Well, thanks, Gordon.

A slow roll is one of the pretiest maneuvers I've ever seen. Very graceful and picturesque. I guess one has to be a model flyer to appreciate that.

About, oh, a year or so after I solo'ed, I had my Tiger 60 and was flying it pretty good, always learning. My original instructor, Ron, would show me maneuvers, and show me how to do them, so I moved into maneuvers slowly not realizing that Ron was setting me up for the big question.. would I be interested in flying pattern. So, when he finally did, he said "Dick, you are flying that Tiger pretty good now. Why don't you learn to string those maneuvers together and learn pattern?"

So, I did just that. And I bought four (Or was it five???) cases of fuel and headed out to the field as often as I could, which was two times a week, at minimum, learning the sportsman pattern sequences.

At the time, I was one of the lead engineers on a project that had me traveling over to England, Oklahoma City, and other places, and I was gone for long periods of time, so my flying was interrupted by work.. what a reality trip that was..

I eventually learned all the basics, starting off with stick control and straight line flight, then proper and quick trim, and so on. But, I never made it to a competition even though Ron would ask me frequently when I was going to take that Tiger to a competition. Time just was not on my side, so I never stopped "training".

Eventually, I bought a Venus 40, which was an entry level real pattern plane, but smaller than the two meter birds the "pro's" were flying, but quite capable in it's own right, and flew it for quite a while. A simple mistake.. yeah, ahem... stick control, planted that nice airplane. The wing broke away because of nylon bolts, and, strangely, I still have that wing.

I moved up to a 90 size pattern plane with an Excelleron 90 then a Venus II (both of which I still own and still fly), very VERY capable aircraft, but never really had the time to compete.

So, I fly the planes, fly the routines, modified as I see fit and how I like to fly, just to relax and enjoy the day without the necessary discipline. But, I believe I"ve become a better pilot for the training and discipline that I DID have when learning, and I try to apply that to my flying every time I'm out there, always trying to do a better landing, or a better roll out, or a nicer turn, or a straight up vertical climb, and so on.. so you can take the pattern out of the pilot but not the pilot out of the pattern... or whatever that may be.. .

So, I too mostly fly for the sport and relaxation, and really smile when a maneuver comes off as nice as it could in competition, but without the pressure.

Dick.