Hey everyone!
I've been trying to find a way into pattern up in the frigid tundra of Minnesota. I finaly saw Anoka RC sponsering a competition that I will go watch. It's a bit frustrating that there isn't much this way in lue of pattern. Anyhow...

I purchased a Goldberg Extra last year to build and use, eventually, for entry level or sportsman class pattern. I had plans to build a 2nd ond 3rd for back-up as well- until I read the latest model airplane news and the air was a bit deflated out of me. It seems that flat bottom fuses do not transition well from straight and level to knife edge flight making it a lot of work to keep the slow roll straight and level. Does everyone agree?

I'm thinking I may have made a mistake and should invest in a true pattern ship with an oval fuse. Or... Should I use what I have and transition later on?

I'm quirious as to what you think.

Brian

I had one years ago with a os 1.08 exelent entry level airplane

Hey Brian,
For Sportsman most contest CD's will allow any "AMA legal" plane so your Extra will be fine. I just started back in pattern about 2 1/2 years ago
and flew Sportsman that first 1/2 year. From my experience the important things are to get your feet wet and don't go to that contest to just watch.
Enter and compete!
Don't worry about the theoretical differences in fuse shapes, etc. There will always be the "unobtanium" do-dad out there. The best planes fly better no
doubt but you don't have to have them to start. I'm going to brag on myself a little and say that at the end of last seaon I could slow roll my "obsolete"
square sided Focus II as well as anybody in the Advanced class in my district.
Go to nsrca.us and look up the Sportsman sequence PowerPoint presentation that descripes and depicts the maneuvers.
Get with someone that can help you and go fly!!!!

Good luck!
JLK

I started with a 4-start 40 in 1993. The Extra is a lot better so you are fine. I agree 100% with JLK.

VB

Thanks. I' feeling a lot more at ease. I'm looking forward to it.

Ilikebipes,
Send me a PM with your email address...or for that matter email me at [email protected] and I'll try to send you some links and stuff.
I know a couple guys that will be there...shoot!...I may even go and I can bet you'll get plenty of help.
JLK

Hi Brian

You're getting good advice from the guys who have posted here. I'll encourage you even more. I'm in Mendota Hts close to MN 110 and MN 149. Where is Brooklyn Heights? close to Brooklyn Center? I have plans to attend the Anoka contest with one or possibly two others. I have to tell you that I approached pattern contest flying the same way you are - go first and watch but if you do that you may have to wait until next year to get your feet wet the first time up here. I would encourage you to show up at Anoka with your plane, batteries charged, and plenty of fuel. If you can keep your plane in the air on your own you can fly the Sportsman pattern don't worry about what it looks like (the flying or the plane!) I did worry too much and it didn't help when I finally did it the next year. I should have flown it the first time! We're probably not close enough to each other to fly together much, but I would offer email as an alternative for questions or discussion or just keeping in touch. Send me a PM and we'll exchange email addresses.

Pattern is fun at any level and improves your flying - plus 99 percent of the people are really helpful and remember where they started from!

I look forward to hearing from you!
Tom

Brian,

Just put it in the air and go fly. In sportsman there is no substitute for just practice. That plane is definitely capable of the sportsman sequence. Get to a contest and have fun. You'll learn more in one weekend of flying at a contest than a year of practicing on your own. No matter how bad you think you are flying or whatever you will be surprised when you get to the contest. If all the guys in sportsman were flying 10's on every maneuver, they wouldn't be flying sportsman. Just show up and have fun.

Tom and John are great guys in your district and I'm sure they'll be happy to help.

Arch

They have already really gone far out of their way to get me going today. No more excuses, I'm there!

Brian,

What those gentlemen said in the above posts are all true. Just get in there and start flying. You will meet new friends and get help like you would never believe. My son and I down here in D3 are perfect examples. We went to our first contest with a some what ok plane and we flew and it was great. A gentleman named Mike Hester jumped in there with us and showed us what to do, how to practice and now my son and I have grown in the sport. I'm now flying intermediate and my son is flying advance and we are both flying 2 meter ships now. Along with Mr. Hester we have met other folks too and everyone is eager to help and now that I have a couple of years under my belt and the knowledge that I've gained, I have been able to help new people too. I hosted my first contest just last week and did not have the slightest idea about running the contest correct and my main help came from Mr. Hester again and his wife Melissa who by the way is the best score keep in pattern, period. But I also got help from others and the moral support from all the other pilots that attended was fantastic. It was so good that I can't wait till next year and do it all over again. So get out there and fly have a good time and learn from these guys and one day pay it foward. You are going to meet someone like yourself that's going to need help and you will be there.

Good luck
Larry

Yeah it's great when it comes full circle. I'm helping some guys now as I've done in the past. It's really cool to watch them go to their first contest and bring home a trophy (OK, not all of them do this but some do). In some ways I think it's more fun than bringing home a trophy of your own. Pattern is about competition BUT we're not really competing against each other. We're actually competing against ourselves. If you keep that in mind, you'll get A LOT of enjoyment from Pattern. And you'll meet some of the nicest people on the planet. VBG

John Pavlick
Team Black Magic, Tech-Aero Designs

Today I have requested information from Anoka-RC to participate. I am preparing with my skybolt, and setting up my Extra build in the meantime.

Is there anyone in the area that could spend some time talking me through the manuvers at the field? I've noticed my loops need a lot of help, and I need to get a feel for flying within the box.