Radio Control: Aerobatics
THE POTENTIAL rules change proposal to penalize four-stroke 1.20 users has resulted in more mail than I've ever received (except perhaps for mail concerning the downwind turn). Four-stroke users have been uniformly indignant that such a thing could be considered. Their virtually unanimous response has been that pilot ability and practice are more important than engine power in determining a winner. I don't have any argument with that; I'm sure it's correct. However, I do claim that a four-stroke 1.20 engine gives a competitive edge over two-stroke engines.
Radio Control: Aerobatics
NOW that the first few contests of the year are history, it has become apparent that some changes are necessary. That shouldn't really be surprising. We went from a set of maneuver schedules that were mostly nonturnaround format to a new set that are mostly turnaround format. There were bound to be some problems on the first try, and there are. The rules change procedures will take care of the changes eventually. Unfortunately, it will be almost two years until their effects will be felt.
Radio Control: Aerobatics
THE TITLE of this column is "Radio Control Aerobatics." That connotes some obvious subject material, so I wasn't really surprised when I received a letter from Ira Rosner (13234 104th Terrace, Miami, FL 33186), who is editor of Scale Aerobatics, the newsletter of the International Miniature Acrobatic Club (IMAC). Here are some excerpts from Ira's letter: "To the uninitiated, IMAC, which gets its inspiration from the International Aerobatic maneuver schedules largely identical to those prepared by the IAC for full-size competition. Those maneuver schedules change each year, and contests generally feature a round of `unknowns' for the top two classes, in which the pilot receives the maneuver schedule on the morning of the competition.
Radio Control: Aerobatics
LAST MONTH I wrote about the rule change snafu involving the Sportsman maneuver schedule. As I write this, the situation has not yet been resolved. The chairman of the RC Aerobatics Contest Board has stonewalled efforts to resolve the situation, even though it appears that the rule change vote was improperly administered. Sportsman class fliers should be sure to read the Focus on Competition section for late-breaking developments on this subject: the lead time on it is half that for regular columns, and the contest season is upon us.
SPA: Contest
LET'S TURN BACK THE TIME. Several of us did just that. The Senior Pattern Association (SPA) held its first contest on October 12th and 13th, featuring Pattern aircraft from the 1960s. The event was the brainchild of long-time pattern flier Mickey Walker (Smyrna, Georgia). Mickey had written to me back in March 1991 to announce the formation of the SPA and its first contest. I published most of his letter in the August issue of Model Aviation and mentioned it again last month. The rules for the SPA are fairly simple. First, you must be older than 45 years. The current age groups are 45 to 54 and over 55. There are some older guys who want the senior group to start at 60.
