Get used to it, this hobby will do that to you

I'd go with the Venus if you are staying in basic for a while. Look at it this way, for a 2 day contest the average is 3 rounds on Saturday and 2 round on Sunday. Basic takes roughly 5 minutes per sequence and since you do two per round then figure 10 minutes per round, now on Sunday you will only fly one sequence for the first round and then two for the second round. Now total all that up and you have roughly 45 minutes total flying time but those 45 minutes will be the hardest 45 minutes you have ever flown until you get used to it. This only takes into account the contest time. I've heard and agree that one contest equals about 25 full practices flights so figure you need 25 flights to get ready, less if you concentrate and stay focused.

Basic may seem easy looking at the sequences but you need to remember that flying a perfectly wind corrected line, both vertical, horizontal and a 45 degree line is not the easiest thing to do. Now toss in a half roll on a 45 degree line and have the half roll be perfectly centered on the line and things just got a bit harder. There is a bit of work in flying IMAC and you have to discipline yourself a bit but it will certainly make you a better pilot and the camaraderie is like nothing you'll find in most other hobbies

Also, it would certainly be very helpful to learn to read the Aresti, I can certainly help with that via email or PM or other means. If you did not live 600+ miles from me I would certainly help you out, I've done it several times before

So what does this all mean, it can be tough, it takes a good level of dedication, but the new friends you will make, the fun you will have and most importantly you'll have a goal that you can certainly achieve, makes it all worth while and pretty soon all this stuff I've explained won't even matter to you, you'll just go and do it

As far as judging schools and stuff there are at least a dozen really good IMAC pilots in the area for you. John Glazelis in Massachusetts, John Banks in CT, Ray Labonte (I think he's in Maine or Vermont, check composite-arfs web site at www.composite-arf.com, he's a rep for them so you can find his info there and a host of others) Anyone of them will certainly help you out if you just ask. John Banks is a moderator over on FG (RCU chops the name out if I post it).

Tony Banano and Bill Larsey will be hosting several IMAC judging schools next year in the NE region so what out for those. You will see them come up on this web site [link=http://www.thehiddenhangar.com/imac]NE IMAC forum[/link]. I'll be going over the rules along with 2 others in the NE and recommending changes to the IMAC BOD starting very soon and going all the way to the end of next year. I'll be doing some Aresti schools via podcast after the first of next year