120 MODEL AVIATION
then move up to Intermediate next year.”
Pedro Jordan Jr. was the Intermediate-class winner. He’s been
flying for 15 years but competing for only the last four years. He
said:
“This season I’ve flown in all five contests in Florida and I
tried to get to the contest in Pensacola. My goal from last year was
to return to the Nats.
Interviews with each of the winners from the 2006 IMAC Nats
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Aerobatics Mike Hurley
Pilot: Kevin Cole
Class: Sportsman
Aircraft: Composite-ARF Extra 260
Engine: 3W-157CS with canister mufflers
Radio: JR 10X
Sponsors: Troy Built Models, Cactus Aviation
THE AMA NATS took place in June and July. The International
Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) is the governing body for
Scale Aerobatics competition, and the IMAC Nats was completed
the first week in July. If you’d like to read coverage of the event,
go to the AMA online magazine NatsNews at www.modelaircraft
.org/events/natsnews.asp for daily write-ups by Brad Jorgenson
and Michael Ramsey.
For something different I thought it would be interesting to
talk to the winners in each class and get an idea of what it takes to
compete with some of the best pilots in the country. I interviewed
each pilot after his class win about the importance of the Nats and
the preparation a Nats class winner goes through to be on top.
Kevin Cole won the Sportsman class this year. He has been
flying for only four years and competing for just one year! He
said the following.
“To get ready for the Nats I did two contests in Houston and
one in Little Rock. I was practicing three or four times per week.
It was a goal I set out at the first of the year: to go to the Nats and
do my best.
“This is when my friends, here in Shreveport, Jeremy Holts
and Jonas Farr and I decided to do the IMAC season and I set a
goal to win the Nats. I’d also like to go out and win the Tucson
Aerobatic Shootout this year.
“To prepare we’d go out and practice the sequence eight or 10
times a day. But then we’d 3-D at the end just so we could have
fun. My airplane took about two to three months getting it dialed
in exactly on the CG, the up-thrust of the engine, and getting the
trim set. It took a lot of effort, moving the CG around and getting
the deflections right so it would track just right.
“In my radio I have a snap mode which is my low rate, and
then I have a roller or hammerhead-type stall turn rate, and also a
3-D rate. I feel the equipment was the whole part of success; the
servos, the airplane, the engine—without those three items
[performing well], who knows? My next step is to go to Tucson,
Pilot: Pedro Jordan Jr.
Class: Intermediate
Aircraft: 41% 3W Votec 322
Engine: 3W-150QS
Radio: JR 10X
Sponsors: None, but he’s available!
Pilot: Stephen Hamilton
Class: Advanced
Aircraft: 42% Aerotech Velox
Engine: 3W-157CS
Radio: Futaba
Sponsors: Aerotech, 3W, Futaba, Fromeco
10sig4.QXD 8/24/06 1:01 PM Page 120October 2006 121
Pilot: Kyle Woyshnis
Class: Freestyle
Aircraft: 40% Carden Extra 330S
Engine: DA-150 with canisters
Radio: Futaba 9C
Sponsors: Hobby Outlets, SmartFly, Fromeco
Pilot: Jason Noll
Class: Unlimited
Aircraft: Krill Model 39% Katana
Engine: DA-150 with Manfred Reeves tuned pipes
Radio: JR (not a typo)
Sponsors: Desert Aircraft, JR, Aero-Grafix, RC Groups,
Krill Model
“Last year the Votec only had about 10 flights on it. So I was
still learning the aircraft; it wasn’t dialed in. But my goal this year
was to return and try to be the National Champion.
“The way I started to practice was to fly the maneuvers that
made me uncomfortable. For me, a 4-point roll to the left is
uncomfortable. So I’d go out and I’d fly back and forth doing 4-
points to the left, where both sticks have to go toward the center.
“It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you put a horizontal
maneuver with a 4-point, opposite half snap you have to go to
your weak side to execute the maneuver properly because of a
crosswind or something it becomes a big deal.
“My practice schedule was very aggressive in the beginning of
the year and, embarrassingly enough, between the contest in
Tampa which was in the middle of April until July I only
practiced twice.
“But it was very regimented practice; I would draw out a
bunch of Unknowns with maneuvers that I felt would be either in
our Unknowns at the Nats or maneuvers with elements that are in
the Advanced sequence. I always try to fly at a level above what I
fly in.
“So I would fly the Advanced Known, the Unlimited Known,
then I would fly two or three Unknowns as if I were in a contest—
with the start-up routine, with takeoff, entering the box, speaking
to the judges, and afterward I would break and land like I was in a
contest, mimicking the contest atmosphere as closely as I could.
“I stopped in South Carolina to fly a practice session and fly in
an environment with less humidity so I could tune the engine, and
even when I got to the Nats the first day I was very lean. I also
added a little bit more control throw to make up for the thinner air
in Indiana.
“I don’t use any special mixes. I fly flight modes on the advice
of Quique Somenzini’s articles. Ninety percent of my flying is
done on general flight mode with very little rudder or elevator,
and I have a flight mode for positive snaps and a flight mode for
negative snaps, which changes the degree of deflection on the
rudder and elevator.
“Equipment plays a big factor, but I don’t worry about it too
much. The airplane was flying great, it was trimmed, so I could
really just go up and concentrate on flying.
“I’d like to be the Southeast regional champion also, so I
would have both the national and regional championship. I have
the points and I think I’ve locked up the championship for the
Southeast Region. My concern now is being able to make the top
10 in enough contests to be able to fly the Advanced class in the
next Regionals.
“Tomorrow I’m going to fly the Advanced sequence in a
competition arena. I’ve got some guys that are going to meet me
and walk me through it. I can fly it, but not proficiently enough to
be competitive.”
Stephen Hamilton won Advanced this year and earned the
Bennett Cup: the award for the most accumulated points during
the contest. By the end of the Nats, CD Mark Jorgenson was
referring to Stephen as “the Dominator.” He is 16 years old and
has been flying for six years and competing for five. Here’s
Stephen:
“So far this year I’ve flown in the event in Boca Raton, then
the AMPS in Miami, then Venice IMAC, and the spring classic in
Tampa. Competing on a national level is very important to me—
to do well on a national level.
“I practice every day. I go to an IMAC summer school with
John Schroeder and he’s been training me. This is my third year. I
go with him for about three or four weeks. We go pretty much
every day after work unless it’s raining hard. But usually we fly in
the rain unless it’s pouring. You gotta practice!
“Practicing in the wind turned out to be important because we
had a couple of windy days, and that really helped me move ahead
of all the other guys. John Schroeder threw a lot of Unlimited
Unknowns at me. So when I got to the Nats, the Advanced
Unknowns were a piece of cake.
“To prepare my airplane for a contest I want to make sure the
engine is turning the right rpm and has enough pull so I can do my
maneuvers without having to fight the airplane. I also set the
thrust—making sure that’s perfect so in a wind situation I don’t
have to fight the airplane in an up-line.
“I only fly one flight mode. I know a lot of people flip
10sig4.QXD 8/24/06 1:03 PM Page 121switches, but I just fly one mode: same
elevator, same aileron, same rudder, and
same everything for snaps, rolls, everything.
“My equipment is very important. All
of it performed flawlessly. The Aerotech
airplane performed very well, especially in
the wind. Next year I’m moving up to
Unlimited. It’s definitely going to be a lot
tougher but I’m looking forward to it.”
Jason Noll is only 25 years old, but he’s
been flying for more than 18 years and
competing for 10. The word on the circuit
is that he is working harder than any other
competitor out there, and it’s starting to
show.
Jason recently won the most
prestigious contest in the US for Freestyle
aerobatics: the Extreme Flight
Championships, or XFC. He is working to
keep himself among the top of the world’s
best RC pilots, and so far his season
successes put him squarely in the front.
Jason talked about his preparation for
the Nats and this year’s contest season.
“There was a three-week gap since the
XFC. I practiced for all three weeks
straight, every day for about three or four
hours. That’s about what I fly every day
now.
“I don’t do a lot of local contests; I
mostly just practice for the big events.
Practicing for the Nats and winning was
good momentum for me going into the
Don Lowe Masters. It was good to go and
stand in front of some judges; [it’s] good
for your confidence!
“In practice I don’t worry about hitting
snaps. That’s the last thing on my mind.
No matter how much you practice snaps,
you’re always going to miss one in a
contest.
“What I try to focus on is geometry in
the maneuver and making sure everything
is where it’s supposed to be and all the
segments are centered on the lines. If I’ve
got that done, then I start working on
trying to hit snaps, but that’s last priority.
“Generally I don’t use special flight
modes. I do set up my flight modes for the
particular sequences. If there’s a one-roll
rolling circle in a sequence, I make sure I
have a flight mode for that. I don’t use
modes for snaps or any other maneuvers.
I’m going switchless this year. It’s harder
but it’s a lot less stuff you have to worry
about.
“It’s very important to have good
equipment, but it won’t make me fly any
better, flying different stuff. Equipment
may make my life a little bit easier; my
new servos are making a difference in my
airplane, but it won’t make me fly any
better.
“For this year the Don Lowe Masters is
my biggest challenge and I will be hitting
the flying circuit every year. I’m not
122 MODEL AVIATION
certain yet about getting to the Tucson
Shootout.”
Kyle Woyshnis earned the Freestyle win.
He has been flying for four years and
competing in IMAC for three. Kyle has
also won an electric indoor Tournament
of Champions Freestyle event flying
against some of the best pilots in the
sport. Here’s how Kyle prepares to
compete:
“I flew four local events leading up to
the Nats. The Nats is a big contest, but I
really go for fun and to hang out with the
people I just don’t normally get to hang
out with.
“The last time I flew IMAC before the
Nats was about three weeks before the
event. For the Freestyle—it was the first
time I flew that sequence. I had the music
mix all made up and listened to it over
and over again and pictured what the
airplane should be doing at certain times,
and it worked out pretty well.
“I don’t spend a lot of time preparing
my equipment; I just slapped everything
in there. I’m not very good at setup. I
have low rates for IMAC and high rates
for 3-D, and put a little expo in and we’re
good from there. I just trim it for level
flight—no mixes or anything.
“My equipment is very important. I
blew out a canister at the event so I had a
dead-stick during the sequence. It was
the first time I’d ever dead-sticked that
airplane in the three years I’ve had it.
Once we replaced the canister it was
good as new.
“I think the airplane overall was really
reliable and I don’t really do too much
maintenance on it. It kind of keeps itself
together.
“I’ll probably go to Tucson later this
year, then the Nats again next year. This
is my last year of high school then I’ll be
starting college. Once I start college I’m
not sure how much I’ll be flying after
that. I’m hoping to keep with it, but I
don’t know how it will go.”
With a few exceptions, there are some
interesting similarities between these
National Champions. In general these
guys are young and ambitious, they are
dedicated to competing, and they are
determined to excel. And most of them
are disciplined and motivated.
Have you ever wondered what it takes
to be the best? The secrets have been
revealed. Now all you have to do is ask
yourself if you have the mettle to get out
there and do it for yourself. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 120,121,122
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 120,121,122
120 MODEL AVIATION
then move up to Intermediate next year.”
Pedro Jordan Jr. was the Intermediate-class winner. He’s been
flying for 15 years but competing for only the last four years. He
said:
“This season I’ve flown in all five contests in Florida and I
tried to get to the contest in Pensacola. My goal from last year was
to return to the Nats.
Interviews with each of the winners from the 2006 IMAC Nats
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Aerobatics Mike Hurley
Pilot: Kevin Cole
Class: Sportsman
Aircraft: Composite-ARF Extra 260
Engine: 3W-157CS with canister mufflers
Radio: JR 10X
Sponsors: Troy Built Models, Cactus Aviation
THE AMA NATS took place in June and July. The International
Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) is the governing body for
Scale Aerobatics competition, and the IMAC Nats was completed
the first week in July. If you’d like to read coverage of the event,
go to the AMA online magazine NatsNews at www.modelaircraft
.org/events/natsnews.asp for daily write-ups by Brad Jorgenson
and Michael Ramsey.
For something different I thought it would be interesting to
talk to the winners in each class and get an idea of what it takes to
compete with some of the best pilots in the country. I interviewed
each pilot after his class win about the importance of the Nats and
the preparation a Nats class winner goes through to be on top.
Kevin Cole won the Sportsman class this year. He has been
flying for only four years and competing for just one year! He
said the following.
“To get ready for the Nats I did two contests in Houston and
one in Little Rock. I was practicing three or four times per week.
It was a goal I set out at the first of the year: to go to the Nats and
do my best.
“This is when my friends, here in Shreveport, Jeremy Holts
and Jonas Farr and I decided to do the IMAC season and I set a
goal to win the Nats. I’d also like to go out and win the Tucson
Aerobatic Shootout this year.
“To prepare we’d go out and practice the sequence eight or 10
times a day. But then we’d 3-D at the end just so we could have
fun. My airplane took about two to three months getting it dialed
in exactly on the CG, the up-thrust of the engine, and getting the
trim set. It took a lot of effort, moving the CG around and getting
the deflections right so it would track just right.
“In my radio I have a snap mode which is my low rate, and
then I have a roller or hammerhead-type stall turn rate, and also a
3-D rate. I feel the equipment was the whole part of success; the
servos, the airplane, the engine—without those three items
[performing well], who knows? My next step is to go to Tucson,
Pilot: Pedro Jordan Jr.
Class: Intermediate
Aircraft: 41% 3W Votec 322
Engine: 3W-150QS
Radio: JR 10X
Sponsors: None, but he’s available!
Pilot: Stephen Hamilton
Class: Advanced
Aircraft: 42% Aerotech Velox
Engine: 3W-157CS
Radio: Futaba
Sponsors: Aerotech, 3W, Futaba, Fromeco
10sig4.QXD 8/24/06 1:01 PM Page 120October 2006 121
Pilot: Kyle Woyshnis
Class: Freestyle
Aircraft: 40% Carden Extra 330S
Engine: DA-150 with canisters
Radio: Futaba 9C
Sponsors: Hobby Outlets, SmartFly, Fromeco
Pilot: Jason Noll
Class: Unlimited
Aircraft: Krill Model 39% Katana
Engine: DA-150 with Manfred Reeves tuned pipes
Radio: JR (not a typo)
Sponsors: Desert Aircraft, JR, Aero-Grafix, RC Groups,
Krill Model
“Last year the Votec only had about 10 flights on it. So I was
still learning the aircraft; it wasn’t dialed in. But my goal this year
was to return and try to be the National Champion.
“The way I started to practice was to fly the maneuvers that
made me uncomfortable. For me, a 4-point roll to the left is
uncomfortable. So I’d go out and I’d fly back and forth doing 4-
points to the left, where both sticks have to go toward the center.
“It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you put a horizontal
maneuver with a 4-point, opposite half snap you have to go to
your weak side to execute the maneuver properly because of a
crosswind or something it becomes a big deal.
“My practice schedule was very aggressive in the beginning of
the year and, embarrassingly enough, between the contest in
Tampa which was in the middle of April until July I only
practiced twice.
“But it was very regimented practice; I would draw out a
bunch of Unknowns with maneuvers that I felt would be either in
our Unknowns at the Nats or maneuvers with elements that are in
the Advanced sequence. I always try to fly at a level above what I
fly in.
“So I would fly the Advanced Known, the Unlimited Known,
then I would fly two or three Unknowns as if I were in a contest—
with the start-up routine, with takeoff, entering the box, speaking
to the judges, and afterward I would break and land like I was in a
contest, mimicking the contest atmosphere as closely as I could.
“I stopped in South Carolina to fly a practice session and fly in
an environment with less humidity so I could tune the engine, and
even when I got to the Nats the first day I was very lean. I also
added a little bit more control throw to make up for the thinner air
in Indiana.
“I don’t use any special mixes. I fly flight modes on the advice
of Quique Somenzini’s articles. Ninety percent of my flying is
done on general flight mode with very little rudder or elevator,
and I have a flight mode for positive snaps and a flight mode for
negative snaps, which changes the degree of deflection on the
rudder and elevator.
“Equipment plays a big factor, but I don’t worry about it too
much. The airplane was flying great, it was trimmed, so I could
really just go up and concentrate on flying.
“I’d like to be the Southeast regional champion also, so I
would have both the national and regional championship. I have
the points and I think I’ve locked up the championship for the
Southeast Region. My concern now is being able to make the top
10 in enough contests to be able to fly the Advanced class in the
next Regionals.
“Tomorrow I’m going to fly the Advanced sequence in a
competition arena. I’ve got some guys that are going to meet me
and walk me through it. I can fly it, but not proficiently enough to
be competitive.”
Stephen Hamilton won Advanced this year and earned the
Bennett Cup: the award for the most accumulated points during
the contest. By the end of the Nats, CD Mark Jorgenson was
referring to Stephen as “the Dominator.” He is 16 years old and
has been flying for six years and competing for five. Here’s
Stephen:
“So far this year I’ve flown in the event in Boca Raton, then
the AMPS in Miami, then Venice IMAC, and the spring classic in
Tampa. Competing on a national level is very important to me—
to do well on a national level.
“I practice every day. I go to an IMAC summer school with
John Schroeder and he’s been training me. This is my third year. I
go with him for about three or four weeks. We go pretty much
every day after work unless it’s raining hard. But usually we fly in
the rain unless it’s pouring. You gotta practice!
“Practicing in the wind turned out to be important because we
had a couple of windy days, and that really helped me move ahead
of all the other guys. John Schroeder threw a lot of Unlimited
Unknowns at me. So when I got to the Nats, the Advanced
Unknowns were a piece of cake.
“To prepare my airplane for a contest I want to make sure the
engine is turning the right rpm and has enough pull so I can do my
maneuvers without having to fight the airplane. I also set the
thrust—making sure that’s perfect so in a wind situation I don’t
have to fight the airplane in an up-line.
“I only fly one flight mode. I know a lot of people flip
10sig4.QXD 8/24/06 1:03 PM Page 121switches, but I just fly one mode: same
elevator, same aileron, same rudder, and
same everything for snaps, rolls, everything.
“My equipment is very important. All
of it performed flawlessly. The Aerotech
airplane performed very well, especially in
the wind. Next year I’m moving up to
Unlimited. It’s definitely going to be a lot
tougher but I’m looking forward to it.”
Jason Noll is only 25 years old, but he’s
been flying for more than 18 years and
competing for 10. The word on the circuit
is that he is working harder than any other
competitor out there, and it’s starting to
show.
Jason recently won the most
prestigious contest in the US for Freestyle
aerobatics: the Extreme Flight
Championships, or XFC. He is working to
keep himself among the top of the world’s
best RC pilots, and so far his season
successes put him squarely in the front.
Jason talked about his preparation for
the Nats and this year’s contest season.
“There was a three-week gap since the
XFC. I practiced for all three weeks
straight, every day for about three or four
hours. That’s about what I fly every day
now.
“I don’t do a lot of local contests; I
mostly just practice for the big events.
Practicing for the Nats and winning was
good momentum for me going into the
Don Lowe Masters. It was good to go and
stand in front of some judges; [it’s] good
for your confidence!
“In practice I don’t worry about hitting
snaps. That’s the last thing on my mind.
No matter how much you practice snaps,
you’re always going to miss one in a
contest.
“What I try to focus on is geometry in
the maneuver and making sure everything
is where it’s supposed to be and all the
segments are centered on the lines. If I’ve
got that done, then I start working on
trying to hit snaps, but that’s last priority.
“Generally I don’t use special flight
modes. I do set up my flight modes for the
particular sequences. If there’s a one-roll
rolling circle in a sequence, I make sure I
have a flight mode for that. I don’t use
modes for snaps or any other maneuvers.
I’m going switchless this year. It’s harder
but it’s a lot less stuff you have to worry
about.
“It’s very important to have good
equipment, but it won’t make me fly any
better, flying different stuff. Equipment
may make my life a little bit easier; my
new servos are making a difference in my
airplane, but it won’t make me fly any
better.
“For this year the Don Lowe Masters is
my biggest challenge and I will be hitting
the flying circuit every year. I’m not
122 MODEL AVIATION
certain yet about getting to the Tucson
Shootout.”
Kyle Woyshnis earned the Freestyle win.
He has been flying for four years and
competing in IMAC for three. Kyle has
also won an electric indoor Tournament
of Champions Freestyle event flying
against some of the best pilots in the
sport. Here’s how Kyle prepares to
compete:
“I flew four local events leading up to
the Nats. The Nats is a big contest, but I
really go for fun and to hang out with the
people I just don’t normally get to hang
out with.
“The last time I flew IMAC before the
Nats was about three weeks before the
event. For the Freestyle—it was the first
time I flew that sequence. I had the music
mix all made up and listened to it over
and over again and pictured what the
airplane should be doing at certain times,
and it worked out pretty well.
“I don’t spend a lot of time preparing
my equipment; I just slapped everything
in there. I’m not very good at setup. I
have low rates for IMAC and high rates
for 3-D, and put a little expo in and we’re
good from there. I just trim it for level
flight—no mixes or anything.
“My equipment is very important. I
blew out a canister at the event so I had a
dead-stick during the sequence. It was
the first time I’d ever dead-sticked that
airplane in the three years I’ve had it.
Once we replaced the canister it was
good as new.
“I think the airplane overall was really
reliable and I don’t really do too much
maintenance on it. It kind of keeps itself
together.
“I’ll probably go to Tucson later this
year, then the Nats again next year. This
is my last year of high school then I’ll be
starting college. Once I start college I’m
not sure how much I’ll be flying after
that. I’m hoping to keep with it, but I
don’t know how it will go.”
With a few exceptions, there are some
interesting similarities between these
National Champions. In general these
guys are young and ambitious, they are
dedicated to competing, and they are
determined to excel. And most of them
are disciplined and motivated.
Have you ever wondered what it takes
to be the best? The secrets have been
revealed. Now all you have to do is ask
yourself if you have the mettle to get out
there and do it for yourself. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 120,121,122
120 MODEL AVIATION
then move up to Intermediate next year.”
Pedro Jordan Jr. was the Intermediate-class winner. He’s been
flying for 15 years but competing for only the last four years. He
said:
“This season I’ve flown in all five contests in Florida and I
tried to get to the contest in Pensacola. My goal from last year was
to return to the Nats.
Interviews with each of the winners from the 2006 IMAC Nats
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Scale Aerobatics Mike Hurley
Pilot: Kevin Cole
Class: Sportsman
Aircraft: Composite-ARF Extra 260
Engine: 3W-157CS with canister mufflers
Radio: JR 10X
Sponsors: Troy Built Models, Cactus Aviation
THE AMA NATS took place in June and July. The International
Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) is the governing body for
Scale Aerobatics competition, and the IMAC Nats was completed
the first week in July. If you’d like to read coverage of the event,
go to the AMA online magazine NatsNews at www.modelaircraft
.org/events/natsnews.asp for daily write-ups by Brad Jorgenson
and Michael Ramsey.
For something different I thought it would be interesting to
talk to the winners in each class and get an idea of what it takes to
compete with some of the best pilots in the country. I interviewed
each pilot after his class win about the importance of the Nats and
the preparation a Nats class winner goes through to be on top.
Kevin Cole won the Sportsman class this year. He has been
flying for only four years and competing for just one year! He
said the following.
“To get ready for the Nats I did two contests in Houston and
one in Little Rock. I was practicing three or four times per week.
It was a goal I set out at the first of the year: to go to the Nats and
do my best.
“This is when my friends, here in Shreveport, Jeremy Holts
and Jonas Farr and I decided to do the IMAC season and I set a
goal to win the Nats. I’d also like to go out and win the Tucson
Aerobatic Shootout this year.
“To prepare we’d go out and practice the sequence eight or 10
times a day. But then we’d 3-D at the end just so we could have
fun. My airplane took about two to three months getting it dialed
in exactly on the CG, the up-thrust of the engine, and getting the
trim set. It took a lot of effort, moving the CG around and getting
the deflections right so it would track just right.
“In my radio I have a snap mode which is my low rate, and
then I have a roller or hammerhead-type stall turn rate, and also a
3-D rate. I feel the equipment was the whole part of success; the
servos, the airplane, the engine—without those three items
[performing well], who knows? My next step is to go to Tucson,
Pilot: Pedro Jordan Jr.
Class: Intermediate
Aircraft: 41% 3W Votec 322
Engine: 3W-150QS
Radio: JR 10X
Sponsors: None, but he’s available!
Pilot: Stephen Hamilton
Class: Advanced
Aircraft: 42% Aerotech Velox
Engine: 3W-157CS
Radio: Futaba
Sponsors: Aerotech, 3W, Futaba, Fromeco
10sig4.QXD 8/24/06 1:01 PM Page 120October 2006 121
Pilot: Kyle Woyshnis
Class: Freestyle
Aircraft: 40% Carden Extra 330S
Engine: DA-150 with canisters
Radio: Futaba 9C
Sponsors: Hobby Outlets, SmartFly, Fromeco
Pilot: Jason Noll
Class: Unlimited
Aircraft: Krill Model 39% Katana
Engine: DA-150 with Manfred Reeves tuned pipes
Radio: JR (not a typo)
Sponsors: Desert Aircraft, JR, Aero-Grafix, RC Groups,
Krill Model
“Last year the Votec only had about 10 flights on it. So I was
still learning the aircraft; it wasn’t dialed in. But my goal this year
was to return and try to be the National Champion.
“The way I started to practice was to fly the maneuvers that
made me uncomfortable. For me, a 4-point roll to the left is
uncomfortable. So I’d go out and I’d fly back and forth doing 4-
points to the left, where both sticks have to go toward the center.
“It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you put a horizontal
maneuver with a 4-point, opposite half snap you have to go to
your weak side to execute the maneuver properly because of a
crosswind or something it becomes a big deal.
“My practice schedule was very aggressive in the beginning of
the year and, embarrassingly enough, between the contest in
Tampa which was in the middle of April until July I only
practiced twice.
“But it was very regimented practice; I would draw out a
bunch of Unknowns with maneuvers that I felt would be either in
our Unknowns at the Nats or maneuvers with elements that are in
the Advanced sequence. I always try to fly at a level above what I
fly in.
“So I would fly the Advanced Known, the Unlimited Known,
then I would fly two or three Unknowns as if I were in a contest—
with the start-up routine, with takeoff, entering the box, speaking
to the judges, and afterward I would break and land like I was in a
contest, mimicking the contest atmosphere as closely as I could.
“I stopped in South Carolina to fly a practice session and fly in
an environment with less humidity so I could tune the engine, and
even when I got to the Nats the first day I was very lean. I also
added a little bit more control throw to make up for the thinner air
in Indiana.
“I don’t use any special mixes. I fly flight modes on the advice
of Quique Somenzini’s articles. Ninety percent of my flying is
done on general flight mode with very little rudder or elevator,
and I have a flight mode for positive snaps and a flight mode for
negative snaps, which changes the degree of deflection on the
rudder and elevator.
“Equipment plays a big factor, but I don’t worry about it too
much. The airplane was flying great, it was trimmed, so I could
really just go up and concentrate on flying.
“I’d like to be the Southeast regional champion also, so I
would have both the national and regional championship. I have
the points and I think I’ve locked up the championship for the
Southeast Region. My concern now is being able to make the top
10 in enough contests to be able to fly the Advanced class in the
next Regionals.
“Tomorrow I’m going to fly the Advanced sequence in a
competition arena. I’ve got some guys that are going to meet me
and walk me through it. I can fly it, but not proficiently enough to
be competitive.”
Stephen Hamilton won Advanced this year and earned the
Bennett Cup: the award for the most accumulated points during
the contest. By the end of the Nats, CD Mark Jorgenson was
referring to Stephen as “the Dominator.” He is 16 years old and
has been flying for six years and competing for five. Here’s
Stephen:
“So far this year I’ve flown in the event in Boca Raton, then
the AMPS in Miami, then Venice IMAC, and the spring classic in
Tampa. Competing on a national level is very important to me—
to do well on a national level.
“I practice every day. I go to an IMAC summer school with
John Schroeder and he’s been training me. This is my third year. I
go with him for about three or four weeks. We go pretty much
every day after work unless it’s raining hard. But usually we fly in
the rain unless it’s pouring. You gotta practice!
“Practicing in the wind turned out to be important because we
had a couple of windy days, and that really helped me move ahead
of all the other guys. John Schroeder threw a lot of Unlimited
Unknowns at me. So when I got to the Nats, the Advanced
Unknowns were a piece of cake.
“To prepare my airplane for a contest I want to make sure the
engine is turning the right rpm and has enough pull so I can do my
maneuvers without having to fight the airplane. I also set the
thrust—making sure that’s perfect so in a wind situation I don’t
have to fight the airplane in an up-line.
“I only fly one flight mode. I know a lot of people flip
10sig4.QXD 8/24/06 1:03 PM Page 121switches, but I just fly one mode: same
elevator, same aileron, same rudder, and
same everything for snaps, rolls, everything.
“My equipment is very important. All
of it performed flawlessly. The Aerotech
airplane performed very well, especially in
the wind. Next year I’m moving up to
Unlimited. It’s definitely going to be a lot
tougher but I’m looking forward to it.”
Jason Noll is only 25 years old, but he’s
been flying for more than 18 years and
competing for 10. The word on the circuit
is that he is working harder than any other
competitor out there, and it’s starting to
show.
Jason recently won the most
prestigious contest in the US for Freestyle
aerobatics: the Extreme Flight
Championships, or XFC. He is working to
keep himself among the top of the world’s
best RC pilots, and so far his season
successes put him squarely in the front.
Jason talked about his preparation for
the Nats and this year’s contest season.
“There was a three-week gap since the
XFC. I practiced for all three weeks
straight, every day for about three or four
hours. That’s about what I fly every day
now.
“I don’t do a lot of local contests; I
mostly just practice for the big events.
Practicing for the Nats and winning was
good momentum for me going into the
Don Lowe Masters. It was good to go and
stand in front of some judges; [it’s] good
for your confidence!
“In practice I don’t worry about hitting
snaps. That’s the last thing on my mind.
No matter how much you practice snaps,
you’re always going to miss one in a
contest.
“What I try to focus on is geometry in
the maneuver and making sure everything
is where it’s supposed to be and all the
segments are centered on the lines. If I’ve
got that done, then I start working on
trying to hit snaps, but that’s last priority.
“Generally I don’t use special flight
modes. I do set up my flight modes for the
particular sequences. If there’s a one-roll
rolling circle in a sequence, I make sure I
have a flight mode for that. I don’t use
modes for snaps or any other maneuvers.
I’m going switchless this year. It’s harder
but it’s a lot less stuff you have to worry
about.
“It’s very important to have good
equipment, but it won’t make me fly any
better, flying different stuff. Equipment
may make my life a little bit easier; my
new servos are making a difference in my
airplane, but it won’t make me fly any
better.
“For this year the Don Lowe Masters is
my biggest challenge and I will be hitting
the flying circuit every year. I’m not
122 MODEL AVIATION
certain yet about getting to the Tucson
Shootout.”
Kyle Woyshnis earned the Freestyle win.
He has been flying for four years and
competing in IMAC for three. Kyle has
also won an electric indoor Tournament
of Champions Freestyle event flying
against some of the best pilots in the
sport. Here’s how Kyle prepares to
compete:
“I flew four local events leading up to
the Nats. The Nats is a big contest, but I
really go for fun and to hang out with the
people I just don’t normally get to hang
out with.
“The last time I flew IMAC before the
Nats was about three weeks before the
event. For the Freestyle—it was the first
time I flew that sequence. I had the music
mix all made up and listened to it over
and over again and pictured what the
airplane should be doing at certain times,
and it worked out pretty well.
“I don’t spend a lot of time preparing
my equipment; I just slapped everything
in there. I’m not very good at setup. I
have low rates for IMAC and high rates
for 3-D, and put a little expo in and we’re
good from there. I just trim it for level
flight—no mixes or anything.
“My equipment is very important. I
blew out a canister at the event so I had a
dead-stick during the sequence. It was
the first time I’d ever dead-sticked that
airplane in the three years I’ve had it.
Once we replaced the canister it was
good as new.
“I think the airplane overall was really
reliable and I don’t really do too much
maintenance on it. It kind of keeps itself
together.
“I’ll probably go to Tucson later this
year, then the Nats again next year. This
is my last year of high school then I’ll be
starting college. Once I start college I’m
not sure how much I’ll be flying after
that. I’m hoping to keep with it, but I
don’t know how it will go.”
With a few exceptions, there are some
interesting similarities between these
National Champions. In general these
guys are young and ambitious, they are
dedicated to competing, and they are
determined to excel. And most of them
are disciplined and motivated.
Have you ever wondered what it takes
to be the best? The secrets have been
revealed. Now all you have to do is ask
yourself if you have the mettle to get out
there and do it for yourself. MA