The Difference between Pattern and Imac?

I went to another Imac contest today as an observer to feel out what I’d need to be competitive next year.
Sitting there watching many flights from the classes being flown I came away with some mental notes Of the difference between Imac and Pattern.

Imac airplanes tend to be pretty loud as compared to the average pattern plane even those on cans, the ones on stock mufflers were not something I'd want to listen to all day long. I suspect this is mainly from the size difference in the engines and props being used. The Imac planes were not obnoxiously loud mind you just more thunderous. Pattern planes have to meet 94db at 9 feet (3m) over grass, Imac is 96db at 25 feet. The average sport flier's 2/4 stroke on a stock muffler at our club drowns out my OS/YS.

Walking through the pits I found something as true in Imac as Pattern. Some guys just seem to be in the “Look how much I can spend” club rather than “Look how well I can fly”. Speaking of prices today’s level of Arf’s in both pattern and Imac seem to be nearly the same, $2500-$3500 seems to be the upper limit this season wonder what next year will bring. There's plenty of lower priced models in both. Looking across the web pattern engines tend to be a bit less expensive than the upper average Imac engine the DA50 and the YS1.60 are almost the same cost wise. The YS is seen by many as the premier engine in pattern but the DA50 seems to be the low end in Imac. Seems that a 50cc isn’t considered by many in Imac circles to be competitive in anything much over basic, that’s a shame as I saw some very well done flights with some “Cheap” Arf’s that were being flown with 50cc DA’s. I also saw some very well flown 100cc+ airplanes as well as some not so well flown of all sizes. Hmmmmm that’s funny as pattern has the same thing. Guy shows up at a contest with a 90 size airplane and isn’t considered as a “Serious Flier” if he doesn’t have a 2x2m composite, carbon tipped, laser built, with the new “Binford Model 6100 6 stroke electric 50% nitro Engine”. Yet the guy with the 90 beats the pants off the mega buck airplane because the guy actually gets out and burns fuel practicing.

Ok so far the differences have been minor at this point the airplanes are bigger and a bit louder in Imac than Pattern. I happened to know a fair amount of the fliers there as past pattern guys. I asked them the reason they switched to Imac and the answer was simple. “There are more contests in Imac in this area now than pattern”. These guys (I include myself in this group) love competition and the type of airplanes doesn’t matter much. They want to fly and have fun.

So after walking through the pits and scanning the airframes it hit me. The main difference between the two disciplines is the amount of servos on each control surface and the size of the trailers they get towed in. Pattern typically has one per surface and Imac seems to be as many as you can fit. 

We’re all in this hobby for fun, I’m having plenty of fun are you?

You should have stopped by and said hello.
I was the guy with the H9 Extra in sportsman.
I tink the biggest thing for allof us is to go out and have fun.
It can be expensive but I am proof that buring a lot of fuel will not make you a winner.
Getting with someone to help critique your flying will improve your ability.
If you get a chance to come to the trenton contest on the 23/24, drop by and say hello!