Hey, guys!

Don't know how many in here are interested in occasional competition... There are relaxed, unofficial events: Old Time Stunt and Classic Stunt - that allow us to fly the models we remember from our younger days, in a "sorta competitive" environment. ...Where fraternizing with old and new buddies is more important than who scores highest...

Old Time Stunt is for models known (kitted, published or provably from the era) before January 1, 1953. Two classes: spark ignition and glow, plus a small acknowledgment for diesel. Flying rules are those of the AMA 1951-52 Precision Aerobatics rulebook. Safety requirements are today's, of course.

Classic Stunt is for models "known" (as above) before January 1, 1970. Modern flight rules (and Safety Requirements, of course.)

As far as AMA is concerned, these are "Unofficial" events - and may it ever be that way!

But, look, even in the later - Classic Stunt - event, the "newest" models eligible are about 39 years old! Several guys taking up CL for the first time now may be a bit interested in CLPA (CL Precision Aerobatics). It adds a set of standards to work toward, instead of just hanging on while the model flies laps. And at a contest, you need to be prepared to get on your circle when called, start and fly according to the event standards, land and get off the circle promptly for the next guy. Your time between flights becomes a FANTASTIC learning experience!

Control-line fliers MUST depend on each other, for launching and retrieving at least. This goes further. There are few to no secrets among us. There is a great amount of sharing experience from those who have experience to those who need to hear about it. And, because they must be trustworthy enough to launch for us, they are good guys. That places a burden on us to deserve their trust, if only in launching/recovering their models... It IS a brotherhood - or to include the ladies: a "siblinghood?" - with a lot of positives to it.

N E Hoo - subject of this post is a new idea being discussed around the USA CLPA enthusiasts - "Super-70s CLPA" seems to be a useful name...

The Classic Stunt era ends with the Times Square ball dropping to announce 1970. The decade between January 1, 1970 and midnight December 31, 1979 saw a lot of great - legendary! - CL stunt models appear. More of us remember the 1970's than the 1960's. Perhaps there'd be more interest in a casual, friendly event - in the spirit of Old Time and Classic - for the decade of the 1970's?

For those who have enjoyed OTS or Classic "competition," or who would like to try it, do you think adding a Super-70's idea has value? As an AMA CD, I am concerned that offering too many events at a contest means problems finding enough judges, scorekeepers, scoresheet runners, circle time, etc., up to and including enough daylight to git 'er done...

A popular event MUST be considered, of course. A new idea that hasn't proven itself yet? Hmmm... IF the new idea grows widespread support over the coming flying season, that argues strongly for me (as CD) to include it in the Fall Tucson AA (all-CL) meet at Tucson, AZ. Because it is a new, and so far unproven, idea my fellow Cholla Choppers (and I, of course) are thinking to offer it (if at all) this way:

Classic and Super-70's fly simultaneously on the same circle, before the same judges. (The scoreboards will be posted by which event a flier entered.) Fliers will have to declare entry into EITHER Classic OR S-70, NOT both. Models from earlier eras than Jan 1, 1970 to Dec 31, 1979 will not be allowed in S-70. Classic deserves to be preserved as it is now. Support for S-70 faces this severe test - is it more important to fly the more modern designs than the Classic era designs?

(Practical consideration: we usually have a good entry in Classic at this contest. Several local club members, and regular out-of-town fliers, have published, etc., eligible designs for Classic and for S-70. The practical side: we wouldn't need to slot in another event/circle/judges problem by adding S-70, this time. We can estimate from the support for S-70 how important it would be to offer it as a separate event in subsequent contests.)

Anyone with opinions on this. PLEASE let me know. There are regional and national websites, and publications, for CLPA matters. They may be too subject to organized support or opposition to such an idea as S-70. Personally, I think it has great promise. (That's just me.) As the lady who ran so many VSCs (quoting from another site) suggested, we'll never know the merit of an idea until someone tries it.

I'm game, if there is reason to be.

Is there?