The guys in Juarez/El Paso are trying to get their first Pattern contest going in 2007. I believe they are shooting for Aug. The same club also hosts an IMAC contest in the Spring, but am not sure of the date yet.

To master a sequence is the ultimate accomplishment and to be honest, almost no ever does. We are always striving for the perfect maneuver, followed by the next perfect manuever and so on.

As stated before, the basics are the building blocks. If you don't learn them well, and move up, your flights typically don't do very well. Straight lines (not bowed, not up and down, verticals that draw a line as straight as a rope hanging down) are all essential. As well, centering any rolls/snaps on lines is very difficult. Making all radii the same roundness, entering and exiting all center manuevers at the exact same altitude. Using the rudder to keep the plane on a wind corrected heading. Wings level throughout. Making all loops perfectly round, not egg shaped, no flat spots ending at the exact point you began the loop at.

As you can see, us mere mortals never Master a sequence but we can fly it the best we can.

Start off with straight flight, wings level, in any wind condition. Don't fly kittycorner just cause the wind is blowing that way, use the rudder to crab the fuselage to maintain a straight track. At each end of the box (as suggested earlier) pull into a stall turn or humpty bump or top hat. If the plane doesn't go straight up, your wings weren't level and we must see our plane, from the ground correctly to do this. If it comes in as you pull, the inside wing was low or you added aileron as you pulled, if it goes out as you pull, the outside wing was low or you added aileron as you pulled. Work on using very little correcting aileron and elevator as you fly across so the plane looks like it is on a rail, if you can see the little corrections you make, trust me, so can everyone else. As you exit the end manuevers, work on coming out at exactly the same altitude as you entered (just good practice) and with the same radius as you entered.

After you can do the above, then work on loops centered, rolls centered. Use a marker so you can see the plane and center marker at the same time to know if you performed the rolls exactly centered or not. Again, work in the wind so you can use the rudder. Try to make all up and down lines perfectly straight, even after stall turns. If your loops are corkscrewwing in or out, check lateral balance on the plane, check equal elevator throws, then again, look for wings level or crosswind correction needed.

Strive to be in total control of the plane at all times. remember the plane only does what it is told by the pilot. Again, if you see a correction is needed and make it, everyone else saw the correction also. If you see correction is needed, subtely make the correction and you couldn't see it, maybe you snuck it in. If you know you will need correction prior to it being seen, then you can make the appropriate changes without others seeing it and bingo, that is what we strive for. As you practice try to stay ahead of the plane, most planes are predictable in different conditions so corrections can be made.

Lastly, have someone else, that is honest and willing, watch your progress. Most of us can perfect mistakes without someone willing to tell us that sucked. At contests, ask someone to watch, show up Friday when everybody are telling stories and ask someone to watch, most will. Ask the judges, if you have time, for any comments and listen to them.

This is extremely fun, and extremely difficult. Enjoy it, strive at it, and burn the fuel, yeehaa

Ed