SCAT Electronic News 26 January 1998
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SCAT Electronic News 26 January 1998
Seen at Elsinore
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In recent non contest weekends, Bob Tymcheck has been down at Elsinore
just about as often as Al Brush ! It was great to see you Bob, even though
some of the reasons for you being in Southern Cal were not always happy.
But the reason why you did well in Eloy was that extra Elsinore trimming.
Also a recent FFn had F1B trimming tips from Andriukov via Peter King [
we will publish them too 'real soon now' ] and Bob Piserchio was seen
eye balling all the F1Bs to see how much decelage they had. The article
says that 3 to 4 degrees of decelage is the 'right' amount and contributes to
a good nose up attitude in the second part of the climb. One of Bob's F1Bs
climbs better than the other and he was trying to figure out why.
In the young Turk department Ken Bauer was out flying with #2 son. He
was making good progress and will soon be keeping Steven Coussens and
Dallas Parker honest.
We had an unforunate accident with a 'new comer'. I thought a lot before
talking about this because I did not want to blow this incident out of
proportion or be critical. So the reason why I'm talking about this is
because it illustrates a point and I'm not being judgemental. Actually this
visitor fits the ideal profile for a FAI sportsman as perscibed by Jim
Parker -namely someone who had built models some years ago, got
settled proffesionally and personally and wanted to get back into flying. I
guess that he was not familar with some of the things we do and stood too
close to Don Zink's F1A stooge when Don was self launching one of his
F1As. Don's model hit him, he was not hurt but the model was damaged.
Naturally Don was upset and the visitor was very embarassed. At
Elsinore we are so used to all us being experienced so that we rely on
others to do the right thing. We get questions at the SCAT Web page about
where to see FAI Free Flight, how to learn more etc. So it's possible that
more 'visitors' may show up at our testing sessions and contests. We need
to watch out for these people and firstly make them welcome, seondly give
them good information and finally make sure that they are not in the way
when we are flying or standing too close to our models on the ground.
Remember that we cannot complain about diminshing participation if we
do not do personally our part in encouraging new sportsmen.
I want to make it very clear that I'm not intending any critism of the visitor,
Brad or Don. As far as the experienced flyers go, Don does a lot to help
in-experienced flyers by being polite, by working with Vasily Beschesnay
to get them good airplanes at reasonable prices and then spending time
coaching them. Its just that this incident made me think a bit more about the
plight of the beginner.
[begin soap]
Before I get off my soap box, let me add from one who has been there [in
fact I think I'm still there] our local contests are really tough for beginners.
I look at the entry list of a F1A contest, it includes a World Champion,
[Matt], someone who has been on many teams [Randy], other Team
Members [ Lee, Tom, Jim, Martyn, Don ....] America's Cup Winners
[Pierre, Brian, ..]and then there's Hector, Juan , Ernesto..and those who
I've probably forgotten. F1B is no easier , we can have 4 World
Champions, Junior World Champ and runner up, 3 World Cup winners,
America's Cup winners, Team Members, etc. In Eloy in F1B 14 of the 22
contestants maxed out.
When you look at that caliber of people we make it look so easy to Max
out that the beginner thinks if they are not maxing out they are no good.
Then you see Dallas and Steven doing well, firstly these kids have the
advantage of good airplanes and good coaches. To make it worse for the
other beginners Tom and Jim manage to keep their cool and not be little
league parents so the boys do extra well. So some beginners say ****
[expetitive of choice deleted ] I can't even beat a 10 year old.
I've seen experienced flyers be rude to beginners, launch or time them
grudgingly and not want them to time their models in a flyoff. Not all that
long a ago I missed a round in a contest because I was there by myself, did
not really know anyone and was so put off by the attitude of an
experienced flyer when I asked for help and was too uncomfortable to go
back to ask for help again . I know that to win a contest takes
focus, that you can't always help someone who is not organized but we
really need to make an effort to help beginners. In recent years I've had
help from lots of people, for which I'm extreemly grateful, but when I look
back at getting started in F1B, the first experienced flyer to offer me
advice with my "WakeUp" and to offer to team up with me to time each
other was Len Kendy. I very much appreciated it at the time and I'm sure I
must have tried his patience. But if he had not done that, I was about to
give up and go back to R/C Pylon racing. So I guess Len is responsible
for me getting on the Team for Sazena.
It's hard enough for these new comers to get close to us on the flying skills
with having to worry about our attitudes. Put some thing back into our
sport/hobby - offer to help a beginner with a practise session or fly with
them at a 'fun' contest like the Winter Classic, Desert Challenge, San
Valleers Annual, Fall Free Flight Festival,.. etc.
[end soap]
Correspondence
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From Ivan Kolic in Yugoslavia
At the Sierra Cup someone had offered to lend Ivan a motor bike for the
Max Men. If you are that person or want to help the 'Yugo' Team at the
Max Men, Ivan's e-mail address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
[begin more soap]
At the Max Men 14 Rounder there will be a number of visitors from other
countries [this includes New York, Florida, Mass. and even Kansas as
well as the more mundane places like Ukraine, U.K., Germany etc ..] It is a
great opportunity to meet other flyers and learn new things. Some of these
visiting sportsmen already have friends here or wish to fly as a team but
others would welconme the opportunity to fly with a local, especially if
he has a motor bike ! The Max Men contest is flown from poles. The
Contest Director, George Batiuk assigns the contestants to poles. I suggest
that you let George know if you would like to help out a visitor. His e-mail
address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. George, himself confided in me some time back
that he had always made an effort to fly with visiting sportsmen and that
flying with one Alexander Andriukov from the Ukraine had been very
benefical! George is now one of our top F1B flyers.
[end soap]
From Richard Blackam in Australia
Roger, don't forget the two World Cup Contests in Australia right after
the New Zealand contests:
Australian FF Champs over the Easter weekend at Dubbo,
10th to 13th April.
Contact Jon Fletcher, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Australian Nats during the following week at Waikerie,
15th to 20th April.
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Might I suggest that a flight from the USA to Sydney, Australia, will
often include a stop in New Zealand, making the cost of taking in all 4
contests not much different from just the two New Zealand ones (at least
in airfare terms). A number of European fliers are intending to take in
both countries' events.
cheers
Richard Blackam
Richard - how could I forget you guys, Australia leaps out at
me every time I open my t-shirt draw!!
__________________________________________________
Roger Morrell
