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Category: Archive 2010

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1. USA Team Selection program
2. Lost Hills Alternate Accomodation
3. Pan American Open
4. Brilliant Perspective
5. But Where's the line
6. Roland's Clarification
   
7. Security threat eaten
   

News Flash: The TSC met this weekend and among other things decided to adopt a new format for selecting the US Team for World Championship competition. After considering all eleven proposals the one written by Jim Parker was chosen. For those who are not familiar with this proposal; it is a single site finals consisting of two seven round contests. Each contest is to be flown to conclusion and the winner of each contest will be a member of the team. The third team member will be the person with the lowest sum of finishing placement. Example, someone who finished second in the first contest and fifth in the second contest would have a sum of seven. The format selected is being drafted into the program which will be presented to the program participants. This is the first time in many cycles that a new finals format will be introduced. Please be constructive and let's do everything we can to make this work.

US Free Flight Team Selection Committee

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Pan American Open 2011

Team and Individual Free Flight Contest and Championship

February 16, 2011; Lost Hills, California

CONCEPT:

The Pan American Open is both an individual and team event; open to all participants regardless of nationality, and any self formed team, regardless of the nationality of the members.

CONTESTANTS AND TEAMS:

Teams must be entered prior to the start of the contest, and are to be self arranged by the competitors themselves. They are encouraged to be nationally/legal residency based, and there is no limit on the number of teams from any one country. Mixed nationality teams are also permitted. Again, the composition of the teams is entirely up to the contestants – particularly in cases where you have multiple teams from the same nations. As examples, you could have teams based on the home states of their members – Team USA (California) and Team USA (New York). Alternately, you can form teams based on some larger region; Mixed Team (Scandinavia), or teams based on no affiliation at all: Team (Boris, Mario, & Pierre), etc...

Individual participants, both American and foreign, could also always join the contest without a team affiliation and only compete for the individual awards.

SCHEDULE:

(F1A, F1B, and F1C)

Expected Sunrise: 6.45AM

Expected Sunset: 5:41PM

February 16, 2010

Round 1*: 8AM

Round 2: 9AM

Round 3: 10AM

Round 4: 11AM

Round 5: 12PM

Round 6: 1PM

Round 7: 2PM

Flyoffs**: To be Decided

*First Round Max, conditions permitting: F1A: 210; F1B: 240; F1C: 240

**The last flyoff flight may be to the ground or out of sight, weather permitting

1) Medals will be awarded to the top three contestants in each class, and the members of the top three teams in each class.

2) Certificates of participation will be given to all contestants.

3) A separate award will be given to the F1A flyer who can demonstrate (through an altimeter) the highest altitude achieved during launch (i.e. “bunting”).

The entry fee for all classes and participants is $25 USD per person. This fee is waived for all junior participants, who can participate at no charge.

There is no additional entry fee for teams, so everyone is encouraged to form into teams and compete for the team awards. Fees must be paid prior to the start of the contest.

To register, a contestant must fill out the required INDIVIDUAL registration form and pay the required fee. For the convenience of the participants we will accept payment up to the date of the contest, but we strongly encourage and would appreciate registration in advance.

To register a team, one member of the team must submit the required TEAM REGISTRATION form, indicating the names of all team members and nationalities. There is no fee for team registration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

- Contestants and teams will time each other’s flights.

- Flying from the flight line will occur without pole positions (no position switch between rounds)

- Using motorcycles to affect the flight of the model in any way will not be permitted.

- F1C Competitors must provide their own fuel.

- Unless otherwise specified, FAI Sporting Codes Apply

- All Competitors must have AMA Insurance

- All Competitors must be members of the Lost Hills Free Flight Association

- This is an AMA Sanctioned Event (No FAI License required)

- All scorecards must be submitted by each participant to the scorekeeper by the end of each round.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Contest Director:

Hector Diaz

(661) 834-1063

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Organizing Committee:

Peter Allnutt

(661) 763-5039

Chris Lenartowicz

(416) 698-5325

Roger

I was merely trying to address a number of problems others had stated concerning the Team Selection.  The logistics:  Two central locations is one approach.  Denver is closer to New York and Seguin is closer to L.A.

Participation:  By fielding more than one team, the odds would go up for newcomers to make the team.  I am proud of my country and the rich modeling heritage it has produced.  Who wants to join something that isn't first rate?  Administration:  Multiple contests would reduce the number of competitors in their respective areas.  Exposure:  Multiple news outlets would, of course, increase exposure.  I certainly was not trying to re-ignite the Civil War.  Quite the opposite.  I would like to see a spirit of Nationalism promoting our Country as the best there is.

Respectfully,

Roland Solomon

Homeland security executive identifies R/C Helicopter as security threat needing immediate attention

While traveling this week through LAX , at the Brookstone Store one of the sales people was demonstrating a micro R/C helicopter, flying it over the concourse to the entertainment of the passers by. The entertainment value increased dramatically when a patrolling police officer with this dog walked by. The dog, a blonde German Shepherd was fascinated by the helicopter and focussed intently on the small aircraft. The demonstrator had encountered the dog before as on a previous occasion had almost flown too low and the snapping teeth had missed the micro copter by inches. The police office had already bought a copter for the dog's Xmas … maybe in spite of being blonde the dog was smarter than all of us and had figured that the demonstrator was using the small craft to transport controlled substances. Or is this just a further sign of how technology is invading our lives, in the past to distract a police dog one just threw in some raw meat, now raw meat is old hat? And  you need technology such as a R/C copter to distract the modern workingdog.