Artistic Aerobatics

[Bill Glaze]

Interesting, that this subject should come up.
I feel that a big factor,  would be the very thing that is under our 
noses.  (admittedly, some few will object to the idea)
Change the flight sequences at least every 3 years, as the questionnaire 
said.  Said questionnaire was ignored in this particular, in the last 
rules cycle for all but (significantly) Masters.  And, of course, FAI.
It would help in the boredom category.  IMHO, it would help much more 
than looking at pattern airplanes flop all over the sky.  But then, who 
am I?  I haven't even done a great job of what we're flying now.<G>
In any event, Eric, I sure appreciate that you're so active in the idea 
dept.

Bill Glaze
NSRCA 2388
AMA 2221
IMAC 1624
N7WWS

Henderson,Eric wrote:

> As some of you may know I ran an FAI-FG1 event a couple of years ago 
> at the Nat's after the finals. Quique, Troy and Chad Northeast put on 
> a really great show for us while we waited for the Masters and FAI 
> results.
>  
> I have not heard much about this event type since then. I was 
> wondering if the FAI adopted it or not.
>  
> Flying a pattern type plane to music is very attractive. It is one of 
> the few times where the plane does not drown-out the music! More 
> correctly said, the planes have to comply with size weight and sound 
> FAI regulations. They do not actually have to be what we fly in a 
> pattern contest. Some guys use the same planes and swap-in 3-D wings 
> and stabs. They often change their props.
>  
> It is, of course, the rest-of-the-world's version of IMAC freestyle.
>  
> I have written, not without a shot or two across my bows, that the 
> delineator between precision aerobatics and scale aerobatics is that 
> pattern is based on practicing the routine, a lot!
> I see IMAC pilots practicing tailslides and Harriers and torque rolls, 
> but rarely the routines they fly. In particular, wannabe IMAC pilots 
> fly the hover stuff for most of their flights. Once in a while I "push 
> my luck" and I ask them why they practice most, the thing that they 
> will do least, in a contest. (Maybe once in a freestyle routine at the 
> end of an event).
>  
> The answer always is, "Because I want to get better at it and it is 
> fun".  Are they having more fun than us? I know that watching a loud 
> plane hover over the runway is fun for a while but it gets old pretty 
> quick and even becomes annoying. A bit like when we played our 45's on 
> repeat. We coul listen to the same song, that we had just purchased, 
> but our allegedly tone-deaf fathers were soon motivated to become 
> "discus" throwers!!!!
>  
> The question is still out there however, "Are we boring?" and "Do we, 
> (pattern pilots), need be more watchable"???
>  
> Regards, it is still winter - Eric.
>  

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