VSC 2K4 Friday Afternoon Flying

Desert winds being what they can be in Tucson, flying is best done in the morning. By the time I got to the park, competition was over for the day. But a small group of contestants were enjoying the day and the flying site.

Since the contest is more about flying the old ships than winning the hardware (at least for most), it was a perfect opportunity to just hang out with some folks flying great old ships and enjoy the smell of burnt castor in the afternoon.

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Hard Luck Hero First thing I saw was this flier-whom, I was informed, had suffered an abrubt arrival on terra firma earlier in the week and was now testing a contest rebuild job in anticipation of flying on Saturday.

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Country Shark Over on the next circle a small group was clustered around a Shark .45, worrying about the spinner and the prop. After a bit of ad hoc engineering, it was time to launch.

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Sky Shark Soon the imposing stunter was grinding through the pattern.

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One-Flip Start The next circle over a couple of obviously serious stunt weenies were working out. Where else are you going to see a pair of Olympics on the flight line? You can always tell a serious stunt weenie. After a certain amount of dubious fiddling and muttered incantations they are set. Then one quick flip of the finger and the engine bursts into steady life. This is it, honest. Moments after a one-flip start.

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Clean Launch Engine running, the launch is monitored for precision, smoothness, etc. Looks to me like the launcher is trying to watch it into the sky.

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Stunt Flying The Olympic tracked around the circle on rails until the caller was in place and then did a couple of wingovers. Nothing quite so nice as watching a good pattern unfold. Soon enough the stunter came by for a couple of more laps like it was on rails. Only this time it was upside down.

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You can always tell the serious stunt weenies. They have club tee-shirts and the dedication to sit and watch a flight putting comments into the tape recorder for the pilot to review.

For my part, I just lay back on the grass and enjoyed the miniature precision airshow.

And the weather.

And the smell of the grass.

Cy

Great Job CY

How about Roy DeCamera? How's he doing?

Scott,

Roy is not here, His wife's brother passed away so they are with family during this contest. Roy has had some difficult times. He lost his OTS plane with a fourbolt fox 29; and they had two other emergencies which took them out of Arizona.

Bob Smiley

Stunt weenies doesn't begin to describe those two!!!
That's Dave Sabon (flying) and Bob Brooks (launching) from here in San Diego. These guys ARE dedicated! Great guys too.

And you're not kidding about the one flip starts. I've launched for Dave and Bob many times and if the plane doesn't fire on the first flip I'm always tempted to say "maybe it's the plug...".

BTW "On rails" is a good description of Dave's flying. I never get tired of watching him fly the pattern.

God bless!

Thanks, Mike.

As a former San Diegian, it's good to know the home of the KGB Chicken is well represented.

The flight I watched was great. Super steady and precise--the way you imagine it can be. Best part was I got to see it sitting on the edge of the circle in more or less a private airshow performance.

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Bob Brooks' Olympic in front of Dave Sabon's Olympic

As for the 'stunt weenie' appleation, it's not complete without the 'serious' at the front.

I don't mean to imply these guys are anything less than really dedicated and obviously talented. I'd love to see both of the airplanes in the same circle at the same time--I bet they could put up an outstanding two-ship stunt demonstration flight.

Cy.