Power Hungry Part #2

[Troy Newman]

Ok now for the diamond 8.....Yes the diamond on the horizontal is many times better than that of the vertical form. And yes its less power than the current sq on corner in the masters sequence. Which I also think is too power hungry....But that one is with us until 2005. And no crying over spilled milk. just get a cat to clean it up for you!

...but lets compare it to the regular old Cuban 8......I like the idea of the two diamonds side by side...yes basically a bunch of 45's...Sounds good....Until we look at its components. Number one to do it big .....we all will agree its a power hog for sure....So now we need to manage its size...not totally make it small but managed...and not really big......so this now limits our radius on the corners. They have to be tight enough to define the lines and yet loose enough to satisfy the graceful presentation....If they are too loose then the lines get long and we eat power....and you run out of space for a slower roll rate and centering of the roll becomes and issue. SO a lower powered plane must make it smaller hence his radii are by practical application tighter....His leg lengths are shorter and the grace of a Cuban 8 is transformed from flowing grace to sharper 90 deg corners......Not that it has to be this way...but fly it with an 11lb..... 5 yr old airplane on a std YS 120....and tell me how you're gonna do it. We know we flew it and learned the mechanics of it.

OK Now Then your coming down on the neg 45 just like a regular Cuban....and you have to push a 90 deg corner....again remember not too loose or the lines won't match and not too tight.....so the dilemma for many...when do you add the throttle before the push to 45 up line or after. If its before then the radius become difficult to match as your gaining speed to the up hill journey.....If you do it after the push then you need some beans to  climb the hill...remember its not just a vertical line its (2) 45's going uphill. So then the smart alec like me says well I'll throttle up in the corner...again the radius is critical and with changing throttle position in the radius the radius is much more difficult to maintain. On a regular Cuban the Radius is much looser and is not a corner....The throttle up is not quite as critical and the planes energy is managed and helped again by gravity....in a more graceful open radius....Both Maneuver offer lots if not equal opportunity in the way of potential downgrades...Why give the newer stump puller motor the advantage here.....With the Cuban the older power plant can handle it and still give the same opportunity for errors and downgrading by the judge...

Again this maneuver is quite creative and is not impossible to complete...and offers the judge a new look to think about...But I don't support it because I don't feel it is a significant improvement on the regular old Cuban to offer a reason to define another maneuver. We already have a Cuban and a Reverse Cuban these have been flown by every level of the Pattern all the way back to Sportsman and even go back to ancient days before turnaround a Cuban 8 was in the old Sportsman (intermediate now) back then.......Judging is not an issue its not a question.....Its been there and defined for many moons.


other than these 2 whammies the NRSCA proposed sequence is pretty anemic....Its pretty simple and doesn't have the character or demands of previous years sequences like the 2 rolls opposite...I know we all struggled with it but look at the Masters finals at the NATS in those years...the winners did them well...and not perfect 10's all the way through either. There are no other signature maneuvers that stand out as a Masters class specialty in the NSRCA proposal...I'm not totally in favor of upping the skill level all the time....but I think it should be maintained at last.....KF is not always a good judge of the difficulty of a sequence. The Masters sequence we submitted in my mind is more difficult than the current. I think its easier to judge using more traditional maneuvers with twists. And I think it embodies the skills of a National level Top pilot while still giving a new comer from the Advanced class some skills to work on and achieve.  

In my mind the proposal from D6 has all the elements needed to pick the best flyer at the National level event...and yet doesn't require the latest airframes and motors to complete.

The pucker factor is lower....because of the more traditional maneuvers...and where things are placed....
The snaps are followed by in-out correction maneuvers....the long rolling sequences are preceded and followed by simpler turnarounds that allow for space to do the long rolling sequence and also allow for corrections before and after the them....

I don't think that our solution is utopia...I feel it is a better stab at it than the Rules survey version. If you like the NSRCA proposal cool....It already has the lead in this race because of the weight the NSRCA carries with the Contest Board.....those of you who like the D6 solution then voice you opinions as well. the Board has a choice and everybody on the Board.  I have spoken with them they want your input and opinion.....When they only receive one option and that comes from the NSRCA they are almost compelled to look favorable on it. The reason the NSRCA is the SIG and has a better feel in some cases than the Contest Board....But when they have options and choices why do we not trust them or influence them to vote what is best for the AMA and best for Pattern even though it may not be the very best thing on the surface for the NSRCA.

With only one choice the Board is compelled to do something and the choice is in front of them nothing or the one proposal.....With Choices they can see that not all pattern flyers are in agreement on the right choices and the right sequences. They then poll their members how ever that might be....I suggest you contact them...and be pro-active no matter what your choice or which option you choose....They then vote based on where they feel, are asked, of compelled to vote to help the Pattern group.

Listen guys I know that many are looking for answers....I don't have them. Its not cut and dry. Call, email, or write your contest Board members and voice your opinion.........Please its the only thing that will help. Don't worry I have thick skin if you don't like it cool!

I have just told you why I don't like the NSRCA proposal. Its merely why I don't support it....I don't think its bad and I don't think that it will end pattern as we know it...I don't think its the best solution available and why.....that's all nothing more.


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