JAS

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When I heard that the F3D Team Trials was going to be in Mulberry again, I decided I wanted to see it since I missed the last one. I had been help Gary Freeman get ready of the past months and while I wasn't flying (or launching his Voodoo very straight) I knew even watching would be exciting.

Friday was a practice day yet everyone seemed fairly relaxed. Props, pipes and motors were being worked on all day long looking for that perfect set-up. Gary and I had only got a chance to fly around poles once and even then we didn't have any way to get a 'light' at 1. Yesterday the lights were up and everyone got to fly the course and get use to things. By the end of the day, everyone seemed to have their planes set-up the way they wanted and were ready to get things going Saturday morning.

I arrived this morning just as the first flight was starting up. Weather was perfect and the day went off without much of a hitch. A couple of re-flies for no lights, but they were redone without a hitch. Everyone was looking fast and flying pretty good. Gary Freeman was off to a very slow start after a great finish to practice yesterday. First flight was a bad needle and his second was a loose plug that ended his flight after the 1st lap which resulted in his first 2 heats scoring 200. He took out his back-up and never looked back. It didn't look to be as fast as his primary and he found that his prop was a bit shorter on the back-up than on his primary. Tomorrow will tell if his end of day practice flight is fast than today flights. Mario Travieso (3), Randy Bridge (2) and Richard Verano (1) had a couple of rounds with various problems leading to them getting 200's as well. Only 'major' mishap was Gary Schmidt's last flight when he rounded 1 and the turn was real wide and then unresponsive (we think his battery came unplugged). The plane headed off the course by 2 and ended up hitting the power-lines across the road and cutting the wing/stab in half and sending the motor/pipe into the swamp.

There are 3 International pilots here as well, Julio Quevedo, Eddie Melville and Gabriel Tahhan. They are also flying very well and Gabriel has fast time overall with a 60.19 and after dropping his 2-200's is leading the International group.

Travis Flynn and Ray Brown are flying very well and consistent and now that 2 round are dropped, Randy is sandwiched between them (scores don't show the 2nd dropped round).

(Sorry for the small pics, I never checked my camera settings until I loaded them here)

JAS

My Feedback: (2)

Most of the planes

JAS

My Feedback: (2)

A couple of flying shots (ok so one is of a dragonfly but at least it wasn't a complete wasted shot), the weigh-station and the scores (without the 2nd dropped round discarded yet)

Scorpion Racing

Thanks to all the competitors who came out for the team trials and to the new FAI F3D team USA!

Mr. Travis Flynn
Randy Bridge
"Rocket" Ray Brown
& Gary Freeman Jr. (alt.)


Here are the final times from the 12th round with times from each heat.

Fast time for the International pilots was Gabriel Tahhan with a 59.65, and the overall fast time from Gary Freeman Jr. with a 58.58. Congratulations to both of these guys for breaking 1 minute!

kane

Great job by all!!!

Travis, Randy and Ray: Outstanding and Congrats!!

Scott, your crew was top notch and the weekend went very smoothly.

I personally had a blast, and the bonus was I got to spend a weekend with my buddies.

DK