Reverse Avalanche, Masters stuff, thoughts etc.

[Don Szczur]

I'm motivated to write. There is something deeper here.  Bent aluminum tube?  You can't be serious!  I guess it could happen.  A friend of mine snapped a pattern plane wing in half when he accidently hit his snap roll switch at full throttle (actually twice, once to snap the plane inverted, and the second to finish the job by ripping the wings off).  Its impossible for me to put myself in your shoes ... but I'll try to remember back in the days I flew Masters.  Now, I flew Masters when it was AMA (non-turnaround).  My first NATS flying Masters, I almost hit the judges on takeoff since I did not have steering on that Curare.  (Well, maybe an exaggeration, but I do remember seeing, out of the corner of my eye, Dave Brown grabbing the chair handles and leaning forward). I worked hard, built a plane current to that decade, and got 2nd the next year. Moving from standard pattern to turnaround was quite a big adjustment.  I can clearly remember that.  Which is my point.  I figured the bar was raised and everyone is flying the same challenge.  .

Reverse Avalance...Loose wing tube socket on the Focus II?  It brings back a memory of squeaking styrofoam..  I think mine came loose after the first couple of flights, but I was flying the plane crisply.  I just carefully took the retainer screw dowels out, globbed some epoxy in (there was a gap around the end plate) and popped the dowel back in with some additional epoxy.  I can't remember for sure but I think I have a diagram with the fix at:

Focus II at the following address: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/FOCUS_II_ARF_construction_by%2Dthe%2Dnumbers/m_1431697/tm.htm


Where was I... The Avalanche.  That FAI reverse avalance with 1 1/2 snaps. Done it probably 200 times, I'd venture.  It does require more power than every other maneuver (spare the P05 humpty with pos snap up), but my style is in closer- just inside 150m so the loop is not large (I snap at idle and add throttle after the snap).  Its not too bad on the power at this distance.

Unknowns?  I cannot comment on them for pattern other than reporting two items.  Several FAI flyers made comments to me that "TOC" flyers have an advantage in the finals because they have flown unknowns so much with the big planes.  (try an outside avalanche from the top with opposite POSITIVE snaps at the bottom). My response (raise eyebrows) is to fly IMAC.  IMAC Advanced or Unlimited. With unknowns.  It will build the skills necessary to learn how to approach them.  The FAI Unknowns really are not that.  All 250 some odd maneuvers are given to the pilots.  Yes, I've practiced all 250 of them (or at least every major varient in each maneuver family).

Second item is related to an IMAC contest I used to run. We had unknowns in every class.  At the time (mid to late '90s) this was really quite new.  The overwhelming response was very positive.  Again, just a data point.

Well this is all food for thought. Pattern is different from IMAC, and FAI different than Masters.  To the pattern flyers in Masters- I fully believe that your desires should be instituted.  Why?  The turnover I experience at the IMAC contests I ran was something like 60 to 75 percent.  I don't know what happened to them but they did not stick with it (at least for that annual contest).   Many pattern flyers continue for years.  You guys should be the main focus of the rules.
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