Gyros in pattern
01-10-2018, 03:09 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Gyros in pattern
I just read Tony Frackowiak's article in the December K-Factor. I totally agree that a quick way to get more folks active in Pattern is some rules changes. It has been obvious that other categories of RC have blossomed while Pattern has wilted. I say do anything to make the plane fly better. One is to allow gyros and number two is get rid of the box. I watch Mark Thomas practice IMAC with a 40% airplane and he is within 200 yards almost all the time. Guess what? Everyone can see it better. The pilot first, so he can fly it better, and the judges next so they can judge it better.
Jim O
Jim O
01-10-2018, 05:22 PM
#2
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I just read Tony Frackowiak's article in the December K-Factor. I totally agree that a quick way to get more folks active in Pattern is some rules changes. It has been obvious that other categories of RC have blossomed while Pattern has wilted. I say do anything to make the plane fly better. One is to allow gyros and number two is get rid of the box. I watch Mark Thomas practice IMAC with a 40% airplane and he is within 200 yards almost all the time. Guess what? Everyone can see it better. The pilot first, so he can fly it better, and the judges next so they can judge it better.
Jim O
Jim O
Pattern is dead, Kids have much more interesting things to do and the average guy can't afford to compete. I am actually looking to fly SPA but not happy there either with the no retracts - pipes regs.
IMO
01-12-2018, 02:33 PM
#3
My Feedback: (57)
One of the biggest reasons I left pattern flying was people were flying off of switches and mixes instead of using the control sticks on the transmitter. A gyro will not teach people anything about flying a plane or trimming a plane for good flight characteristics. Doesn't matter what kind of plane it is.....It will be a band-aid to cover up problems. I agree with you that pattern needs to come back to reality, and there has been more interest in the last couple years in the classic side of it... however letting in gizmos such as a gyro will only lead to what pattern flying has become today.
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Rudix (10-10-2020)
01-15-2018, 11:12 PM
#6
That's too bad. I don't know why Senior Pattern didn't take off in the north like it did in the south. We are having a East West shoot out in Tennessee this year. And looks like we will have a spot in the Nats.
02-01-2018, 01:02 AM
#7
My Feedback: (15)
Phoenix V
Mike - Found the P-V for you, complete glass fuse, wing and stab cores. This is third or fourth msg to you, no response.
Vince [email protected]
772 834 9258
Vince [email protected]
772 834 9258
03-23-2018, 05:55 AM
#9
This is just my two cents but the reason I got in the pattern in the 80s was because of the pipes and retracts and the slickness and smoothness and which the plane flew I love tinkering with the pipe and retracts and they fly great sound great look great it's fun.
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Rudix (10-10-2020)
03-29-2018, 11:24 PM
#10
My Feedback: (1)
ei,
What attracted me into pattern flying in middle 1970th was the rather soft and graceful manouvering of the plane in the sky.
On the other hand the screaming engines with pipes was also attracting at that time for most of us, and retractable landing gear did not hurt either.
The precise and gracefulness of (F3A) pattern flying is still attractive to me and one of the reasons I fly F3A also today (with our "guppy" like F3A 2 meter planes).
F3A has not much to offer an audience these days I'm afraid. They get bored after watching a couple if flights and I hear many complain that the planes are at
a long distance, especially at the turn around manouvers. It has to be quiet as a mouse at the contest while pilot is flying. The public usually do not have a clue
what manouvre is performed in the sky. People that fly F3A and know the schedule can of course appreciate a real good flight by another flyer.
It is hard to get volonteers to help in competitions also and usually the competitors themselves has to be scribers at local contests (at least in my country).
Maybe a Nutomatic hand held scooring device with a monitor etc will help some but they cost also and must be maintaned.
The biggest problem, at least in my country, is that young people is not attracted that much to F3A flying anymore. I do not know what can be done about that.
To learn to fly FAI F3A is a challange for most people, not to talk about the final Schedule. In our country we decided a couple of years ago that it is decided each year
if final program is to be flown at our national Championship, people just do not have time usually to practive on both P and F Schedule and the user base is rather small.
The best flyers for sure need the F Schedule to have demands for them but probably for the broad base of F3A flyers it is on the edge to be to demanding, at least if one
want to fly it reasonably good F schedule.
F3A probably need some sort of change to attract Young people again and probably something is needed to be done so spectators do not loose interest watching the flying.
I do not know how. But to continue on same track as today in the future will not help.
Gyros in pattern:
In entry classes it would probaly be OK to allow gyro just get people to participate in competitions but at some point up the ladder I'm sure no gyro should not be allowed since pure pilotskills should be used there.
The box:
In our country it is need from July 1 2018 to have a permission from ofr national avaiation authority to fly higher then 120 meter on a model flying field (that they consider safe for flying higher then 120 meter).
F3A box height is about 260 meter in front of pilot at 150 meter distance out. So for practicing F3A, or for copetitions, as if July 1 here in our country the field/club must have a written permission from our national aviatioin authority.
It is more and more complicated to just get up in the air and be able to fly any F3A Schedule here.
/Bo
What attracted me into pattern flying in middle 1970th was the rather soft and graceful manouvering of the plane in the sky.
On the other hand the screaming engines with pipes was also attracting at that time for most of us, and retractable landing gear did not hurt either.
The precise and gracefulness of (F3A) pattern flying is still attractive to me and one of the reasons I fly F3A also today (with our "guppy" like F3A 2 meter planes).
F3A has not much to offer an audience these days I'm afraid. They get bored after watching a couple if flights and I hear many complain that the planes are at
a long distance, especially at the turn around manouvers. It has to be quiet as a mouse at the contest while pilot is flying. The public usually do not have a clue
what manouvre is performed in the sky. People that fly F3A and know the schedule can of course appreciate a real good flight by another flyer.
It is hard to get volonteers to help in competitions also and usually the competitors themselves has to be scribers at local contests (at least in my country).
Maybe a Nutomatic hand held scooring device with a monitor etc will help some but they cost also and must be maintaned.
The biggest problem, at least in my country, is that young people is not attracted that much to F3A flying anymore. I do not know what can be done about that.
To learn to fly FAI F3A is a challange for most people, not to talk about the final Schedule. In our country we decided a couple of years ago that it is decided each year
if final program is to be flown at our national Championship, people just do not have time usually to practive on both P and F Schedule and the user base is rather small.
The best flyers for sure need the F Schedule to have demands for them but probably for the broad base of F3A flyers it is on the edge to be to demanding, at least if one
want to fly it reasonably good F schedule.
F3A probably need some sort of change to attract Young people again and probably something is needed to be done so spectators do not loose interest watching the flying.
I do not know how. But to continue on same track as today in the future will not help.
Gyros in pattern:
In entry classes it would probaly be OK to allow gyro just get people to participate in competitions but at some point up the ladder I'm sure no gyro should not be allowed since pure pilotskills should be used there.
The box:
In our country it is need from July 1 2018 to have a permission from ofr national avaiation authority to fly higher then 120 meter on a model flying field (that they consider safe for flying higher then 120 meter).
F3A box height is about 260 meter in front of pilot at 150 meter distance out. So for practicing F3A, or for copetitions, as if July 1 here in our country the field/club must have a written permission from our national aviatioin authority.
It is more and more complicated to just get up in the air and be able to fly any F3A Schedule here.
/Bo
Last edited by bem; 03-29-2018 at 11:32 PM.
05-20-2018, 07:33 PM
#13
How does a pattern plane fly bad? In the lower classes stop allowing mixes. Why? Because not everyone can get help perfecting that part of the setup. These planes are so easy to fly; a bad one still flies great. Everyone in the class has the same disadvantage; none should matter from the judge chair. The perfect flying plane is a great thing, but it really can be a have and have not for someone who has to do it all on his own. When you know you are short, why show up at a contest? In a lower class, so what if your plane pulls a little or does not fly as well inverted; you are splitting hairs. Masters is a whole different game. Keep the pattern plane of the year away from the bottom classes. Late 1990s early 2000's style planes should be just as viable in the bottom classes; lots of these out there flying around as hacks. Would not be bad to encourage 90 size planes too. .
06-09-2018, 02:16 PM
#14
My Feedback: (4)
Duane Wilson SPA Newsletter Editor
06-10-2018, 10:39 PM
#15
I think that NOT having to deal with tuned pipes and retracts may attract more pilots to compete. I like not having to mess with them.
We just experienced a great contest at the Texas Wings flying field. We had a great time just flying planes, visiting and talking about airplanes, and NOT repairing or fiddling with them.
As for having gyros in planes to compete, maybe those that still need a gyro, still need to learn to fly.
Frank
We just experienced a great contest at the Texas Wings flying field. We had a great time just flying planes, visiting and talking about airplanes, and NOT repairing or fiddling with them.
As for having gyros in planes to compete, maybe those that still need a gyro, still need to learn to fly.
Frank
06-13-2018, 09:27 AM
#16
I'll ad a few coins. I got out in 1992, and back in in 2015. Wow, what a change! Nitro to electric, 2.4G computer radio's, 2M airplanes, no more retracts. I loved the old equipment; high zoot factor. But times are different, and electric bring almost a zero maintenance proposition. My plane (Nuance) is 6 years old, and faded monokote is the only thing that shows. I also have an EU1-A....which I haven't touched in a year.
Nevertheless, nothing keeps anyone from competing with nitro, it's just the pilot's choice. A smooth flying nitro plane is equally as competitive; one finished 9th last year at Blytheville in Masters. It's just the chosen minority.
Pattern is dwindling; we really need everyone back, whatever you fly. Just leave the gyros at home - It's about improving your skills, not replacing them with a circuit.
Nevertheless, nothing keeps anyone from competing with nitro, it's just the pilot's choice. A smooth flying nitro plane is equally as competitive; one finished 9th last year at Blytheville in Masters. It's just the chosen minority.
Pattern is dwindling; we really need everyone back, whatever you fly. Just leave the gyros at home - It's about improving your skills, not replacing them with a circuit.
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Rudix (10-10-2020)
