ORIGINAL: mjfrederick
ORIGINAL: danamania
<u>Please let's be precise, here is some of what the noob has to do:</u>
Takeoff and call that complete
Establish a downwind leg at a correct distance to fly the sequence while remaining in the box. Misjudging distance here is problematic...
Execute first turnaround to return on the correct heading to enter the box, most likely a Rev half Cuban 8
Enter the box / call it out
Straight & level
Reverse half Cuban 8
Straight flight back
Stall turn without rolls
TWO INSIDE LOOPS, whew!
Exit box / call it / rev half cuban 8
Re-enter box on correct heading / distance to stay in the box / call it
2 point roll
Half Cuban 8
Double-I, no rolls
Immelmann
45 downline
Exit box / call it / rev half cuban 8
Re-enter box on correct heading / distance to stay in the box / call it
Upline on center
Split S
Roll
Rev half Cuban 8
Cobra without rolls
Exit box / call it / establish downwind leg for landing
Line up on final / call landing
Land and complete roll-out without a heading change (delay that urge to taxi towards pits, oops)!
<u>With all due respect, its a lot for a newcomer to put together in a flight</u>. Please keep in mind that the Sportsman has one entering and leaving the box 3 times in total, counting TO & landing. Not complaining here, but please let's keep in mind that this is quite a workload for those new to Pattern, especially for those coming from clubs or situations where nobody flies pattern and experienced coaching is hard to get. In reality, just reading the sequence as it is currently formatted is a challenge! In any case, lots of good discussion on this thread and I thank all for humoring one new to the sport from last season. I look forward to competing in a few meets this season and building my skills. Respectfully, Dana
While I aree that there is a bit too much turnaround in the Sportsman pattern (used to be Novice until someone got their feelings hurt), but I don't understand, why all the complaining about 2 loops? You seem to really be harping on that one. When I started novice in 89 it was 3 loops, and I did it with my Eagle 63 trainer that I competed with. By the time I spent my last year in Novice I was regularly getting 9 1/2's and 10's on those 3 loops (with an Escape this time). Frankly, there is way too much social pressure that causes too many newbies to move out of Sportsman before they are ready, before they have learned the foundations that the sequence is supposed to teach, and even before the ''rules'' say they have to move up. If you want to reduce your workload, ask your caller to call the box entries and exits. A good caller can cut a pilot at any level's workload in half right off the bat. Figure out what you need from your caller, and make it known. Don't be shy. This is your flight, not his.
Matt, I am glad you used that example, as that is my EXACT point as to why we need to go back. You could be competitive with a .40 size trainer in the day. The maneuvers were still technical, but they were much more pilot intensive, such as the 3 loops. We don't need giant turn around maneuvers. We need a competitive environment that can be fun with ANY airplane. That is what drew people in. If they are having fun with their .40 size sport plane they will stick around and progress. The issue now is that people can't be competitive with that type of plane and it is intimidating that they need to go buy a new plane. Our current pattern is all but impossible to do with a high wing trainer, or even an average .40 size sport plane. I got into pattern because I could fly my .40 size plane in Novice and it was fun. I knew that if I practiced I could score well as the plane wasnt the deciding factor. The maneuvers weren't hard alone, but trying to do 3 loops was a challenge, but it was a challenge that I could work on regardless of the plane. Giant vertical turnarounds require a lot more than that and can keep people with a lot of planes away.
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