Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

It was a blast. Got to meet a lot of nice people.....

I can give you guys that are thinking of flying IMAC one hint.....

Learn to maintain your heading.....I would suggest buring lots of fuel just flying back and forth....man what a pain.....

It was a real eye opener.....

Pugs

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Hey - Missed you and Tim today. Sorry you had to leave. We had a great time inspite of todays weather. Got in a sequence of unkowns and another full round of knows before the rain came. Ron is a great host and glad you enjoyed it. It gets to be more fun and more frustrating the more you do it. Sure lets you know how bad we fly straight lines. Welcome to IMAC and ya all come back now..

Lew

Hey.....
 

Thanks.....I had something to do today.....it was a great time.

I really enjoyed meeting you guys.

I plan attending the other IMAC event at Clinton later this year.

See ya.....

Pugs

I can give you guys that are thinking of flying IMAC one hint.....
 

I can give one more hint....
Get a very large plane. We flew our first this weekend also and there was one plane that was 80 inches in basic. The rest were 30-40 %. I know that really attracts newcommers!

Our contest was a bit different...
 

We had the following in basic:

Synergy 3D 90 (me)
Midwest Cap
24 % Carden Extra
33 ish DR 109
33 % Aeroworks Edge


Not real small, but not huge......good time....

Pugs

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Remember, in the first few classes, it's all in the pilot. Those classes can be flown with energy management, not throttle management. Intermediate requires a decent vertical but the other two just require a plane that can fly straight.

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Pugs got his IMAC feet wet this weekend, and did a good job. Here's a pic of him and his plane.

Pug's plane.
 

Here's another pic of the Synergy pattern plane that Pugs used in Basic for his first IMAC. This pattern plane gave up no quarter to any other plane in basic.

I told Pugs not to worry about what other pilots might have, just fly what YOU brought! Remember, the PILOT wins, not the plane!

Tim 'n Pugs
 

Man, you guys should have stayed for Sunday! It was cold (brrrrr), windy, and started raining on our parade by the end of the last round. perfect conditions for a contest in May!! :thumbup:

I enjoyed chating with you guys for the short time that I did - sorry I wasnt more social. It was a good contest otherwise, Ron did a good job, my only complaint was that I would have liked to have left for home a bit earlier. 8 hrs is a long ***** drive! :(

see you guys in Columbus????????????

Hubb

Size of Plane DOES matter...
 

...if you're really looking to compete, it's almost a given that you'll need a 30-35% plane to be competitive. The winds wreak havoc on the 25-27%ers. I just flew in my third IMAC competition, my last one being two years ago. My H9 Edge was being knocked all over the place because of the 15mph crosswind. The 30-35% planes had no problem. It's one thing to correct for torque on your up and downlines, but to keep correcting because of the wind gets to be verrrrry frustrating. I'm looking to pickup a H9 Extra 330L somewhere...if I can find one.

Your first time in IMAC is to have fun and be educated...after that, you're there to win.

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

The H9 Extra is a good one, but don't get to thinking that size alone makes a competitive plane. Smaller planes do well in wind because they have higher wing loadings. This past weekend we had a P-47 out flying an Edge because it cut through the wind better. The larger planes can get tossed by the wind just like some smaller ones can. There was a 35% TBM Extra at our last meet that could have used five pounds of lead on the CG to cut through the wind better.

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Flyfalcons, hate to disagree with you, but there's no way you can say that wind affects larger planes more than it does the smaller ones. The longer moment of the bigger planes' fuselage allows straighter up and downlines as well as tracking back and forth across the box. If you're theory is true, why would I have the smallest airplane (H9 Edge 540) at every IMAC competition I've entered thus far?

Guys, save your money and pick up one of H9's giants. The Sukhoi, Cap, and Extra all fly amazingly easy that it'll take your breath away.

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

The longer moment of the larger planes is a myth. Moment is based not on total length of the fuse but a relationship dealing with the chord of the wing. I did not say that the wind hurts big planes more; it doesn't. It tosses planes with equal wing loadings about the same. Tracking is an issue of aircraft setup; if you aren't tracking up and down and back and forth correctly then either your aircraft isn't set up properly or you aren't making proper wind corrections. The reason many IMAC guys go with larger planes is that they are easier to see and you can get a better power to weight ratio without sacraficing much wing loading. I've beat a 40% Extra with my .40 Extra in a contest. A bigger plane isn't going to magically make you a better pilot.

Pictures....
 

from the meet.

www.torkitordorkit.net

Click on Pugsley

Scroll down past my ulgy picture of me and my ill fated Giles

Click on link

Thanks,

Pugs

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

GREAT job!!!

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Hey Pugsley:
Nice picture of my Cap.
Thanks....

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Tim_Indy,

What is the plane in your Avatar? I know it is a Pepsi Extra, but which model is it? Size? Engine? etc.

I really like it. It looks great! :)

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Yeah Diablo, that was the LEAST he could do after you let him fly it!! :D

My Extra
 

Maverick, everyone here KNOWS how much i HATE to talk about my Extra but................. :D

It's a 1/3 scale Great Planes 330, 101" wingspan, BME 105cc engine, etc. More info and pics on my site below.

Re: My Extra
 

Very nice! Thank you.

Diablo....
 

Thanks again for letting me fly it.

Pugs

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

If you're theory is true, why would I have the smallest airplane (H9 Edge 540) at every IMAC competition I've entered thus far?




Hey Stallion 51 I hate to disagree with you but I think our 40 size super sportster was smaller (he he)
Send me your e-mail address
Rich

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

I'm just curious guys about pattern competition and how easy it is to get started? I've only got a couple summers of flying in but can handle the sticks just fine and want to experiment with the idea of basic pattern this summer. This is the plane I'd like to do it with........1/3 scale, 97" Lanier Laser. 21 lbs w/ G62 for power
http://216.67.213.106:3002/public/2/...meandlaser.jpg
and was just wondering what your advice would be for someone interested in getting started in it?
I live in Ontario, Canada about 2 hours north of Toronto and don't know where any events are being held yet but I'm friends with Mike Clemmons who's Director of Aerobatics for MAAC this year so I'll be chatting with him about upcoming events.

Flew my first contest this weekend....
 

Getting started in IMAC is really easy, and you have a great plane to do it with. Just start practicing making straight lines, level, 45 degrees, and vertical. Also work on going back and forth across the flightline perfectly straight, without going in or out. It's tougher than it sounds! Download the IMAC judging guide to see what judges are looking for in the various maneuvers, then start practicing the sequence. The best way I can describe how to do the maneuvers without demonstrating them is to think "smooth but deliberate". Make them nice and big and symmetrical and the judges can't help but give you high scores. Hope this helps.

Yeah...what Falcons said....
 

Practice flying back and forth maintaining a constant heading in all kinds of wind conditions. I've been flying since 78 and when people told me that, I thought "How easy....". Well, as the thread title says....."I flew my first contest......" and I could not keep a heading to say my life.....I was all over the box (reminds me of high school, but this is a whole different story.....)

I would really suggest flying several tanks just learning how to maintain heading. learn what "wings level" looks like. Then learn where to place the manuevers at the proper location. Get a good caller. Learn to read aresti and not just the words, and read, reread, then read agian the judges guide.

It is a blast......but is also some work........

Pugs