Starting IMAC next year, 2nd year flying, must I start in Basic class? Or can I start in Sportsman?

You can start wherever you'd like, however, I would fly at least one Basic contest if for no other reason than to become familiar with the way they are run.

Welcome to Imac and I see you are from NC Region also. The Judging School is also a great way to get started. Maybe I'll see you at Clinton....................

Lew Sheffield

Good advice, will do atleast my first one in Basic, just to get a feel of what is going on. I plan on being in Clinton at the end of April, and the judging school in muncie on April 16th with a few club members.

I should have my 1/4 scale extra 260 finished by then. Still having "which engine to use" issues, but thats a different story

Big Lew:
We got another one hooked

Welcome RichD, you will learn a lot from the school and will meet a lot of flyers that you will compete against.

Ron Pound and the Clinton IMAC crew do a wonderful job at their events.

Roxana, Il puts on a good IMAC for only doing it once last year.

Make sure you come up and introduce youself to us at the school in April.

Roger

You can start in any class you want, but I strongly suggest that you start in Basic, and stay there until you have mastered the lessons that you need to in order to be competitive. Too many people want to move up too fast and they pay the price of not having learned what they need to in the class they are leaving.

These are the essential lessons that I see Basic has to teach:

1 - Basic lines - horizontal, 45 and vertical lines

2 - Basic Shapes - Loops, 1/2 loops, Humpty-Bump, Hammerhead, Shark's Tooth, half Cuban Eight

3 - Basic roll elements - full roll, 1/2 roll

4 - Correct stalled spin entry and recovery

5 - Placement of internal roll elements - proper centering

6 - Speed control/Throttle management

7 - Figure placement/sequence flow

8 - Presentation of figure geometry

9 - Wind Correction

My rule of thumb for moving up is that unless you are consistently in the top 3 to 5 in a contest (and not 3rd out of 3) then you still have things to learn. Basic is perhaps the most important class there is because it is where you learn the fundamentals that you will need to build on in the higher classes.

Unfortunately many Regions treat Basic as a lesser class and will try to force pilots to move to Sportsman. Then you have to learn all these lessons while flying more difficult figures/sequences and trying to cope with Unknowns. Why not learn the lessons first ?

Also, I suggest that you visit the IMAC website and download the Aresti Made Simple article, the Aresti Dictionary, and the Judging summary card. There is a lot to learn and it is a fun challenge, but in the long run it is better to master walking before trying to run.

Bill (Aresti2004) is absolutely right. Don't start knocking Basic please, until you've competed, seen how you are able to fly the sequence, and see how absolutely gorgeous it can be flown by a more experienced pilot. Competing in IMAC is a bigger eye opener than you can ever imagine. There is very, very much to learn about setting your plane and radio up right. You will find that you'll need mixes you never thought of, you will use rates so low you didn't think the plane could be flown like that, and you'll be using so much expo on these low, low rates, you never thought of flying this way. To make your plane be in the sky exactly where you mean for it to be, at the correct attitude and velocity, is way harder than any on-the-deck-3D. I will spend my first year in Basic, no need to get your behind spanked without a doubt in the higher classes, when you can perhaps get away with a little spanking of your own in Basic.
DKjens

Hi. I read this topic and I am going to live in Miami Fl. next month for a work for the next 5 years. Here in My country we don't have IMAC competition and I always want it to do. I Am 40 year old and I need to know which plane is good for starting in Basic. I like the CA Model Fantzay, but to expensive. I like the new YAK 54 of Somenzini. I also Like the New Vision of Chipe. Are one of this plane good for a Basic ? I am planing to have the JR XP9303. Any Advice ?

You are in luck. Florida is big time IMAC country. It is in the SE Region of IMAC. Go to the [link=http://www.mini-iac.com]IMAC WEBSITE[/link] and click on the REGIONS link and follow that to the Southeast Region. Contact the people there for all the info on the local scene.

As far as airplanes go, any airplane is allowed in Basic. Fly what you are most comfortable with. And at this early stage you should concentrate on acquiring the skills you will need to be a competitive pilot and worry less about the exact airplane.

Good Luck, and Have Fun!!

Ok, thanks aresti2004.