Sport (flapless) Stunt *new

I think John took my concept beyond the edge in a couple of areas. Let’s review a few points and discuss the premise.

Sport Stunt: "Any model without flaps". Why without flaps? This category of models includes many great designs from the pioneer days to present and except for OTS most will not be seen at contests because they don't perform the modern pattern with the precision we expect from models with flaps. This has thus far relegated them to sport flyer status. Biplanes, triplanes, multis, canards, etc. can all be considered part of this group of sport models for the same reason. If we create an event for them wouldn't that be a sport model event?

There are a lot of CL modelers that aren't turned on by the cutting edge models that we see in competition. These are people who buy and build all those kits most competition fliers overlook because they aren't competitive. The bulk of CL kits sold fit this category and Brodak has sold loads of them.

What do you do with a Veco Tomahawk? Well you can fly it in beginner, then when you move up to intermediate you need a model with flaps. Well what if you don't want flaps? What if you love your Tomahawk and next you've been eyeing a 38 Special because you really love biplanes too. Maybe you try intermediate a few times but soon you quit because it's obvious to you, the 38 Special doesn't fly as well as the Magnum your buddy flies, so you try profile and you get stomped because your beloved Tomahawk won't compete with the Cardinal your other buddy flies.

Maybe twins are your thing, or unusual designs like flying wings, canards or pushers. Maybe the run of the mill PA stunt model leaves you cold and uninterested. What are you to do?

How about an event for just these models? Well unless you exclude the newer almost competitive flapless models (i.e. Doctor), that's what you would have to fly to be competitive. Well instead of excluding them, let's include them and take a lesson from the very successful Flying Aces Club, you know those crazy free flight rubber scale guys. Why not give points for diversity, when that leads to obviously less competitive models.

Let's start with those beautiful old time and classic era "flapless" models, you know the ones with the wheels under the engine. Who would begrudge giving these models 10 points just for landings, not to mention the tiny stab, short tail and thin wing? Oh, I suppose you could correct all that in building, so how about 10 fidelity points for the guy that doesn't.

What about unconventional designs, canards, flying wings, biplanes, triplanes, pushers and multis? How about 10 points for each feature? Well let's see what we can do to build a maximum bonus machine to win with. How about a canard, biplane, pusher, twin? 40 points, and if you can find a classic 50 points, yeeehaaa, do you think that's what everyone will have to have next year? What if one shows up!? Then stand around and watch when it flies, and clap real hard if it gets off the ground and lands in one piece!

I'm not looking for another event for the hard core single minded PA obsessed modeler. Just "one" for all those guys that look at something like a 38 Special, a Canard, or Tomahawk and say that's what I want.

How about the pattern? Do we really need another pattern? I don't think so. This is not an event for people that can't fly, just for models that don’t fly as quite as well.

Bill Mitchell