Dag on Bill, Are you handing out homework assignments? Just kidding. I'll take a look at the video later as I only have a dial- up connection and don't have the time right now to wait an hour for the download. Personally I really don't have the desire/time to compete in IMAC but I REALLY like practicing the sequences to sharpen my skills and give my flying time an actual purpose. The only problem with practicing the sequences is trying to time the other flier's tinkering, fueling, yaking, bragging, flying and crashing so as to get the airspace to myself. Kind of hard concentrating while trainers, foamys and warbirds are flailing, dive bombing and dogfighting in the "Box"[>:]. One bonus about getting proficient in the IMAC sequences is the ability to use several of my semi-retired aerobatic glow models that are a little heavy for "extreme aerobatics" but can definitely be used for IMAC practice!

Tnx for the great info, Bill. This last month one of my flying partners and myself have started working on the Basic routine. I thought I was an intermediate flyer, but now I'm not so sure. I'm sure enjoying it, though. The last few times I've flown I've gotten so engrossed in working on maneuvers that I've almost run out of fuel. Haven't had that problem for a long time.

Regards, Jim

Jim,

I pretty consistently will run well past my timer when I'm concentrating. Good thing I set it to have about 5 minutes of fuel left over. Yes, I run a much larger tank than I need to.

Hi Bill you have done a great work with the narratives, I live in Mérida, Yucatán. México.
I been flying rc for some time now and used to fly FAI pattern years ago, just a month ago we had our IMAC Nationals in Guadalajara, Jalisco. México it was just great, Mike Mc Conville was one of the judges.

I've read all the thread and sure many of the tips and suggestions you give will improve anyone's fly.

I hope you will soon add the rest of the narratives, so we will take advantage of your experience, please keep on with your tips they 've helped me a lot to improve.

Txs for your time writing down the narratives and colaboration to keep IMAC up in México.
sorry for the orthograph mistakes

Sincerly.
Rafa

Only took one quick look at the Basic vid. I didn't note the times at which I think I saw some deductions but heres some that I think I saw.

Loop exit higher than entry.
Slight push at peak of up-line before pulling to 45 downline on reverse sharkstooth.
Slight loss of alt on 360 deg. turn
1/2 roll on inverted 45 deg. down line in rev. shk tooth not centered.
slight correction of down line just after 1 1/2 spin.
loss of alt during level flight between some manuevers...maybe??......hard to tell for sure on the sim and not sure if deduction???

Maybe one or two others I cant recall now....gotta get back to work like some others....lol.

Steve

Damn,,
I didnt know I was being graded over here. [:@]


In all seriousness, the videos are not anywhere near perfect. I put them online so people could see the flow of each maneuver in the sequences.
I hope the videos are answering some questions you guys have.

Wgeffon,

The Video looks GREAT.....very smooth and precise as well as doing what you intended....showing the maneuvers and their sequence. I read through this post quickly yesterday and maybe mis-understood what I read. I thought there were some minor "flaws" intentionally put in for people to try and pick out to get a little more dialoque flowing. I also realize it is probably very difficult to make a 100% perfect vid due to the "distorted pilot perspective" caused by only having a small screen to work with. I certainly was not trying to be an "unfair judge". I wish I could fly my real ones that smooth and accurately.

I have been hoping to get to some contests the past two summers but haven't made it. Hopefully this year! Watching this video will definitely be a big help in preparation.....THANKS!!!!!!

Steve

Steve,

There are definately downgrades on each video. More so on the upper class ones like Advanced and Unlimited.
Using them for Judging is great.

Have at it.

Well I just registered for my first IMAC event being held June21, 22 at our club field in Hamilton, OH. Thanks to bubbagates for writing the narrative and providing all these good tips. I will work on getting a throttle curve set up in my radio like he described and getting the plane trimmed out. I don't have what is really considered an IMAC plane, it's the GP Giant Aeromaster. There is another guy on the club with one and I hope he gives IMAC a try as well. One other club member other than our CD has registered.

Do you guys switch to high rates for some of the maneuvers such as high rate rudder for the hammerhead and 360 turn, and maybe both rudder and elevator for the spin? Even I know it's much more difficult to mainain smooth flying with more deflection on the surfaces.

Last year there was video of a guy flying the entier basic sequence. Hopefully someone has posted one for this year's routine.

The Hamilton contest is one of the best ones in our region.
You guys will have a great time.

Hi Wayne,

I'm back as a new user (old one was bubbagates) anyway, I was not trying to pick apart the videos. In fact I wanted everyone to look at them and try to find flaws based on the tips I had already provided. This helps them in learning how to actually fly the maneuver as you well know and it's really hard to unlearn something that you are doing wrong.

When I first started out I was practicing on my own and thought I was doing well. I finally got an experienced IMAC pilot to have a look at me and I ended up unlearning a lot of things

A good example would be the 1.5 turn spin. It would be nice to always come out with the nose pointing straight down but that cannot always happen so it is acceptable to do a push to get the downline established just don't push too much. I like using a downline mix to make my downlines straight, This certainly helps when coming out of the spin, all I do is relieve pressure on the sticks and the end of the spin and the mix lowers the nose for me so it looks like a very fluid thing. I can actually see it happen if I turn the mix off and do the same maneuver. The plane takes a bit longer to lower it's nose unless I help it and it's not as fluid looking.

So please accept my apologies, I was not tearing the videos apart. Heck I downloaded everyone of them and have watched them all more than once. They are truly excellent and I can certainly appreciate the hard work it took to create them.