Pumpkin Drop Rules
Twentieth ANNUAL PUMPKIN DROP
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2007
11:00 AM
DESIGN GOAL
The goal of the pumpkin drop competition is to design and enclosure or apparatus to protect a pumpkin from damage when dropped from the roof of the11-story high WVU Engineering Sciences Building. The surviving pumpkins that land closest to a target on the ground, and pumpkin enclosures having the best design, will be among the winning entries.
RULES
Pumpkin must be at least 10 inches in diameter or larger.
Pumpkin and protective structure weight is limited to 60 pounds.
The pumpkin container can have dimensions no greater 30 x 30 x 60 inches.
The inside of the pumpkin may not be altered (no freezing or adding chemicals).
Pumpkin must free fall (no bungee cords).
No Styrofoam peanuts or other small, non-biodegradable packaging fillers are allowed.
Package must be designed so that the pumpkin can be removed for inspection by the ground crew within 30 seconds after hitting the ground.
No electrical sources allowed.
Protective structure around the pumpkin must be designed with public safety in mind. Pumpkin enclosures that might splatter fragments or liquids toward the viewing audience will not be allowed.
Protective structure must be designed to not damage to university property.
Any entries which employ parachutes must be designed so that the parachute is dropped at the same time as the pumpkin or prior to the pumpkin, not after.
Please keep the safety of participants and observers in mind. The judges will have the final say on whether or not entries are viewed as safe to be dropped. Judges will disqualify entries with heavy, sharp, and/or protruding metal parts. These decisions by the judges will be final.
No more than two (2) members from any participating team will be allowed to carry their team’s pumpkin to the roof of the building for the drop. Entries that have children under the age of 12 must have an adult as one of the two participating team members. All other team members must stay on the ground with the other observers.
The drop order will be determined the day of the event. Teams will be assigned a drop number and go in the order that they arrive and check in.
All pumpkins must be enclosed in a package that is designed to prevent them from breaking—there will be no “Biggest Splat†contestants allowed to participate.
Due to the large number of teams participating, we strive to improve operations each year based on comments from past drops. To expedite drops, teams will drop in the order that they check-in. To keep the drop line moving efficiently, someone from the team must remain with the pumpkin structure at all times.
Participants will be limited to the first 150 pre-registered teams. There will be no walk-in registrations accepted. Pre-registration forms can be obtained by contacting the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at (304) 293-3111. The nonrefundable entry fee is $10 per pumpkin. Pumpkins plummet rain or shine.
Date: October 6, 2007
Categories: Fan Page / MuseBlog business