I DID IT, I DID IT!!!!!!

Under the watchful eye's of a few of our club members I learned and actually did the full pattern today! YIPPIE... I had never done a Cloverleaf before, and was to say the least, somewhat nervous about doing one. The rest of the pattern didn't scare me to much, but that darn Cloverleaf had me worried.

The first couple of flights I did by myself trying to remember the sequence and fly the maneuvers. That didn't work out so well as I forgot one here and there. Then a member of the club (John Lindberg) offered to come out in the circle and call me the sequence. That made a huge difference by letting me free up my brain some. (NO COMMENTS FROM THE CROWD ON THAT ONE!!!)

Now that I could think about what was coming next, I had time to think and prepare for it. Now don't worry guys and gals, I have long way to go before I'm a threat to anyone other than myself at a contest. However, I did the sequence, The whole thing, and I brought home my airplane.

Thanks to all my club members (Scott Richlen, Tom McClain, Clayton Berry, John Lindberg, Jim Pollick, Ron King, and all the rest that cheered me on) that have been helping me out. I am sure that you helped me cut down on the distruction of perfectly good airplanes. And that my friends, is what I believe belonging to a good club is good for. The help from those with experience that
have gone before us.

Kirk (I'm still shaking) Wicker

Hey Kirk,
Congrats!!!! Knew it was only a matter of time. Which plane did you use?
Intermediate at Huntersville in Oct.!!
And get to work on that USA-1, or I'll have to do nasty things to you.
Bill <><

Bill,

I did it with the Chevelle and with great reservations. I know it may not have been the best or cheapest plane to learn on, but I really wanted to start to learn. I had good help too at the time.

I had a great time In Huntersville. I will be there in the Fall more than likely and flying intermediate.

The USA-1 is on hold till time opens up to devote to it. Please, NO more nasty things....

Kirk,

Good show, keep up the good work. Fly your manuvers high until you start getting used to doing the entire pattern. I know Intermediate flyers that have been at this for Y E A R S and still fly the pattern pretty high. Ummmm, you out there Rollin?

You mean I will actually get used to it? WOW!

Good advise to keep it high..... where can I get 90 foot lines?

Kirk,

Not that high! try about 15-20 foot maneuver bottoms for a while.

Good going! I remember my first try at a clover...broke my lawn dart...

I love it when a plan comes together...

Well Kirk it was a great day for both of us as I just did my first Clover also about 1 hour ago.I did the pattern all together 3 times today for the first time.I had done it all before except the Clover.The clover seemed to be more mental fear as after I had done it I realized it was not near as difficult as I was imagining.Now I guess we start to refine.My only problem is I fly alone and my contest are 6 and 12 hours away.So video tapes ect are my teachers.I must say that the big problem is remembering the sequence .I need a heads up display or something,maybe a decent memory would work also.Congratulations Kirk

Wow!!! Great job.

Matt:-)

Scott Richlen and I watched Kirk from the outside and there were a few times when we tried to duck under the nearest van for cover, but at the last nanosecond he skillfully avoided the tarmac with the Chevelle. There were a few false starts and several vicarious thrills. It brought back memories of several close calls when I did my first cloverleaf and ripped the rudder off of my Gieseke Nobler along with the tips of the APC prop on a outside square that tied the low altitude record. Well, Kirk is bloodied now and part of the full pattern aces. It is only up from here.

Way to go Kirk, congratulations,

See.... John was the smart one. He watched from the center of the circle where he was safer. Or at least so he thought.

Thanks for the help out there Tom and sorry I made you and Scott dive for cover. I know you were really just trying to find some shade though and I was just an excuse.

Kirk(looking like Rocky now) Wicker

>Under the watchful eye's of a few of our club members I
>learned and actually did the full pattern today! YIPPIE... I

Good for you!!!! A new stunt flyer in the ranks. We need all we can get! Good luck, get some practice and enter a contest. You will love it.

I had a taste of the contest in beginners at KOI and Huntersville... I'm hooked now and will be arounf for awhile I think.

Attaboy, Kirk!!! Now, forgive me for asking, but ... um, er, ah ... who did you have walking the wing?

See ya again in October, my son Chris really enjoyed your sons!

Thank you Dennis for the kind words. My boys had a ball and now Ben wants to fly in a contest after seeing Alex fly. We will be back in the fall for sure.

And there wasn't a soul brave enough to get on that plane when I was learning!

Good Job Wicker!!!!!

ty... Now look out... I know just enough to be dangerous!

Good Job Kirk and Dennis! Boy did that bring back memories! The fun is just beginning once you learn the pattern. I still remember the day I did my first clover. Now get ready to really enjoy the hobby!

Thanks!
Bruce H

Stunt1
Congrats on your first full pattern. Once you start to calm down and not worry about things like the order of the maneuvers( Which will become second nature after awhile ) things will start to get better and fall into place.
I remember when Gene Schaffer took me under his wing and we started to practice together it get a lot easier. Of course don't let me forget to mention that we flew everyday from about April or so on,
All day on Saturday and then meets on Sunday.
In those days you could go to the field with a quart of gas with your old reliable Fox 35 up front and get about 7 flights per quart. Ah the good old days.
Hope to see you soon. Are you going to Brodaks by any chance?

Love and kisses,

Bob Lampione

Now what????
Do I smell Contest?

Good going on doing the pattern.

Let me get this straight: a professional airshow pilot and aerobatic champion is all excited because he made his *toy* airplane do tricks at the end of a *string*??!

I just love this hobby!

Congrats!

Andy,

You bet I am excited about it. You see, If I can sit in it and it has wings, I am not to worried if I can fly it. However, put me on the end of two strings with a toy airplane on the other end ... Now I'm not as confident. I have just enough smarts to know that I'm still on the steep side of the learning curve. With that in mind I move forword with the vission of someday being able to fly the pattern with the skill and grace that I like to think I have for the full size birds. For now I'll take each step forward as a MAJOR acomplishment in reaching that goal. Excited... you bet! I still have a plane and I get to do again!

Thanks for the congrats and humorous words,

Fantastic! Congrats! I did my first pattern some time around 1966 and then quit CL about '72. 5 years ago when I got back into it I was really shaky and I can still remember the first complete pattern I did after all those years, it really was just as exciting.

Interesting with you being a pilot that this would excit you so much. I have a friend that flys OT Free Flight and is a full size pilot as well. He says that if he was forced to make the choice, he take the models hands down. I doubt you feel that way, but I am always astounded by this. I took some flight instruction years ago and wish I'd finished, but the fact is, I quit because I was having so much fun with my models. Even now I'd have an old Aeronca needing restoration. I'd love to fly it on quiet Sunday afternoons, but I'm seem so taken up with my models that there's no time for the old Air-Knocker.

To tell you the truth Randy, anytime I get any plane, model or real, up and down in one piece I get excited. You know, being lost in the moment and all. I think I will always be that way and maybe that's a good thing.

Blue skies,

Andy,

When the sod dries out a little you'll have to come over and fly. Of course the way the rain keeps coming that may not be until 2007, but we'll see.

>Andy,
>
>When the sod dries out a little you'll have to come over and
>fly. Of course the way the rain keeps coming that may not be
>until 2007, but we'll see.

Sounds good. I've got some silly 1/2A stuff flyable. The UKEY 35 is all but done. I want to rig a two-wheel aluminum gear for it instead of the single wheel. Been spending all my time getting ready for the big regional rocket meet in two weeks. Suzanne is competing too, so there has been a *lot* to get done. Once that's past it's back to airplanes. Of course there's the AMA FF Nationals coming up too. Too many toys, too little time!