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OLAN figures reference guide

For some base figures, a "reverse figure" is also flown, and is indicated by the letter "r". So, for example, a "rc" is a reverse half-cuban. Once again note that "rc" is illegal and the usual "reverse half cuban" is written as "2rc". Unlike "c2" where the half roll is postfixed, in the reverse half cuban the half roll is prefixed because it comes before the looping portion. Of course, a "rc2" is a valid figure indicating a push reverse half cuban with a half roll to normal flight at the end of the looping portion. Other common figures with an "r" variant are the P-loop, Q-loop and Keyhole (Y loop). In all of these cases the "reverse" figure is the one flown with the vertical line first. Some "reverse" elements are confusing or common enough to have their own letter: "k" (a shark tooth with vertical up first) is really the reverse figure of "t" (a shark Tooth with the 45 degrees up line first.

Practically all figures have an "inverted" variant, with the exception of a hammerhead. For example, a "ic" is an inverted half cuban, where the looping portion is down(below) the initial flying level. Similarly, there are "ib" (inverted humpty bump), "irp" inverted reverse P looop (vertical down line followed by a loop up to the horizon) and "io", the inverted loop going down from the start line. Do not confuse inverted figures and inverted flying. So, "-o-" is a negative entry and negative exit loop, which can only be drawn and flown as a push (negative) loop. In comparison, "-io-" is a negative entry and negative exit inverted loop, the loop itself being flown "down" from the start, in a positive-G looping all around until the inverted exit at the top. Some "inverted" elements are so common that they have their own letter: split-s, technically a "reverse half loop up" is designated "a" and not "im" which would be very confusing. Also note that "ita", an inverted tail slide is a special case.

A few other prefix letters are used to indicate or differentiate figures, such as "pb" for a push humpty bump, a "zt" for z "Z style 45 line shark tooth" where the intial pull to the 45 line is a 135 degrees pull, and "db" for "diagonal bump".

The basic figures contain only a single rolling element, which is postfixed. For example, "d1" is a diagonal up line with a half roll.

Most of the common base figures contain two rolling elements. The first element is prefixed to the base figure, and the 2nd element is appended. One can often think of the first element (the prefix) being executed "before the figure begins", e.g. in "2a1" we have a split-s half loop. The half roll is prefixed and is executed "before" the looping portion. The full roll is postfixed and is executed after the looping portion, for a total of "half roll, pull a half loop down, full roll, exit".

With some highly-complex figures such as "N figure" the middle rolling element is specified in parentheses after the base figure and before the last (3rd) rolling element, e.g. "2n(24)1" is an N figure within a single digit. Note that since the Olan software "knows" the flying direction, you specify a vertical roll going up and a horizontal roll in the exact safe fashion: "1".

Single-Element Lines:
d diagonal up line. Typical figure: "d2-"
id diagonal down line (inverted)
v vertical line up, e.g., "v44"
iv vertical line down.
z Z-figure with a rolling element on central line
iz inverted Z figure. Diagonal going down.

Two-Element Lines:
t Tooth. diagonal line up, then a vertical down line.
it Inverted Tooth. diagonal line down, then a vertical up line.
k sharK tooth. Vertical line up, then down 45 line.
ik inverted sharK tooth. Vertical down line, then up 45 line.
zt Z-Tooth. Tooth with the diagonal being a 135 degrees push/pull
kz sharK-Z. Shark with the diagonal ending in 135 degrees push/pull

The zt and kz have an inverted variaty as well

Loops:
a Split-(a)s. A half loop down. Rolling elements on the top and bottom
m Immelman. A half loop up. Rolling elements on the top and bottom

o rounded loop. Elemet is flown at the top, e.g., "o1"
io rounded loop going down.
qo square loop.
dq diamond square loop.
qq double-square 8-sides loop.

The qo, dq and qq have an inverted variaty as well

Loop/Line combinations

c Half Cuban. first rolling element, A 5/8 loop, 2nd element on 45 line.
rc Reverse Half Cuban. First pull to 45 line, then loop down

g Goldfish: 45 line up, then loop down, then another 45 line up.

p P-loop: loop with vertcal down exit line
rp Reverse P loop: vertical up and loop to the horizontal line

q Q-loop: loop with diagoanl down exit line
rq Reverse Q loop: diagoanl up and loop to the horizontal line

y keyhole or Y-loop: diagoanl up and loop to vertical line
ry Reverse keyhole: vertical up and loop to diagonal exit

The C, G, P, Q & Y loops all have an "inverted" version

Double loops
cc Full Cuban. loop, 45 line with element, another loop and 45 element.
rcc Reverse full Cuban. started with 45 line.
icc Inverted full cuban
ircc Inverted reverse full cuban

Humpties, Hammerheads and Tailslides
b Humpty bump, first element on up line, 2nd element down line
pb Push Humpty. Same as "b" but the half loop on the top is a "push"
ib Inverted humpty. The first roll is on a vertical down line.
ipb Inverted push humpty. The bottom half loop is a push.
db Sausage: Diagonal humpty bump. After the 45 line, a half loop up.
rdb Reverse Diagonal humpty bump. After the 45 line, a half loop down.
idb inverted diagonal bump
irdb inverted reverse diagonal bump

h Hammerhead
ta Tailslide. Wheels down first
ita Inverted Tailslide. Wheels up.

Complex 3-Rolling elements figures:
n N figure, pull to the diagoanl
pn push-N figure, push to the diagonal
in inverted N figure, starts vertical down
ipn inverted push-N figure

w Bow (tie or X)
iw Inverted Bow (tie or X)

gg double goldfish (super-8)
igg inverted double goldfish (diagoanls down)

Oddball figures
f flick roll on a horizontal line (see rolls)
s spin. Usually follows a "iv" figure.

mm double immelman S-shape
oo double loops 8-shape
ooo loops over loop central-entry 8-shape

zb Z-style entry diagonal humpty bump
rzb reverse Z-style entry diagonal humpty bump
bz diagonal humpty bump with z-style exit
rbz reverse diagonal humpty bump with z-style exit


zy Z-style entry keyhole (Y) loop
rzy reverse Z-style exit keyhole (Y) loop

Special figures: Rolling turns
j a 90 degree turn. 2j=180 degrees, 3j=270 degrees, 4j=360 degrees.

4j4 a 360 degree rolling turn with 4 rolls inside
3j3 a 270 degree rolling turn with 3 rolls inside
2j2 a 180 degree rolling turn with 2 rolls inside
1j1 a 90 degree rolling turn with 1 rolls inside

jo a rolling turn outside eg 4jo4 for 360, 4 rolls.
joi a rolling turn alternating outside-inside
jio a rolling turn alternating inside-outside

4j3 a 360 degree rolling turn with 3 rolls inside
2j15 a 180 degree rolling turn with 1.5 rolls inside

4j2 a 360 degree rolling turn with 2 rolls inside
4j1 a 360 degree rolling turn with 1 roll inside