FCM Contest

Good Morning All:

Attended my first FCM contest in Muncie over the weekend and I would like to extend thanks to all involved in presenting this well run event. (there was even FOOD available!)

Special thanks to Allen Goff and his wife. Also, all of the doners of prizes--all PA relevant stuff!

To all the folks that sat in the sun and judged and especially to those that judged AND flew--that is a lot to deal with.

THANK YOU!

I also was there. Great weather both days. They seem to be able to control the weather there. I left at 2:30 PM after the awards were presented and drove 2 miles into an intense but short thunderstorm.
Saturday was also great, thanks for the engine I won in the Carrier events.
Bill Calkins

Thanks for the neat talk regarding Carrier CL Bill. I also watched your second official on Sunday--looked like you had your hands full with the wind! You did a nice job in spite of that however.

That guy Matt needs to learn how to drive! He kept hitting me in the butt all night Saturday. Hey had a great time myself. Wish I could say the same for my Skyray 35. Running rich with the wind blowing was hard to do anything but hit the pavement. Looking forward to next year. Jay

>That guy Matt needs to learn
>how to drive! He kept hitting me
>in the butt all night Saturday.
>Hey had a great time myself.

I think you need to explain that you were Go-Karting. That was the Saturday night diversion from flying. I think Matt is getting a bit more competitive these days. He hates to see anyone in front of him.

>Wish I could say the same for my
>Skyray 35. Running rich with the
>wind blowing was hard to do anything
>but hit the pavement. Looking
>forward to next year.
> Jay

Matt mentioned that there were a couple of planes that were lost. I keep mentioning to people, if the engine isn't running right (or if you are simply uncomfortable with the conditions) don't stunt. Fly it out level. Or don't fly at all. It is much better to save the plane for another flight. And bringing the plane home is worth more than hoping for a trophy that you won't bring home anyway if you crash.

Glad you enjoyed yourself. I think most people did from the sound of things.

My father and I attended both day's as spectator's and I would like to thank Louie Lopez and Roy Glenn (combat event) for taking the time to go over the rules and plane specifications with us and letting us sit in on their pilot's meeting. I fly combat planes about 75% of the time when I fly but have never entered a contest and after spending the day with all the combat guy's Saturday and watching Allen Goff and Will (can't remember last name-old age) fly in the combat event and seeing how much fun that they had I believe that I will give it a shot next year. We watched the stunt events on Sunday and there were some vey good flights considering the wind but we did see 4 planes go down very hard in a 2 1/2 hour stretch. Scott Condon put up a pretty good flight with a Ringmaster and a Fox .35 in that wind, I don't believe I have ever seen a Ringmaster fly that well in those conditions.

Mine was one of those 'down' planes. Appeared to be one of two possible mechanical failures.

1- The rudder adjust clevis was pulled out of the horn on the rudder. (Last time I use a cheap nylon clevis)
2- The inside wall of the tip weight box was found bouncing around inside the wing near the bellcrank.

Do not know for sure which one caused the crash, went into the overhead eight and it never responded to the controls.

Engine is toast, but the from the leading edge back the plane is pretty much intact. Will build a new forward fuse, change the tip weight box to a tube type, and replace the rudder with an airfoiled one.

WhiteKnuckles will live to fly again.

That is Good News Jerry:

Man that was a hard hit!

I counted about 6 or 7 planes including Saturday. I started looking around for somebody sticking little pins in little model model planes!!

Nice job getting the backup plane through a windy second round.

Curt
"Impatient"

I brought my two older children to the FCM contest and we had a blast. I didn't get to fly my carrier plane because the two youngsters were flying scale and the venues were acres apart. Anyway, the kids cleaned up. The oldest won an engine and his sister won a Sig gift certificate. Several people went out of their way to make the children feel welcome and a real part of the goingings on. The Seminar regarding combat and carrier was a great eye opener. The pizza dinner and go-karts were icing on the cake for one of the most enjoyable C/L adventures we have had to date. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this a success. Next year mom comes along so I get to fly!

Howard