Hello:

I like pattern flying and practice most of the maneuvers in the sportsman’s class whenever I go to the flying field. To me, a large, round and well executed loop it’s a pleasure to see or achieve. Unfortunately, I do not have enough time to practice and advance beyond sportsman and in fact, I have only participated in one competition and didn’t placed very well, but I enjoyed it anyway.

I wonder about the future of Pattern Flying and that’s the reason behind this post, We have seen Pattern the way it was in the sixties and seventies, then the coming of the Turnaround Pattern; then maybe the increasing in power of the planes to be capable of executing the newer sequences; then maybe the widening of the plane’s bodies to allow to a more constant speed trough the sequences and today the ever increasing use of electric power in the pattern planes.

What do you think about the future of Pattern Flying?
What do you think that we will be seeing in the coming years?
Do you think that the size and weight limits now in use will have to be changed?
Or do you think that the complexity of the maneuvers will have to be increased (if it is still possible)?

Regarding the model’s design, I think that almost everything has been tried but a pusher configuration; I think that something like the Jet Bobcat design could be made to a good pattern plane with a pusher prop and the right momentums since there would not be any prop vortex hitting the tail section of the model; what would you think about such a plane?

Hello:

I like pattern flying and practice most of the maneuvers in the sportsman’s class whenever I go to the flying field. To me, a large, round and well executed loop it’s a pleasure to see or achieve. Unfortunately, I do not have enough time to practice and advance beyond sportsman and in fact, I have only participated in one competition and didn’t placed very well, but I enjoyed it anyway.

SEE MY OPINION IN CAPITAL LETTERS. I AM SURE YOU WILL GET MANY OTHERS GIVING GOOD FEEDBACK.


I wonder about the future of Pattern Flying and that’s the reason behind this post, We have seen Pattern the way it was in the sixties and seventies, then the coming of the Turnaround Pattern; then maybe the increasing in power of the planes to be capable of executing the newer sequences; then maybe the widening of the plane’s bodies to allow to a more constant speed trough the sequences and today the ever increasing use of electric power in the pattern planes.

What do you think about the future of Pattern Flying? DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. CLEARLY ALL WELL KNOWN PILOTS IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD FLY PATTERN SO I BELIEVE PATTERN IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT PART OF RC MODELS IN THE FUTURE.
What do you think that we will be seeing in the coming years? MORE ELECTRIC POWER.
Do you think that the size and weight limits now in use will have to be changed? NO. 11 LBS= 5 KGS IS THE DEFINITION OF RC MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONALLY. THEREFORE I BELIEVE 11 LBS = 5 KGS. WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED
Or do you think that the complexity of the maneuvers will have to be increased (if it is still possible)? NO, THAT IS THE REASON WE HAVE SEVERAL LEVELS. JUST FLY SPORTSMAN AND SWITCH TO HIGHER LEVELS AS YOU FEEL MORE CONFIDENT.

Regarding the model’s design, I think that almost everything has been tried but a pusher configuration; I think that something like the Jet Bobcat design could be made to a good pattern plane with a pusher prop and the right momentums since there would not be any prop vortex hitting the tail section of the model; what would you think about such a plane? I FLEW A CANARD DESIGN ONE TIME AND I DON'T THINK IS GOOD DESIGN FOR PATTERN. HAVE YOU SEEN PUSHER CONFIGURATION IN REAL ACROBATIC PLANES?

REGARDS,

Vicente "Vince" Bortone

Personally, I don't see much of an outright change in Pattern so several reasons.

1) The weight issue has been discussed (use that term loosely) ad naseum, and simply don't see it changing anytime soon. VB was correct in the international F3A community sets this standard.

2) For those that want bigger, or more complex, IMAC is already in place. IMAC Advanced has 10 manuevers, whereas Masters Pattern has 22 (I think). IMAC has almost 3 seperate parts to those 10 manuevers. IMAC doesn't have a size rule
Did you come out to the El Paso IMAC last weekend??

3) Although Pattern equipment and planes are changing, electrics, more powerful engines, slower flying planes, I believe it is an attempt to fly more gracefully and smoothly.

4) In the FAI Finals sequence there is a 2 roll circle and a 2 roll "S" and in the past had a rolling loop, Masters has a Reverse Golf Ball. These are about the only newish manevers in years I am aware of. Still straight lines, 1/2 loops, cuban 8's, square loops, spins, snaps etc etc. I really don't see much of a change, again if someone wants more complicated things, IMAC is still there.

Just my $.02

ed

Vbortone, Divesplat:

Thank you for your answers; almost everybody agrees that we’ll see more electrics in the future in pattern Flying.

I think that everything has a limit, and I do not see how the current widebody design can be improved; I think that you can only push a design so far and then everything has to be changed.

For example, when in the near past we started to see biplane pattern planes poping up from the top pilots in Pattern it looked (to me at least) as if it was going to be “the way to go” for pattern in the future since the speed in downlines could be more in control with all that drag, but then they disappeared sooner than they appeared.

I also agree with Divesplat when you say that everything is an attempt to fly more gracefully and smoothly and my question is toward where to go once everybody has the best widebody design coupled with the best powerplant and radio equipment, do you foresee any different design in the future?

The only possibility that I foresee would be as I mentioned a pusher propeller design similar to the Jet Bobcat (not a canard vbortone) but with the right momentums for pattern flying incorporated to the design and it would probably have the advantage of smoother flying since the aft-fuse and tailfeathers would be far from the prop’s vortex; those Jet Bobcats sure fly smooth and as if on wires, don’t you think?

Just a guess, nothing serious.

Negus.

Pd.
Unfortunately I was not in town for the IMAC at el Paso Divesplat, was it good?

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Electric counter-rotating props. . . no P-factor. . . .
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Size,weight and power limit the designs. Look at the change of airplanes back when they did away with the displacement rule. It wasn't uncommon for a .60 size plane to weigh 10.5-11 lbs back in the 80's. We learned to reduce weight, those airplanes could easily weight under 8 lbs. Today given the size it's very uncommon to see a sub 10lb airplane. Back in the 80's we thought there was nowhere for the designs to go yet here we are today. Turn around style and Engines have made the biggest impact on our sport.

E-counter rotating props, very exciting.
I think you'll be needing a revolutionary evolution towards the Voodoo Express type design thinking before you'll start to see the next generation of manouvers.
That plane is just so advanced, it's just plain funny that you guys in the US just aint taking it seriously.
If that had been designed in Europe or the Far East, you'd have fully molded, composite versions available (just imagine the sexy curves) years ago.
As it is, it's still in the balsa box "quirk" stage and the rest of am' pattern design following the absolute standard A4 layout.
Amazing that such home grown "visionary" talent is side lined, totally under developed or just plain ignored by the US pattern community.
VE design, e-counter rotating props and thrust vectoring... and whole new world is awaiting.

Bla bla:

I don’t think that I have ever seen or heard about that plane, the Voodoo Express, would you have a picture or a link to one so I can see it?

Thank you,

Negus

negus,

See the original Voodoo Express and the newer Voodoo Express 2 at

www.insightrc.com

Richard...