First contest: Hobbico Spectrum..... When I got there and saw the other pattern planes I was afraid to get it out of the car. That was a mistake, I should have flown.

Second contest: Jekyll .60 (original Pattern Tek kit) that hung in my garage for 10 years. I like paint. It weighed 9+ lb.

Rest of season: Tai Ji .60. Served me well and kept heat on the boys with the big planes (although they still beat me most of the time).

Next season: Focus. Flies great! (Watch out!)

Season after that: Gasser, if I can get one legal. I can burn 2 gallons in 1 day with the Focus. That adds up!

As far as design characteristics for an airframe, I want one nice and fat. Lots of drag helps me keep speeds constant. The Jekyll I started with was so thin it's almost a profile. The focus is good, but I wouldn't mind something even dirtier than that. Also, I like simplicity.. No enclosed pipes, retracts, plug stabs, nose rings, etc.. Top access would be good too. (I hate the pipe channel on the Focus)..

Chuck