Radio Control Scale Aerobatics-2007/12

IN THE OCTOBER column I touched on
my background in this fine sport as well
as the benefits of flying in aerobatic
competition. In addition I covered a few
critical mixes that will assist you in
becoming a better pilot (such as the need
to use both rudder-to-elevator and rudderto-
aileron mixes).
However, as promised in the first column I will break down
each maneuver in the 2007 IMAC Basic category and help you,
the reader, better understand the language of aerobatics, which
is called Aresti.
Now for a short history lesson. In 1961 Colonel Jose Luis de
Aresti Aguirre published his system of diagramming aerobatic
figures (known as his Sistema Aresti). When aerobatic pilots
compete at the international level, a common language is needed
for aerobatic figures; that language is called “Aresti.”
The 2007 Basic program is:
1) Roll
2) Humpty Bump with a half roll on the down-line
3) Reverse Sharks Tooth with a half roll on the 45° up-line
4) Reverse Teardrop
5) Hammerhead
6) Loop
7) Half Cuban 8
8) Sharks Tooth with a half roll on the 45° down-line
9) Immelmann
10) 11/2 turn upright spin to upright exit
Let’s begin with the first maneuver. When you look at the
list (that is shown in the language of Aresti), you might notice
that it is broken up into three sections: maneuvers that will be
performed to the left side of the aerobatic box, the center of the
box, and the right of the box.
In the language of Aresti a maneuver begins with a solid
circle, whereas the end of the maneuver ends with a vertical
line. In addition, each maneuver is numbered (which determines
the order in which the maneuvers are to be flown). A solid line
represents upright flight; a dashed line represents inverted
flight/lines.
The Aresti aerobatic-maneuver diagramming system is explained
December 2007 151
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Radio Control Scale Aerobatics John Glezellis
Also included in this column:
• The 2007 IMAC Basic
category sequence
• Details of the first five Basic
maneuvers
At the 2007 Extreme Flight Championships, the author (L) was honored when Mark
Leseberg Jr. loaned him his Dalton Extra 260 to complete the competition. Peter
Glezellis photo.
An Aresti diagram of the 2007 International Miniature
Aerobatics Club (IMAC) Basic category sequence.
152 MODEL AVIATION
Aresti figure: upright Humpty Bump,
left to right pattern.
Aresti figure: upright Reverse Shark
Tooth with a half roll on the 45° up-line,
right to left pattern.
Aresti figure: upright Teardrop, left to
right pattern.
Aresti figure: upright Hammerhead,
left to right pattern.
1) The Roll: The 2007 Basic
sequence begins with a roll from
upright level flight. In Aresti a roll is
represented by an arched line (with a
small triangle at the top). A single
roll’s direction (to perform it to the
right or to the left) is up to the pilot to
decide.
To obtain the best possible score
regarding positioning, this maneuver
should be centered within the aerobatic
box. That means the model should be
inverted when it is directly in front of
the pilot (and the judges). Also, the roll
rate should be constant throughout the
maneuver.
2) The Humpty Bump: The
maneuver, in this case, is flown at the
end of the aerobatic box. (It is a
turnaround maneuver.)
For this Humpty Bump the pilot will
fly his or her model to the end of the
aerobatic box and pull to a vertical upline.
Then the pilot must pull half of an
inside loop (as the loop radius is solid,
which means that it is a pull) to
establish a vertical down-line. Then, on
the vertical down-line, the pilot must
perform a half roll (which is to be
centered on the down-line segment).
In the Basic class there is a half arc
(with a triangle) that comes in contact
with the vertical down-line. This means
the pilot must perform a half roll on the
vertical down-line segment of the
Humpty Bump.
3) A Reverse Sharks Tooth with a
half roll on the 45° up-line: The
traditional Sharks Tooth starts with a
pull or a push to a vertical up-line.
Then the pilot performs a pull (or a
push) 45° down-line. Last, the pilot
will perform a pull or a push to level
flight (at the same altitude at which he
or she began the maneuver).
However, a Reverse Sharks Tooth is
slightly different. Regarding the 2007
Basic sequence, at the start of the
maneuver the pilot will pull to a 45°
up-line. Then at the center of this 45°
up-line, he or she will perform a half
roll to an inverted 45° climb. Then the
pilot will pull to a vertical down-line.
Last, he or she performs a one-quarter
loop to upright, level flight.
4) Teardrop: In the Basic class no
roll is performed on the up-line or the
45° down-line portion of the maneuver.
However, in higher classes expect to
see Snap Rolls, Rolls, or both on both
line segments!
To fly this maneuver, pull to a
vertical up-line from upright level
flight. Then pull five-eights of an
inside loop to a 45° down-line. Last,
pull to upright level flight (at the same
altitude at which you began the
maneuver).
For perfect centering the model
should be flown past center before the
maneuver is begun. Then the model
should approach the pilot’s center as it
is inverted (throughout the five-eights
inside-loop portion of the maneuver).
5) Hammerhead: In aerobatics this
is the same maneuver as the Stall Turn.
In Aresti it is drawn as a vertical upline
and down-line with an angled line
at the top.
Although the Tailslide (in Aresti)
looks similar, it differs at the top.
Rather than having one line represent
the up- and down-line (with an angled
line at the top), it has two lines
representing the up- and down-line that
are connected by two arched lines
(which determine the direction of the
flop, which can be either wheels up or
wheels down).
Next time I will cover a few more
maneuvers from the 2007 Basic
sequence. In addition, I will briefly
cover my experience at the 2007
European Extreme Flight
Championships; by that time I will
have traveled “across the pond” to the
Czech Republic.
Until next time, fly hard! MA
Sources:
International Miniature Aerobatic Club
Box 1010
King NC 27021
www.mini-iac.com
Aresti figure: upright Roll, left to right
pattern.