Hey Mates ,

I'm down under in Cootamunda, NSW, Australia for 2 pattern contests (The Masters will be in Shepparton over the weekend). The Aussie Nats is quite a bit smaller than our US Nats unfortunately. It's not because the people (pilots and workers) are any different, it's just the way it is. So there are only 19 contestants competing in 4 classes, with F3A being the largest class with 8 pilots.

Today started with perfect weather with just a slight hint of wind with not a cloud in the sky. After my practice flight the pilots meeting was held and we were getting ready to start the contest... and then it came. WINDS of about 20 knots just showed-up from nowhere. Well the contest was a go and we started flying at about 9:45. The winds lightened up as the day went on, but it was still pretty windy even at the end of the 3rd round (final for the day). Sorry no pics of the results after 3 rounds, I just didn’t get to them to take the pics.

Oh yea, I'm flying the Purple/Pink/White Cyclone (7th pic, OS-140) because Qantas feels the A380 is too small to fit my Integral box in the bottom [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

More pics...

A few last ones... 5am (can't seem to sleep longer) comes quick (12:40 now).

Somewhere around here or on one of the links on the page will probably be updates as time goes on.

http://sapa-f3a.blogspot.com/

Wow, that's the biggest Rc flying field I've seen so far mate. Hope you are having a good time and steaks are reasonably sized

Alejandro

JAS.. how come u went to Australia..

Apparently the weather wasnt good enough in central Florida for him..

I think he went down just to fly with the guys. Get a little more international flavor of competition before the worlds. Plus, its Australia. Sounds like a great trip to me,

Arch

JAS,

Back at you from south of the equator.......maybe you should have the guys at Air France talk with Quantas???? AF had room for my airplane box from the US to Johannesburg, SA, in the bottom of the Airbus 340!!

Bummer about not being able to take your model.....AF did charge me an extra 150 USD after saying it would not be an extra charge as long as it was under 23kg (it was 19.9).

SA NATs starts on Thursday....will try to get some practice in Mon/Tues.....my first flights in the southern hemisphere.

Dave

Dave,

Enjoy your flights down there. Mark Radcliff was telling me about his first trip south of the equator for a WC. Dave Brown and the guys convinced him that all of his servos needed to be reversed. He was around 20 at the time. They told him that if they didnt believe him to watch the toilets. They go the other direction. First thing he did when he got down that way was to flush the toilet, then he came running out to start reversing the servos (you had to do by unsoldering on those days). They really had him going for a while.

Arch

The Nats are now in the books. Another sunny day, with the first half of the first round being flown in a nice gentle wind. Of course when it was time to fly F3A the winds picked back up, but thankfully not as bad as yesterday. The only change in weather was a drop in the temp, but a jacket took care of the nip in the air.

Even though the Nats were a small event, the fun had day and night has been fantastic! Chatting it up with everyone so far has been enlightening for me as well as everyone here. 1 event down, off to the next in the morning. I will post more pics once I get the resizer program on this puter. Here are the Promotion Points for the event.

Sportsman:

1st- Chris McCowage
2nd- Joe Costa
Scores

Advanced:

1st- Jason Arnold
2nd- Brian Green (had to leave eary)
Scores

Expert:

1st- Tom Collinge (CD of Pattern Nats)
2nd- David Carkeek (1st Nats)
3rd- Henry Hutchinson (WC's Judge and half of my gracious host, Beverly is his better half )
Scores

F3A:

1st- JAS
2nd- Bill Bloodworth
3rd- David McFarlane
Scores

Great report Jason . .

Travel half way around the World, drive half way across Australia, suffer the natural jet lag, keep us up to date on the comp . . and win as well . . awesome stuff [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

See ya at the Masters this weekend . . looking forward to it [sm=teeth_smile.gif]

Cheers, JB

JAS, it's good to hear that you have got one competition under your belt already in Aus.
I live in Adelaide, and together with quite a few other Pattern flyiers over here in South Australia like Jeff, I will be setting off to Shepparton to compete in the Masters as well and look forward too meet you in person and see you fly. I have heard that the entries are about the 50 mark, which is big for over here, but I suppose that is just a normal Competition size for the States. Matt

Hello Jas.
Do you remember while we were at the Ocala contest in Florida a few weeks ago I asked you if I could come with on your trip to Australia? I should have done as I read in the above posts that you will be in Shepparton for the Masters. Well Shepparton is the town I lived in with my family for 5 months back in the mid 70's (Balaclava st.)
I know that area well and have flown a number of contests in that region incl the WC in Wangaretta in 1991. I also recognize several of the names in your report like Henry Hutchison, Tom Bloodworth and Brian Green all people I flew with back then, please say hello to them all and tell I have many fond memories of Australia.
Wish I was there,

Ivan Kristensen

Sitting here with GlennO and Sparksy in the room and we're trying to sync up a couple of phones via bluetooth (hovering in the room got old and the coffee is made and watching the footy show) and we're finding that even harder than turning off a 'condition' on a 12X (inside joke, sorry).

Went to the field here in Shepparton to get in some practice this morning and was able to fly 3 times between helping set-up the poles and setting up GlennO's Aries. 6 of us were out there flying and helping with the the setting up the event. Only problem was I didn't bring out my camera so no pics from today. I'll have it out tomorrow only thing is I think that there is a rather large storm on it's way to us. We're keeping our fingers crossed that it won't stay long.

Ivan, I'll let the other guys know (Henry and Bev say 'Hi" ). Brian let me fly his Tempest in Cootamundra and we had a nice chat about the past. And "Mr. Blue" Tom B. will be here tomorrow with Bill B. so I'll let him know (if he's not reading this here).

Hey . . nice guys !

I see ya brought that "Kick *****" coffee machine, Glenno . . what room are you in?? .. be there in a minute

Looking out the window this morning . . looks like it's Hydroplanes on the lake this weekend ???

Cheers, JB

It looks like it might be a bit of a challenge to get in a few rounds during the weekend . Here's the forecast:

Saturday Wind and rain increasing Wind and rain increasing
10 / 18°C 95%, 5-10mm Nil WNW 22km/h 82% NW 29km/h 60%
Sunday Showers Showers
6 / 15°C 90%, 1-5mm Nil WNW 30km/h 67% WNW 41km/h 49%

I did manage to snap some pics between showers today, but a bit tired to load them up tonight. Seems that I was able to help with the drought here by bringing some of the FL weather.

Dave, where's your thread for the SA Nats?

Yeah . . pretty ordinary weather. They also forecasted HAIL for Sunday, but didn't get any luckily. Not a good look on composite wings

During one of the weather breaks, Jas maidened his new model with a 1 1/2 positive snap from take-off followed by a one point landing . . NICE ! . . but it got better

Also, a pic giving a reasonable indication of the weather

Cheers, JB

It's 11.30am here on Tuesday morning and I'd say our friend Jas would be on his return back to the US as I type this post.
What an experience it has been for pilots like myself to have someone of the caliber of Jason Sculman here in Australia
competing at our marquee competition of the year the Australian masters and also attending the nationals in N.S.W.

Jas, it was a pleasure to meet you and to learn from you over the course of the four days. it was also "a hell of a lot of fun!!"

I also thank you so much for the time and effort you contributed to helping people like myself and others, we appreciate it so much!!

We hope that some day you will return, and look forward to to watching your assault on the worlds in Portugal.

Hope you've have had a great time and a safe trip home.

Regards GlennO

Here are a few pictures taken over the weekend.
More pics at my blog [link]http://glennsf3a.blogspot.com/[/link]

Even more pictures here. [link]http://www.vicpattern.org.au/component/content/article/21-f3a-results-2009/47-australian-masters[/link]

1)Jas and me
2)Jas and his Maccas for breaky
3)Jas and Clarkey
4)Jas and the Nugent boys
5)Jas with his host and plane owner Henry Hutchinson
6)Jas about to throw up his maccas!!!

Yeah, for sure GlennO . . "A BONZA BLOKE" (really nice guy ). Had some good laughs . .

Gave everyone plenty of time, and answered all the questions (1000's of 'em). Very generous.

Hopefully, he gets time in one of the airports to finish the Masters part of his thread ???

Have a safe trip home, as we wave goodbye from Shepparton, Australia [sm=drowning.gif]

Cheers, JB

Hey JAS - as promised I have found a picture of a very young Chris Brislin taken in 2003 when awarding him probably one of his first of many contest wins. This one taken at the "coolum 1000" in Queensland Australia. I also echo every one attending the Australian Nats. and the Masters in saying that Jason you truly are a fine and generous representative of RC model flying.

Regards Dave C - aka Carkers