I own two pattern type aircraft: The Excellerion 90 w/ OS 1.20 AX and the Venus II w/ OS 1.20 AX. Both are set up as pattern (minimum throw to accomplish all maneuvers without radical moves). I have them set up with very low throw angles purposefully. Both planes have the large control surfaces (it seems that a person cannot get a true 90 size pattern plane any more.. they are coming out as capable of both pattern and 3D and there are some of us that want... WANT... a plane that is NOT a 3D plane but a pattern plane).

Aaaaanyway... I'm off my soap box now... ha[sm=wink_smile.gif]

I had originally thought I would fly in the Sportsman category at competition, but time seems to prove as my nemesis. I just don't have the time to practice to become competitive. But, as already said, these planes do fly very well, and very straight. They make an average pilot look good.

And, again, as someone already said, they do land a tad hot, but you get used to that, and just adjust your landing approach accordingly.

I am building a Sig Something Extra now, as a fun-fly plane. I had a Venus 40 (40 size pattern plane) but destroyed that in an accident at the field and upgraded that to the Venus II.

There are specific rules concerning weight and noise. Chris (Overbored) mentioned some of the restrictions, but one biggie is the noise factor. They will dis-allow/disqualify a plane that does not meet the noise limits (at matches, contests, or comptition whatever you care to call them).

Most real serious pilots choose the 2 meter pattern planes because, in pattern, big is good. Visibility as well as the inherent stability in a larger airframe is there. Both of mine are slightly smaller than the 2 meter variety and weigh in at about 9 or so pounds each, and burn about 12 ounces of fuel in a 10 - 12 minute flight, and both will do vertical very nicely.

Hope all this helps.

Oh, one more thing, the NSRCA web site has the flight pattern schedule for all classes. If you've never done Pattern, (which is what this string sounds like), you will start out in the Sportsman category. Get that maneuver schedule and take a close look at it. Each maneuver follows the last (obvoiusly) but for a reason. The previous manuever sets up the one that follows and so on so that all maneuvers follow a 'pattern' and are in a logical sequence. All are doable for a 'beginner' in pattern, but do require the pilot to be proficient in basic flight.

One of the hardest maneuvers, believe it or not, is the straight line, that is, flying from end to end of 'the box' in a straight line without varying speed, altitude, or attitude, and direction. It's tough. Try it. All the other stuff depends on that straight line so you can set up the entry for the whole pattern sequence.

Take-off as well as landing counts for score. So, you have to have a pattern-ish take off as well as a pattern-ish landing that ends up with the plane stopping right smack in front of you.

Yep, it's tough, but the sense of accomplishment and pride comes out when you can complete a near flawless pattern sequence. And, it looks very nice. What I hear most of all, though, is that pattern pilots become better pilots because they become very disciplined. Not that 3D, IMAC, and so on are not, it's just that the discipline required is not that of free-style, but of a specific set of flight maneuvers that must be done in a specific way. It's tough, but very rewarding.

DS.