adding interest and complexity to Sportsman ... again and again
and
George Kennie
geobet at gis.net
Sat Jan 8 10:51:30 AKST 2005
Worthy perceptions, John. Thanks!
G.
John Pavlick wrote:
> Yeah, I agree. It's harder than it looks but it teaches the
> basics of all the higher level maneuvers without overwhelming a
> newbie. It is too short. The biggest problem I had last year
> (other than flying a 40 size plane and learning how to handle
> crosswind) is that there is no "practice" time available. I know
> it's probably unnecessary for the higher classes and definitely
> impractical due to time constraints, but maybe for Sportsman what
> would be cool is to fly two sequences per round (one take off and
> landing) and maybe just keep the score for the best one. This
> could be the CD's option - no rule changes needed because it's
> already addressed in the current rules (sort of). It might help a
> lot of guys improve a lot quicker - I know it would have helped
> me. As far as the maneuvers go - the hardest ones are the stall
> turn, 2 loops and the 2 point roll. If you want to make it
> "harder" encourage guys to use top rudder in the 2 point roll and
> even the full roll (slow it down). Although not necessary (unlike
> elevator control in the 3 roll sequence), it is a skill builder
> (or airplane destroyer) and it will add interest for someone who
> has mastered the basics. The 2 loops are good because if there's
> crosswind, you'll learn how to deal with it there. The stall turn
> has enough elements to make it challenging. The problems with the
> Humpty with 1/2 roll up (or anything with 1/2 roll up) are: 1. A
> slightly underpowered plane (i.e. entry level Sportsman) will have
> problems making it to the top so the pull will be messy and screw
> up the down line (believe me).2. An improperly trimmed airplane
> that's dragging a wing (aileron diff.) will screw up the up
> line.The non rolling triangle loop might work, and it's good
> because of the long inverted section at the top of the box (i.e.
> learn some rudder technique) BUT an underpowered plane may have
> problems turning the first corner at the top forcing an inverted
> line correction. I'm working with a few people now who will be
> flying Sportsman this season if all goes well. The first thing I
> had them do was fly to the ends of the box and do 1/2 cuban turn
> arounds. I told them to practice this until they could hold a
> straight and level flight path between. THAT was harder than it
> looks for some of them, especially when there was a
> crosswind. Maybe you guys don't realize just how skilled you are
> (Advanced, Masters, FAI). Please take it easy on us! It takes a
> while to build the skills necessary to achieve that level of
> competency. I just transitioned from Sportsman to Intermediate and
> it felt about right. It's quite a bit harder, but not
> overwhelming. I'll struggle for a while, but I'll catch up
> eventually. Just in time to get pushed into Advanced...
>
> John Pavlick
> http://www.idseng.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
> [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Keith Black
> Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 12:59 AM
> To: discussion at nsrca.org
> Subject: Re: adding interest and complexity to Sportsman ... again
> and again and
>
> Being not too far removed from Sportsman myself I have
> to agree that the sportsman pattern is about right in
> difficulty, just a little short unless it's flown twice.
> Without flying it twice the sportsman guys really get
> the short end of the stick. If you make it any more
> difficult then it will be too hard for the newbie. Even
> with the current sportsman pattern when I began I
> sometimes REALLY needed the box exits, especially after
> the two loops. And as far as two rolls go, that's WAY
> too difficult for sportsman. That maneuver scared the
> bejeepers out of for the longest time in Intermediate
> (especially when I lost track of my rolls, with the sun
> in my face, over the trees in Temple!). One good thing
> about the current sportsman pattern is it's easier to
> get new guys to consider trying the pattern when they
> see how "simple" it is. Of course, they quickly find out
> that even though the maneuvers are simple it's not at
> all easy for the uninitiated pattern flyer to keep the
> plane on track through the maneuvers. Then they ALL say
> the same thing... "WOW! That's harder than it looks!". I
> think the Sportsman pattern is about right, just a
> little short. Keith Black
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dean Pappas
> To: discussion at nsrca.org
> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 2:57 PM
> Subject: RE: adding interest and complexity to
> Sportsman ... again and again and
> Hey George,When the wind blows, even a little
> bit, the present Sportsman schedule overtaxes
> both the concentration and skill of the entry
> level pilot.A certain amount of this is good,
> 'cause all real learning is painful, but this
> is a trap that the event has fallen into at
> least four times in my recollection.We keep
> changing schedules to maintain interest, and
> that's good.When we revise the schedules, we
> keep adding interest: that sounds good, but
> what we really almost always ended up doing
> was adding a tiny bit of complexity until
> ...We have to add a new class to the
> all-important bottom of the pyramid.Want to
> know how many times it's happened? Once it was
> called Novice, then we called it Pre-Novice,
> then the schedules all changed,and we called
> it Novice again, then we changed the name to
> Sportsman, and added Turnaround.I like the
> schedule Don proposes, but I'd rather have the
> Sportsmen fly two short schedules with a "holy
> cow!, let me get back from the next county."
> break between the schedules.Some Sportsmen go
> without a breath for a whole schedule. Okay
> that's a slight exageration.I have used the
> out-of-box time between those two schedules to
> coach, calm, and teach the incoming pilots.
> It's terribly useful.Oh yes, 3 rolls is
> infinitely more useful for teaching "elevator
> timing" than 2. You can fake it for 2, but
> the 3rd one requires that the plane be under
> control after 2.Hey Ron van Putte ... you out
> there?Tell the man about the time the Earth
> shook in Lake Charles!Regards,Dean Pappas
> Sr. Design Engineer
> Kodeos Communications
> 111 Corporate Blvd.
> South Plainfield, N.J. 07080
> (908) 222-7817 phone
> (908) 222-2392 fax
> d.pappas at kodeos.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
> [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On
> Behalf Of George Kennie
> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005
> 2:37 PM
> To: discussion at nsrca.org
> Subject: [SPAM] Re: [SPAM] Re:
> [SPAM] Re: Annex proposal -
> development
> I too find Don Ramsey's sequence
> very stimulating.
> Reminds me that I have always felt
> that the poor guys in Sportsman
> sometimes appear to be getting the
> short end of the stick regarding the
> schedule.Many contests that I have
> attended have them flying the
> sequence twice because the routine
> is so very short. I would like to
> see their schedule slightly modified
> to give them a little longer
> sequence and a little additional
> stimulation.
> I would propose something like the
> following.
>
> 1.T.O.
>
> U
> 2.Free
> Pass.
> D
> 3.Straight Flight
> Out.
> C U
> 4.Procedure
> Turn.
> T
> 5.Straight Flight
> Back.
> C D
> 6.1/2 Reverse Cuban
> Eight T
> 7.Immelman
> Turn.
> C U
> 8.Split
> S.
> T
> 9.2
> Loops.
> C U
> 10.Exit The
> Box.
> U
> 11.Enter The
> Box.
> D
> 12.Non-Rolling Triangular
> Loop
> C U
> 13.Humpty Bump 1/2 roll
> up T
> 14.One 2-Point
> Roll
> C D
> 15.1/2 Cuban
> Eight.
> T
> 16.Non-Rolling
> Cobra.
> C U
> 17.Stall
> Turn.
> T
> 18.2
> Rolls.
> C D
> 19.Exit The Box.
> 20.Landing.
>
> C U
>
> C= Center,T=Turnaround, U= Upwind,
> D=Downwind.
>
> My rationale is that this is the
> point that we need to encourage this
>
> class of fliers to work on their
> down elevator timing by introducing
> 2 rolls.This shouldn't be too much
> for them to handle as they are
> currently doing a 2 point roll. Also
> the 2 loops will sharpen their
> precision by making them work harder
> at presentation placement.
> The Procedure Turn will teach them
> something that will be required,
> and the Humpty should present no
> major problems as they are already
> doing a 1/2 Reverse Cuban.They
> should be learning the Stall Turn
> and
> the Triangular Loop will further
> strengthen their centering
> skills.There are
> seven maneuvers before taking a
> breather and seven more to complete
> the sequence.
> Now these fellows can fly ONE
> sequence like the rest of us and the
>
> time required should be no longer
> than the time required to fly a
> double
> schedule.
>
> Sportsman pilots out there, let me
> know what you think.
> Georgie
> P.S.I wonder if there are any
> Sportsman guys monitoring this
> list??
>
>
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