If I understand correctly, the competitors are given the unknown series shortly in advance of the actual flight( the night before or so). I know that they can't fly it in advance, but is practing on a simulator allowed? Or can these guys only memorize the routine and have a caller at their side? Thanks for the info and good luck to all the competitors.
Ed

No you can't pre fly the routine on a sim they practice the routine with hand held stick planes.
Total composites out of California makes some nice ones with carbon fiber.

http://www.tns.net/~tcstickplane/

They aren't supposed to practice it with an airplane, real or simulated. However, they can use a stick plane, and fly it in their head as much as they wish.

You have a web site for Total Composites?

Daniel D.

Hmmm. Laptop. Hotel. No one around. I'm sure someone here will tell me that's cheating but I'd do it.

- Joe

thats got to be really hard not even being able to practice it, must be a lot of pressure on the flyers

Thats why it seperates the men from the boys No practice except in your mind, then go fly it the next day! I'm sure some cheat a bit, but I think its unusual.

Doesn't say much for your character,does it Joe B!
Have a Goodun.John.

No it doesn't, does it But I'd still do it. To be honest though, i'm not sure it would help me. I'm fairly certain that at their level the moves themselves aren't the hard part but just flying a specific unrehearsed pattern is probably the trick. Having a simulator would help greatly and unfortunately I'm one to do whatever it takes to win. Fortunately for you guys, i'm no where near good enough to even be invited to the TOC (and nobody knows who I am anyways) so no need to worry!

- Joe

Here is the URL for Total Composites:

http://www.tns.net/~tcstickplane/index.htm

You can also find stick-plane templates on the IMAC site. I used to use them for full scale competition - and NO, we couldn't use a simulator either.

The unknown is not as tough as it seems. The Aresti catalog is vast and I don't think anyone (Full or model) will ever be able to fly all the variations of every family. However, it's all still level, vertical, rolls, loops and spins. Anyway, the maneuver "pool" is selected and published well in advance. The known and unknown are both selected out of this pool. When you receive the unknown, you work out the sequence just as you would any other - it's your laundry list. You work heavily on direction and entry/exit speeds. Get them in your head and your thumbs do the rest. Of course, your caller talks them out to you and is invaluable - Had to say that just in case mine reads the post LOL.

I haven't competed in the R/C arena for many years - started out in pattern and was one of the lonely few when IMAC hit the scene. Now I am getting back into the hobby and already have a 1/4 scale CAP 21 "in the bones" and a 1/3 scale Laser 200 that I will be putting on the board real soon. We didn't have reliable gyros when last I flew - had to do it all with the thumbs. Nothing overly computerize either - FM was just getting it's start. Well, I am back. Practice on the simulator at least two hours a day while building. I am planning on jumping straight back into Advanced next season.

I have a Futaba 8U Super and a 9CAP. Thought about the 9Z, but see no need yet. Oh, for you JR guys - yes I am looking closely at the 10X, nice radio and I like the way it feels. Going to use JR servo matcher and probably their gyros. They may just get me to leave Futaba yet!

Altitude is Air insurance

Thank you Kule Kanain for the link.

but you must have me confused with somebody else....I would not cheat....hard to fly is what make it fun and interesting, if everybody could do it what would be the point....I fly Pattern with JR 10X not very good but I love it!

Daniel D.

There isn't a simulator on the market currently that would help even if you could use them. They're just not good enough yet.

-Doug