The Unlimited Scale Racing Association (USRA) is the governing body for the rules and specifications for Giant Scale Air Racing (GSR). It is a Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).
The USRA is the Pilot’s representative organization. It is the sole rules making body for the
purpose of establishing the Specification, Standards and Procedures for
conducting Giant Scale Air Racing. As
the Pilot’s organization, the USRA represents the needs of the “Racers” to the
“Promoters” in areas of venue requirements, facilities and race procedures.
Ideally, the Promoter is in it to put on an event that will
make him money. The USRA is here to provide
the show that will help make him money.
In doing this, the USRA brings it's contingency of pilots and race teams
enticed with a prospect of having a good time and an appealing purse. It is up to the promoter to provide the
purse, prizes and venue in an atmosphere to enable the contestants to have a
good time and the spectators to have a good show that is worth the price of
admission. It is the job of the USRA to
organize the contestants with a fair and workable set of rules and standards so
that they know there will be a viable competition that is worth the expenses
that they put out in order to attend and participate.
It has become a standard that the contestants pay an entry
fee for racing in a certain class. It
has also become customary that ½ the entry fee goes into the purse for prize
money. The other half goes to the USRA
to cover the expenses of course workers and other costs involved in putting on
an event. This has come a long way from
the mid ‘90s when the entry fees were more than double what they are now and
there was no guarantee of any money being distributed to the winners. Still, it is the racers that bear the burden
of paying the bulk of the expenses for the conduct of the events. The Racers buy and build the race planes at
an average cost of over $5000 each with the risk of loosing one or more in the
blink of an eye at many time. The Racers
pay their own travel and lodging expenses to bring a team and support gear for
the duration of the race. The racers
then pay an entry fee for the privilege of participation in the “show”.
Sure many race teams have sponsors but there are many different
levels of sponsorship. Anywhere from free aircraft, engines or
radios to discounts on required items. Even with "Full"
sponsorship, I dare you to find a racer that can count the thousands of
dollars he has invested on one hand.
The job of the USRA is to keep pressing to shift the burden of cost toward the Promoters and encourage the Promoters to take a bigger role in the production of revenue so that they can make more profits from their work in Promoting and less from the USRA and it’s members. Currently some Promoters are actually racers with an interest in their own participation and are busy preparing their aircraft and teams rather than actively Promoting the show to the outside so that the sport gets the recognition that it needs to survive. It has been a long time since a spectator has been charged for admission or a local business has put up a banner at a race event. This is only the obvious methods of generating revenue.
In any case, membership in the USRA is required in order to race so fork over the $50 per year along with your AMA dues.