I am planning to attend the Cullum, GA IMAC contest. One of my flying biddies said I would not be able to fly because I did not have a pilot in my plane. Is it true that IMAC requires a pilot?

[edited]edited for correctness......... see answer below from the rule book


BUT..if you are flying and competing...haven't you read the rules yet??


OK...straight from the rules:

6.6. A realistic 3 dimensional human pilot and viewable instrument
panel shall be appropriately installed in all Scale Aerobatic aircraft.
(A one (1) percent flight score penalty will be assessed for noncompliance.)



Rules here:

http://www.mini-iac.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=90

FALSE - you can be docked up to 1% but that is only if the CD actually applies the rule. Many are not.

Many of us black out our canopies. The rule is rediculous and needs to be ammended anyway, but until then, word has it that most of the CD's are overlooking it. Unless you plan on flying a perfect score, the 1% is really no big deal.

The rule should be applied so that black out or pilot is acceptable. I can understand dolls, dogs, and other "non-pilot" gear being disqualified so I am sure that is why the rule was put in to begin with. On the ground the plane should look real.. and a tinted or blacked out canopy does look real.

Pilots add weight, they break loose, they are expensive (for a good one)... a waste IMO... tinting is a lot more effective.

DP

Looks like there is a proposal to change this rule. The new proposal is as follows: "A non-opaque canopy is required for all scale aerobatic aircraft competing in any class other than basic"

The proposal is also for doing away with the penalty for no pilot and instrument pannel

Wouldn't you know... I just finished doing a panel in my new WH Extra,
but I am still looking for a pilot. I will NOT pay 60.00 to 70.00 bucks
for one.

Is that one of those 3-D cockpits? Whatever it is, looks great! I'm not competing yet ('06 is the plan) but the pilot rule seems a bit silly to me. I attended my first IMAC a few weeks ago and most guys had a pilot sitting on a little stringer between the fuse sides with no cockpit floor. Looked ridiculous. (IMO) Plus, what if the pilot bust fell off into the rudder arm or something? Would be a shame to lose a 35% multi-thou $$ aircraft because of a $25 piece of plastic junk. It should either look 100% real or be tinted/blacked out... I prefer blacked out. I think the rule oughta be dropped... with maybe an award/bonus for "best cockpit in class," "best scale aircraft," or something like that???

It is not one of the 3d cockpits you can buy from the guy online.

I found a picture of a Extra cockpit and worked on it a little in paint
shop... same idea as the ones he is selling, but no where near as nice
as his. I have about 1 hour time editing and sizing the picture, and it
is a little grainy up close. On top of that my only color printer is about
10 years old so its not the best.... But it is a lot nicer then a balsa floor!

The whole idea of flying basic is to have fun and experience what IMAC is about...It is not about knowing all the "RULES" and having the perfect IMAC airplane...
GO! FLY! and most of all HAVE FUN!
Don't worry about the rules just ask and they will answer......

I for one think if it is a rule then it should be followed. In my experience pilots are not penalized for lack of pilot and/or dash. I say get rid of the rule. I'm not even for the non-opaque proposal. What happens if someone shows up with a painted canopy?

Ryan

You are right, Ryan, that if it is a rule it should be followed. Problem is, in some parts of the country it isn't followed. If this rule passes, then that person would not be allowed to fly. Pretty much the same thing that happens at a pattern contest when someone shows up with a plane over the size or weight limit.

And it should be noted that in Basic, there is no requirement for a panel or pilot. Give it a try - you will have a great time.

Ken

As a rule, it should be followed. The original idea of IMAC is to be scale, and a pilot and panel should be part of the price to pay when calling your aircraft "scale". After all, how many opaque canopies do you see at IAC competitions? We followed that rule when I was competing in the northwest, though I do not think any contests were decided by the 1% penalty, at least in the classes that I flew.

PS Basic no problem, let's get as many people involved as we can. No need to get a fully IMAC-qualified plane just to test the water.

I like the idea of changing the rules to the non-opaque canopy. If you've noticed, the hobby hoarders out there have really taken advantage of this rule. A good 40% pilot costs about $200. Look at the helmet heads? $200+. Sure, there are some $69 ones out there but they're pretty much crap. Hell, Mattel can make a Barbie, with hair, toe nails, fingers and just about everything else you can imagine and sell the thing for $15.00. There are a few companies that have just totally abused this rule knowing what the IMAC requirements are. If the rule change doesn't pass, it's not becuase, "us", the IMAC contestants didn't want it. It's because some of these pilot producing outfits don't want the change. You can always put a pilot in if "you" like the idea.

John,

I don't buy the argument of the costly, heavy pilot figures. Yes, you can pay lots of $$ for a figure, but you don't have to. I got mine at Aircraft International. For my 40% airplane, I paid $40 and it weighs less than 1 oz. On a 40% airplane this cost and weight are negligible. Plus, I think they look pretty good - but that is just my opinion. Have a look if you haven't seen them. Maybe you'll see something there you like:

http://www.aircraftinternational.com/

Ken

Ken.. Thanks for the info and the link. Really, not a bad price if they're a good quality. I've seen many a "required" pilot really deform out here in the Vegas sun. Heck, I've seen many a canopy melt too! I think I'm going to hold my breath here and see what the IMAC Board of Directors decide before buying my next pilot. I've got one in my 35% and if I fly in any events, that's the one I'd use anyway. I've got a 42% going together now and I needed something real quick because the canopy was going to be enclosed.

To tell you the truth, the one percent penalty, even if it were enforced, wouldn't make or break me. I'd just like having the flexibility of putting one in or not and... that call being up to me.

The 1% may come into play way more than you guys think, if the rule were enforced. I have witnessed at leat two standings this year alone in the SC where the 1st & 2nd place finishers were within 2 points of one another out of 7000 or so points. 1% of 7000 is 70 points. How many of you would like to have a 70 point advantage on someone without a pilot & a dash? That is why I say enforce it or get rid of it.

Ryan

John,

The AI pilot may well melt in the AZ sun! Don't know - it doesn't get that hot here.

BTW guys, the IMAC Board of Directors is asking for input on a bunch of proposed rules as this is a year in the AMA rules cycle when changes can be made (only happens every 3 years). Get onto the IMAC website and leave your vote for the proposed rule changes. The Board is looking for your input, so make sure you speak up!

Ken

How many 2 bladed props have you seen on Extras, Edges, Yaks, etc. at an IAC contest??

How many of the above have you seen in IAC with no spinner??

How many of the above have you seen in IAC with no wheel pants (designs that have them)??

How many of the above have you seen with absurdly disproportionate control surfaces??

Point is that we allow all of the above, but somehow it is the pilot and panel that makes it scale. Having seen some of the junk people put under their canopy in an attempt to meet this rule it is simply laughable to say that this is what makes us scale. Plus, given today's engines there is simply NO performance penalty for having a cockpit/pilot, so why reward it??

Amusingly enough not even SCALE REQUIRES a pilot panel. They suggest one, but there is NO downgrade for NOT having one.

Beats me why they came up with the clear canopy requirement. It makes very little sense.

Just a note. The 1% penalty, where used, is taken off your RAW score PRIOR to normalization. So say you had 3800 points in a round and the guy who won it had 3900 you would normally get a 974.36. However, if the penalty is used your score would be 964.62 points. This is a difference of 9.74 points. We have had contests this close out here in the SW. Frankly, I think that contests should be decided in the air.

IMAC needs to get rid of the rule all together. Pilot, dash and non-opaque canopys are all optional. LETS FLY!

How many pilots do you see at an IAC contest sitting in their plane on the ground for the whole contest?

Dan

LOL!!!!!

Be careful there bro.. They may want us to have removable pilots and ask that we take them out between rounds..

Actually, they have little bottles so the pilot can stay in the cockpit on long flights. These should be required at ALL IMAC contests.

That's fine. I will draw the line when they require me to make a pilot capable of walking out to the plane and firing it up for me.

I am for getting rid of the rule. If you want a pilot and panel put it in.

Dan