Nats Contestant??

Don't know, but he says maybe if he builds a new plane.....

Jim Pollock

But not with Gene's old plane - that belongs to Ron King....

Ron King wishes it was his plane. It actually belongs to Kirk Wicker now - unless Kirk gave it to me and I forgot.

For those who don't recognize the gent in the photo - that's Nat Gifford. He used to terrorize the stunt circles in Flushing Meadow, now he scares his passengers as a Continental pilot. LOL

Ron,

Shucks, I was trying to give you Gene's old plane too. Well, I guess Kirk's glad it's still his! Well, most people who frequent the Nats know Nat by his nickname "Newt". And, be nice to Nat, he has a computer and is probably reading this as we post and chuckling to himself, unless of course he's overnighting somewhere like Detroit!

Jim,

Yes Kirk is very glad it's his plane. WOW, you had me worried there for a second. I had to go down in the basement to see that it was still on the rack. Whew....

Kirk, so you still have the plane...... question is: How many times have you flown it now? I do hope you have had a chance to fly it.
You know you have got to make the trip down here...... something 'bout a U..S...A.......
Bill <><

Kirk,

The plane seems like a bit of overkill for the Beginner pattern doesn't it?? Oh well, just go fly it in the Nats Beginner pattern and take a plaque/trophy home with you. You will really enjoy the experience of Muncie in July.

Hi Jim, Kirk,
I got on my asbestos suit. LOL!!
I have not of the camp that the plane is a determinating factor in which class is flown. I have heard that beginners should not fly a plane like the SV-22 or whatever. Sometimes the pilot is a carry over from another event, and/or is a good builder already, etc., so IMHO I believe that we should fly whatever we want. True, a true beginner will probably have a lot more teething problems with a "High Zoot" set up, but if he/she enjoys it, go for it. And I have seen Kirk fly, so as far as him being able to fly it, he can.
Not a true response to your post, Jim, I think we are close to the same on this.
So...... Kirk, get that plane out and FLY!!!!
Bill <><

Dear Bill,

Thank you for the statement on my flying skills. As for the SV-22 I got from Gene. It just happended that I was buying a PA-61/pipe from him and it had a plane attached to it already! I just got another PA-61/pipe from randy in the mail Saturday that will go on the Chevelle SS that I was buying the 1st PA for.

Even though I have years of experience with pipes and high tech equipment. My beginners stage in Stunt will be attacked with slightly lower tech stuff. I have already ordered a case of fuel to start with to give you an idea of the amount of practice I want to put in. If all goes well and I can move up then I'll worry about the bigger fun stuff. Maybe I could use the USA-1 for beginners?

As for when I can get down to work in the shop with ya... Start moving some of those dozen or so planes you are building out of the way. I'll be there when you say that "Master" is ready to teach "Grasshopper".

Kirk ( I'll fly what I brung ) Wicker

There was some noise on this Board about beginners and high tech planes a while back and it made me shudder when I read it. Kirk and I both have many years' experience in the RC Pattern wars and are both used to building and running good equipment.

I would hate to think there would be some reverse discrimination against us for coming back to the CL circle with nice planes. I am planning to fly in the Beginner circle this year and want to fly the best plane I can build and trim out. I guarantee you will not mistake me for Paul Walker, even if I show up with an Impact.

Let's all just enjoy this hobby the best we can.

Do you have an email address for Nat? In the late 1980's Nat, Dave Midgley and myself used to fly together in Sudbury, MA.

Nat was nearly untouchable as a Junior and Senior contestant at the Nationals. He won the Advanced class, too.

It would be great to see him again.

Rick Campbell

Rick,

I'll ask him next time I see him. He has enough seniority now to be off on weekends. I might just give him a call next saturday and ask him what it is, and that you would like to E-Mail him.

There was some noise on this Board about beginners and high tech planes a while back and it made me shudder when I read it. Kirk and I both have many years' experience in the RC Pattern wars and are both used to building and running good equipment.
I would hate to think there would be some reverse discrimination against us for coming back to the CL circle with nice planes. I am planning to fly in the Beginner circle this year and want to fly the best plane I can build and trim out. I guarantee you will not mistake me for Paul Walker, even if I show up with an Impact.

Let's all just enjoy this hobby the best we can.

Ron King

Ron,

I'm pretty sure I remember the thread you are referring to, and the message I got out of it was that a group of fliers, most still flying in Advanced, had produced some amazingly beautiful models. I know some of the guys and that particular group places a lot of emphasis on cool paint and high-zoot stuff while also having a great time.

I don't recall there being a negative attached to it, and skill level classes are, by definition, geared to the flying skills of each contestant. If you were show up at the NW Regionals with a 19-point model and enter Beginner PA I might at first think it a bit odd, simply due to the equipment (apparently) not matching the skill class, but such is hardly a universal rule, one that sometimes goes the other way. We've got an Advanced flier here in the NW who consistently flies well but does so with models too trashy for sport flying. Alone. At night. In a rain storm.

In short, you have successfully identified a non-issue. Have fun. Just don't be poking our Saito 56s and 72s with a sharp stick because they are merely entry-level engines in RC, not even close to RC Pattern-specific YSs. Some of us already know this...

Dan,

Glad to hear it's now a non-issue. You would never confuse my airplanes for any that Gene Martine or Windy built, either. I'll build an okay plane and put an okay finish on it. They are straight and light enough to fly better than their current pilot.

I won't poke fun at your Saitos - I have lots of them in my basement, too. I'll continue my testing and may switch over sometime. Right now I have to stick with the older technology and spend my time learning to fly.

That's the last time I let Jim take my picture. (LOL) Ya just never know where it will end up. And to set the record straight, I have to put a shop together, catch up on 12 years of tech, pick a new engine, design a plane, and then if I get that done, build it. Oh ya, I almost forgot, PRACTICE. If I manage all this I'll see ya at the NATS. So much for the surprise factor.

Nat Gifford

Nat,

May I please have my airplane back now. I was surprised at how fast you could run carrying an airplane after the meeting was over.

By the way, I saw you with the dazed look in your eye's when you were looking at the plane. That's OK though....So did I!!!

Nat,

You already knew this was comming... I told you so! Start getting all that stuff going and join in the fun again. Tech's not too hard to catch up on. Just keep on reading posts here and if you have a question don't be afraid to ask. That's what these boards are for!
Let's fly fly fly!

P.S. I'll probably be out in Long Beach again from the 7th-20th of March. Is there anything from out in LA land you would like?

If I manage all this I'll see ya at the NATS. So
>much for the surprise factor.

Wow....It will be great to see that skinny young kid out flying again!
My how time flies...That's how I remember Nat. I know that's not the case anymore..."That young" that is!

Nat: How's you dad doing? I haven't heard from him for some time.

Hope to see you at the Nats soon!