Musings on Multi-Club Fun Fly
09-29-2013, 06:02 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medfield, MA
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Musings on Multi-Club Fun Fly
(If you've seen my other posts, you know that I'm trying to learn to fly pattern and at least learn the Sportsman sequence.)
Yesterday I had the option of going to my home club field and practicing all day or going to a big multi-club fun fly about an hour away at a field I've never flown, getting to watch other flies, socializing, and maybe getting five or six flights in. Hoping maybe to run into an actual pattern flyer (since I've never actually even seen another pattern flyer) I went to the fun fly. Musings--
It's obvious why pattern isn't popular any more; everyone is into hucking. There are were a bunch of guys with big trailers and 40% Extras, Yaks, etc. All were exceptionally pilots, some fly IMAC and some fly just for fun. It's impressive to watch the giant scale planes; they did a show with five of them hovering a few feet off the ground in a line with one flying a knife edge ring around them; but it's just not my thing. There were also a bunch of medium-sized 3D planes doing stuff like rolling harriers with the tail 6" off the ground. Again, fun to watch but not how I like to fly.
There was one guy with a full 2m composite pattern ship. I talked to the guy for a bit. I really wanted to see him fly but he put his plane away as he didn't want to fly with the other planes up.
I did a few flights with my 41" Leader and my 48" Extra (set up with low throws for precision instead of 3D). The one pattern guy said "you pulled a few 10s out of my pocket" after I was done. I was like "what????" I didn't get it at all. Then he explained that a few of my individual moves were well done and would score well. Now I know I'm not that great so I figure he's trying to give me some positive encouragement and point out the things I got right. I did get a few pointers on things I did right and things I still needed to learn. Like, I know this is obviously important in pattern, always have straight lines between each moves. It's the flying between each moves that I really have to start working on as I can do most of the individual Sportsman moves now. One tip on the 1/2 Cuban 8 and reverse 1/2 Cuban 8 was to make sure there's a pause where you are flying straight for a bit between the loop portions and the roll portions. But on the Immelman, after the 1/2 loop, go right into the 1/2 roll.
The field I was flying at had a huge amount of space, at least a couple hundred yards in every direction if not more, way more. Boy does that make a huge difference. The two fields I usually fly at are boxed in with trees. That means fly above the trees or inside the trees and constantly worry about coming out of a move a tad too low or a tad far away and end up putting your plane in a tree. With I had a better field to fly at but I got back into RC a few years ago as it's a hobby I can do with a ten minute drive instead of an hour or two drive like when I go skiing in winter. Still I can't believe how easier it makes it to fly at a field like that. More brain cells working on flying the plane correctly; less brain cells worried about losing plane.
So, I got to learn just a tad more about pattern at this event but at least I learned a bit and had a fun day.
-Ken aka l2t
Yesterday I had the option of going to my home club field and practicing all day or going to a big multi-club fun fly about an hour away at a field I've never flown, getting to watch other flies, socializing, and maybe getting five or six flights in. Hoping maybe to run into an actual pattern flyer (since I've never actually even seen another pattern flyer) I went to the fun fly. Musings--
It's obvious why pattern isn't popular any more; everyone is into hucking. There are were a bunch of guys with big trailers and 40% Extras, Yaks, etc. All were exceptionally pilots, some fly IMAC and some fly just for fun. It's impressive to watch the giant scale planes; they did a show with five of them hovering a few feet off the ground in a line with one flying a knife edge ring around them; but it's just not my thing. There were also a bunch of medium-sized 3D planes doing stuff like rolling harriers with the tail 6" off the ground. Again, fun to watch but not how I like to fly.
There was one guy with a full 2m composite pattern ship. I talked to the guy for a bit. I really wanted to see him fly but he put his plane away as he didn't want to fly with the other planes up.
I did a few flights with my 41" Leader and my 48" Extra (set up with low throws for precision instead of 3D). The one pattern guy said "you pulled a few 10s out of my pocket" after I was done. I was like "what????" I didn't get it at all. Then he explained that a few of my individual moves were well done and would score well. Now I know I'm not that great so I figure he's trying to give me some positive encouragement and point out the things I got right. I did get a few pointers on things I did right and things I still needed to learn. Like, I know this is obviously important in pattern, always have straight lines between each moves. It's the flying between each moves that I really have to start working on as I can do most of the individual Sportsman moves now. One tip on the 1/2 Cuban 8 and reverse 1/2 Cuban 8 was to make sure there's a pause where you are flying straight for a bit between the loop portions and the roll portions. But on the Immelman, after the 1/2 loop, go right into the 1/2 roll.
The field I was flying at had a huge amount of space, at least a couple hundred yards in every direction if not more, way more. Boy does that make a huge difference. The two fields I usually fly at are boxed in with trees. That means fly above the trees or inside the trees and constantly worry about coming out of a move a tad too low or a tad far away and end up putting your plane in a tree. With I had a better field to fly at but I got back into RC a few years ago as it's a hobby I can do with a ten minute drive instead of an hour or two drive like when I go skiing in winter. Still I can't believe how easier it makes it to fly at a field like that. More brain cells working on flying the plane correctly; less brain cells worried about losing plane.
So, I got to learn just a tad more about pattern at this event but at least I learned a bit and had a fun day.
-Ken aka l2t
09-29-2013, 07:27 AM
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Joplin, MO
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
3D and pattern do not mix well, it takes a lot of skill to do the 3d stuff and I am amazed with. but not yielding to other planes and 5 to 10 planes up at once is not my cup of tea so to speak.
im flying is sportsman and the biggest things judges tell me, slow down use all of the box and make the maneuvers bigger.
good luck and practice, practice, practice
if you do not have this, it helps me. http://nsrca.us/images/stories/curre...scriptions.pdf
im flying is sportsman and the biggest things judges tell me, slow down use all of the box and make the maneuvers bigger.
good luck and practice, practice, practice
if you do not have this, it helps me. http://nsrca.us/images/stories/curre...scriptions.pdf
09-30-2013, 06:46 AM
#3
My Feedback: (121)
Hi Ken,
I was just up in Ma. This past week-end and flew in Lancaster where the Quinapoxet Model club was dedicating the field to my dad who was the head flight instructor for more than 20 years. I flew my aging, .60 sized Flash and went through some old FAI sequences. Few in attendance had ever seen precision aerobatics flown, though there were several IMAC sized planes there. I have flown pattern for about 40 years and lived in Ma until 1989. There used to be many pattern fliers locally, now there may be only a handful, at best, in New England.
Glad you had fun at the event, Saturday was a fantastic flying day!
-Will
I was just up in Ma. This past week-end and flew in Lancaster where the Quinapoxet Model club was dedicating the field to my dad who was the head flight instructor for more than 20 years. I flew my aging, .60 sized Flash and went through some old FAI sequences. Few in attendance had ever seen precision aerobatics flown, though there were several IMAC sized planes there. I have flown pattern for about 40 years and lived in Ma until 1989. There used to be many pattern fliers locally, now there may be only a handful, at best, in New England.
Glad you had fun at the event, Saturday was a fantastic flying day!
-Will
09-30-2013, 09:12 AM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medfield, MA
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Ken,
I was just up in Ma. This past week-end and flew in Lancaster where the Quinapoxet Model club was dedicating the field to my dad who was the head flight instructor for more than 20 years. I flew my aging, .60 sized Flash and went through some old FAI sequences. Few in attendance had ever seen precision aerobatics flown, though there were several IMAC sized planes there. I have flown pattern for about 40 years and lived in Ma until 1989. There used to be many pattern fliers locally, now there may be only a handful, at best, in New England.
Glad you had fun at the event, Saturday was a fantastic flying day!
-Will
I was just up in Ma. This past week-end and flew in Lancaster where the Quinapoxet Model club was dedicating the field to my dad who was the head flight instructor for more than 20 years. I flew my aging, .60 sized Flash and went through some old FAI sequences. Few in attendance had ever seen precision aerobatics flown, though there were several IMAC sized planes there. I have flown pattern for about 40 years and lived in Ma until 1989. There used to be many pattern fliers locally, now there may be only a handful, at best, in New England.
Glad you had fun at the event, Saturday was a fantastic flying day!
-Will
When I decided to try to learn pattern early this season, I really was amazed how obscure it has become.
-Ken aka l2t
09-30-2013, 09:19 AM
#5
My Feedback: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 630
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ken,
Keep on trying and sharing here. We are all interested in growing pattern and need the perspective.
It is very hard to fly pattern at those type of events. Many large, loud planes in the air and you will be yelled at for "not flying the pattern!" 3D planes and helis look exciting and capture peoples interest. Being smooth and graceful = boring for many.
You started your post about your debate to fly alone or drive to an event and learn. Many should do the same. One day with other skilled pilots is always worth the trip because practice without feedback has little value. This being said I am very lucky to have several pattern pilots in my club. We are in eastern NY about two hours from you and you are welcome to come fly with us when we reopen in the spring.
Keep on trying and sharing here. We are all interested in growing pattern and need the perspective.
It is very hard to fly pattern at those type of events. Many large, loud planes in the air and you will be yelled at for "not flying the pattern!" 3D planes and helis look exciting and capture peoples interest. Being smooth and graceful = boring for many.
You started your post about your debate to fly alone or drive to an event and learn. Many should do the same. One day with other skilled pilots is always worth the trip because practice without feedback has little value. This being said I am very lucky to have several pattern pilots in my club. We are in eastern NY about two hours from you and you are welcome to come fly with us when we reopen in the spring.
09-30-2013, 10:40 AM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medfield, MA
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My other avocation is as a part-time ski instructor and I have a list of certifications and accreditation. I've spent a lot of time training to look for subtle movements patterns in skier. Most people would look at ski two skiers and say "yeah, they're good." But I could say "yeah, put look at the one on the left 2/3rds of the the way through the turn, his hips are settling back. And the one on the right, he extends to quickly at the start of his turns and loses his edge angle ... but only on is right turn."
Learning to be precise is part of what I work on skiing and I hope to translate it to my flying.
Oh Will, I looked up that Lancaster field. I drive within a mile of it about 30-40 times a year as it's on my way up Rt 117 to get to Mt. Wachussett. If I'm ever going by during mid-day, I'll drop in and see if I can watch a few people fly.
-Ken
