Discovery Channel Program, How High Can You Fly? Tonight

Actually from 8 pm till 2 am they are running three different shows based on the last LDRS national rocket launch that was held in Argonia, Kansas. All 3 look pretty interesting.

OK, Someone has to say it. Why can't the AMA talk them in covering the nationals?

Answer? Because the nationals are boring. No record breaking, no fun events.

Besides the AMA isn't intrested in making it someting fun to watch. It's just an insurance company/old mens club.

This is not quite my opinion, just a statement for debate.

I watched some of that last night, it was pretty cool. These guy's were launching bowling balls on top of rockets and one guy shot his over 3000 ft, and they do this with very little control over where that balls going to land. And the ama thinks touching the rudder of a plane on the ground is dangerous, just think what a bowling ball falling from 300 ft would do to you. I bet that would even knock some sence into me.

All in all, those folks SURE KNOW HOW TO HAVE SOME FUN. Too bad there isn't this type of documentary series on our hobby.

The NATS are archaic. I believe the data is 0.1% (that's one tenth of one percent) of the membership-at-large compete or organize the NATS. With events like Joe Nall, Scale Masters, and others, it's hardly the premier R/C gathering. With only one site available/used for the NATS, it's not very likely that 99% of R/C'ers could ever get there due to the time/$$$, even if we were interested.

As for boring, here's my tretise on Pattern, the "premier" event of the NATS:

I Hate Pattern

The color scheme is psychedelic, but the plane is certainly not a relic. The mismatched colors cause public scenes, and the cost is beyond my ways and means. The plane is set upon the ground, as it taxis, it wanders ?round and ?round. The takeoff run is not very straight, and it barely misses the parking lot gate. Once in the air, so so high, it flys all around up in the sky. Or perhaps in an invisible ?box?, flown by macho pattern jocks. The maneuvers are very large and smooth, the plane is really getting in a groove. It?s certainly not very close to the ground, and you can?t even hear the engine sound. God forbid they should take a chance, of tearing off those pretty wheel pants. Some think pattern is like watching grass grow, but not to those who?re really in the know. Look at the grin upon his face, that Cuban 8 wasn?t an inch out of place. The plane is straight, fast and true, but the pilot is turning blue, blue, blue. What?s that you say? My loop is an egg? He gets on his knees and begins to beg. My plane is perfect and I fly it well, if you can?t see that you can go to hel. . .p Me, help me friends of mine, throw out this ignorant blind judge swine! The judge won?t listen or even budge, he remembers the last contest, and holds a grudge. Against the guy who beat him out, the last time that they had a bout. His wife consoles him, you know who?ll win, honey, the guy with the most sponsorship money. Like little Chip Hyde and those who started so young, but they discoverd girls, now THAT?S really fun! (what plane???) The pattern plane is on the ground, and looks of awe sure abound. Not for the fact the he flew it neat, but the pilot didn?t even mess his seat. The ?pucker factor?, well, it just isn?t there, when you?re seven or eight hundred feet up in the air. I?ve said my piece, my time is done, you all go fly pattern, we?ll poke holes in the sky. . . and have some REAL fun!

They all look the same, they all fly the same. 'nuff said. Dr.1 Driver "There's a Hun in the sun!"

What struck me several times during the show was the fact that there was a camera in the sky, even during launches!! Did anyone notice? Was it on a tethered balloon or full-size helicopter or R/C helicopter. There were lots of aerial passes made of the crowd too.

hehe...brilliant writing, but c'mon, tell us how you really feel.

As your resident newbie, i probably would mess my pant just watching. BTW, anybody have a "Stunts for Dummies" guide so i can follow conversations about "cuban eights" or Immelmans"?

This is killin me. I missed it. I had a few too many 7&7's and watched law& order. Doh. Are they re-running it 20 times in the next month like they usually do?

In a Cuban Eight, you pull a loop. After you go over the top, relax on the elevator (maybe even put in a touch of down elevator) so that you're drawing a 45-degree line. Roll the airplane upright in the middle of that line.

Now do a matching loop (same size & height), draw the 45-degree line as you come over the top, and roll upright again.

A 1/2 Cuban Eight is a nice turnaround maneuver. Just do the loop, line, roll and come back to stage center at the same altitutde that you left it.

An Immelman is a half-loop with an immediate roll upright as you reach the top of the loop. It's a turnaround maneuver, too, but it leaves you at a higher altitude.

Split-S: roll inverted and do a half-loop to turn around.

When you've got all those under your belt, you want to start working on Humpty Bumps.

I think you can get to some descriptions of maneuvers from the pattern organization's web page:

I'm a pattern worm. I plan to go back to competition when I get a new plane built. I whacked my old one after about 50 flights. I had just got it all nicely trimmed out and I was celebrating with some snaps. :o(

Marty

he...well ill letcha know how well my new SLOW stick does cuban eights, once it arrives! Im very excited about this new venture into another nightmare hobby. Ive been hanging with the .land crowd for almost 3 years now, and i usually have about 50/50 success with getting a CAR home in one piece. Hopefully these plane thingeys dont crash as hard as my cars....;)

Thanks for the explanation and the links...now i have something to try on FMS. Finally, my boys are three now - whats the general concensus on when to teach kids to fly? And if they need a specific plane, such as a sukhoi or an Extra maybe, please contact my wife. Christmas is coming.....8) Mike

"cuban

It used to be that model aviation was all about competition. It certainly advanced the hobby. People aren't interested in competition, now, they just want to fly and visit. To each his own. Without competition, we would be way behind where we are now. (I like competition.)

Yuppers.... November 9th and November 13, 7:00pm to 10:00pm., CST November 15, in the afternoon

By the way, there are three (3) one hour shows.

hanging with

kids to fly?

MiKe,

Oops - "k" Try your boys on the cars first. That's where my granddaughter started when she was three. We have a family "stable" of inexpensive Tamiya electric cars for the kids and other houseguests to use when visiting, so a large investment is not required. BTW, the R/C cars are a real blast for folks that come by to visit - a real party activity, especially after participants have had a few wine coolers or brewskis. Hint: pay a kid to retrieve stuck cars.

My granddaughter just turned five, and she's been flying RealFlight fairly well, but her landings are very ugly. My grandson, almost two years old, already sits in my lap when I fly RealFlight, and he reaches for the box. It will all come in time, but the important thing is exposure and frequency. I have a pair of Herr electric park flyers for my grandkids, and I'll introduce them when I think they'e ready.

The DougSter

You're welcome.

kids to fly?

You're a little late, but if you work hard, they'll catch up pretty quick. :-O

Get a buddy box, talk with the kids about how the sticks work, get the plane three mistakes high, and have fun.

Chip Hyde began flying when he was 4, I think.

The best show pilot I know started around that age, too.

We have a 7-year-old in our club who is just about ready to solo.

Marty

Doesn't a Cuban eight require the ability to rotate about it's longitudinal axis, a requirement the slow stick does not meet.?..

once it arrives!

been hanging with

crash as hard as my

teach kids to fly?

please contact my

It's fully possible -- it just takes a bit more effort, that's all. People looped and rolled RC aircraft back when they were rudder only... As for the Cuban Eight, I'd think that when you bring a Slow Stick out of the top of a loop on its back, you barely have to touch the rudder to get it to roll right side up. :-)

-tih

How would you roll a plane with out ailerons? Hard rudder & elevator to corkscrew it maybe? From all the video and discussion threads i found online i havent seen one that added ailerons. Not feasable? I was impressed that a few guys were carrying cameras with it...must be those tiny wireless spycams i guess.

Something like that, I guess -- I've never done it. Any of you old timers care to describe the proper technique?

-tih