[NSRCA-discussion] Small Models ..(story time)

[Mike Hester]

Good stuff guys!

Well here's a little story for ya.

I was in such a hurry when I went to the Huntsville contest last year, I 
forgot my wings. How the heck does that happen? I guess I have to chalk it 
up to brain overload. Anyway, there I stood, hundreds of miles from home 
with a fuselage and no wings. Some of those manuevers can be a little 
difficult without wings....

Well you know how it goes, everyone and thier brother offered to let me fly 
thier planes (2 meter planes). I learned the hard way not to fly other 
people's planes, but when Don Peck offered to let me fly his Excelleron, it 
was an interesting proposition that peaked my interest. I wasn't going to 
win, so why not? It would be fun, and if anything hapened to that plane, I 
knew I could replace it on the spot. I told Don if anything happened I'd buy 
and build him one fast. But the thought of competing in a strong advanced 
class with the Excelleron really sounded like fun to me.

I put in one practice flight, and said "good enough". It had a ton of expo 
in it, and that was fine with me. Bryan Kennedy set it up and he did an 
excellent job. Nothing felt wierd or strange until I got way over on the 
sticks, then it jumped. No problem though.

It was relatively calm, so off we went.....I did about like I figured the 
first round. But then to my suprise, I won the second round! And this was 
against Erik "Dragonslayer" Newsolme, the D3 champ! That was so cool. I was 
having a lot of fun, and it was challenging, but then I managed to win 
another round! I admit I was well practiced at that time of year, and there 
really wasn't much wind, but to my own credit I was making it look like a 2 
meter. Smooth, clean and precise. It's some of the most fun I've had flying 
pattern!

Well, the wind came and that was the end of that. Trying to keep the plane 
on heading was taking too much throw, and then it got over into the "banzai" 
expo curve. So, I couldn't make a contest of it. But the cool thing was, 
Erik was flying better than anyone had ever seen him fly, and I was able to 
keep up with him in the calm air. I did get second though =) But make no 
mistake, SIZE MATTERS!!!!!

So just to restate the obvious, you CAN do ok with a smaller plane, but you 
have to work at it harder and when the wind comes, the laws of physics and 
aerdynamics are against you. Who knows, maybe if I had a plane of that size 
that was set up by me and for me, and knew what it would do, I could have 
done even better. But honestly, I just don't think you can win in a game of 
1/2 points at that level of competition against 2 meter planes.

Sportsman guys who are serious are going to get the best they can, that's 
human nature. You can't change that, and probably shouldn't. You know as 
well as I do that in sportsman it's possible....you just have to work at it 
harder. It might make you a better pilot though!

-Mike