Jim T. Graham | jgraham@Born to Fly rcgroups.com
The Clover Creek Invitational blew my hat off!
Gabriel Altuz flew in from Puerto Rico to compete at the Clover
Creek Invitational. His Freestyle routine was enough to blow your
hat off, literally. Pilots such as Gabriel are redefining Freestyle!
John Schroder (L) had dreamed of owning an RC field, and the
Clover Creek Invitational is the culmination of that dream. He and
his wife, Tina, have created RC heaven on earth in Toone TN.
John and Tina kick off the awards banquet, which includes great
home-cooked food, great friends, great sportsmanship, and much
more. The amount of support given to everyone in the competition
was nice to see.
Being an IMAC judge seems tough; you have to sit in the sun, keep
your eyes to the skies, and score some of the best pilots in the
world. Tricky stuff!
I have to admit that until this past Labor Day weekend I had
never been to an International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC)
competition. Then I was invited to cover the Clover Creek
Invitational for Flying Giants.
The contest venue —the Clover Creek Aerodrome in Toone,
Tennessee—is not only an amazing flying facility, but it is also
home to John and Tina Schroder. The two of them and everyone I
encountered at the site made me feel at home and welcomed at my
first IMAC event.
I also enjoyed the pool with wireless Internet, to sit by after the
activities ended each day and upload photo coverage. Clover Creek
is amazingly pretty, and the fact that an RC event takes place there is
icing on the cake.
John Schroder inherited his love of RC from his dad, Walt, who
was once editor of Model Airplane News. When John retired in
2007, he started his search for the ultimate RC site. He found that
new home in Toone.
The location started out as a 200-acre sod farm and was a perfect
beginning for John’s vision. He laid out a facility where the sun and
prevailing winds wouldn’t limit pilots.
76 MODEL AVIATION
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 76
January 2011 77
Clover Creek has an air-conditioned
hangar on the flightline for maintenance
and storage. The runway (and much of the
rest of the facility) is groomed like a golf
course.
Each summer John and Tina welcome
students to Clover Creek for IMAC
coaching and practice. In return, the
students help with the farmwork.
Every other year, following in the
footsteps of his father and Tournament of
Champions (TOC) founder Bill Bennett,
John invites the world’s best pilots to an
international Aerobatics championship
that is similar to what was the TOC. At
the 2010 Clover Creek Invitational, 20 of
the world’s best pilots battled for a
$50,000 prize that came directly out of
John’s pocket!
I spent much of my time at the contest
with RC Tip Master George Hicks. He is
an old friend of mine and a fun guy to
hang out with at any aeromodeling event. He has designed many
RC models throughout the years and has an impressive aerospace
pedigree.
George has been flying RC for more than 20 years and has
been competing since 1994. He has bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in aerospace engineering. He was a judge at the Clover
Creek Invitational this year and currently works for Gulfstream
Aerospace in the areas of aerodynamic, stability, and control flight
tests.
Every time I walked up on George at the event, he was
answering an RC question. I would tape his answers if I was fast
enough. Look for the Web site addresses at the end of this column.
Since George knew much more than I did about what was
going on at Clover Creek, I asked for his opinions about the
contest and IMAC in general.
JTG: What are your thoughts on Clover Creek?
GH: The facility is beautiful. I would say it rivals Triple Tree
[Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina]. It is not as big, but it is
really nice out here. John and Tina have done a great job.
JTG: This is my first IMAC event and it’s like a golf tournament
out here. Everyone talks in low tones, and the pilots are standing
around with their stick airplanes, going over routines in their
heads. How much stress is on the pilots to prepare to go out and
compete?
Mark Leseberg brings his giant-scale Yak-54 down the runway with smoke on and the
wingtip low. The Clover Creek Invitational draws a crowd that appreciates showmanship.
A cool pool and a nice wireless connection were just what the
doctor ordered at the end of the day. Pilots gravitated toward the
pool and hot tub on-site each evening. Every RC event needs this!
The Clover Creek Aerodrome—which is home to John and Tina
Schroder—is an amazing flying facility. This year’s Invitational was
the author’s first IMAC event, and everyone made him feel
welcome.
GH: I would say at the invitational level it is a lot of stress. They are
flying six rounds: two Knowns, two Unknowns, and two Freestyles.
They have to learn a lot. The winner will have earned his money.
JTG: Last night at the banquet, the support shown for last place to
first was equal. Do most of these IMAC pilots know and support
each other that way all the time?
GH: They are a tight-knit community. They are a giving group. It’s
not the kind of competition that is cutthroat. If your plane crashes or
you need a part, they will help you out.
They all want to win, but they also all want to help each other.
They want to keep the spirit of IMAC positive. When you walk
down the flightline, you don’t see upset pilots. It’s a great thing.
JTG: What are some of the highlights of this year’s invitational?
One performance I noticed was that of Extreme Flight RC pilot
Donatas Pauzoulis of Lithuania.
He was coming in for a landing after his Freestyle while doing
this insane maneuver and ended up tearing the nose off of his model.
He didn’t look upset, and it seemed like everyone around just smiled.
It was a killer move that he just barely missed.
GH: Donatas is my new Freestyle favorite; it is some of the most
aggressive flying I have seen.
I was judging that round, and they called time right before he
crashed. We scored the flight. I think it is the first time we had an
incident and scored the flight because time was called before he
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 77
78 MODEL AVIATION
landed. It was one of the best flights I
have seen, if not this weekend, then ever.
JTG: Wow! Are there highlights at a show
such as this for a judge?
GH: Yes. Jason Noll is such a great flier.
Jason typically ends up 80%-90% perfect.
His consistency is spooky.
JTG: Do you think that has more to do with
success, talent, or practice?
GH: I’m not a firm believer in natural
talent, because I know it only gets you so
far. Guys that are at the top of this game
have both. But if they didn’t put in the hard
work and dedication, you would not see the
level of performance that you see here.
JTG: I saw guys last night ranking in the
top 10 whose names I had never heard. Is
this where you go in the hobby to become
known as a great pilot?
GH: Before this there was the TOC and
the Don Lowe Masters. If you are going to
make a name for yourself in IMAC and
Freestyle, it’s going to be here or Tucson
[at the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout]. But
you’re right; I didn’t know some of the
guys on the podium either.
I also talked with John Schroder, about
his facility and event.
JTG: How did you get into RC?
JS: I was born into it. My father was the
publisher of Model Airplane News for 20
years. I always built model airplanes, and
we built our first RC plane in the late
1950s.
JTG: Have you always been into IMAC?
JS: I got started in IMAC in 1997.
JTG: So you are not from Tennessee, but
you decided to find a piece of property
and build an RC site?
JS: A dream I always had was to have my
own airstrip in my backyard. I worked hard
my whole life to get a little piece of heaven,
and we found it here in Tennessee.
JTG: Did you know you had found the
right spot when you walked out onto the
property?
JS: Yes sir, we did. We looked at this land in
the middle of February; it was freezing cold.
We did some research on the property—aerial
photos and drawings. We wanted to make
sure we had enough room. We fell in love
with the place. We have improved it a little
bit and it’s working out great.
JTG: Did you always have the idea that
you would have your own invitational
event?
JS: That came after the fact. We knew we
wanted to have contests here and continue
my IMAC school. When I found out the
Masters wasn’t going to happen anymore,
I decided to step up and get a TOC type of
competition going.
JTG: This is your second Clover Creek
Invitational. What did you learn from the
first one?
JS: Pick a good crew to run the show; that
makes it easy for you. I just sit back and
do a little maintenance once in a while.
JTG: Were there any highlights from this
year’s invitational that you want to mention
for the readers?
JS: I’m enjoying watching the high-quality
flying from these great pilots from all
around the world. It never ceases to amaze
me how much better they get each year. It’s
incredible, and I just want to keep this going
and watch these pilots get better each year.
JTG: Is there any advice you would give
young pilots who are coming up in the
hobby?
JS: You have to practice a lot. You need a
good mentor or coach. You need to find a
club with IMAC pilots.
Go to contests and introduce yourself.
Most IMAC pilots are willing to help the
younger generation. IMAC now has an
online flying guide that anyone can
access.
I learned a lot at the Clover Creek
International. It was great to see pilots I
have been around for years making great
flights, but even better was having my hat
blown off by up-and-coming pilots I
wasn’t aware of before. I’m a 3-D flier, so
naturally the Freestyle routines had my
attention.
Two pilots I had never seen fly before
the event were Gabriel Altuz of Puerto
Rico and, as I mentioned, Donatas
Pauzoulis. Lucky for you I videotaped
their Freestyles, because they are taking
the hobby to a new level.
Seeing the flights that all of the pilots
put in made me feel good about the hobby
and the future of RC in general. MA
Sources:
Clover Creek Aerodrome
www.clovercreekaerodrome.net
IMAC
www.mini-iac.com
Flying Giants Clover Creek 2010
coverage, George Hicks’s tips:
http://bit.ly/cwWJty
Flying Giants IMAC forum:
http://bit.ly/dzKyLW
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 78
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 76,77,78
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 76,77,78
Jim T. Graham | jgraham@Born to Fly rcgroups.com
The Clover Creek Invitational blew my hat off!
Gabriel Altuz flew in from Puerto Rico to compete at the Clover
Creek Invitational. His Freestyle routine was enough to blow your
hat off, literally. Pilots such as Gabriel are redefining Freestyle!
John Schroder (L) had dreamed of owning an RC field, and the
Clover Creek Invitational is the culmination of that dream. He and
his wife, Tina, have created RC heaven on earth in Toone TN.
John and Tina kick off the awards banquet, which includes great
home-cooked food, great friends, great sportsmanship, and much
more. The amount of support given to everyone in the competition
was nice to see.
Being an IMAC judge seems tough; you have to sit in the sun, keep
your eyes to the skies, and score some of the best pilots in the
world. Tricky stuff!
I have to admit that until this past Labor Day weekend I had
never been to an International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC)
competition. Then I was invited to cover the Clover Creek
Invitational for Flying Giants.
The contest venue —the Clover Creek Aerodrome in Toone,
Tennessee—is not only an amazing flying facility, but it is also
home to John and Tina Schroder. The two of them and everyone I
encountered at the site made me feel at home and welcomed at my
first IMAC event.
I also enjoyed the pool with wireless Internet, to sit by after the
activities ended each day and upload photo coverage. Clover Creek
is amazingly pretty, and the fact that an RC event takes place there is
icing on the cake.
John Schroder inherited his love of RC from his dad, Walt, who
was once editor of Model Airplane News. When John retired in
2007, he started his search for the ultimate RC site. He found that
new home in Toone.
The location started out as a 200-acre sod farm and was a perfect
beginning for John’s vision. He laid out a facility where the sun and
prevailing winds wouldn’t limit pilots.
76 MODEL AVIATION
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 76
January 2011 77
Clover Creek has an air-conditioned
hangar on the flightline for maintenance
and storage. The runway (and much of the
rest of the facility) is groomed like a golf
course.
Each summer John and Tina welcome
students to Clover Creek for IMAC
coaching and practice. In return, the
students help with the farmwork.
Every other year, following in the
footsteps of his father and Tournament of
Champions (TOC) founder Bill Bennett,
John invites the world’s best pilots to an
international Aerobatics championship
that is similar to what was the TOC. At
the 2010 Clover Creek Invitational, 20 of
the world’s best pilots battled for a
$50,000 prize that came directly out of
John’s pocket!
I spent much of my time at the contest
with RC Tip Master George Hicks. He is
an old friend of mine and a fun guy to
hang out with at any aeromodeling event. He has designed many
RC models throughout the years and has an impressive aerospace
pedigree.
George has been flying RC for more than 20 years and has
been competing since 1994. He has bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in aerospace engineering. He was a judge at the Clover
Creek Invitational this year and currently works for Gulfstream
Aerospace in the areas of aerodynamic, stability, and control flight
tests.
Every time I walked up on George at the event, he was
answering an RC question. I would tape his answers if I was fast
enough. Look for the Web site addresses at the end of this column.
Since George knew much more than I did about what was
going on at Clover Creek, I asked for his opinions about the
contest and IMAC in general.
JTG: What are your thoughts on Clover Creek?
GH: The facility is beautiful. I would say it rivals Triple Tree
[Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina]. It is not as big, but it is
really nice out here. John and Tina have done a great job.
JTG: This is my first IMAC event and it’s like a golf tournament
out here. Everyone talks in low tones, and the pilots are standing
around with their stick airplanes, going over routines in their
heads. How much stress is on the pilots to prepare to go out and
compete?
Mark Leseberg brings his giant-scale Yak-54 down the runway with smoke on and the
wingtip low. The Clover Creek Invitational draws a crowd that appreciates showmanship.
A cool pool and a nice wireless connection were just what the
doctor ordered at the end of the day. Pilots gravitated toward the
pool and hot tub on-site each evening. Every RC event needs this!
The Clover Creek Aerodrome—which is home to John and Tina
Schroder—is an amazing flying facility. This year’s Invitational was
the author’s first IMAC event, and everyone made him feel
welcome.
GH: I would say at the invitational level it is a lot of stress. They are
flying six rounds: two Knowns, two Unknowns, and two Freestyles.
They have to learn a lot. The winner will have earned his money.
JTG: Last night at the banquet, the support shown for last place to
first was equal. Do most of these IMAC pilots know and support
each other that way all the time?
GH: They are a tight-knit community. They are a giving group. It’s
not the kind of competition that is cutthroat. If your plane crashes or
you need a part, they will help you out.
They all want to win, but they also all want to help each other.
They want to keep the spirit of IMAC positive. When you walk
down the flightline, you don’t see upset pilots. It’s a great thing.
JTG: What are some of the highlights of this year’s invitational?
One performance I noticed was that of Extreme Flight RC pilot
Donatas Pauzoulis of Lithuania.
He was coming in for a landing after his Freestyle while doing
this insane maneuver and ended up tearing the nose off of his model.
He didn’t look upset, and it seemed like everyone around just smiled.
It was a killer move that he just barely missed.
GH: Donatas is my new Freestyle favorite; it is some of the most
aggressive flying I have seen.
I was judging that round, and they called time right before he
crashed. We scored the flight. I think it is the first time we had an
incident and scored the flight because time was called before he
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 77
78 MODEL AVIATION
landed. It was one of the best flights I
have seen, if not this weekend, then ever.
JTG: Wow! Are there highlights at a show
such as this for a judge?
GH: Yes. Jason Noll is such a great flier.
Jason typically ends up 80%-90% perfect.
His consistency is spooky.
JTG: Do you think that has more to do with
success, talent, or practice?
GH: I’m not a firm believer in natural
talent, because I know it only gets you so
far. Guys that are at the top of this game
have both. But if they didn’t put in the hard
work and dedication, you would not see the
level of performance that you see here.
JTG: I saw guys last night ranking in the
top 10 whose names I had never heard. Is
this where you go in the hobby to become
known as a great pilot?
GH: Before this there was the TOC and
the Don Lowe Masters. If you are going to
make a name for yourself in IMAC and
Freestyle, it’s going to be here or Tucson
[at the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout]. But
you’re right; I didn’t know some of the
guys on the podium either.
I also talked with John Schroder, about
his facility and event.
JTG: How did you get into RC?
JS: I was born into it. My father was the
publisher of Model Airplane News for 20
years. I always built model airplanes, and
we built our first RC plane in the late
1950s.
JTG: Have you always been into IMAC?
JS: I got started in IMAC in 1997.
JTG: So you are not from Tennessee, but
you decided to find a piece of property
and build an RC site?
JS: A dream I always had was to have my
own airstrip in my backyard. I worked hard
my whole life to get a little piece of heaven,
and we found it here in Tennessee.
JTG: Did you know you had found the
right spot when you walked out onto the
property?
JS: Yes sir, we did. We looked at this land in
the middle of February; it was freezing cold.
We did some research on the property—aerial
photos and drawings. We wanted to make
sure we had enough room. We fell in love
with the place. We have improved it a little
bit and it’s working out great.
JTG: Did you always have the idea that
you would have your own invitational
event?
JS: That came after the fact. We knew we
wanted to have contests here and continue
my IMAC school. When I found out the
Masters wasn’t going to happen anymore,
I decided to step up and get a TOC type of
competition going.
JTG: This is your second Clover Creek
Invitational. What did you learn from the
first one?
JS: Pick a good crew to run the show; that
makes it easy for you. I just sit back and
do a little maintenance once in a while.
JTG: Were there any highlights from this
year’s invitational that you want to mention
for the readers?
JS: I’m enjoying watching the high-quality
flying from these great pilots from all
around the world. It never ceases to amaze
me how much better they get each year. It’s
incredible, and I just want to keep this going
and watch these pilots get better each year.
JTG: Is there any advice you would give
young pilots who are coming up in the
hobby?
JS: You have to practice a lot. You need a
good mentor or coach. You need to find a
club with IMAC pilots.
Go to contests and introduce yourself.
Most IMAC pilots are willing to help the
younger generation. IMAC now has an
online flying guide that anyone can
access.
I learned a lot at the Clover Creek
International. It was great to see pilots I
have been around for years making great
flights, but even better was having my hat
blown off by up-and-coming pilots I
wasn’t aware of before. I’m a 3-D flier, so
naturally the Freestyle routines had my
attention.
Two pilots I had never seen fly before
the event were Gabriel Altuz of Puerto
Rico and, as I mentioned, Donatas
Pauzoulis. Lucky for you I videotaped
their Freestyles, because they are taking
the hobby to a new level.
Seeing the flights that all of the pilots
put in made me feel good about the hobby
and the future of RC in general. MA
Sources:
Clover Creek Aerodrome
www.clovercreekaerodrome.net
IMAC
www.mini-iac.com
Flying Giants Clover Creek 2010
coverage, George Hicks’s tips:
http://bit.ly/cwWJty
Flying Giants IMAC forum:
http://bit.ly/dzKyLW
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 78
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 76,77,78
Jim T. Graham | jgraham@Born to Fly rcgroups.com
The Clover Creek Invitational blew my hat off!
Gabriel Altuz flew in from Puerto Rico to compete at the Clover
Creek Invitational. His Freestyle routine was enough to blow your
hat off, literally. Pilots such as Gabriel are redefining Freestyle!
John Schroder (L) had dreamed of owning an RC field, and the
Clover Creek Invitational is the culmination of that dream. He and
his wife, Tina, have created RC heaven on earth in Toone TN.
John and Tina kick off the awards banquet, which includes great
home-cooked food, great friends, great sportsmanship, and much
more. The amount of support given to everyone in the competition
was nice to see.
Being an IMAC judge seems tough; you have to sit in the sun, keep
your eyes to the skies, and score some of the best pilots in the
world. Tricky stuff!
I have to admit that until this past Labor Day weekend I had
never been to an International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC)
competition. Then I was invited to cover the Clover Creek
Invitational for Flying Giants.
The contest venue —the Clover Creek Aerodrome in Toone,
Tennessee—is not only an amazing flying facility, but it is also
home to John and Tina Schroder. The two of them and everyone I
encountered at the site made me feel at home and welcomed at my
first IMAC event.
I also enjoyed the pool with wireless Internet, to sit by after the
activities ended each day and upload photo coverage. Clover Creek
is amazingly pretty, and the fact that an RC event takes place there is
icing on the cake.
John Schroder inherited his love of RC from his dad, Walt, who
was once editor of Model Airplane News. When John retired in
2007, he started his search for the ultimate RC site. He found that
new home in Toone.
The location started out as a 200-acre sod farm and was a perfect
beginning for John’s vision. He laid out a facility where the sun and
prevailing winds wouldn’t limit pilots.
76 MODEL AVIATION
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 76
January 2011 77
Clover Creek has an air-conditioned
hangar on the flightline for maintenance
and storage. The runway (and much of the
rest of the facility) is groomed like a golf
course.
Each summer John and Tina welcome
students to Clover Creek for IMAC
coaching and practice. In return, the
students help with the farmwork.
Every other year, following in the
footsteps of his father and Tournament of
Champions (TOC) founder Bill Bennett,
John invites the world’s best pilots to an
international Aerobatics championship
that is similar to what was the TOC. At
the 2010 Clover Creek Invitational, 20 of
the world’s best pilots battled for a
$50,000 prize that came directly out of
John’s pocket!
I spent much of my time at the contest
with RC Tip Master George Hicks. He is
an old friend of mine and a fun guy to
hang out with at any aeromodeling event. He has designed many
RC models throughout the years and has an impressive aerospace
pedigree.
George has been flying RC for more than 20 years and has
been competing since 1994. He has bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in aerospace engineering. He was a judge at the Clover
Creek Invitational this year and currently works for Gulfstream
Aerospace in the areas of aerodynamic, stability, and control flight
tests.
Every time I walked up on George at the event, he was
answering an RC question. I would tape his answers if I was fast
enough. Look for the Web site addresses at the end of this column.
Since George knew much more than I did about what was
going on at Clover Creek, I asked for his opinions about the
contest and IMAC in general.
JTG: What are your thoughts on Clover Creek?
GH: The facility is beautiful. I would say it rivals Triple Tree
[Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina]. It is not as big, but it is
really nice out here. John and Tina have done a great job.
JTG: This is my first IMAC event and it’s like a golf tournament
out here. Everyone talks in low tones, and the pilots are standing
around with their stick airplanes, going over routines in their
heads. How much stress is on the pilots to prepare to go out and
compete?
Mark Leseberg brings his giant-scale Yak-54 down the runway with smoke on and the
wingtip low. The Clover Creek Invitational draws a crowd that appreciates showmanship.
A cool pool and a nice wireless connection were just what the
doctor ordered at the end of the day. Pilots gravitated toward the
pool and hot tub on-site each evening. Every RC event needs this!
The Clover Creek Aerodrome—which is home to John and Tina
Schroder—is an amazing flying facility. This year’s Invitational was
the author’s first IMAC event, and everyone made him feel
welcome.
GH: I would say at the invitational level it is a lot of stress. They are
flying six rounds: two Knowns, two Unknowns, and two Freestyles.
They have to learn a lot. The winner will have earned his money.
JTG: Last night at the banquet, the support shown for last place to
first was equal. Do most of these IMAC pilots know and support
each other that way all the time?
GH: They are a tight-knit community. They are a giving group. It’s
not the kind of competition that is cutthroat. If your plane crashes or
you need a part, they will help you out.
They all want to win, but they also all want to help each other.
They want to keep the spirit of IMAC positive. When you walk
down the flightline, you don’t see upset pilots. It’s a great thing.
JTG: What are some of the highlights of this year’s invitational?
One performance I noticed was that of Extreme Flight RC pilot
Donatas Pauzoulis of Lithuania.
He was coming in for a landing after his Freestyle while doing
this insane maneuver and ended up tearing the nose off of his model.
He didn’t look upset, and it seemed like everyone around just smiled.
It was a killer move that he just barely missed.
GH: Donatas is my new Freestyle favorite; it is some of the most
aggressive flying I have seen.
I was judging that round, and they called time right before he
crashed. We scored the flight. I think it is the first time we had an
incident and scored the flight because time was called before he
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:06 AM Page 77
78 MODEL AVIATION
landed. It was one of the best flights I
have seen, if not this weekend, then ever.
JTG: Wow! Are there highlights at a show
such as this for a judge?
GH: Yes. Jason Noll is such a great flier.
Jason typically ends up 80%-90% perfect.
His consistency is spooky.
JTG: Do you think that has more to do with
success, talent, or practice?
GH: I’m not a firm believer in natural
talent, because I know it only gets you so
far. Guys that are at the top of this game
have both. But if they didn’t put in the hard
work and dedication, you would not see the
level of performance that you see here.
JTG: I saw guys last night ranking in the
top 10 whose names I had never heard. Is
this where you go in the hobby to become
known as a great pilot?
GH: Before this there was the TOC and
the Don Lowe Masters. If you are going to
make a name for yourself in IMAC and
Freestyle, it’s going to be here or Tucson
[at the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout]. But
you’re right; I didn’t know some of the
guys on the podium either.
I also talked with John Schroder, about
his facility and event.
JTG: How did you get into RC?
JS: I was born into it. My father was the
publisher of Model Airplane News for 20
years. I always built model airplanes, and
we built our first RC plane in the late
1950s.
JTG: Have you always been into IMAC?
JS: I got started in IMAC in 1997.
JTG: So you are not from Tennessee, but
you decided to find a piece of property
and build an RC site?
JS: A dream I always had was to have my
own airstrip in my backyard. I worked hard
my whole life to get a little piece of heaven,
and we found it here in Tennessee.
JTG: Did you know you had found the
right spot when you walked out onto the
property?
JS: Yes sir, we did. We looked at this land in
the middle of February; it was freezing cold.
We did some research on the property—aerial
photos and drawings. We wanted to make
sure we had enough room. We fell in love
with the place. We have improved it a little
bit and it’s working out great.
JTG: Did you always have the idea that
you would have your own invitational
event?
JS: That came after the fact. We knew we
wanted to have contests here and continue
my IMAC school. When I found out the
Masters wasn’t going to happen anymore,
I decided to step up and get a TOC type of
competition going.
JTG: This is your second Clover Creek
Invitational. What did you learn from the
first one?
JS: Pick a good crew to run the show; that
makes it easy for you. I just sit back and
do a little maintenance once in a while.
JTG: Were there any highlights from this
year’s invitational that you want to mention
for the readers?
JS: I’m enjoying watching the high-quality
flying from these great pilots from all
around the world. It never ceases to amaze
me how much better they get each year. It’s
incredible, and I just want to keep this going
and watch these pilots get better each year.
JTG: Is there any advice you would give
young pilots who are coming up in the
hobby?
JS: You have to practice a lot. You need a
good mentor or coach. You need to find a
club with IMAC pilots.
Go to contests and introduce yourself.
Most IMAC pilots are willing to help the
younger generation. IMAC now has an
online flying guide that anyone can
access.
I learned a lot at the Clover Creek
International. It was great to see pilots I
have been around for years making great
flights, but even better was having my hat
blown off by up-and-coming pilots I
wasn’t aware of before. I’m a 3-D flier, so
naturally the Freestyle routines had my
attention.
Two pilots I had never seen fly before
the event were Gabriel Altuz of Puerto
Rico and, as I mentioned, Donatas
Pauzoulis. Lucky for you I videotaped
their Freestyles, because they are taking
the hobby to a new level.
Seeing the flights that all of the pilots
put in made me feel good about the hobby
and the future of RC in general. MA
Sources:
Clover Creek Aerodrome
www.clovercreekaerodrome.net
IMAC
www.mini-iac.com
Flying Giants Clover Creek 2010
coverage, George Hicks’s tips:
http://bit.ly/cwWJty
Flying Giants IMAC forum:
http://bit.ly/dzKyLW
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