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Practice, practice, practice ...
by Mike Riggs [email protected]
In early April, at 3:30 in the morning, I met my friend, Lorin Finney, and drove 300 miles to the District VIII 2012 judging seminar. The material that was covered and the ensuing discussion were a treasure trove of knowledge.
Given the opportunity, I recommend anybody with even a passing interest in Pattern attend a judging seminar. It will potentially make you a better pilot. Reading the rulebook and judges’ guide is boring—actually, it’s beyond boring; discussing maneuvers and downgrades with others is engaging.
It was a long, 18-hour day, which included 600 miles of driving, but the knowledge I gained was worth every mile driven.
Mother’s Day
After two practice flights in the early morning air, I sat alone in the desert, gathering thoughts for this column. The only sound was that of whistle pigs scurrying about and gunfire in the distance. Looking forward to the season opener, I was excited and apprehensive.
One more flight and it was time to go home and celebrate Mother’s Day with the family. Although it is sometimes a solitary experience, practice is a must. There is no substitute.
My flying isn’t the greatest. Usually it is only slightly better than the illusion of being in control.
The Baby-O, my 47-inch Osiris, has served me well despite abuse such as the full-stall landing incident using the left wheel pant and cowl as landing gear. Another time, my cold hand slipped when I was unplugging the battery connector, breaking the center bulkhead and splitting the fuselage side. Nothing a new propeller and a little Bob Smith CA couldn’t fix, but two practice sessions were cut short. Learning opportunities passed by.
Baby-O has made roughly 40 flights—not a lot, but it was the best I could muster between winter/spring weather and a busy schedule. I have learned much flying the aircraft. Rough air bounces Baby-O around a lot. It isn’t a stable, self-correcting trainer, thus it provides an excellent opportunity to practice corrections.
I never get in all needed corrections. Sometimes I even make the situation worse with the wrong correction, but hey, nobody I know has ever flown a perfect flight. “When the belly is up, rudder input moves the inside wingtip.” I can never seem to remember that little tidbit told to me long ago.
After watching me fly, people sometimes ask, “What was that maneuver you did (pointing) over there where you went (fill in the blank)?” To which I reply, “That was a botched (maneuver name) bailout.” The nice thing about aerobatics is that bailing out—altitude permitting—is an option.
Do you practice a mistake or two high? I do. With the 2012 season upon us, it is time to hang Baby-O on the wall and get the Insight down from the rafters. Intermediate, it’s time!
2012 Season Opener
The Red Apple Flyers of Wenatchee, Washington, hosted the first contest of the National Society of Radio Control Aerobatics (NSRCA) District VIII season during Memorial Day weekend. In typical early-season fashion, the conditions were challenging: sunny and warm, but windy. All day Saturday, a brisk wind blew in our faces. Sunday, the wind rotated down the runway out of the west with even more velocity.
Intermediate was hotly contested with a mere 30 (raw) points separating first place from third place. Each of the top three finishers had won two rounds, with yours truly on the short end of the points stick. After managing to win Intermediate rounds four and five, I fell apart in round six and finished in third place. Sunday, after winning round five in nearly the same wind, I didn’t want to fly in the 20-plus mph winds round six presented and I received the scores to prove it. I had too much time between rounds to think about the wind, but that was my problem and I needed to fix it. Congratulations go to Scott Stebbins in first place and Nathan Wingert who placed second in Intermediate.
Seeing Jeff Bellinger’s Black Magic up close was a real treat. Jeff flew his aircraft in Advanced and I had a front-row seat in the judge’s chair. Someday I will finish my Black Magic; life keeps getting in the way of my hobby.
Another treat was flying and socializing with a great group of Canadians. These men are a first-class act with immaculate airplanes and flying abilities. The biggest pleasure of all was watching Michi Akimoto fly.
This is Michi's third year flying Pattern and he won FAI in Wenatchee. Way to go, Michi! That is a remarkable feat. At the awards ceremony, fellow Canadian Dave Reaville commented that Michi had practiced flying FAI all winter. Michi showed he is a master of his craft.
Sunday morning, while watching Dave Reaville fly an F-13 practice flight, I saw a knife-edge loop and integrated full roll to top 90° for the first time. I didn't know an airplane could do that. The maneuver was a thing of beauty. If you haven't done so already, check out the F-13 sequence. It's a ballet in the sky.
Why I Fly in Contests
In my July column, I asked readers why they do not fly in contests. Because of publishing schedules, I haven't received any feedback yet, but thought I'd share the reason why I do.
It's simple: nothing I know of will make you a better pilot than entering a contest. No matter the discipline—Pattern, Scale, Pylon, Soaring, helicopters, or fun-flys—entering contests of any kind will make you a better pilot. The camaraderie, travel, excitement, and agony are icing on the cake. The reason I go to contests is to fly better.
Contests are the ultimate yardstick of piloting ability. There are no excuses for placing poorly other than being ill prepared. Whether it is because of your fingers or your equipment, being unprepared will earn you a spot on the wrong end of the standings.
Do you think you have mastered a maneuver? Fly it in front of judges with shaky hands and knocking knees at a strange field.
When I say, "Judges ready?" I stand proud, prepared to be judged by my peers. Regardless of the outcome, stepping in front of judges is an accomplishment in itself. It takes a certain amount of courage to step up and fly to be judged. Are you courageous?
I used to think that straight-and-level flight was easy—until I entered my first Pattern contest. Eight was my high score for Straight Flight Out at my first contest and that didn't happen until the last round. I remember being elated for receiving Straight Flight scores of eights and nines at that year's district championship. Like all Pattern maneuvers, Straight Flight is fairly easy; the devil is in the details of flying precisely.
How good of a pilot are you? Enter a contest and find out!
Senior Pattern Association
Before becoming involved in NSRCA, I belonged to the Senior Pattern Association (SPA). I built and flew a few SPA-legal airplanes. At the time, most SPA activity took...
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