My Season-How was yours?

My year actually started in 1999 in Ohio. I returned to flying after my mysterious illness finally gave a respite and my balance and vigor returned. The 1996 Fatboy (with a new Big Jim 60) was brought back to service for the Columbus contest where I was sorely waxed. It was fun though. First contest since the 1996 Nats. It was shortly there after that I was laid off from my job. I built my Oriental and my P-40 Stiletto profile while looking for a job in Texas.

In November my wife and I moved to Dallas. The Fatboy was tired and needed replacement so I ordered a Time Machine kit from Tom Dixon and the Unassuming was born (fuselage #1-Russian look with a big canopy). The St 60 was transferred to the new rig and was flown during the winter months. This was the best airplane off the bench that I had ever built. The second day out flying with the new plane I rear-ended a guy in my truck and the rear half of the new ship was ripped off. I was sick, nonetheless, but I managed a repair. It sucks to break a brand new airplane and not even get to crash it.

Fuselage #1 succumbed to an updraft at landing, stress cracking the fuselage at the dural gear. The ST 60 never ran right on that fuselage again. Fuselage #2 was born, a much better design with a racy looking turtledeck. This was the beginning of The Zone.

The ST 60 did not like the Dallas heat, so ordered a PA 65, and was very surprised to get a call that it was ready just three weeks later. The PA 65 was installed with the pipe hanging out in the wind. The PA and I had an on again off again love affair. First contest with the new engine overran both fights so I was out of the picture. Shortly thereafter I disconnected my right bicep at the tendon and was unable to move my arm. My pattern immediately improved (I was also getting some good coaching from Doug and Steve Moon-intersections, intersections, intersections). I won the last contest of the year without a right bicep.

I sold all my old engines and bought a Saito 56 and 72. Two OS LA’s also. I can break in engines on the test stand in my new cast, as I had surgery two weeks again to reconnect my bicep.

The Unassuming now sports a Saito 56 and Doug Moon has been flying it for me. This is an interesting way to spend the off-season.

The Zone is on the works and will be laser cut here real soon. I am finishing up the CAD details on the four-stroke version. Hopefully, I will start the year with a minimum of two near airframes and power packages.

All in all, I would say it was rough year to tolerate, but my friends in Dallas have made it very enjoyable. How about you?

Well my season got off to a rocky start after the 2000 season that I moved up from Advanced to expert. last year I took Six first and several seconds flying OTS, Classic, and PA.
This year started off with my new "SUCCUBUS" PA-51 powered. Plane fly's like a dream. HOWEVER, my engine went and both bearings fried. SO it was back to the JETT-50. Great engine. As of today I have the PA-61 in it.....WOW i'm happy with getting back to flying like I should. SO I started my NEW "SUCCUBUS". I hope to give the EXPERTS from KENT WSHINGTON some trouble this up comming year. I also built HI JOHNSON'S "COUGAR", F&B "VIKING", Carl Goldburg's "GOL-BUG".
I also hope to build an SIG "MAGNUM" so I can use it as an ENGINE TEST BED for the ST-60's that I'm going to try.
As for the future "ARES","IMPACT," "POWWOW" and the "MO-BEST" when it comes out soon.
Scott Riese

Getting better, for a beginner. My 3rd season and I've finally stopped crashing. Put one plane in at Brodak’s, but finished in the middle of the pack in 3 events. Then had engine run problems at the Nats and finished near the bottom, but did put in the full beginners pattern, thought rather fast.
Finally, really started to get comfortable and never came close to the ground the rest of the season. My maneuvers are still sloppy but hopefully that will improve in time. If we get some decent weather might try some of the more 'interesting' maneuvers this fall/early spring.
Going to build a 'White Knuckles' out of a Time Machine kit with a DS 61 RE lite. Some beginner’s airplane. Guess I've got more money than brains.
Anyway, maybe someday there will be good stories to tell in the higher classes.
Jerry

'Zilla

For a detailed explanation look over on the Flightlines C/L forum. For the short and dirty of it - you where there for all of my contest season so far.

What is the flight lines cl forum?

My season got off to a late start this year. The first contest I was able to attend was in Houston on Memorial day. I got torched. Up until a week before that I had been flying last years Saturn that had about 200 patterns on it. It was flying pretty good. I thought it would not compete so I changed planes just a week prior to the contest. I had no time to get the right setup. After that contest I came home and lived at the feild 4 nights a week and saturday and sunday until the nats. There was a contest in there, here in dallas on Father's day. I won that one. I was very pleased with my performance. The blue Bear deep into its third season was coming on strong. I took it to the Nats and finished second in Advanced. Dale Berry took home the trophy. When I returned to Dallas I took a few weeks off and had a Kidney stone.(OUCH!!!!!) I started flying again in August. I borrowed a Bucaneer 740 form Don Hutchinson. I put in John Grigsby's La 46. I flew 50 patterns with in preperation for the labor day contest.(Charles Ash Memorial) I new if I was going to take a big hit on apperance points then I had better be able to fly the plane good to compete with the pack form Houston. Well hard work prevailed and I was able to sneak by them for the victory.(2 points I think) The last contest for me was the October stunt clinic. Always windy!! I had the Blue Bear back in service for this one. The PA 61 was running strong and I was able to get another win. I missed the Tulsa contest and the Baton Rouge contest. I would have loved to have made it to both of these. The Blue and Yellow Bear now is in the 1000 flight range and it is showing. The 53 ouncer is cracking all along the bottom block. I have repaired it with fiber glass many times.

All the while I was building a New Blue and Red Bear. I started that one on January 27 and at this time I am rubbing out the clear. Looks to be 56 ounces and staight. I hope it flies good.

Doug Moon

>What is the flight lines cl forum?

See http://www.rcwatch.com/

>'Zilla
>
>For a detailed explanation look over
>on the Flightlines C/L forum.
>For the short and dirty
>of it - you where
>there for all of my
>contest season so far.

Yeah, I stole the thread idea from there. This is the place to be though.

SSW forum has NO EQUAL!

Brad

How was my year? Grrrreeeeaaat!!! Even if it was a bit on the up and down side.

After a three year layoff from competition flying it was great to get back into the stunt wars. But more importantly it was seeing all my old friends again that made it so special. The first contest didn’t go too well when I managed to break the Bolly prop on my 7 year old G-Force. I pulled out a little low on the reverse wing over and slid it just as smooth as you could into the grass inverted. Not a scratch on the plane but trashed the three blade. After that things went so so until the Nat’s. When I got to the Nat’s I was flying so poorly that I just about packed up and went home. I kept thinking am I that much out of practice? Or am I getting too old to do this any more? During the drive home from the Nat’s Jim Lee asked me what the *&^$ is wrong with you? You are all over the sky, the model won’t grove, and your bottoms are from three to seven feet. Well as it turned out the control system in the G-Force was worn out. I re-bushed the control system and Bingo! The old gal was flying like it was on rails and my bottoms were back. I practiced like a crazy man for the team trials but a family problem at the last minute kept me from attending. The good thing was I was flying pretty well and even managed to win the last three contests of the year (some good coaching from Jim, Todd, and Amy Lee didn’t hurt either). Now I can’t wait for next year.

Mikey

Well, my season was cramped. but I knew it would be. Having made it to Brodaks where I flew my brand new Gladiatior terribly I was pretty much out of action for the the mid season because in my other life I CD'd the Free Flight Nats. Afterward I had a great weight lifted off and started to practice up for our local (Detroit) Signal Seekers Meet.Having gotten some handle time with the Glad I managed 2nd's in both Classic and Advanced. Next stop Cleveland. Got there Saturday morning early and found the gang there already flying. I tried a few flights and had alot of starting problems, finally got that sorted and was getting short runs!?! Late in the afternoon I decided to try that one last flight to see if I'd solved that short run problem. Got in the circle and Gerry Phelps held while I fired up. One flip, start problem solved. I'm tired. Stayed squated instead of getting up, reached around the prop and needled it in and pulled my hand straight forward through the prop. Stalker .51 stopped, no damage to Bolly 3 blade, left thumb, real nasty. Fortunately the hospital was within sight. 27 stitches and a bottle of Tylinol III later and it was off to dinner.

I need to thank all the guys that jumped into action right there and helped me out. They picked up my stuff and took good care of it.

I was going to fly Sunday but the Codine made that impossible. Columbus was the next weekend, but a death in the family brought my season to a close. Next year I'm not CDing ANY meets, I'm just flying.

Randy

Hmm.. Well, I had an interesting season. Designed a new plane and again had finishing problems. (Think I've finally gotten this sorted out now replacing ALL of my paint equipment and jumping to straight Catalyzed Poly-Urethane. Love this stuff.) Ran with this year with a Stalker .61RE and pipe. Showed moments of real promise promise, but in the end, was just too inconsistent to be considered in the future. The plane lives on with a Saito and is flying well. All the hot rod experience of my past is standing me in good stead in messing with the Saito. (to say nothing of having a brother-in-law that is a racing engine builder and is having a blast working on a extra Saito I picked up. Can't wait to see what he comes up with.) Those engines can have a lot of torque with a bit of messing.

So, a pretty disappointing season overall. Tough year. My son had a lot of medical problems and was in and out of the hospital, lost my job when the place I worked for decided to shut down the part I managed (thanks Dub!), my wife is in graduate school so I pretty much never see her. But things are looking up. Have a new plane just about ready (Tango Red, based loosely on Mrak McLaughlin's creation, is a very cool plane) and have just started back in on my semi-scale project, The Rare Bear complete with big and very modified Saito that has been in this season's competition plane (now a test bed). This is going to be a great plane for next year. Impressive, anyway. Have also started on a Classic plane for next year that will be great if Len ever sends my engine back (Hey, Len!!! <grin>)

So, over all, a tough year but things should be cooking for next year. Hope we get some decent weather for test flying this winter and come out roaring for the first contest in Portland in April. See you there Scott!

I had a great season! This was my 2nd year flying C/L. I built a Buccaneer 740. Then I got a call from Allen Brickhaus asking me about building a Legacy 40 prototype. Well I did and what a great flying plane. I flew in Beginner stunt at my first NATS. At the FCM contest in August, I got some great help from Big Art , Todd Lee and Pete Bergstrom. I was in Stunt Heaven!Then a week later I did my first full pattern. Something I wanted to do for 35 years! I moved up to Intermediate and finished the year with a win at the St. Louis contest. Yeah it was a great year. I met a lot of people at the NATS that have helped me with their advice here on the Forum. Thanks everybody, and we'll see you next year at the circle.

As I sit here listening to the rain and looking around at my fleet I would say I had a fabulous year. First was the TwistMaster with all the corresponding ego boosting publicity. Then placing 3rd in Intermediate at my first contest in 26 years. Meeting up with the Tulsa Glue Dobbers. A visit to my old stomping grounds in Maryland and getting several of the old gang together for a flying session. Finding two of my old planes still hanging in a buddies basement. A "Dancing Girl" Bipe and one of the slow combat ships I flew at the NATS in 75. The slow ship is restored and flying, the bipe is the next project on my list.

And most of all the people.. words just can't describe how great it was to meet all the new friends and renew past friendships. Yes sir.... I had a fabulous year.

While I have been part of some pretty good seasons thanks to my son,this was unquestionably my personal best.I started the year by winning OTS,Profile and placing second in Classic at the KOI in January,then placed second again in Classic at the Spring meet in Jacksonville.Then I was lucky enough to come out on top in Advanced at the NATS. As the Grateful Dead said "what a long strange trip it's been",but I finally got my name on a trophy with my son,it just took me 7 years longer then it did him.And two weeks ago I managed to win OTS in Huntersville,which was nearly as difficult as the NATS,since my competitors were the winners of the last three or four NATS OTS events.
Next weekend is my last contest of the year in Marietta,Ga.,but no matter what the results are,I will have no complaints on the 2001 season.Stunt life gets more difficult next year at the NATS since I will be flying with the BIG BOYS,but I am looking forward to the challenge.

I was fortunate to have been in good health. Some of you guys have had some tough times lately. I hope next year is better for you.

The highlight of my year was helping with the B-17 at the Nats. That was a great project. The Bomber is retired, but I hope it reappears someday.

I went to a bunch of contests this year, flew a lot of stunt and combat, and had a great time. This year I flew the two best stunt flights I've ever flown. Fortunately, they both happened on Friday at the Nats. Many thanks to the guys who have advised and coached me this year.