I have to ask this, and pattern flyer's that have been together for a while, probably have a good routine. I am flying Sportsman, have flown three contest's in past two years, two coming up to finish 2010, and hope to get more in 2011.

My question. Your caller is beside you, with the call sheet. On some maneuver's, the turnaround is judged. Half Reverse Cuban 8, Half Cuban 8, which is going to put you in position for the next maneuver. Also, some maneuver's require going directly to the next one, right after you execute another. Example: Immelman Turn, immediately to the 45 Degree Downline, Split S, immediately to the Horizontal Roll.

Does your caller have you prepared one or two manuever's ahead ? To put it in your mind, etc., "After I do a Stall Turn, I have to get online for two Inside Loop's," then out of the box. What is the best way to handle this ? The Sequence is happening fast, and I would like to be thinking ahead, to see this in my mind for position. How do you advise your caller to keep you prepared for the entire sequence?

Thanks, need some help here, as each contest, we may have a different caller.

Vince
Hobe Sound, FL

I haven't flown Pattern yet, but flown IMAC off-and-on over the years (Sportsman, equavilant to Intermediate in Pattern I suppose).

I try to practice the sequences enough so that I don't have to depend on my caller. For one thing, you may not always get the same caller (if your caller competes too, can't make it to the event, whatever). After becoming familiar with the sequence I learn on my own how big, how high and how far out/in to position the plane to prepare for the next maneuver. A good IMAC (and Pattern I suppose) sequence will position the plane where it should be for the next maneuver.

On the other hand, if I get a caller who is really good, like a guy who flies up a class (or two or three) than me, I'll welcome his kibitzing.

In the end, I don't think you can or always should depend on your caller because you may not always get the same person and I would think you should be familiar enough with the sequence that you should know where to position the plane for each maneuver without any assistance. In fact, you should know the routine well enough so that if your caller makes a mistake (which I've seen happen more than once!) you should know to disregard the call without skipping a beat.

Tim

Hello Vince,

I have flown in three contests so far and in each one I had a different caller. It has not been a problem and it has been helpful more than once. Although I have flown the sportsman sequence many times and know it by heart, under the pressure of a contest, your memory may not be at its best. The caller kept me from going "out of sequence" more than once. Also, if you get a more experienced pilot to call for you, they can also give you a few tips after the flight (and sometimes, during as well).

In terms of calling the maneuvers, I generally have the caller call them in pairs, so that I know what it is coming up next. It leads to a little bit of repetition, but it seems to work well. An alternative is also to have the next maneuver called as you are finishing up the current one.

Good luck,

Teo

Crankpin, as you practice your sequence more and more you will get used to flying one maneuver to set up the next and your caller will be there more to remind you in case brain fade sets in. Having said that it's really nice if you can have a caller who practices with you a lot. That way he or she will know the maneuvers you're having trouble with (that particular week, they change, lol) and may remind you, for example, to push the stall turn all the way to the edge of the box or start something earlier or later. A good caller can calm you down when you screw up badly with a couple of encouraging words and help you get back on track.

When I'm calling for someone I don't know well I always ask if they want reminders and suggestions or just want the maneuvers announced. If you don't know your caller it wouldn't hurt to let him know what you like.

Scott

Hey Teo, are you moving up to Intermediate next season?

I want my caller to give me the next maneuver just before I finish the one I'm flying (ie. as I fly the downline on a humpty) and that's what I try to do when calling for someone else.

Every maneuver ends with a straight line; I like the next maneuver called as I'm starting that straight line.

Sometimes I need to know the following maneuver before I start a maneuver if it's a tough part of the sequence - then I have it written on my call sheet to do that, and I'll tell my caller before the flight.

For example, the Sportsman schedule last year had a Cobra following a 1/2 Cuban. It always felt rushed, so I had notes on my call sheet for my caller to say "1/2 Cuban, use the box, Cobra's next".

Lord knows what will be on this year's call sheet - intermediate is pretty busy compared to Sportsman!

Scott and I do alot of calling one for the other. As he said we generally wait untill the heat of the maneuver is over then calmly anounce the next manuever. Your caller can and should be a comforting influence. When at a contest I will always seek out Scott to call for me and hope the pilot order permitts.
I have also found it helpful to all parties involved for the caller to announce the manuevers loud enough for both the flyer and judges to hear. I like to hear the caller when I am judging. It seems to simplify things.
Hope this helps,
RC

I want my caller to call them two at a time to me, such as

"Stall turn to a four point"

Then again after the stall turn is over, "4 Point". I'll then repete the maneuver back to him. Maybe a hold over from my old AMA days.

This way I know what I have to do next then I can use the turn around to position myself for the center maneuver and my caller knows I heard him correctly.

Tim

If you are flying Sportsman and feel rushed, you can try pushing the sequence out a little and make sure you're using the full size of the box. I used to really struggle with the Cuban->Cobra and maybe a few other parts. Moving out and using up the box can give you LOTS of time to prepare for the next maneuver.

You have learned well, Grasshopper!

I'm drawing from my IMAC experience here but I will agree that flying the back of the box gives you more time. I have also seen guys flying the lower classes using too much power between manuevers.

As for the caller, memorize your sequences so you can fly it without a caller. Then when you are in a contest situation your caller can coach you on things like speed, box depth, positioning and not have to tell you a laundry list of manuvers.

This is good info. Starting out in Sportsman, just felt rushed. I have to make 100+ mile drive one way for practice with a pattern flyer. Practice by myself locally, ocassionally get someone to call, best to have an experienced pattern flyer. Also using the stick plane with call sheet.
Have to burn more fuel. Really like the competition, compete, do better then the last round. Thanks for all the reply's.

Flying Focus Sport, YS110FZ, another one almost finished, same set up.

Vince

I have found that asking a fellow club member to call for you, even if he has no idea what you are doing, is a great way to generate some interest in pattern flying. Or at least it can generate some tolerance. By getting people involved, our club has 6 out of 33 that have competed in pattern and none above Intermediate. This has all happened in the last 2 years.
RC

Hi Scott,

A little off topic, but the answer to your question is yes, I will be moving up to intermediate next season. The new sequence has me a little worried since it seems tougher than the old one; I guess I can call it a learning opportunity. Right?

Verne mentioned that I should sign up for a judging seminar so that I can also help out next year, so that is also in my list of things to do.

In the previous post I also forgot to mention that we do have a couple of IMAC pilots in the club and they are generally willing to call for me if need be. They are also very generous with their critique of my flights, whether I ask for it or not! Kidding aside, it has been very helpful.

Teo

If you haven't already, I would suggest going to this link:http://nsrca.us/
On the left hand side, scroll down and click on "join lists" and join the national and your district (District 3) discussion lists.

Here is your districts contest calendar, great info here, clubs and contacts:http://nsrca.us/d3/schedule.html

Funny and true story:I went to my first (and only, so far) pattern contest in September. No one at my club flew pattern, or knew anyone that did. One guy at my club flys IMAC, so he was able to explain a few things that I might be able to expect, but that was about it. So I show up and I know or recognize no one. But everyone was very friendly, and Ijust started walking up to random people asking them to call for me. The first two Iasked were in my group, so they really couldn't. Then we had the pilots meeting. Lo' and behold, a guy had just showed up who Ihad met the previous summer while vetting clubs to join! So I found a practice buddy who only lives a few miles from my house! So Iwas second in line to fly, and my neighbor was still unloading and setting up. So Iasked the guy standing next to me if he would call (because after the pilots meeting Iknew he flew in a higher class and was not judging my class) and he agreed. The first flight went fine, called out one manuever at a time, offered corrections during the flight. Despite my shaking thumbs, not bad at all. The second flight was a different story. I tried to stall turn into the brisk breeze we had that day, and it just flopped. Got through the rest of the flight ok. As he started to walk towards the opening in the fence to the runway as I started my landing approach, he said, "Congratulations on your first 0" and Istarted laughing. Well, that was the wrong time to laugh, as I nearly crashed; I saved it, and my caller yelled, "Get your $-it together and land that thing!" The bonus was that the model hadn't crossed the judges, so Istill got scores for my landing. Well the next day I got to call for this guy. Too bad Ididn't know what half the maneuvers looked like. Ithink the first flight I was a full 3 maneuvers ahead when he said, "I'm still on the push push pull humpty"

Bottom line:at a contest, tell the caller how you want your maneuvers called. Askpeople at least a class or two above yours, they will give you good positive feedback (at least in my experience in 1 contest!) Talk to the judges and ask questions, suggestions while your callerpicks up your plane afteryou land. Practice with a club mate, get one of the shade pilots out in the sun, all they have to do is read.

Also, find someone in an upper class a few times and ask them. They will be able to provide great insight throughout the flight if you ask them to. They can let you know you are sneaking in or out throughout the flight LONG before you might, and it will really help your flying. After you do it a few times with them, you will begin to recognize some of the similar signs. I've always enjoyed calling for guys in the lower classes. You can really be a great help if its done right.

Arch

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There's no restriction on having a caller from your own class.  At the Nats, BOPOD called for me all the time!!
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The simple answer is that the caller should call it the way YOU want it called. You mentioned that you are still fairly new to this so I'll give you some tips but they're not worth anything if they don't work for you.

1. Have your caller stand BEHIND you not ALONGSIDE you. Anything in your peripheral that's not airplane, sky, horizon, or runway is a distraction.

2. For a caller to be completely effective, you should have your maneuver sequence memorized so a called maneuver is just a reminder. If you progress to the point where you're flying unknowns, those should be choreographed completely ahead of time so you're not surprised by a maneuver that's just been called. Obviously, you won't know it as well as a schedule you have memorized, but it should at least sound familiar.

3. Prepare your own call sheets for your caller to use and avoid long, mind-numbing maneuver descriptions. The verbage on most maneuvers can be shortened significantly which really helps if you want something repeated.

4. My preference is that my caller wait until I finish the last critical element of the maneuver I'm in before giving me the next one. For example, if I'm doing a maneuver with a half roll on the line right before the exit, I don't want to hear the next maneuver until I've done the half roll. But that's just me, you may want it before that.

5. If I have a long rolling maneuver coming up, I want to hear it while I'm still on the down line of the preceding maneuver, but again, that's just me and you may be different.

When all is said and done, it's all personal preference and you'll get out of it what you put into it. If you hand your caller a crumpled up score sheet and ask him to call for you, you'll probably have somebody calling in a way that doesn't help you. On the other hand, if you hand him a laminated call sheet that YOU created with the maneuvers written in an abreviated format that makes sense to you plus take the time to explain WHEN you want to hear the maneuvers, you'll probably be a lot happier with the results.

Verne

Vince,
Be sure to know your sequence inside and out, on your own. I once had a caller completely melt down on me. At that point, you are on your own.
-robert

Indeed true, even when the guys have been around the game a long time, they (the callers) can forget where they are in the sequence and lose their place. But this is the exception rather than the rule

I'd say go back and re-read VKoester's post. It has all the elements in it that you should be aware of. For example, rather than call out the description of a maneuver as explained in the rule book, know or figure out shorthand for the same; you could say "Double I, 1/2 first, full second" for the "Double Immelmann with 1/2 roll after the first half loop, and full roll after the second"

Like #15 in the Masters, takes as long to call it as it does to fly it.

We started calling it "Humpty on the Corner" or "Lay down Humpty"

Vince what I like to do is repeat the manuever your on over and over then slip in the next manuever so you can get set up for it. I find I get nervous when I fly and I like the manuever being repeated.

Memorize, getting there.
Vince
Hobe Sound, FL

This works best for me too, and I try to do it calling for others.