Hello:

I like pattern flying and practice most of the maneuvers in the sportsman’s class whenever I go to the flying field. To me, a large, round and well executed loop it’s a pleasure to see or achieve. Unfortunately, I do not have enough time to practice and advance beyond sportsman and in fact, I have only participated in one competition and didn’t placed very well, but I enjoyed it anyway.

SEE MY OPINION IN CAPITAL LETTERS. I AM SURE YOU WILL GET MANY OTHERS GIVING GOOD FEEDBACK.


I wonder about the future of Pattern Flying and that’s the reason behind this post, We have seen Pattern the way it was in the sixties and seventies, then the coming of the Turnaround Pattern; then maybe the increasing in power of the planes to be capable of executing the newer sequences; then maybe the widening of the plane’s bodies to allow to a more constant speed trough the sequences and today the ever increasing use of electric power in the pattern planes.

What do you think about the future of Pattern Flying? DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. CLEARLY ALL WELL KNOWN PILOTS IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD FLY PATTERN SO I BELIEVE PATTERN IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT PART OF RC MODELS IN THE FUTURE.
What do you think that we will be seeing in the coming years? MORE ELECTRIC POWER.
Do you think that the size and weight limits now in use will have to be changed? NO. 11 LBS= 5 KGS IS THE DEFINITION OF RC MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONALLY. THEREFORE I BELIEVE 11 LBS = 5 KGS. WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED
Or do you think that the complexity of the maneuvers will have to be increased (if it is still possible)? NO, THAT IS THE REASON WE HAVE SEVERAL LEVELS. JUST FLY SPORTSMAN AND SWITCH TO HIGHER LEVELS AS YOU FEEL MORE CONFIDENT.

Regarding the model’s design, I think that almost everything has been tried but a pusher configuration; I think that something like the Jet Bobcat design could be made to a good pattern plane with a pusher prop and the right momentums since there would not be any prop vortex hitting the tail section of the model; what would you think about such a plane? I FLEW A CANARD DESIGN ONE TIME AND I DON'T THINK IS GOOD DESIGN FOR PATTERN. HAVE YOU SEEN PUSHER CONFIGURATION IN REAL ACROBATIC PLANES?

REGARDS,

Vicente "Vince" Bortone