LAGCISCO

I agree, with you use the same model. I used to be under the impression that if you didn't have the top equipment then you would not get the scores.
I found out last year that this was not the case. Last year was my first competitive year in F3A, so I invested in a secod hand DR. Jekyll that had been flow in the World Champs in 99 in the USA by one of the Irish team members. This was of course well out dated by now,but its all I could afford at 19 but it flew increadible but unfortunately it crashed due to radio problems. This happend a couple of weeks before the first competition of the season. I decide to take out my brothers old Dr. Jekyll which had a lot of flights on it and it was built in the winter of 1994 and flow at the World Champs in 1995 in Japan it also flew a full 2 seasons at local Irish events before it was bought by my brother. I took this model out all basic gear in it with a ys 140 fz, to my disapointment it didn't fly aswell as it used too what do you expect it was 8 years old at this stage. I then bought a second hand Caprice and flew it at the first leg of the team trails and came last mainly due to little practice despite the flying capablilites of the model. Unfortunately this model crashed shortly afterwards with in total about 25 flights on it (STRUCTURAL FAILURE).

I was left mid season with no model and 2 black bags full of crashed models.

So I decided I had 2 options quit for the season or take out my brothers old Dr. Jekyll, so being the young ambitious F3A pilot, finishing out the season was the only option.

So I took out my old Dr. J and practiced and practiced until I knew the model inside and out I must have had over 130 schedule flights in the space of 8 weeks.

To cut a long story short, I entered the Irish Nationals, with an 8 year old model looking worse for ware with standard gear in it and a old ys 140. But the main think was I knew the model so well and practiced so much that I managed to come 4th and in the process beating

An Angel Shadows, Alliance, Focus's, caprice, Smaragd.

I have changed my view and now beleive that as long as you have a half decent pattern plane and plenty of practice & the right attitude thats all you need.

Maybe at international level you do but thats another days work..........

I am now looking forward to next season, hopefully with a bit more luck in models..........