Eric Henderson, 303 Shady Ln., Marlton NJ 08053; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL AEROBATICS
These contest judges may seem intimidating, but for the most
part they are just competitors like you and me.
The timekeeper gives you the signal, then you have three
minutes to start your engine and become a contestant.
At contests there will be many airplanes you might not have seen
before. Watch how they fly before you buy one!
You won’t always see a crowd this big at a contest, but there will
be many people there who will help you if you need it.
IN THE LAST column I mentioned the Freestyle Almost Ready-to-
Fly (ARF) model as a potentially very good airplane to start out with
in Aerobatics or as a model to use for lunchtime practice. The
Freestyle is definitely a good platform for more complex or violent
maneuvers, such as snaps, etc.
Well, wouldn’t you know it; I got the manufacturer’s name
wrong. It is so easy to mix up “globe” and “world”! The result was
that I got more than a dozen E-mails asking where to find the
airplane because the searches on the word “world” were not yielding
any path to the Freestyle. Several E-mails came that also gave me
the corrected information.
The following letter from Global Hobby Distributors’ Product
Manager Mike Greenshields (Hobby Shack/Hobby People, Global
Hobby Distributors, 18480 Bandilier Cir., Fountain Valley CA
92708; Tel.: [714] 964-0827, extension 308) contains the most
accurate information about the airplane. It is being printed to get the
correct information out there and to allow me to offer my apologies
for the error. (Now I know how to find out if you are reading the
column: just make one itty-bitty mistake!)
“The airplane you refer to in the article as being a World Models
Freestyle is actually a Global ARF Freestyle, one of our many ARF
aircraft offerings. I am quite pleased that you have enjoyed the plane
so much.
“I was just hoping you could maybe make a correction about this
in your next article. Please feel free to contact me if you have any
comments or questions or requests.”
In a prior column I wondered how well the new YS 140 DZ would
perform in 2002. It did well at the 2002 AMA Precision Aerobatics
Nationals, especially in Masters and Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale (FAI). The YS 140 DZ users in FAI placed first, third,
and fifth. In Masters the engine users placed first, second, and fifth.
Although YS did well in general, it was clear that the two-strokes
were infiltrating the Advanced and Intermediate classes in some
force. The really good news is that the choice of engines is
getting broader for all of us.
68 MODEL AVIATION
02sig3.QXD 11.21.02 1:48 pm Page 68
The day before a recent Pattern contest in Bridgewater,
Massachusetts, a Radio Control (RC) pilot showed up and expressed
some interest in competing. He was counseled, advised, and helped
by several Pattern pilots. He showed up the next day and proceeded
to win Sportsman on his first try.
For those of you who are curious and/or might like to enter a
contest, this month’s Frequently-Asked Question is How does a
contest work?
A Precision Aerobatics contest is really just a somewhat eclectic
bunch of RC pilots trying to see who can do a series of preordained
aerobatic maneuvers better than the others. The “bunch” will be
made up of varying degrees of skill and accomplishments.
Tony Stillman came well prepared for a little 2002 Nationals
fieldwork. Make sure you bring what you might need!
The contest will most likely be made up of five possible
Aerobatics classes. Each class has a name and an identity number;
FAI is 406, Masters is 404, Advanced is 403, Intermediate is 402,
and Sportsman is 401. You can fly in one of these classes, so there
are really five contests within a contest.
Pilots choose a class then practice the maneuver schedule flown
in that class. You can find the rules and maneuvers in the AMA
contest handbook. AMA rule books can be ordered from AMA
Headquarters. You can also find this information at
http://modelaircraft.org/templates/ama/ or the National Society of
Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) Web site: http://nsrca.org/.
Contests can last one or two days. They consist of any number
of rounds per class. In a round, all the pilots in a class are given the
opportunity to fly the maneuvers in that class. One round can be a
contest if, for example, there is bad weather. If multiple rounds are
flown, the pilot gets to throw away some of the lower-scored
rounds. In a four-round contest, the best three rounds are totaled. In
a five- or six-round contest, the best four scores are counted.
To prepare for a contest, you would obviously need to practice
flying. Beyond that, there is a lot that you can do to be ready. Given
a preference, you do not want to be tuning an engine or dialing a
radio seconds before you compete. “Plane practice” is a good
practice. The engine should be set to run reliably. The model should
fly “hands-off,” and you should be sure of what it will really do
when you pull or push or roll the little “monster.”
Beyond that, you need spare plugs, propellers, etc. Make sure
that your starter motor and ni-starters are fully charged. Take the
right tools. It is good to have enough of what it takes to make a field
repair. (I am holding back on what I advise you to take because I
have reached almost legendary status with how much stuff I take to
a contest, but if you finish up catching the Pattern bug, you could
easily have driven hundreds of miles to be at a contest. You do not
want to be grounded for lack of that one little screw or tool or an
engine part.)
Getting to the contest can be the hardest part. Most club or
contest sites are in secluded areas. You will
get good directions if you call the contest
directors (CDs); they want you to be there.
The information is often available on the
Internet. The NSRCA Web site has all the
sanctioned AMA contests listed by
geography. You will also find all types of
contests in Model Aviation’s “Contest
Calendar.”
It is a good practice to carry all of the
necessary telephone numbers with you when
you go to contests. Most important of all,
allow yourself plenty of travel time. This
will give you the room to arrive without
getting all stressed out.
Think carefully about whom you would
like to take with you. You might need some
moral support, but you also need to be able
to concentrate without a lot of distractions.
A flying buddy is often a good support agent
at your first contest. It is even better if the
resulting involvement is that both of you get
into the sport.
One big support-equipment item to take
with you to a contest is a chair. Take two,
then you have created an invitation for
people to sit next to you and chat; this
becomes a great time to pick someone’s
brain. Timing is everything. I have a big tip
for you: try to avoid talking the ears off a
pilot as he/she is assembling the airplane.
The pilot will be focused and might not give
you the information you need. Two other
bad times are when the pilot is about to start
the engine and just after a flight; there is too
much adrenaline flowing at those points.
Other good tools to use are a pencil/pen
and paper to write down names, notes, tips,
etc. Video cameras can be used to capture
how other pilots flew the routines. One idea
is to film the winners or leaders to see
exactly what they were doing. It may be fun
to show your buddies back at your local
field or at a club night.
Do not be intimidated by the equipment.
People being people will invest in “better”
equipment long before their skills have
developed. Look in the “average” golfer’s
golf bag; often you will find a $500-$1,000
driver sitting in there, yet you can outdrive
that high-tech stick with your beaten-up,
“cheapo” three iron. Sure, a good airplane
helps, but not as much as an improved pilot.
To enter a contest you will need your
AMA card and the contest fee. Lately they
seem to be near the $30-$40 range. Please
pay attention to the frequency system being
used. It may not be the normal system used
at that field. Remember to return the radio
and pin to the transmitter impound after you
have flown. It’s easy to forget, and it really
slows down the contest if someone is
waiting for the frequency.
When your turn comes to fly, make sure
you have filled your model’s fuel tank. At
most contests you need to fill in your name
and the class in which you are flying on a
score sheet and give it to the judges and
their scribes. You have three minutes to start
the engine and have your airplane carried
out to the flightline. Keep an eye on the
judges in case they tell you to hold up for a
model that may be landing or still on the
runway.
You will definitely need a caller to keep
your head straight during the flight. If you
have traveled alone to the contest, make sure
the CD knows that. There will always be
someone who can call and spot for you.
Of all the things I told you to bring, there
is one thing you should try to leave behind:
your ego! You will get some feedback that
you might not like. Your skill at the local
field may be unquestioned, but when
performing a Precision Aerobatics routine
you will find that most, if not all, of your
maneuvers are less than perfect.
This can be (and I still find it to be) a
most humbling experience. Gone are the
feelings that you can pilot a model perfectly.
They are, of course, not judging you as a
person, but judging what you do with an
airplane against a predetermined
requirement. They have rules and guidelines
stating what you are supposed to do. If you
do not read these rules before you fly, you
will find them just as beneficial after you
fly. It’s a great education—trust me.
I have one piece of advice for you to
enjoy a contest: fly for yourself and your
own enjoyment. It works!
Until the next contest … MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/02
Page Numbers: 68,70,72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/02
Page Numbers: 68,70,72
Eric Henderson, 303 Shady Ln., Marlton NJ 08053; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL AEROBATICS
These contest judges may seem intimidating, but for the most
part they are just competitors like you and me.
The timekeeper gives you the signal, then you have three
minutes to start your engine and become a contestant.
At contests there will be many airplanes you might not have seen
before. Watch how they fly before you buy one!
You won’t always see a crowd this big at a contest, but there will
be many people there who will help you if you need it.
IN THE LAST column I mentioned the Freestyle Almost Ready-to-
Fly (ARF) model as a potentially very good airplane to start out with
in Aerobatics or as a model to use for lunchtime practice. The
Freestyle is definitely a good platform for more complex or violent
maneuvers, such as snaps, etc.
Well, wouldn’t you know it; I got the manufacturer’s name
wrong. It is so easy to mix up “globe” and “world”! The result was
that I got more than a dozen E-mails asking where to find the
airplane because the searches on the word “world” were not yielding
any path to the Freestyle. Several E-mails came that also gave me
the corrected information.
The following letter from Global Hobby Distributors’ Product
Manager Mike Greenshields (Hobby Shack/Hobby People, Global
Hobby Distributors, 18480 Bandilier Cir., Fountain Valley CA
92708; Tel.: [714] 964-0827, extension 308) contains the most
accurate information about the airplane. It is being printed to get the
correct information out there and to allow me to offer my apologies
for the error. (Now I know how to find out if you are reading the
column: just make one itty-bitty mistake!)
“The airplane you refer to in the article as being a World Models
Freestyle is actually a Global ARF Freestyle, one of our many ARF
aircraft offerings. I am quite pleased that you have enjoyed the plane
so much.
“I was just hoping you could maybe make a correction about this
in your next article. Please feel free to contact me if you have any
comments or questions or requests.”
In a prior column I wondered how well the new YS 140 DZ would
perform in 2002. It did well at the 2002 AMA Precision Aerobatics
Nationals, especially in Masters and Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale (FAI). The YS 140 DZ users in FAI placed first, third,
and fifth. In Masters the engine users placed first, second, and fifth.
Although YS did well in general, it was clear that the two-strokes
were infiltrating the Advanced and Intermediate classes in some
force. The really good news is that the choice of engines is
getting broader for all of us.
68 MODEL AVIATION
02sig3.QXD 11.21.02 1:48 pm Page 68
The day before a recent Pattern contest in Bridgewater,
Massachusetts, a Radio Control (RC) pilot showed up and expressed
some interest in competing. He was counseled, advised, and helped
by several Pattern pilots. He showed up the next day and proceeded
to win Sportsman on his first try.
For those of you who are curious and/or might like to enter a
contest, this month’s Frequently-Asked Question is How does a
contest work?
A Precision Aerobatics contest is really just a somewhat eclectic
bunch of RC pilots trying to see who can do a series of preordained
aerobatic maneuvers better than the others. The “bunch” will be
made up of varying degrees of skill and accomplishments.
Tony Stillman came well prepared for a little 2002 Nationals
fieldwork. Make sure you bring what you might need!
The contest will most likely be made up of five possible
Aerobatics classes. Each class has a name and an identity number;
FAI is 406, Masters is 404, Advanced is 403, Intermediate is 402,
and Sportsman is 401. You can fly in one of these classes, so there
are really five contests within a contest.
Pilots choose a class then practice the maneuver schedule flown
in that class. You can find the rules and maneuvers in the AMA
contest handbook. AMA rule books can be ordered from AMA
Headquarters. You can also find this information at
http://modelaircraft.org/templates/ama/ or the National Society of
Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) Web site: http://nsrca.org/.
Contests can last one or two days. They consist of any number
of rounds per class. In a round, all the pilots in a class are given the
opportunity to fly the maneuvers in that class. One round can be a
contest if, for example, there is bad weather. If multiple rounds are
flown, the pilot gets to throw away some of the lower-scored
rounds. In a four-round contest, the best three rounds are totaled. In
a five- or six-round contest, the best four scores are counted.
To prepare for a contest, you would obviously need to practice
flying. Beyond that, there is a lot that you can do to be ready. Given
a preference, you do not want to be tuning an engine or dialing a
radio seconds before you compete. “Plane practice” is a good
practice. The engine should be set to run reliably. The model should
fly “hands-off,” and you should be sure of what it will really do
when you pull or push or roll the little “monster.”
Beyond that, you need spare plugs, propellers, etc. Make sure
that your starter motor and ni-starters are fully charged. Take the
right tools. It is good to have enough of what it takes to make a field
repair. (I am holding back on what I advise you to take because I
have reached almost legendary status with how much stuff I take to
a contest, but if you finish up catching the Pattern bug, you could
easily have driven hundreds of miles to be at a contest. You do not
want to be grounded for lack of that one little screw or tool or an
engine part.)
Getting to the contest can be the hardest part. Most club or
contest sites are in secluded areas. You will
get good directions if you call the contest
directors (CDs); they want you to be there.
The information is often available on the
Internet. The NSRCA Web site has all the
sanctioned AMA contests listed by
geography. You will also find all types of
contests in Model Aviation’s “Contest
Calendar.”
It is a good practice to carry all of the
necessary telephone numbers with you when
you go to contests. Most important of all,
allow yourself plenty of travel time. This
will give you the room to arrive without
getting all stressed out.
Think carefully about whom you would
like to take with you. You might need some
moral support, but you also need to be able
to concentrate without a lot of distractions.
A flying buddy is often a good support agent
at your first contest. It is even better if the
resulting involvement is that both of you get
into the sport.
One big support-equipment item to take
with you to a contest is a chair. Take two,
then you have created an invitation for
people to sit next to you and chat; this
becomes a great time to pick someone’s
brain. Timing is everything. I have a big tip
for you: try to avoid talking the ears off a
pilot as he/she is assembling the airplane.
The pilot will be focused and might not give
you the information you need. Two other
bad times are when the pilot is about to start
the engine and just after a flight; there is too
much adrenaline flowing at those points.
Other good tools to use are a pencil/pen
and paper to write down names, notes, tips,
etc. Video cameras can be used to capture
how other pilots flew the routines. One idea
is to film the winners or leaders to see
exactly what they were doing. It may be fun
to show your buddies back at your local
field or at a club night.
Do not be intimidated by the equipment.
People being people will invest in “better”
equipment long before their skills have
developed. Look in the “average” golfer’s
golf bag; often you will find a $500-$1,000
driver sitting in there, yet you can outdrive
that high-tech stick with your beaten-up,
“cheapo” three iron. Sure, a good airplane
helps, but not as much as an improved pilot.
To enter a contest you will need your
AMA card and the contest fee. Lately they
seem to be near the $30-$40 range. Please
pay attention to the frequency system being
used. It may not be the normal system used
at that field. Remember to return the radio
and pin to the transmitter impound after you
have flown. It’s easy to forget, and it really
slows down the contest if someone is
waiting for the frequency.
When your turn comes to fly, make sure
you have filled your model’s fuel tank. At
most contests you need to fill in your name
and the class in which you are flying on a
score sheet and give it to the judges and
their scribes. You have three minutes to start
the engine and have your airplane carried
out to the flightline. Keep an eye on the
judges in case they tell you to hold up for a
model that may be landing or still on the
runway.
You will definitely need a caller to keep
your head straight during the flight. If you
have traveled alone to the contest, make sure
the CD knows that. There will always be
someone who can call and spot for you.
Of all the things I told you to bring, there
is one thing you should try to leave behind:
your ego! You will get some feedback that
you might not like. Your skill at the local
field may be unquestioned, but when
performing a Precision Aerobatics routine
you will find that most, if not all, of your
maneuvers are less than perfect.
This can be (and I still find it to be) a
most humbling experience. Gone are the
feelings that you can pilot a model perfectly.
They are, of course, not judging you as a
person, but judging what you do with an
airplane against a predetermined
requirement. They have rules and guidelines
stating what you are supposed to do. If you
do not read these rules before you fly, you
will find them just as beneficial after you
fly. It’s a great education—trust me.
I have one piece of advice for you to
enjoy a contest: fly for yourself and your
own enjoyment. It works!
Until the next contest … MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/02
Page Numbers: 68,70,72
Eric Henderson, 303 Shady Ln., Marlton NJ 08053; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL AEROBATICS
These contest judges may seem intimidating, but for the most
part they are just competitors like you and me.
The timekeeper gives you the signal, then you have three
minutes to start your engine and become a contestant.
At contests there will be many airplanes you might not have seen
before. Watch how they fly before you buy one!
You won’t always see a crowd this big at a contest, but there will
be many people there who will help you if you need it.
IN THE LAST column I mentioned the Freestyle Almost Ready-to-
Fly (ARF) model as a potentially very good airplane to start out with
in Aerobatics or as a model to use for lunchtime practice. The
Freestyle is definitely a good platform for more complex or violent
maneuvers, such as snaps, etc.
Well, wouldn’t you know it; I got the manufacturer’s name
wrong. It is so easy to mix up “globe” and “world”! The result was
that I got more than a dozen E-mails asking where to find the
airplane because the searches on the word “world” were not yielding
any path to the Freestyle. Several E-mails came that also gave me
the corrected information.
The following letter from Global Hobby Distributors’ Product
Manager Mike Greenshields (Hobby Shack/Hobby People, Global
Hobby Distributors, 18480 Bandilier Cir., Fountain Valley CA
92708; Tel.: [714] 964-0827, extension 308) contains the most
accurate information about the airplane. It is being printed to get the
correct information out there and to allow me to offer my apologies
for the error. (Now I know how to find out if you are reading the
column: just make one itty-bitty mistake!)
“The airplane you refer to in the article as being a World Models
Freestyle is actually a Global ARF Freestyle, one of our many ARF
aircraft offerings. I am quite pleased that you have enjoyed the plane
so much.
“I was just hoping you could maybe make a correction about this
in your next article. Please feel free to contact me if you have any
comments or questions or requests.”
In a prior column I wondered how well the new YS 140 DZ would
perform in 2002. It did well at the 2002 AMA Precision Aerobatics
Nationals, especially in Masters and Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale (FAI). The YS 140 DZ users in FAI placed first, third,
and fifth. In Masters the engine users placed first, second, and fifth.
Although YS did well in general, it was clear that the two-strokes
were infiltrating the Advanced and Intermediate classes in some
force. The really good news is that the choice of engines is
getting broader for all of us.
68 MODEL AVIATION
02sig3.QXD 11.21.02 1:48 pm Page 68
The day before a recent Pattern contest in Bridgewater,
Massachusetts, a Radio Control (RC) pilot showed up and expressed
some interest in competing. He was counseled, advised, and helped
by several Pattern pilots. He showed up the next day and proceeded
to win Sportsman on his first try.
For those of you who are curious and/or might like to enter a
contest, this month’s Frequently-Asked Question is How does a
contest work?
A Precision Aerobatics contest is really just a somewhat eclectic
bunch of RC pilots trying to see who can do a series of preordained
aerobatic maneuvers better than the others. The “bunch” will be
made up of varying degrees of skill and accomplishments.
Tony Stillman came well prepared for a little 2002 Nationals
fieldwork. Make sure you bring what you might need!
The contest will most likely be made up of five possible
Aerobatics classes. Each class has a name and an identity number;
FAI is 406, Masters is 404, Advanced is 403, Intermediate is 402,
and Sportsman is 401. You can fly in one of these classes, so there
are really five contests within a contest.
Pilots choose a class then practice the maneuver schedule flown
in that class. You can find the rules and maneuvers in the AMA
contest handbook. AMA rule books can be ordered from AMA
Headquarters. You can also find this information at
http://modelaircraft.org/templates/ama/ or the National Society of
Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) Web site: http://nsrca.org/.
Contests can last one or two days. They consist of any number
of rounds per class. In a round, all the pilots in a class are given the
opportunity to fly the maneuvers in that class. One round can be a
contest if, for example, there is bad weather. If multiple rounds are
flown, the pilot gets to throw away some of the lower-scored
rounds. In a four-round contest, the best three rounds are totaled. In
a five- or six-round contest, the best four scores are counted.
To prepare for a contest, you would obviously need to practice
flying. Beyond that, there is a lot that you can do to be ready. Given
a preference, you do not want to be tuning an engine or dialing a
radio seconds before you compete. “Plane practice” is a good
practice. The engine should be set to run reliably. The model should
fly “hands-off,” and you should be sure of what it will really do
when you pull or push or roll the little “monster.”
Beyond that, you need spare plugs, propellers, etc. Make sure
that your starter motor and ni-starters are fully charged. Take the
right tools. It is good to have enough of what it takes to make a field
repair. (I am holding back on what I advise you to take because I
have reached almost legendary status with how much stuff I take to
a contest, but if you finish up catching the Pattern bug, you could
easily have driven hundreds of miles to be at a contest. You do not
want to be grounded for lack of that one little screw or tool or an
engine part.)
Getting to the contest can be the hardest part. Most club or
contest sites are in secluded areas. You will
get good directions if you call the contest
directors (CDs); they want you to be there.
The information is often available on the
Internet. The NSRCA Web site has all the
sanctioned AMA contests listed by
geography. You will also find all types of
contests in Model Aviation’s “Contest
Calendar.”
It is a good practice to carry all of the
necessary telephone numbers with you when
you go to contests. Most important of all,
allow yourself plenty of travel time. This
will give you the room to arrive without
getting all stressed out.
Think carefully about whom you would
like to take with you. You might need some
moral support, but you also need to be able
to concentrate without a lot of distractions.
A flying buddy is often a good support agent
at your first contest. It is even better if the
resulting involvement is that both of you get
into the sport.
One big support-equipment item to take
with you to a contest is a chair. Take two,
then you have created an invitation for
people to sit next to you and chat; this
becomes a great time to pick someone’s
brain. Timing is everything. I have a big tip
for you: try to avoid talking the ears off a
pilot as he/she is assembling the airplane.
The pilot will be focused and might not give
you the information you need. Two other
bad times are when the pilot is about to start
the engine and just after a flight; there is too
much adrenaline flowing at those points.
Other good tools to use are a pencil/pen
and paper to write down names, notes, tips,
etc. Video cameras can be used to capture
how other pilots flew the routines. One idea
is to film the winners or leaders to see
exactly what they were doing. It may be fun
to show your buddies back at your local
field or at a club night.
Do not be intimidated by the equipment.
People being people will invest in “better”
equipment long before their skills have
developed. Look in the “average” golfer’s
golf bag; often you will find a $500-$1,000
driver sitting in there, yet you can outdrive
that high-tech stick with your beaten-up,
“cheapo” three iron. Sure, a good airplane
helps, but not as much as an improved pilot.
To enter a contest you will need your
AMA card and the contest fee. Lately they
seem to be near the $30-$40 range. Please
pay attention to the frequency system being
used. It may not be the normal system used
at that field. Remember to return the radio
and pin to the transmitter impound after you
have flown. It’s easy to forget, and it really
slows down the contest if someone is
waiting for the frequency.
When your turn comes to fly, make sure
you have filled your model’s fuel tank. At
most contests you need to fill in your name
and the class in which you are flying on a
score sheet and give it to the judges and
their scribes. You have three minutes to start
the engine and have your airplane carried
out to the flightline. Keep an eye on the
judges in case they tell you to hold up for a
model that may be landing or still on the
runway.
You will definitely need a caller to keep
your head straight during the flight. If you
have traveled alone to the contest, make sure
the CD knows that. There will always be
someone who can call and spot for you.
Of all the things I told you to bring, there
is one thing you should try to leave behind:
your ego! You will get some feedback that
you might not like. Your skill at the local
field may be unquestioned, but when
performing a Precision Aerobatics routine
you will find that most, if not all, of your
maneuvers are less than perfect.
This can be (and I still find it to be) a
most humbling experience. Gone are the
feelings that you can pilot a model perfectly.
They are, of course, not judging you as a
person, but judging what you do with an
airplane against a predetermined
requirement. They have rules and guidelines
stating what you are supposed to do. If you
do not read these rules before you fly, you
will find them just as beneficial after you
fly. It’s a great education—trust me.
I have one piece of advice for you to
enjoy a contest: fly for yourself and your
own enjoyment. It works!
Until the next contest … MA
