well as "Model Builder RCHLG Bibliography" an extensive annotated bibliography which details the history up to the demise of this great magazine, October 1996. There is nothing else around like this. This material really closes out the first RCHLG era and I would recon there have been two significant periods of development since--14oz to 11oz to 6oz :-) !!.
RCHLG is MADE in USA-American--and spread from The Ole'Buzzard hisself taking his "Sunbird" to the 1979 FAI Worlds in Belgium; Japan & France took the idea home from there--took a LONG while for it to catch on in both and it would take Joe to help jump-start Japan, infect the Kiwis and subsequently them Aussies about the same time!
At the time the Torrey Pines Gulls had well put their WORLDS IHLGF on the international map some Europeans with a short history of RCHLG started talking F3K and pushed their agenda and in 1999 it was declared a World Class with a provisional set of rules. While I was in the frey (presenting a paper to our FAI representative) for declaring the long generally established 1.5m or 59 1/2 (i.e. 60 in as it were) wing span, the European presented rules became the format rather than the USA. In the end, Phil has given you the simple answer--"different ideas about what makes a good hand launch contest."--it has just been declared by the courts in Japan that the Prime Minister's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine are unconstitutional and illegal, but he said, "I will go anyway." The way of the RCHLG-DHL contest has been well established here in the USA before there was a F3K Class and provisional rules. There will never be a F3K WORLDS; the IHLGF holds and will hold that place for some time to come: her rules, ways and tasks seed & reign!!
Thank You Torrey Pines Gulls for another WORLDS of RCHLG and again, CONGRATS! Phil--surprised by FIRST!!
http://www.kcat.zaq.ne.jp/skypilot/ (dated)
SKY PILOT'S HANGAR--RCHLG-DHL AFICIONADO
