There seems to be some interest in starting a Senior Pattern Association Florida Chapter.

So, we are looking for any interested pilots who would like to be a part of a new chapter. If you are interested please reply to this topic and we'll see what develops.



Bob Cox
Miami, FL
#172378

Bob Cox: A GREAT idea. One of the FLORIDA regulars, Mr. Rich Ernst from Brooksville, FL placed 2nd in the NOVICE
contest at HODGES HOBBIES in Andersonville, GA last weekend. On this post, I can't locate your' e-mail address to
reply to you directly.....but let me encourage you to perhaps join the SPA Discussion List and post your' request for
interested flyers in the Sunshine State. To join the SPA discussion list (if you're not already on there) just send an
e-mail to:
[email protected]
in the "body" type:
Join Discussion "Your Name" <your e-mail address>
then SEND. The list will respond automatically if you're successful. Or you may join from within the SPA website at
www.seniorpattern.com
For many years we used to hold a contest at Tony Stillman's place in Pensacola (Radio South)...but haven't been to
Florida for the past few years. Use our Discussion List as you desire to promote your' interest. This is the way the
New Jersey Chapter and the Oregon Chapter came into being.....there was simply a "motivated" modeler that got
the ball rolling.

Let us know if we can be of further assistance in your' quest. Same holds true for all RC pilots down you way that
enjoy Precision Aerobatics like they were flown in the 60's and 70's. I'll leave my e-mail address here if you or
others might like to e-mail me directly..........BEST wishes and many thanks for your' efforts.
Sincerely,
Bruce Underwood SPA 15 President
Guntersville, AL
[email protected]

Bob, I discovered I "goofed" on the address for the SPA Discussion List, it is:

[email protected]

I used a _ instead of a - in the address....my BAD...........BRUCE

Bob,

I am an SPA member currently living in Coral Springs (N Broward County). I would definitely like to get together and do some flying. I have never flown non-turnaround style pattern and could use some serious coaching.

Ray Murtha

As soon as I get thru August and part of October, I should be able to jump on. More traveling to do this year. I am into larger planes now, but I am hooked on the Phoenix series.

Vince Vlassick
Hobe Sound, FL
AMA 52779

I'll offer to get a list of interested people together. Please send me e-mails. We'll see where it goes from there. I'd really like to get a contest together.

How does FSPA sound...? (Florida Pattern Association plus SPA) just kidding....

Rich Ernst
SPA # 262
AMA 57151
FSPA #1 ?

[email protected]

Ray, I had seen your name on the list that Steve sent me. You are the closest to me and there is even a chance we’ve met at some time. I work at Warrick Custom Hobbies in Plantation two days a week. It would be great to get together and do some flying. It’s been almost 18 years since I last flew non-turnaround pattern, so I’m not too sure how much I really remember about the correct way to fly the sequence. The main thing is to fly the maneuvers in the correct order with the correct wind direction.

Where do you fly? I fly with the AMPs in south Dade County and I live south of the field, just North of Homestead. Coral Springs in about 70 miles north of me but I’m sure we could come up with some way to get together.

I’m currently flying a turnaround pattern plane but I just received the plans for the Dirty Birdy and Super Kaos. I plan to build the Dirty Birdy for SPA pattern. With any luck I will have a legal SPA plane in the next couple of months. I plan to fly sportsman so I need to have a legal plane.


E-mail me and I’ll give you my phone number so we can talk further.

[email protected]

Bob Cox
AMA# 172378

Ok Rich, I’ll let you have the No. # 1,if I get FSPA # 2. Florida Senior Pattern Association sounds real good to me. Simple and too the point. You know I’m going to nominate you for president of the FSPA if you want #1.

The list Steve sent me does not have e-mail addresses. It does have phone numbers and street addresses. That’s the reason for starting the post here. It’s the easiest way to get e-mail addresses.

Bruce, I tried getting on the discussion through the link above but it came back undeliverable. I’ll go to the website and see what I can do there.

Bob
AMA#172378

Bob, I just typed a request using your name and now that I have your' e-mail address to add you to
the SPA Discussion List....it is 9:38 AM CDT and I just received confirmation that it "took".

Good luck and surely do appreciate your good efforts....Rich, do you recall the edition of the SPA newsletter
that featured the pix and story on your' DECEPTION and can you refer Bob to it.....it would make some
good reading for him and the Florida guys, I'll wager.

Best to all,
Bruce Underwood SPA 15
Guntersville, AL 35976
[email protected]

Bob,

You can add my name to the list you are putting together. From 1979 through the early 90's there was a Florida Pattern Association which was very active in promoting the pattern scene. At its peak we had around 120 members. I was president (and treasurer and newsletter editor) from 1982-1984. Back then it was not unusual to have ~25 entries in the Novice (now Sportsman) class!

Jeff Owens
[email protected]

FPA 43
SPA 243
AMA 32631

I’m just trying to keep this topic towards the top so everyone has a chance to see it.

Ray Murtha and I have been talking and Ray will have some time, possibly next weekend, to drive down to Miami. We will be flying at the Aero Modeler’s of Perrine (AMPs) field. We’ll see if I remember how to do the Old Pattern sequence. As I don’t have an SPA legal plane yet, I’ll be using my Spot On for now.

Bob

You can go to the website to see what the maneuver sequence looks like, see drawings and descriptions of them etc. You can download the maneuvers as well as score sheets and maneuver call cards. Here is a text version of the score sheet which shows the maneuver sequence for all classes, upwind or downwind etc


www.seniorpattern.com--->DOWNLOADS

This sounds like a good idea to me. I quit last contest in BPA days was in New Port Richey in November 1983. SPA and BPA are of more interest to me than the current AMA style. I think when you are in my age group the tendency is to look back at the good old days.

Allan Weir

I sure hope you guys get at Florida Chapter going. That way I can come to Florida and terrorize (I mean...fly with) Rich Ernst in Sportsman next season. Something in Central Florida would be very do-a-ble for a bunch of us Georgia Crackers. The Dalton Gang, Paulding County ("Hotlanta") and a host of others might just show up and support that!
Mike Robinson SPA 347
Dalton, GA.

Ray Murtha came down from Coral Springs today and we got some practice flights in at the AMPS club field. Ray didn’t bring large enough wheels for a grass runway so we ended up doing all the flying on my plane. Lol

After six flights, we went to the local BBQ pit and had lunch. I personally had a great time. It’s was great flying the old pattern with someone who has the same interests. Best part was we both learned where our deficiencies were and what maneuvers to practice. Actually, I need to practice them all.

Over lunch, I had a brain storm. Why don’t the Florida guys just get together for not so much a contest, but a “practice” session where we all fly, critique, and practice our pattern sequences. Maybe we could even get one of those knowledgeable SPA guys to come down and do a judging course or something. My last count of interested parties in Florida, I come up with 8 people willing to start a Florida SPA chapter. I don’t know that that is enough people to start a chapter but I don’t see that we should wait until we have a chapter to get together to fly and enjoy some pattern flying.

I just felt that if Ray and I can have that much fun with just the two of us, that eight or more of us together would be a blast. I would offer to have something like this at my home club, but I don’t want to make everyone drive to the end of Florida. I would be more than willing to drive to central Florida to do something like this if we can come up with a location. It seems to me an SPA contest is mostly a social gathering with a chance to do some great flying. We’ll do the same thing on a low key scale without the contest hardware.

So, sound off. Let me know what you think. Is this something you would like to do? Or, is this just another one of my pipe dreams? If you want to do it and you’re willing to drive to Miami, let me know that too. I have no problem setting this up if you don’t mind driving down here. I just feel we would get better participation if it where more centrally located.

Bob Cox
Miami, FL

I received the following e-mail from Ed Kirtley. I’m paisting his response here so we have responses here in one place.

If enough guys feel the same, I have no problem hosting an SPA gathering here in Miami. I’ll warm up the BBQ!

Bob

"Bob

I have interest in coming down to Miami (my son lives there) and flying an SPA Pattern, just for fun.

I live in Howey in the Hills, Fl., about 45minutes NW of Orlando. I use to live in Kentucky and flew a few SPA Contests over the years. I fly Sportsman.


I have two SPA Aircraft at this time. A Daddy Rabbit and a World Models Intruder. Both are powered by an OS 91 4-stroke. I thought about getting back into contests, but just did not want to drive four to eight hours for a contest. With your field, I could stay and visit my son.

Ed Kirtley"

Another response I’m pasting here. So far this makes four positive responses for having an SPA get together in Miami. Counting myself and Ray, that makes six. Keep the responses coming and we may do this.

“Bob - Thanks, good idea. I am about 2 hours from Miami, near Jupiter, by the intra-coastal. Out of town right now, on remote, get back when I return. I belong to 2 clubs up here, on close to home, closed down blacktop AGCat runway, 1500' X 75'. Other club, Sundancer's up in PSL, always has contest's for out of towners. I have a brother member of Amps.”

Vince Vlassick
Hobe Sound, FL

Bob Cox
Miami FL

It wasnt just my wheels that were too small. Even with a 3 blade prop, my plane looked like it just flew through the salad bar at Golden Corral. I did have a great time. As for the local BBQ pit for lunch, I had the best pulled pork sandwich I have ever eaten (trust me , I know how to eat).

Having another pilot watch/ evaluate your flying makes a world of difference. Bob found my problem with the 3 inside loops (I was hesitating just a little bit between loops and loops 2 and three kept winding up upwind of the previous loop) and I helped him with the 180 deg. turn.

I plan on bringing my Banshee to the next meeting for "show and tell" and try to generate some interest within my club.

While there arent enough Florida flyers yet for a full fledged contest, we could definitely get together and have a "judging clinic" type get together. Vince might have the best place to "host" a get together as the Hobe Sound/ Pt St Lucie area is a little more centrally located. Although if Vince hosts, I vote for the 1500' black top runway as I am still picking grass out of my plane. ":O)

Ray

A pattern clinic sounds like fun. I'm up for it and a central FL location would work better for us - my wife is from Orlando and she could visit her family while I fly. Miami is about 8 hours by car, although I could put the equipment in our C-182 if there is a general aviation airport nearby.

Jeff

SPA 243
Cessna Skylane N9214G

Jeff, Homestead General Airport is five miles away and Tamiami Airport is about 10 miles away. If it came to that, you would have no problem finding some where to land a 182.

So far I’ve got three pilots willing to come to Miami, and three who think some where in central Florida would be better, but one of those would be willing to come to Miami if it was decided to do it here. As I stated earlier, I am willing to do it down here, but I also think that a central location would be better for attendance. I’ll put you down under the central Florida column.

Bob

Bob:
I know of at least 2-3 pilots in the Central Florida area that would be intersted in SPA in Florida. Myself and one more from the Orlkando Florida area and another one from the Tampa area.
I am currently finishing a MK Arrow kit which is not legal for SPA. I am contemplating a Dirty Birdy or a Daddy Rabbit for SPA.
I have some old Italian Supertiger engines just sitting in boxes that need to be put to some use.
I also belong to RCACF club which I am sure could host some nevenmts.
Waiting for your reply.

Orlando Frets
AMA 3569

Orlando, I’ve currently got seven (counting myself) pilots that would like to get together to fly, have a judging seminar, start a chapter or have a contest. I think most of us just want to get together to do some vintage pattern flying of any sort. If we count you and the two friends, it comes to an even ten.

Most on the list live a lot closer to Orlando than Miami, so doing something closer to central Florida makes a lot more sense. Orlando is a 4-5 hour drive for me, but I’m more than willing to come up that way to fly for a day or two.

My feeling is we could get together to do some flying/practicing and set down and talk about the future of Vintage pattern and how to get an SPA/BPA chapter started in Florida.

IF, someone or a club wanted to hold an event, I would not discourage them, but I don’t think we need to go that far yet. Just a meeting of the “minds” is what I think is required right now. I admit that a lot can be done through e-mails, but I would personally look forward to a chance to do some flying with fellow vintage pilots. I don’t have a SPA legal plane yet either, but you don’t have to have a legal plane to fly novice. I’m starting a Super Kaos, so I’ll have a legal plane soon.

We as a group just need to decide where and when to get together and just do it. As I’ve stated, I will do it down here if that’s the decision, but I still think central Florida would be better. I’m just waiting for someone to offer. If no one does, then it will be in Miami.

Let me now what your thoughts are and we’ll go from there.

Bob Cox
Miami, FL

Thanks for the reply Bob;
The gathering of the minds sounds like a good idea. If nothing else, a day of good flying and friendship. Possibly a more central location to you where it may be just 1.5 to 2 hours drive. We would have to find a location that would be suitable. Perhaps someone who is interested in the SPA Florida could chime in here and give a hand.


My thoughts would be to have roving sites where to host the events once the Chapter is formed. My note as to my club hosting an event was in the case where the SPA Chapter is already formed.
The idea of the roving sites is equalize the driving time of the participants and perhaps drw more participants. This could be done maybe 2-3 timesper year with an add 2 for BPA/SPA.

Several years ago I contacted Bruce and Cass Underwood about starting a Florida Chapter. They said just get it going and they would be more than happy to help out.
I believe this was already mentioned somewhere in this thread?

I know of one pilot in Orlando, FL that has a Super Patricia, another pilot Joe Llanos from Tampa getting ready to build a Dirty Birdie or a Seetater and myself will be buildina a Dirty Birdie and another pilot with a Phoenix 7 who may be interested, and of course there is Don Lowe who I know would be most interested. These guys are in the Orlando area with the eceptiopn of one in Tampa.

Bob, I don't know what else to say, but meeting and discussing the options is viable and may be a good thing We could possibly do a day of flying followed by a late lunch and/or dinner and discuss the options.

Orlando Frets
Orlando, FL

Orlando Frets [email protected]
Ray Murtha [email protected]
Ed Kirtley [email protected]
Jeff Owens [email protected]
Rich Ernst [email protected]
Vince Vlassick [email protected]
Allan Weir [email protected]
Robert Cox [email protected]


Ok guys, we’ve got about ten pilots to start with. This is a good start, but I know there are a lot more pilots out there. We’ll build on these ten and see what develops.

This “meeting” we are going to have does not need to be a contest type effort. We all meet at one of the pilot’s flying field to fly on a Saturday or Sunday. We fly in the morning, have some lunch then fly in the afternoon. Lunch could be a bag lunch that everyone brings and then we have dinner at a Denny’s or some other convenient restaurant to discuss our thoughts and plans for starting an SPA chapter. If we quit flying by three, we could be having dinner by five, and be headed home by seven. Of course I’m just speculating right now, so the times would be moved around as necessary to get everyone home by a descent hour.

I would like to have this meeting before the holidays, so I’m thinking some time in September or October. My hope is to schedule this far enough in advance so everyone can be sure to plan ahead and have the day free to travel.

So, we have two important decisions to make: 1. Where do we meet? 2. When do we meet?

Since this would not be a contest, I don’t see any reason to close down a clubs’ flying field. This should make it easier to have this at any number of clubs. This is where I ask for someone to volunteer to host this “event”. If no one steps up within the next week, then I will assume all responsibility for putting this on.

I’m going to throw out a date here for debate purposes’. I think a Saturday would be the better of the weekend days to have this. I would like to suggest September 29th. If anyone has a conflict that they know of at this time, please let me know as soon as possible and suggest a different date.

Ok, I’ve got the ball rolling. Who will step up and help me push? This will need to be a group effort. If we all work together on this, I believe we’ll have something good.

I’ve listed the pilots I have e-mails for at the top of this e-mail. When you respond, please click on “reply to all” so we all see your reply. Also, if you could, give us your home city in your responses so we know where you’re from. Please pass on this e-mail to other pilots you know of that might be interested in a Florida SPA chapter. I will also post this on RC Universe.

Bob Cox
Miami, FL

If there is any interest in a Tampa location, the Bay City Flyers club field could be a point of meeting for the get together. The field is about 30 miles north of Tampa and about six miles west of Interstate 75. Two large crossing grass runways(North South and East West) are available. I fly there and it is a 267 member club. The website is www.baycityflyers.com .