100 MODEL AVIATION
PREVIOUSLY I GOT into what it takes to
attend a contest. This month I will peep
behind the curtain and look at what it takes to
put on and run a contest. But first I have the
results of test-flying the GiantScalePlanes
Swallow Almost Ready to Fly (ARF).
Courtesy of Mother Nature smiling briefly
on South Jersey, my Swallow was test-flown
(on March 21). I “flew the pants” off the
thing. Immediately after takeoff I could feel
that this airplane was “right.” A few clicks of
down, and we were immediately into the P-02
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)
routine.
I had a YS 91 engine on the front of the
model, with a 14 x 6 APC propeller. The
airplane had digital servos; they were not
required, but were selected to give the same
feel as my Hydeout/Focus/Temptation.
There was too much control throw even
at low rates. For test flights it is a good
idea to set multiple rates per control
surface to give you some in-flight options.
The initial snaps were too deep and
entertainingly over-rotated, but the spin
was easy on rudder elevator only.
The selection of 20% less than the
recommended throws made the snaps much
more predictable. The wing is heavier than a
custom-built Pattern airplane’s, so you do
have to unload the “45 Degrees Up, 1-1⁄2”
snap a little early.
Rolls were smooth and required little
correction. The “Two Half Rolls with Four
(4) Point Roll in Opposite Direction” was
easy to perform. Loops could be made huge
and round. Stall Turns were on command!
Spins could be done with rudder elevator
Eric Henderson, 303 Shady Ln., Marlton NJ 08053; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL AEROBATICS
The GiantScalePlanes Swallow ARF rests after some serious “stick time.”
David Cepas of mypencil.com has a Temptation powered by an O.S. 1.40 RX engine. The
model on the left is the author’s O.S. 1.60 FX-FI-powered version.
Earl Vincent earned first win in Masters on first outing at spring
Myrtle Beach contest with Temptation/O.S. 1.40 RX.
Bern Furgang produced a square transmitter pack with two pairs
of three-cell packs using Lithium-Ion batteries.
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:03 pm Page 100
102 MODEL AVIATION
and the “Inverted Spin” reversed with a flick
of opposite aileron during the control-surface
transition. Knife-edge flight had no mixing
needed, and the four-point roll transitioned
easy on the rudder hand. The power-hog
Hourglass was well within this airplane’s
power/speed/climb capability.
When I wrote that I flew the pants off the
Swallow, I was being figurative and literal.
The big downer of the day was that the wheel
pants were far too flimsy. They cracked and
split like eggshells in the air! They are now
history. They are unnecessary for flight
performance and were always vulnerable to
hangar rash.
The first propeller-pitch choice was too
low and was changed to a more Patternlike 14
x 10 APC. The YS 91 loved it. The
Performance Specialties muffler and 90° bend
kept the noise down and made for a simple-toset-
up, viable contest-airplane power plant.
This model flies 401 and 402 classes with
no problems. It takes off in a straight line and
sinks to the grass with a nice, shallow glide
path that allows it to “kiss” the runway. Some
practice would be required to do the “45
Degrees Down, One Negative Snap” in event
403, but it was achievable with this model as
long as you did not use huge 3-D-type throws.
The Avalanche was no problem. Event 403
was well within this airplane’s capability, and
if I did not have other models in my stable I
could fly it in FAI.
This model is not slow and will surprise
you if you do a full-throttle pass. It will roll
vertically with this engine. A YS 110 would
probably give it a bit more edge in the hot
weather. It’s a good entry-level airplane that
will not leave you poor.
Tempting Temptations: I’ve included a
picture of a brace of the new Temptation
Pattern airplanes from Piedmont Models.
David Cepas—who has his own business, if
you couldn’t tell from the advertising on his
Kirk Gray checked his scores after every round during the
contest at Myrtle Beach; they were 1,000 every time!
Posting the names of all of those who will judge during a contest
is a useful aid for the pilots and the judges.
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:03 pm Page 102
airplane—owns one of them. The other is
mine that Dave Guerin built; his body is much
more epoxy-tolerant than mine!
One model has an O.S. 1.40 RX engine in
it, and the other has an O.S. 1.60 FX-FI (fuel
injection). I added a touch more right thrust to
handle the bigger propeller on the 1.60.
Expect to see quite a few of these aircraft on
the competition circuit this year.
Longer-lasting batteries are always worth a
look. How about a Lithium-Ion pack in your
transmitter that lasts for several days? Bern
Furgang of Simi Valley, California ([805]
577-8664 or [email protected]), has
produced a transmitter pack with two pairs of
three-cell packs for your transmitter using
Lithium-Ion batteries.
I flew three consecutive days before I
needed to recharge. The transmitter shows
12.5 volts when fully charged and lets you fly
at least twice as long as other packs. Tests so
far have proven satisfactory.
What follows is a condensed explanation of
what it takes to put on a contest.
Understanding how a contest is run may help
you navigate your way through one. My
thinly veiled agenda is to stir you to run a
contest of your own.
To CD or not to CD? That is the question!
It does help to be an AMA contest director
(CD), but you can run a contest with the help
of an existing CD. You will need the license
or the help of a licensed person if you want
the contest to be AMA sanctioned; this is
recommended unless you just plan to run a
local club event.
It is a good idea to get a CD license, which
is available from AMA and can be obtained
by passing a short open-book exam. (If you
are a CD, you can also get an optional cool
“low” AMA number.) It is strongly advised
that you read and understand the section on
“Radio Control Aerobatics” in the current
AMA Competition Regulations (the AMA
rule book).
You need to check the AMA competition
calendar for possible date conflicts with your
contest. The general guideline is to not
“clash” with another similar type of contest
within a day’s drive, or within 300 miles. If
you are near an AMA district border, you
should also look at the calendars of the
adjacent districts.
For a Pattern contest, you can call, write,
or E-mail your district National Society of
Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) vice
president for contest-date assistance. It is his
or her job to coordinate the scheduling of
contests within that NSRCA district.
Once you have a date, or better yet, several
possible dates, go to your local club and work
with the membership for one of the dates. If
your club approves it, complete the AMA
sanction paperwork and send it to the AMA
district coordinator for eventual AMA
approval.
Your local club will often be more
enthusiastic about giving up its field for a day
or two if it can see financial “goodness.” The
club coffers can receive as much as all of the
entry fees, minus contest expenses. The group
can also make “club money” from food and
drink sales. A neat option is to open the field
for all members at the end of the day or early
on Sunday afternoon if it’s a two-day contest.
Not every club welcomes the loss of its
flying site for a whole weekend, so
consider a one-day event or even a nonclub
location. Pattern contests tend to be quiet
and unobtrusive. Other possible sites that
can be negotiated are recreational parks,
military-aviation reserve sites, private
runways, certain types of public parks and
parking lots, locations out in the country,
or even horse-racing courses and dragracing
strips.
It is important to promote your event. Use
an informative flyer that has local hotel
information, directions, and many contact
numbers for travelers who inevitably get lost.
There are AMA national and district Web
sites and NSRCA national and local Web
sites. Don’t forget to use your club’s Web
page and local hobby shops.
There is an NSRCA computer-based
scoring program that you can use, or scoring
can be done manually. For scoring programs,
contact Derek Koopowitz at
[email protected]. It is much
easier these days to find a laptop and a printer
that will run off of a 12-volt DC inverter. This
avoids that noisy generator running all day.
You will most likely use the pilots as
judges, but when evaluating the higher classes
it’s important to have a pool of people who
can write the scores down for them. These
“scribes” record the scores as the judges call
them out. These judging teams need to be
supported by a helper (or two) who carries the
score sheets back to the scoring team or do
whatever else is needed.
Most Pattern contests run six rounds and
need many copies of the score sheets. They
can be printed from the “Download Score
Sheets” section of the NSRCA Web site
(www.nsrca.org). You will need one score
sheet per judge per contestant per round (such
as 30 contestants in six rounds each). Do the
math, then double it!
Site preparation can be daunting. At a
minimum you will need to mark some
aerobatic box guidelines on the runway as
outlined in the AMA rule book. Where
practical you can make end poles, brightly
painted or with flags. They will be used to
mark the ends of the maneuvering box.
Using three yardsticks, it is easy to make a
simple tool to measure the angles when laying
out the field. (For further information on how
to use these yardsticks, go to the “Tips and
Tricks” section on the NSRCA Web site.)
Athletic field paint is great for drawing lines
on the grass, and it’s temporary.
You may need several folding chairs and
sunshades (I hope!). The chairs would be for
the judges and the scribes. Some CDs provide
shades for the judges and scribes. That’s not a
bad idea, considering the seriousness of heat
exhaustion and the loss of concentration that
heat causes.
An added complication is balancing the
judging role among the contestants so that no
individual is overworked and will have some
breaks during the contest. It may be wise to
reshuffle flight orders to allow a little time for
pilots who just judged to “get it together”
before they fly.
Trophies are usually awarded for the first
three places, but there is no restriction on how
deep you go if the budget allows. A neat thing
to do is photograph pilots individually and
give them framed pictures of themselves and,
of course, their airplanes.
When you are a pilot at a contest in the
future, you will be appreciative of what is
being done for you. If you are a pilot who
may never take on the task of being a CD,
now you know what goes on, and that will
move you through a contest with more
understanding.
To all CDs, the service you provide is
invaluable to the preservation of our sport. So
lest I forget, a big “thank you” from me! MA
104 MODEL AVIATION
Featuring..
Infinity 600A PCM
Retail: $445 – Sale: $199.99
Infinity 660 FM
Retail: $579 – Sale: $259.99
Infinity 660 PCM
Retail: $619 – Sale: $289.99
visit www.rcmodels.com to order or call 877-346-2243
While Supplies Last!!!
AIRTRONICS
BLOWOUT SALE!
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:04 pm Page 104
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 100,102,104
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 100,102,104
100 MODEL AVIATION
PREVIOUSLY I GOT into what it takes to
attend a contest. This month I will peep
behind the curtain and look at what it takes to
put on and run a contest. But first I have the
results of test-flying the GiantScalePlanes
Swallow Almost Ready to Fly (ARF).
Courtesy of Mother Nature smiling briefly
on South Jersey, my Swallow was test-flown
(on March 21). I “flew the pants” off the
thing. Immediately after takeoff I could feel
that this airplane was “right.” A few clicks of
down, and we were immediately into the P-02
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)
routine.
I had a YS 91 engine on the front of the
model, with a 14 x 6 APC propeller. The
airplane had digital servos; they were not
required, but were selected to give the same
feel as my Hydeout/Focus/Temptation.
There was too much control throw even
at low rates. For test flights it is a good
idea to set multiple rates per control
surface to give you some in-flight options.
The initial snaps were too deep and
entertainingly over-rotated, but the spin
was easy on rudder elevator only.
The selection of 20% less than the
recommended throws made the snaps much
more predictable. The wing is heavier than a
custom-built Pattern airplane’s, so you do
have to unload the “45 Degrees Up, 1-1⁄2”
snap a little early.
Rolls were smooth and required little
correction. The “Two Half Rolls with Four
(4) Point Roll in Opposite Direction” was
easy to perform. Loops could be made huge
and round. Stall Turns were on command!
Spins could be done with rudder elevator
Eric Henderson, 303 Shady Ln., Marlton NJ 08053; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL AEROBATICS
The GiantScalePlanes Swallow ARF rests after some serious “stick time.”
David Cepas of mypencil.com has a Temptation powered by an O.S. 1.40 RX engine. The
model on the left is the author’s O.S. 1.60 FX-FI-powered version.
Earl Vincent earned first win in Masters on first outing at spring
Myrtle Beach contest with Temptation/O.S. 1.40 RX.
Bern Furgang produced a square transmitter pack with two pairs
of three-cell packs using Lithium-Ion batteries.
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:03 pm Page 100
102 MODEL AVIATION
and the “Inverted Spin” reversed with a flick
of opposite aileron during the control-surface
transition. Knife-edge flight had no mixing
needed, and the four-point roll transitioned
easy on the rudder hand. The power-hog
Hourglass was well within this airplane’s
power/speed/climb capability.
When I wrote that I flew the pants off the
Swallow, I was being figurative and literal.
The big downer of the day was that the wheel
pants were far too flimsy. They cracked and
split like eggshells in the air! They are now
history. They are unnecessary for flight
performance and were always vulnerable to
hangar rash.
The first propeller-pitch choice was too
low and was changed to a more Patternlike 14
x 10 APC. The YS 91 loved it. The
Performance Specialties muffler and 90° bend
kept the noise down and made for a simple-toset-
up, viable contest-airplane power plant.
This model flies 401 and 402 classes with
no problems. It takes off in a straight line and
sinks to the grass with a nice, shallow glide
path that allows it to “kiss” the runway. Some
practice would be required to do the “45
Degrees Down, One Negative Snap” in event
403, but it was achievable with this model as
long as you did not use huge 3-D-type throws.
The Avalanche was no problem. Event 403
was well within this airplane’s capability, and
if I did not have other models in my stable I
could fly it in FAI.
This model is not slow and will surprise
you if you do a full-throttle pass. It will roll
vertically with this engine. A YS 110 would
probably give it a bit more edge in the hot
weather. It’s a good entry-level airplane that
will not leave you poor.
Tempting Temptations: I’ve included a
picture of a brace of the new Temptation
Pattern airplanes from Piedmont Models.
David Cepas—who has his own business, if
you couldn’t tell from the advertising on his
Kirk Gray checked his scores after every round during the
contest at Myrtle Beach; they were 1,000 every time!
Posting the names of all of those who will judge during a contest
is a useful aid for the pilots and the judges.
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:03 pm Page 102
airplane—owns one of them. The other is
mine that Dave Guerin built; his body is much
more epoxy-tolerant than mine!
One model has an O.S. 1.40 RX engine in
it, and the other has an O.S. 1.60 FX-FI (fuel
injection). I added a touch more right thrust to
handle the bigger propeller on the 1.60.
Expect to see quite a few of these aircraft on
the competition circuit this year.
Longer-lasting batteries are always worth a
look. How about a Lithium-Ion pack in your
transmitter that lasts for several days? Bern
Furgang of Simi Valley, California ([805]
577-8664 or [email protected]), has
produced a transmitter pack with two pairs of
three-cell packs for your transmitter using
Lithium-Ion batteries.
I flew three consecutive days before I
needed to recharge. The transmitter shows
12.5 volts when fully charged and lets you fly
at least twice as long as other packs. Tests so
far have proven satisfactory.
What follows is a condensed explanation of
what it takes to put on a contest.
Understanding how a contest is run may help
you navigate your way through one. My
thinly veiled agenda is to stir you to run a
contest of your own.
To CD or not to CD? That is the question!
It does help to be an AMA contest director
(CD), but you can run a contest with the help
of an existing CD. You will need the license
or the help of a licensed person if you want
the contest to be AMA sanctioned; this is
recommended unless you just plan to run a
local club event.
It is a good idea to get a CD license, which
is available from AMA and can be obtained
by passing a short open-book exam. (If you
are a CD, you can also get an optional cool
“low” AMA number.) It is strongly advised
that you read and understand the section on
“Radio Control Aerobatics” in the current
AMA Competition Regulations (the AMA
rule book).
You need to check the AMA competition
calendar for possible date conflicts with your
contest. The general guideline is to not
“clash” with another similar type of contest
within a day’s drive, or within 300 miles. If
you are near an AMA district border, you
should also look at the calendars of the
adjacent districts.
For a Pattern contest, you can call, write,
or E-mail your district National Society of
Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) vice
president for contest-date assistance. It is his
or her job to coordinate the scheduling of
contests within that NSRCA district.
Once you have a date, or better yet, several
possible dates, go to your local club and work
with the membership for one of the dates. If
your club approves it, complete the AMA
sanction paperwork and send it to the AMA
district coordinator for eventual AMA
approval.
Your local club will often be more
enthusiastic about giving up its field for a day
or two if it can see financial “goodness.” The
club coffers can receive as much as all of the
entry fees, minus contest expenses. The group
can also make “club money” from food and
drink sales. A neat option is to open the field
for all members at the end of the day or early
on Sunday afternoon if it’s a two-day contest.
Not every club welcomes the loss of its
flying site for a whole weekend, so
consider a one-day event or even a nonclub
location. Pattern contests tend to be quiet
and unobtrusive. Other possible sites that
can be negotiated are recreational parks,
military-aviation reserve sites, private
runways, certain types of public parks and
parking lots, locations out in the country,
or even horse-racing courses and dragracing
strips.
It is important to promote your event. Use
an informative flyer that has local hotel
information, directions, and many contact
numbers for travelers who inevitably get lost.
There are AMA national and district Web
sites and NSRCA national and local Web
sites. Don’t forget to use your club’s Web
page and local hobby shops.
There is an NSRCA computer-based
scoring program that you can use, or scoring
can be done manually. For scoring programs,
contact Derek Koopowitz at
[email protected]. It is much
easier these days to find a laptop and a printer
that will run off of a 12-volt DC inverter. This
avoids that noisy generator running all day.
You will most likely use the pilots as
judges, but when evaluating the higher classes
it’s important to have a pool of people who
can write the scores down for them. These
“scribes” record the scores as the judges call
them out. These judging teams need to be
supported by a helper (or two) who carries the
score sheets back to the scoring team or do
whatever else is needed.
Most Pattern contests run six rounds and
need many copies of the score sheets. They
can be printed from the “Download Score
Sheets” section of the NSRCA Web site
(www.nsrca.org). You will need one score
sheet per judge per contestant per round (such
as 30 contestants in six rounds each). Do the
math, then double it!
Site preparation can be daunting. At a
minimum you will need to mark some
aerobatic box guidelines on the runway as
outlined in the AMA rule book. Where
practical you can make end poles, brightly
painted or with flags. They will be used to
mark the ends of the maneuvering box.
Using three yardsticks, it is easy to make a
simple tool to measure the angles when laying
out the field. (For further information on how
to use these yardsticks, go to the “Tips and
Tricks” section on the NSRCA Web site.)
Athletic field paint is great for drawing lines
on the grass, and it’s temporary.
You may need several folding chairs and
sunshades (I hope!). The chairs would be for
the judges and the scribes. Some CDs provide
shades for the judges and scribes. That’s not a
bad idea, considering the seriousness of heat
exhaustion and the loss of concentration that
heat causes.
An added complication is balancing the
judging role among the contestants so that no
individual is overworked and will have some
breaks during the contest. It may be wise to
reshuffle flight orders to allow a little time for
pilots who just judged to “get it together”
before they fly.
Trophies are usually awarded for the first
three places, but there is no restriction on how
deep you go if the budget allows. A neat thing
to do is photograph pilots individually and
give them framed pictures of themselves and,
of course, their airplanes.
When you are a pilot at a contest in the
future, you will be appreciative of what is
being done for you. If you are a pilot who
may never take on the task of being a CD,
now you know what goes on, and that will
move you through a contest with more
understanding.
To all CDs, the service you provide is
invaluable to the preservation of our sport. So
lest I forget, a big “thank you” from me! MA
104 MODEL AVIATION
Featuring..
Infinity 600A PCM
Retail: $445 – Sale: $199.99
Infinity 660 FM
Retail: $579 – Sale: $259.99
Infinity 660 PCM
Retail: $619 – Sale: $289.99
visit www.rcmodels.com to order or call 877-346-2243
While Supplies Last!!!
AIRTRONICS
BLOWOUT SALE!
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:04 pm Page 104
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 100,102,104
100 MODEL AVIATION
PREVIOUSLY I GOT into what it takes to
attend a contest. This month I will peep
behind the curtain and look at what it takes to
put on and run a contest. But first I have the
results of test-flying the GiantScalePlanes
Swallow Almost Ready to Fly (ARF).
Courtesy of Mother Nature smiling briefly
on South Jersey, my Swallow was test-flown
(on March 21). I “flew the pants” off the
thing. Immediately after takeoff I could feel
that this airplane was “right.” A few clicks of
down, and we were immediately into the P-02
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)
routine.
I had a YS 91 engine on the front of the
model, with a 14 x 6 APC propeller. The
airplane had digital servos; they were not
required, but were selected to give the same
feel as my Hydeout/Focus/Temptation.
There was too much control throw even
at low rates. For test flights it is a good
idea to set multiple rates per control
surface to give you some in-flight options.
The initial snaps were too deep and
entertainingly over-rotated, but the spin
was easy on rudder elevator only.
The selection of 20% less than the
recommended throws made the snaps much
more predictable. The wing is heavier than a
custom-built Pattern airplane’s, so you do
have to unload the “45 Degrees Up, 1-1⁄2”
snap a little early.
Rolls were smooth and required little
correction. The “Two Half Rolls with Four
(4) Point Roll in Opposite Direction” was
easy to perform. Loops could be made huge
and round. Stall Turns were on command!
Spins could be done with rudder elevator
Eric Henderson, 303 Shady Ln., Marlton NJ 08053; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL AEROBATICS
The GiantScalePlanes Swallow ARF rests after some serious “stick time.”
David Cepas of mypencil.com has a Temptation powered by an O.S. 1.40 RX engine. The
model on the left is the author’s O.S. 1.60 FX-FI-powered version.
Earl Vincent earned first win in Masters on first outing at spring
Myrtle Beach contest with Temptation/O.S. 1.40 RX.
Bern Furgang produced a square transmitter pack with two pairs
of three-cell packs using Lithium-Ion batteries.
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:03 pm Page 100
102 MODEL AVIATION
and the “Inverted Spin” reversed with a flick
of opposite aileron during the control-surface
transition. Knife-edge flight had no mixing
needed, and the four-point roll transitioned
easy on the rudder hand. The power-hog
Hourglass was well within this airplane’s
power/speed/climb capability.
When I wrote that I flew the pants off the
Swallow, I was being figurative and literal.
The big downer of the day was that the wheel
pants were far too flimsy. They cracked and
split like eggshells in the air! They are now
history. They are unnecessary for flight
performance and were always vulnerable to
hangar rash.
The first propeller-pitch choice was too
low and was changed to a more Patternlike 14
x 10 APC. The YS 91 loved it. The
Performance Specialties muffler and 90° bend
kept the noise down and made for a simple-toset-
up, viable contest-airplane power plant.
This model flies 401 and 402 classes with
no problems. It takes off in a straight line and
sinks to the grass with a nice, shallow glide
path that allows it to “kiss” the runway. Some
practice would be required to do the “45
Degrees Down, One Negative Snap” in event
403, but it was achievable with this model as
long as you did not use huge 3-D-type throws.
The Avalanche was no problem. Event 403
was well within this airplane’s capability, and
if I did not have other models in my stable I
could fly it in FAI.
This model is not slow and will surprise
you if you do a full-throttle pass. It will roll
vertically with this engine. A YS 110 would
probably give it a bit more edge in the hot
weather. It’s a good entry-level airplane that
will not leave you poor.
Tempting Temptations: I’ve included a
picture of a brace of the new Temptation
Pattern airplanes from Piedmont Models.
David Cepas—who has his own business, if
you couldn’t tell from the advertising on his
Kirk Gray checked his scores after every round during the
contest at Myrtle Beach; they were 1,000 every time!
Posting the names of all of those who will judge during a contest
is a useful aid for the pilots and the judges.
08sig4.QXD 5.23.03 1:03 pm Page 102
airplane—owns one of them. The other is
mine that Dave Guerin built; his body is much
more epoxy-tolerant than mine!
One model has an O.S. 1.40 RX engine in
it, and the other has an O.S. 1.60 FX-FI (fuel
injection). I added a touch more right thrust to
handle the bigger propeller on the 1.60.
Expect to see quite a few of these aircraft on
the competition circuit this year.
Longer-lasting batteries are always worth a
look. How about a Lithium-Ion pack in your
transmitter that lasts for several days? Bern
Furgang of Simi Valley, California ([805]
577-8664 or [email protected]), has
produced a transmitter pack with two pairs of
three-cell packs for your transmitter using
Lithium-Ion batteries.
I flew three consecutive days before I
needed to recharge. The transmitter shows
12.5 volts when fully charged and lets you fly
at least twice as long as other packs. Tests so
far have proven satisfactory.
What follows is a condensed explanation of
what it takes to put on a contest.
Understanding how a contest is run may help
you navigate your way through one. My
thinly veiled agenda is to stir you to run a
contest of your own.
To CD or not to CD? That is the question!
It does help to be an AMA contest director
(CD), but you can run a contest with the help
of an existing CD. You will need the license
or the help of a licensed person if you want
the contest to be AMA sanctioned; this is
recommended unless you just plan to run a
local club event.
It is a good idea to get a CD license, which
is available from AMA and can be obtained
by passing a short open-book exam. (If you
are a CD, you can also get an optional cool
“low” AMA number.) It is strongly advised
that you read and understand the section on
“Radio Control Aerobatics” in the current
AMA Competition Regulations (the AMA
rule book).
You need to check the AMA competition
calendar for possible date conflicts with your
contest. The general guideline is to not
“clash” with another similar type of contest
within a day’s drive, or within 300 miles. If
you are near an AMA district border, you
should also look at the calendars of the
adjacent districts.
For a Pattern contest, you can call, write,
or E-mail your district National Society of
Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) vice
president for contest-date assistance. It is his
or her job to coordinate the scheduling of
contests within that NSRCA district.
Once you have a date, or better yet, several
possible dates, go to your local club and work
with the membership for one of the dates. If
your club approves it, complete the AMA
sanction paperwork and send it to the AMA
district coordinator for eventual AMA
approval.
Your local club will often be more
enthusiastic about giving up its field for a day
or two if it can see financial “goodness.” The
club coffers can receive as much as all of the
entry fees, minus contest expenses. The group
can also make “club money” from food and
drink sales. A neat option is to open the field
for all members at the end of the day or early
on Sunday afternoon if it’s a two-day contest.
Not every club welcomes the loss of its
flying site for a whole weekend, so
consider a one-day event or even a nonclub
location. Pattern contests tend to be quiet
and unobtrusive. Other possible sites that
can be negotiated are recreational parks,
military-aviation reserve sites, private
runways, certain types of public parks and
parking lots, locations out in the country,
or even horse-racing courses and dragracing
strips.
It is important to promote your event. Use
an informative flyer that has local hotel
information, directions, and many contact
numbers for travelers who inevitably get lost.
There are AMA national and district Web
sites and NSRCA national and local Web
sites. Don’t forget to use your club’s Web
page and local hobby shops.
There is an NSRCA computer-based
scoring program that you can use, or scoring
can be done manually. For scoring programs,
contact Derek Koopowitz at
[email protected]. It is much
easier these days to find a laptop and a printer
that will run off of a 12-volt DC inverter. This
avoids that noisy generator running all day.
You will most likely use the pilots as
judges, but when evaluating the higher classes
it’s important to have a pool of people who
can write the scores down for them. These
“scribes” record the scores as the judges call
them out. These judging teams need to be
supported by a helper (or two) who carries the
score sheets back to the scoring team or do
whatever else is needed.
Most Pattern contests run six rounds and
need many copies of the score sheets. They
can be printed from the “Download Score
Sheets” section of the NSRCA Web site
(www.nsrca.org). You will need one score
sheet per judge per contestant per round (such
as 30 contestants in six rounds each). Do the
math, then double it!
Site preparation can be daunting. At a
minimum you will need to mark some
aerobatic box guidelines on the runway as
outlined in the AMA rule book. Where
practical you can make end poles, brightly
painted or with flags. They will be used to
mark the ends of the maneuvering box.
Using three yardsticks, it is easy to make a
simple tool to measure the angles when laying
out the field. (For further information on how
to use these yardsticks, go to the “Tips and
Tricks” section on the NSRCA Web site.)
Athletic field paint is great for drawing lines
on the grass, and it’s temporary.
You may need several folding chairs and
sunshades (I hope!). The chairs would be for
the judges and the scribes. Some CDs provide
shades for the judges and scribes. That’s not a
bad idea, considering the seriousness of heat
exhaustion and the loss of concentration that
heat causes.
An added complication is balancing the
judging role among the contestants so that no
individual is overworked and will have some
breaks during the contest. It may be wise to
reshuffle flight orders to allow a little time for
pilots who just judged to “get it together”
before they fly.
Trophies are usually awarded for the first
three places, but there is no restriction on how
deep you go if the budget allows. A neat thing
to do is photograph pilots individually and
give them framed pictures of themselves and,
of course, their airplanes.
When you are a pilot at a contest in the
future, you will be appreciative of what is
being done for you. If you are a pilot who
may never take on the task of being a CD,
now you know what goes on, and that will
move you through a contest with more
understanding.
To all CDs, the service you provide is
invaluable to the preservation of our sport. So
lest I forget, a big “thank you” from me! MA
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