Flying by your self can be done. It is a long slow process. The method of going to a contest and getting data on what are doing right and wrong is a good one. When you get the data it can be hard on you, as you will have worked on getting it right for months and still do something wrong.
I fly by myself, as in no else at the field. When there are others flyers there I have trained a few to watch for simple things straight line ,vertical pull ups, simple stuff, not the maneuvers or you will lose them. I have couple to trained to call but most will just watch.
For many years the closest pattern plane was 4.5 hours away. In the past few years had a pattern pilot move in the area about one hour away. We trade off and on over the year flying at each other’s field. John K can tell you the story about when I hugged him at the pattern contest in Columbia MO.

Work on straight and level flight first it is the heart of all Maneuvers.


I fly Masters. The competition is with me, the judge’s rate me on what I have done my fellow flyers that I trust tell what is going on. My biggest reward is having them say that there was improvement. That is my goal improve every year.

In years past the first pattern plane I would see beside my own was at the first contest of the year.

It is fun Mark (Flying Pattern in the neutral zone)