A general question, what is the job of a caller? What makes a good one, a bad one?

A bad caller is one that says (TURN) a long time before you get to pylon one.

The caller is your eyes. You are watching and flying your plane. Your caller is looking for any hazards.

Among other things...

Is capable of setting your needle if it richens/leans while the pilot has left the starting line;
Pushes it correctly (so it doesn't nose over) and hard enough so it will be airborne in 5 feet;
Advises the pilot who has cuts and what laps the other racers are on;
Advises the pilot what lap he/she is on;
Advises the pilot as his/her number of cuts (if any) and where they occurred;
Constantly tries to help the pilot find the groove;
...and of course, when to turn for #1

Also, where landed planes are located on the runway when the pilot is on landing approach.

The caller is part of the TEAM... that person is everything to you and for you. Being the pilot is the easy part, as long as the caller takes care of everything else. When you as the pilot is completely focus on flying and only flying, that is when the caller steps in and guide you through everything else.

The first thing the caller does is the push... 1st or 2nd, knowing that is extremly important. Getting you a good push could mean the difference between first and second in a heat. Even if you are the second push, a good caller will push hard and get you out fast so your not so far behind...

Then at the first lap the call should call your name out to tell you when you made it to pylon #1

Pilots job to make it around #2 and #3... then the caller steps in a takes care of #1 again..

I think a good caller can use the light system as a measuring tool to judge how long he is at #1 .... so its the callers job to get the pilot right on at #1 and keep him there for the duration of the race. You want to be able to have a landmark in the horizon to start your 1...2...ready ...turn. Then move your start time to reel the pilot closer to pylon#1.

All the time the pilot is flying from #1 through #2-#3 he looking at the cut board and lap counter to see where he stands in the race and where everyone else is at as well... watching for cuts in other lanes and seeing what position his pilot is in.... always knowing and communicating all this to his pilot, but too much information can sometimes be too much for the pilot, so only give the pilot what he needs to know.


I think the most important thing for a caller is having a constant 1...2...ready.....turn.... keep that the same during the entire race so the pilots can turn when you start the word " T " in turn, the pilot is turning every time. Being constistant is very important.

Also watching the plane for trim issues should be done during practice, but if you see something during a race, is great to have communication between the caller and pilot at all times. For example needle settings, sound of the motor, was our plane keeping with the pace of the rest. Looking at the plug to determine a good run, looking at the oil on the bottom of the plane to see if it was too lean or rich. Making sure the pilot is on the right model and the transmiter is on, checking for right/left aileron....elevator and so on... the relationship between the caller and the pilot can make a huge difference on winning and losing.

And the last thing the caller does for you is to get you on the ground safely and around traffic... lets the pilot know where every body is and if he is first down or last and which side of the runway to land on..... also important....

The caller in my opinion has the hardest job.



I devote this entire speech to my mentor, which has helped me become a good caller and pilot, AJ Seaholm... one of the best

Scott Causey
NMPRA 20v

Nice post Scott, I completey agree. Calling consistently well is harder than flying. It is a very fine line between being too conservative and too agressive.

You touched on it, but its very important to know what lane the other pilots are in, and who is flying that plane when a cut is shown on the board. Knowing the plane in front of you cut right away can mean the difference between winning and losing.

A well worded description and also another good one from Daven. Another factor before calling for anyone is to ask the pilot what he expects of you as a CALLER........then you kinow exactly!
Some pilots only want confirmation that they have been around the outside of the pylon whereas others need to be guided around. It is a team and having been both caller and pilot at different times do believe the caller has the harder job. The pilot is normally well practised but the Caller needs to be very alert as to the racing activities lap by lap and advise the pilot accordingly. He need not advise the pilot of all happenings in front of the pilot but certainly must be able to quickly assess the likely problem areas and advise well before they eventuate He will understand the racing better as he spends more time with the same pilot- including the engine management, flying styles etc. He must also be aware of the protocol at the end of the race. Very important. Wish you well, and you will enjoy calling, regards trevor h, NZ

Another thing I noticed when I started calling was that it helped my own flying.. Seeing what other were doing and how they were doing it.. Especially guys that have been racing a while.