This image answer your question ? sure they can hover.

Hi all,

All I can say is to fly PATTERN! It will teach you diciplen and you will never want to fly 3D again......trust me, don't waist your time hovering etc, because it proves nothing.

dave

P.S. Psookdee: please excuse this.

well I left pattern flying years ago.. went into "more" exciting 3D.. broke planes a lot of planes like nobody business along the way (Balsa, foamies), and had to make DIYplanes to 3D..

Now I'm back into pattern and training seriously for competetion standard... less broken parts, and more relaxing.. satisfaction comes when you think you fly better than yesterday

Wow its truly good to see a flyer who wants to go back to the roots of flying! So what will you be flying for competition Nubli? What plane is on your mind? So are you going to flyin the Rembau event? I heard you want to go back to competing again, great stuff man!

For me the satisfaction is when I can fly better than yesterday, if I can't then I have not improved, hence not that happy, looks like I am not a very happy man, need to work harder in learning to fly straight ... thinking is not as good as reality. Heheheheehe ... true or not?

practice verticle squarebox. Base and topline must be exact each round and verticle lines gotta be within the stipulated box drawn on the runway.
Once u master that, pattern flying is much easier.

I have been in the hobby for six years and since two years ago I decided to get into pattern or IMAC competition as a way to improve my flying skills and have lots of fun. In the last year, I have been building the airplane that I will use for starting competition. Today, I was reading another thread related to changing the weigth rule and its impact on attracting more pilots into pattern. So, I did not want to post my opinion about attracting more pilots into pattern because I was going to be out of subject. I decided to post in this thread because it is more appropriated for beginners.

Besides the fact that I am still working on setting up my model (engine break-in, weight, and trim) a problem for me to get started in pattern is lack of local information and help in the form of coaching. In a similar way as there are flight instructors helping new pilots to get into RC, my question is: are there volunteer coachers helping beginner pattern-pilots like me getting into pattern the right way?

You live in a hotbed of pattern activity. There are some very good pattern flyers that live in the Katy area as well as all around Houston. I suggest that you contact users on here: EHFAI and Flyintexan (or maybe Flyingtexan). There are still three contests left this year. If you could make a contest you will find more help than you can possibly absorb at any one time. Where do you fly normally?

I fly at Scoby Field in George Bush park on Westheimer Rd.

Scobee is a great place to fly. You may have noticed the painted box lines on the runway plus the center/distance poles.

A pattern buddy and I fly at the [link=http://www.spacecityrc.com/]Space City RC Club[/link] weekday evenings and occasionally on the weekend. More and likely will be flying some later this week again in the evenings after work. Stop by and introduce yourself.

Hi Glen,

Sure, I will stop by your club this week after work.

Thanks
Pedro

There you go Pedro, you already have one of the best coaches available willing to help. In addition to Glen being a great pilot he is also a very nice guy.

making pretty shapes in the sky

Hello,

I too am getting into pattern. I am slightly getting an understanding on it but i'm looking forward to giving it a try.

Just went ahead and ordered a Focus Sport with a YS 110 S engine to use as my starter airplane.

Pedro,

Maybe I'll catch you at Scobee field sometime. Every once and a while i'll meet a buddy there and do a little flying. Due to me living clear across the other side of town (near Ellington Field) I usually only go when the guys go. Shoot me a pm sometime and i'll head on out.....

Regards,

Orlando

You guys are definitely in a great area for pattern (Houston), lots of good flyers and great people over there...

Arch

Arch,

I asked Glen if he can show me the ropes and gave me a run down of all the events that go on in Houston, Texas and nearby states. I was shocked with all the events going on.
I'm totaly stoked and looking forward to giving it a shot.

I'm a newbie at pattern but I think its going to be really fun. I've gone ahead and set my goals for 2009 to do as much pattern flying as I can.

Regards,

Orlando

Wow, this is a great thread!

Can someone please explain the difference between flying IMAC and flying Pattern?

I know that you must fly a true scale plane in IMAC, and pattern planes tend to have a longer tail than scale right?

Are the manuevers between IMAC and Pattern flying the same?

Are the judged much differently?

Just trying to figure out the differences between the two are.

Thanks,

Class rules and patterns flown are the real differences. and jusding is much the same.
Some guys still believe there is some mystical "shape for the "perfect" pattern plane and this has gone on from it's inception.
actually the improvement in radios/emgines etc., made the job far easier over the years.
But having done a fair bit of both -one canfly a IMAC type as precisely as a pattern type. The "look"is different ofcourse and you won't win points in a pattern event with a scale setup.
But then the winning IMAC planes are not true scale either .
Just get a good light model and burn fuel and learn to setup the model
I have seen guys lay waste to the ideal pattern planes ,flying cheap ARFS -
true
fly what you like. a little Diamante is as much a pattern plane as a well setup EXTRA or some multi thousand buck "ghost of an angel whatever . If you are into the competition and want hardware - be preparred to spend a lot of time and money.

{Quote}
-you are into the competition and want hardware - be preparred to spend a lot of time and money.

{Quote}

You left out the part about and keep on spending.. As in "THERE IS NO END".

Roughly two years ago Jason Shulman won the FAI/F3A section at a full blown Pattern contest down in FL flying a .46/.50 sized ERA.
Shulman Aviation was going to sell the ERA as an ARF-____ Haven't heard a thing for over a year now so I guess it is not going to be.

Yes, it was Jason BUT he was competing with full two meter F3A ships.

this is just a TEST!!!</p>

HI ALL
What a great thread! Lots of info. I am Da Ke from Shanghai China. I start my pattern flyingabout 4 year ago. In my point of view, pattern flying is something like waltz. 3D like Disco.

cheer!

hello
this is a test

On the NSRCA site, I was looking at the gallery. Many seem to be powered by 4 strokes and look quitelarge for avg weights of 10lbs. Are the 4s for the steady pulling power.. and light weights due to composite construction? I like the old school looks of some.

True, the so-called wide body 2 meter designs may look too big to get pulled around by a mere 1.4 to 1.7 ci engine, but they are mostly comprised of air surrounded by a thin, light composite structure of some type. Nothing too fancy is needed for the most part. You can make a very light composite fuselage that is mostly a light balsa / fiberglass composite, with a small bit of carbon fiber and plywood for high stress and hard point areas. Good old balsa sheeted foam wings & tail are still a great way to make a light airplane, but you also find some nicely done composite wings. Suggest you check into Wistmodels and ZNLine. ZNLine has a new American importer now, Chris Moon at http://electric-f3a.com/ . For Wistmodel contact Ken Velez [email protected]

These days electric power is quite popular and growing fast, but 4C's like the YS 170 DZ and the new CDI version are still popular. Even a good 2C like an OS 140RX can pull a light 2M wide body like a Prestige (Wistmodel) with authority. From what I hear the ZNLine Xigris should come in very light as well. I have one on order.

The 2M planes do not exceed 11 lbs dry, but the 170 will kick out about 15-16 lbs of thrust for sure.

I got the bug now and just want to get better at Pattern flying, I think what one of my club mates said puts its well.

"Pattern flying is the most difficult and intense aspect of model flying while looking the smoothest and most graceful"

L