There's a couple of us here that are starting to learn the IMAC Basic sequence and have a question. I've printed out the 2008 Basic sequences, as well as the narrative that Bill James just posted. Where I'm somewhat confused, when looking at the Aresti diagrams, is with the entrance and exit levels of some of the maneuvers. This would be maneuvers #2 (half cuban 8), #3 (hammerhead), #5 (humpty bump), #6 (reverse sharks tooth), and #8 (sharks tooth). My question is: Are all these maneuvers entered and exited at the same level that the #1 (roll) maneuver is performed at? The diagrams are a little misleading in this respect. I've got some other questions regarding maneuver size and height, but I think for now it's important to understand this level thing first.

I've flown around for years, boring holes in the sky, but am just now starting to realize just how hard it is to actually put a plane exactly where I want it, much less doing a sequence of maneuvers. [&o] It's sure added a new fun dimension to my flying, though.

Best Regards, Jim

Your question really has two parts:
Must all the figures start and end at the same altitde at which the roll was executed? No.
Must figures such as hammerheads, humpty bumps, and half cubans exit at the same altitude at which they were started? No.

However, bear in mind that all figures start and finish in a wings level horizontal attitude. As such, the exit altitude of one figure determines the entry altitude of the following manuever. For example, a loss / gain in altitude after completion of the roll is deducted from the score of the next figure at 1 pt per 10 degrees. Hope this covers what you were looking for.
t

Jim,

With practice you will learn to see where to start and stop a maneuver. IMAC will make all your other flying much more precise and smooth. I watched a friend of mine go from a good 3D people that was always a bit on the edge of losing control to now being able to put his plane exactly where he wants it.

All maneuvers look best when entered and exited at the same altitude but it is not required. The lines you see on those maneuvers are extended so that the sequence does not look so cluttered on paper. I like to start about 100 feet out from me and no lower than 50 feet. I try to get no higher than a 45 degree angle, it's hard to tell you the altitude but using a degree you can limit how far up the judges need to look.

On some things you may be exiting a little higher from where you started. In basic, you usually do not have to worry about that but in sportsman, you do have an inverted figure 9 after a 1.5 turn spin followed by an inverted 180 degree turn so you definitely want to come out a little higher than where you started. Certain maneuvers are designed to get you up high and setup for the next one such as the half square loop which takes you up and is followed by the 1.5 turn spin

You are not scored on where you come out in certain maneuvers but some such as the loop and the 360 turn it is important to start and stop in the same place for the best score. On some things like humpys and hammers, the radius of the pull should be equal. On loops and the 360 turn you definitely want to end exactly where you started.

The flow of the sequence is what you really want to strive for. A good sequence looks fluid and smooth. Since there is no "box" anymore you can make things as big or small as you want. A nice big sequence looks graceful and smooth but gives you more chances to make mistakes. A tight fast sequence looks rushed (at least to me) and even though you have a somewhat less chance to make mistakes, you can easily start over-rotating on the rolls.

There are maneuvers that just look better centered as well as ones that look better at the ends. As I mentioned there is no box but it is not uncommon to have to flight lines running so for balance, consider yourself to be the center. You should be standing in front of the judges during the actual scored flight and you definitely want them to see what you see, both good and bad.

One other thing, when you actually fly for the judges you will do the sequence two times, this is called a round. You take of and fly all 10 maneuvers, the caller calls you out of the box, you get you plane back into position to start again and call in the box then do all 10 maneuvers again. There are approved turn around maneuvers, these are simple humpy bumps, half cuban 8's or a 180 level turn and I think there is one more but I cannot remember it right now, no other aerobatics are allowed other than those and the 10 maneuvers during and after the sequences. Anything else will get you a zero for that round

In basic there is no unknowns but most contests actually have a unknown round for basic, you will simply fly the known sequence once time instead of twice. This helps you to get used to flying in the higher classes

Maneuvers generally begin and end at the same base altitude--what you might think of as your low track, above which there is also a high track where Figure 9 ends and Figure 10 begins. The different levels shown in the Aresti diagram are merely a graphic device to keep everything from looking like a plate of spaghetti if you tried to show the base levels all on the same line.

The tops of your vertical maneuvers don't have to be all at the same altitude, but it's nice to maintain a certain consistency. Also, some maneuvers (hammerhead, humpty) specifically allow a different entry and exit altitude, which you can use to make corrections for having drifted up or down in previous maneuvers, or to set up for a better entry to the next following maneuver. Other maneuvers, such as the loop and aerobatic turn, having the same entry and exit altitude (and bearing) is part of the scoring for the maneuver.

You can get the specific rules for each maneuver off the AMA website, "Competition Regulations 2007-2008 Scale Aerobatics." You need to download this document and study it--at least for the maneuvers you'll be flying. Unfortunately the names of the maneuvers aren't shown on the Aresti diagram, but you have the names you need in the narrative.

Another rule of thumb is that the exit altitude of the preceding maneuver and the entry altitude of the succeeding maneuver should always be the same. In other words, the line connecting two maneuvers is always straight & level.

Hi there Jim... It's great to see your interest in IMAC. After reading the above answers, which are comprehensive by the way, my only other suggestion is for you to investigate attending an IMAC Judging School in your area. This will help to clear up any unanswered questions that you may have prior to actually competing. There are a LOT of IMAC pilots in the field who are willing to help...all you have to do is to ask. Another set of eyes can terminate any bad habits from forming & set you on the right "track" (pun intended).

Wayne Matthews
SE IMAC Judging Instructor

PS.... You will learn that there is no such thing as a "Half Square Loop" ... It's called a vertical line .....

Good point, I'll go change it in the narrative I created

The humpty is one of the odd figures where not all 3 radii must be equal; only the entry and exit radii must be equal. The half loop at the top can be different.

Bob,

Thanks for clearing that up for me

I wasn't sure if you meant all three or not and to me it seems like the odd figure out as far as the rules goes.

I would however suggest trying to make all three the same as some people think they should be the same. You wouldn't want to get a deduction if you can fly them all the same anyway.

Bob,

I've never really tried to make all three the same and found pretty quickly that my Extra will drop the nose just perfect if I come out of the throttle nice and slow over the top of a Humpy or Loop and make the figure nice and round without me having to correct for a whole lot.

I tend to cut a 90 degree plus radius a little sharp. I had a couple judges tell me once that it was hard to tell between my 5/8th loops and a 135 degree pull to a 45 line as I was making some of the 135 degree pulls to gentle.

Next time I go practice I'll try to do all three the same on the humpy and see how it looks....

Thank you all for the great info. That answers my question completely.....................plus a few others that I didn't know I even had yet. [sm=idea.gif] I'll be printing this thread out as well as the "2008 Basic Narrative" and "The Upline" threads. There seems to be tons of info out there regarding planes, engines, radios, etc, but often times, not a lot of info on how to actually bring it all together and fly the airplanes in a precision sort of way. I've also, just recently, acquired myself a copy of Scott Stoops book "Mastering Radio Controlled Flight". I'm not sure how far I may get with this, but I think I'm really going to enjoy the journey. I do know that the last few times out flying I've had to be careful not to run out of fuel on a flight...................something that hasn't happened in a long time.

Jim

Let's see some expertly flown simulator generated/recorded videos of the new 08 sequences! [sm=49_49.gif]Where can we find these?

You can find them over on "that other" forum....

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