Hey Tony, I don`t mean to imply all this about you in particular.please dont think I`m directing this at you ,not my intent. I`m talking about the reasons I hear, given for switching to the contra in general. I respect your ability and opinions and know we think the same way on many setup issues.

P-factor, Tourque ,slip stream just don`t affect our airplanes as much as bad trimming does,It makes for great pit talk at the feild it makes us sound smart and informed if it did affect us ,anybody could torque roll , and taking off would be havoc on rudder steering and aileron trims.I would dare say these aero problems are undetectable, unless the airplane has a c/g beyond 30% mac then those issues are the least of your troubles. These wind tunnel issues are only seen in hevy wing loaded, full scale airplanes that are required to lift big loades and fly at high angles of attack ,the small thin wings ,heavy loaded REAL airplanes are not in the same catagory and we see none of the Ill effects they do in real life other than lift and flight.

Dave Lockhart ,I concider him a friend, as well as Matt K. I don`t want to offend them re reading my post I might have gottom a little Harsh, Im sorry if it was taken that way. They are some of the most dedicted and finest builder designers I know. I have learned from both fellows. They, like me, share everything they know ,I respect that. I remember The first time I saw one of Matt`s airplanes flying, he was running a webra 120 2-stroke I have not heard a airplane as quiet as that thing since. We share the same passions and all three of us have been blazing the trail on prop mods for many years. I respect them both.

Look, I love the Idea behind the Contra or I would not be spending huge sums of time and money and lack of sleep to design a airplane for it. What I`m trying to do is raise expectations on trim ,and push the development of our set up`s. In general, we settle to fast on patches.
I`ve been at the field working hard to have the best designs and best advise for triming for nearly 20 years now.it`s all I think about.
I keep notes and have notebooks full of what does and does not work, for example.

I changed the wing inc on the proto Valiant over fifty times.( these wings do not have adjusters)I documented what I observed , noted pos and neg effects moved the c/g so many times I lost count from 15% to 35% MAC back and forth many times ,Brett calles me insane!
I moved the engine thrust 28 times. this is just one design.this gave me the knowledge to prioritize the adjustments as to what really affected What, and where to start first ,or how far can you go with the setting, Hell I have been trimming my airplanes during contest for ten years ,It`s a desease LOL

The bipes, on my shark I moved the wings 38times, this meant actually cutting the fuse saddle, redrilling pin holes for wings pins,setting up articulating wing stays and on and on. The Alferma already 3 times. with multiple thrust setting and c/g settings. So if I sound hard headed I am ,like most of us [>:
But,It`s why when a guy in France or Russia Emails me with a odd trim question , I can answer it. and it`s always opposite of where his trim chart says to go.I can also tell when he is hiding what the airplane is really doing, just by requesting he give me the mixes he is using. am I saying mixing is Bad ,Yea,,how bad is a matter of opinion.

Talent can outfly Anything But guys like Joe deserve shot at learning the best information he can to help him win and have fun in Pattern.
It sucks to have a poor flying airplane and think it`s just your flying skills because the Common fix didn`t do anything or made something else worse

I tell you this Tony, you are right, Iv`e been beaten so many times by poorly trimmed airplanes I can`t count them. it does not detour me,.I am an above average Pilot and when I`m happy with the set up and I practice, only the top guys can outfly me
I have not really competed hard since 1998 when I placed 7or 8`th (don`t remember), in the FAI Nats. Dave remembers those flights, he judged them, i`ve been chasing perfection ever since ,and I think I have raised the trimming Bar to a much higher standard because if it.

Jason Yes with design building and trimming, I am a perfectionist any body who knows me can attest I get a little excited and want to share my findings
I thought it was falling of deaf Ears for a while But I`m changing the accepted standards. I stumbeled upon My setup in 1990 with the two stroke Storm design. Hell I thought everybody did It like that. I found out From Nat Penton, one of my Hero`s, zero zero was the Hot setup , and I was doing it all wrong LOL Who Knew it`s been a uphill battle ever since. because the guys winning gets to write the Rules and who can aurgue with them. It`s a hard time bucking the trends .
In 1998 with the EXAF Patriot after understanding my set up more,I started preaching hard on positive wing inc. and even gave a starting point as a rule of thumb + .5 deg, I dare say I have moved the bar! Some argude No It`s .3 +Hey Some even said they were the ones that taught it to me ! lol.
Maybe, I`ll push enough and move expectations again. I was scoffed back then on the NSRCA list for my sharp l/e and 1/2 deg pos inc.setting I didn`t mind I got to convert a couple top guys when they flew my planes, Jason Shulman being one of them I can still see his Grin! when he made his first team after multiple trys.

So I hope is didn`t ruffle any feathers My proof is in my advise and nobody has called me a liar yet LOL
It makes me feel Smart to sit on this knowledge, I try to give it away, but it seems as if it`s only worth what you pay for it, So I guess I`ll start selling it

Bryan