[quote]ORIGINAL: crhammond





Maybe I'd be better off to build a pattern plane and do that at the local contests for a few years. The problem is making a 10lb gasser ... I am very allergic to glow oil now and I don't want to invest thousands of $$$ in short life span LiPo's. I'm not sponsored for batteries... and 5 or 6 10c packs is huge $$$.




There life span is better than you may think. The cost is (for me) the same as running a glow flight..
But nothing compare to the price of a gasser.

There are options for the gas pattern ships now though. You just have to search for them.

On the subject, I agree, start low, but only if you feel comfortable flying it. Fly it for a contest or two, and decide if you'd like to move up.
I have been trying to figure the same out for myself. I fly pattern in Masters, soon to be Fai and have wondered what class I will start off in when I finally compete in Imac this year.
I want to fly Advanced to start, but I think I will start a little lower just to get the hang of how Imac differs from pattern.

I can't wait, just need two more servo's and a power expander!! Oh, and the b-lls to hand start the zdz80...

Chris