* del klipped * Re: Re: adding interest and complexity to Sportsman ... a...

[JonLowe at aol.com]

I've been lurking thru all of this discussion on sportsman for NSRCA, and also the disucssion of the relative merits of SPA for new pattern pilots.  I believe I am qualified to discuss both, as I flew in SPA Novice class and Sportsman in AMA last year.  I was series champ in novice in SPA in 2004, and won the only AMA event I entered.  I flew a World Models Intruder in SPA, and a Titan 2 meter airplane in AMA.

All in all, non-turnaround in SPA is a WHOLE lot less intimidating than AMA Sportsman.  You have time to set up for each manuever, and can concentrate on that manuever, rather than setting up for the end of the box.  The SPA novice sequence is geared to make sure you can fly straight lines, and actually get 3 loops on top of each other, basics anyone needs in precision aerobatics.  SPA is also geared toward a lower keyed event than AMA.  The SPA sequence and members helped me greatly in getting improvements in my flying and placement.  Even though the airplanes are somewhat faster, they are not the screaming demons of the past, because SPA mandates no retracts, and virtually everyone is now flying 91 4 strokes for noise and power reasons, since pipes are not allowed on two strokes, for simplicity.

Stringing together the sequence for AMA Sportsman took a whole lot more practice on top of the SPA novice pattern.  Trying to keep a constant distance out was a major challenge, as well as staying within the ends of the box, since you couldn't reposition at the end of each manuever. AMA was higher stress, but people like Jim Ivey took me under their wing and gave me valuable feedback.

Since I live in the south, I would recommend anyone interested in pattern around here try SPA first to get their feet wet for the reasons above.  In order to encourage people to get into pattern, we have to take as much of the stress away as we can for their first events.  Yes, they need to come into an event with practice under their belt, but simpler patterns, non-turnaround make it less intimidating, and easier to give competition a try.

Jon Lowe
NSRCA 3612
SPA 245

In a message dated 1/12/2005 9:59:39 AM Eastern Standard Time, "spbyrum" <spbyrum at hiwaay.net> writes:

>I switched between the Curare and a Viper on a daily basis the last 6
>weeks of last Summer because I thought I'd have to go from the Viper in
>Huntsville to the Curare for the SPA Masters in Knoxville the next
>weekend.  Turns out, the Curare grooves well enough and flies slowly
>enough that it wasn't a huge shock.  Going from Curare to Viper does
>make me appreciate the Viper more, but the gap is not so great as with
>other SPA planes I've owned.
> 
>Steve Byrum 
>-----Original Message-----
>From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]
>On Behalf Of Rcmaster199 at aol.com
>Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 8:38 AM
>To: discussion at nsrca.org
>Subject: Re: * del klipped * Re: Re: adding interest and complexity to
>Sportsman ... a...
> 
> 
> 
>Thanks Steve, I can imagine that after flying these little guys at near
>mach 1, going back to current pattern would be like waiting for water to
>boil. Hey that's not a bad thing; all kinds of time is good
> 
>MattK
> 
>In a message dated 1/12/2005 9:29:46 AM Eastern Standard Time,
>spbyrum at hiwaay.net writes:
>Matt
> 
>YES to both.  I've flown both.  I've killed both.  I think Jim witnessed
>both spectacular moments.  Both planes fly well with a 4c. 
> 
>Steve Byrum 
>-----Original Message-----
>From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]
>On Behalf Of Rcmaster199 at aol.com
>Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 11:39 PM
>To: discussion at nsrca.org
>Subject: Re: * del klipped * Re: Re: adding interest and complexity to
>Sportsman ... a...
> 
>In a message dated 1/11/2005 11:30:55 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>jivey61 at bellsouth.net writes:
>Del
>
>Like all other organizations The SPA has it's own set of growing
>pains,just like NSRCA.
>All the classes in SPA use affordable planes, which makes it good for
>entry level pattern.
>SPA caught on ok in the southeast,but slow elsewhere.There needs to be a
>sparkplug to get SPA started in other areas.
>
>Jim Ivey
>Jimmy is the Curare SPA legal? Or the Atlas? These were of mid 70's
>vintage but I don't remember exact timing
> 
>
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