ORIGINAL: darock
Clean,
You've got two posts that describe the takeoff in detail and that count all the laps. It appears to me that the two descriptions conflict with each other.
There is no "level flight" maneuver in the AMA rulebook. The takeoff includes the two level laps that are judged as part of the 13.1 maneuver. Lap 1 is the climb lap. Lap 2 and 3 are level and part of the first judged maneuver.
http://www.modelaircraft.org/comp/05...ook/claero.pdf
The confusion here is that there is no separate level flight maneuver for either the full AMA pattern or the PAMPA beginner pattern. The first maneuver is Takeoff AND Level Flight for a maximum total of 40 pts. The takeoff is one full lap from your point of release and the level light is the next 2 laps immediately after the takeoff. THEN you get scored for the maneuver. You should fly 2 additional laps as the judges are recording your score before you go into the wingover. So including the one lap takeoff/climb and level flight, you need to do (including the takeoff) 5 total laps before pulling into the wingover. A lot of pilot will do 6 laps before the wingover as a safety margin.
My son's first official flight at the Sig contest he didn't do enough level laps before the wingover and lost his pattern points. He got scored for both the Takeoff/Level Flight and the Wingover but zip for pattern points.