Bob,

What is it that you are trying to accomplish with the opposite rudder before the snap? Are you trying to keep the line before and after the snap without offseting the line of flight?

If so- don't worry about maintaining the same line before and after the snap, it is not a downgrade. When you snap there is an inevitable offset of line of flight (left or right of the plane) before after performing the snap. If you are performing the snap directly in front of you while looking at the side of the fuse then you won't notice it. If you are performing the snap directly in front of you while looking at the top of the plane, you will notice some offset in the direction of the snap. The lines before and after the snap should both be 90 degrees from horiontal- just that the second line is moved over a bit. Hope that makes sense.

I will tell you that I have different techniques for snaps depending on the attitude of the plane. If on a horizontal line, I bump the elevator just before performing the snap. If on a vertical line, I don't bump the elevator and I use much less elevator during the snap. I recognize that the argument can be made that the plane didn't stall/autorotate..... all I can tell you is that I score better that way than by using lots of elevator in my snaps on a vertical line.

Good luck this season.

Dave Michael