If you’ve ever had even a slight urge to try precision aerobatics (pattern), here is your opportunity! The Pattern fliers at Arvada Modelers (AAM) are putting on a one day informal “event” (seminar). Bring any plane, no practice required, and no pressure. You choose if you would like to be judged or just coached/guided. We will be going over both the Sportsman and Club sequences.  Both are very easy and contain maneuvers you probably already know how to fly.

Please plan to be there at 9 am, and please also RSVP if you will be attending (I need the numbers for lunch).  We’ll probably be done shortly after noon (see schedule below).  I will notify you if there is a weather cancellation.

There is $5 donation requested if you’ll be joining us for BBQ lunch (i.e. burgers and dogs).

Sequences for the “Club” and “Sportsman” classes are at

https://nsrca.us/index.php/sequences

The Club class maneuvers is included at the end of this email.

Note:  We may also fool around with some EDF Jet Precision flying, so bring your foam jets too!  More on that later if you express interest in this… so please let me know.

Preliminary agenda:

1) Start out with a discussion and Q&A about the Sportsman pattern and how it get’s flown and judged.  IOW… go through the sequence and discuss the finer points of maximizing or increasing your score.  We’ll go over parallel flight, wings level, what 45’s look like, centering, looping, radii, pace, flow (constant air speed), etc.  The tips on judging will also be a good primer for new judges.

2) We have one of the upper class guys do a demo flight.  Show you what the pattern should look like, including calling the takeoff/landing and the boxes.

3) Then you’ll fly either a 3 or 4 round contest.  I say contest, but you can choose to be judged/scored or just get coached.  After each flight, the coaches will go over some of the things they’re seeing and what you can improve upon.  We won’t be criticizing during your flying.  In order to keep the line moving, the coaching will be back away from the line in the pits.  That way the judges are just focused on the flyers.  We’ll rotate the judging so that you’ll have the benefit of hearing from different coaches after each round.

4) I’ll enter your scores as if it’s a real contest and will return the cut-off’s, etc.

5) We’ll conclude with a discussion about radio/plane set up including:  throttle curves, dual rates, flight modes, CG (longitudinally and latterly), control throws, stick movements (expo), props, thrust, etc.

6) If you stick around and are interested, we’ll also have some demo flight the Intermediate pattern.

We should definitely do a shakedown/trim flight for each aircraft before you start flying.  IOW… make sure each plane is trimmed as well as it can be for that day.  However, I don’t think it would be productive to have you make changes to your radio/plane before the flying that day.  You should endeavor to do that (gradually) afterward with help as requested or needed.  The coaches and judges will be able to suggest plane/radio changes based on what they see.  So you might want to bring something to take notes with.

We’ll break for lunch whenever we get hungry.

Finally, we’ll do quick recap/trophy ceremony.

Hope to see you there,

Joe Pirozzoli

Club Sequence

1. Takeoff Sequence (Upwind)
2. Straight Flight Out (Upwind)
3. Procedure Turn (Turn-a-round)
4. Straight Flight Back (Downwind)
5. Stall Turn without Rolls (Upwind)
6. Immelmann Turn (Upwind)
7. 45 Degree upline (Upwind)
8. Straight Inverted Flight (Downwind)
9. Two Inside Loops (Upwind)
10. Landing Sequence (Upwind)