....is myself! Flew in our Valley Challenge today, which is a challenge RC plane contest between 3 local clubs. Each club had its own contest with the same tasks and rules, and the top 3 pilots from each flew against each other today. I placed in the middle of the pack out of the top 3. Nobody to blame but myself. I was tied for the lead after the first two flights, missed requirements for both loops on the 3rd flight, and then really failed to adjust on the last flight which is 2 circuits through 4 gates. I made 2 gates but missed 2 gates on each circuit. I kick myself for missing the gates on the second circuit. After I knew I was long on the first circuit, I should have adjusted more. I did adjust by turning into the missed gates earlier, but with the speed I was carrying, the plane still went long in those gates. I should also have slowed down to between 1/2 and 3/4 throttle so that the plane would turn tighter and give a better chance of making the gates. That would have saved me a 200 point deduction, and put me in a tie for 3rd. Oh well, live and learn. Must learn from this!!! Think and adjust. Sorta hard to do while in flight, but hey that is what it takes to do better.
Just sorta flew discombobulated today, as one of the other pilots from another club said about his own flying. It was interesting that the top qualifier in the other two clubs did not win today either, so misery loves company, lol. I do think that we should have been given a free lap with judging for the last task (the one with 4 gates). We were given free passes on all the other tasks to help us judge speed and placement, so why not this task also, which was really the most difficult due to the distance the gates were from the pilots.
BTW I flew the Imagine, which did well in the club prelim, but I think the SNAFU would have been a better choice for the event due to its slower speed envelope. I would probably have flown it full speed due to adrenalin, but its slower top speed might have saved me, haha.
Good Job. You represented us well. I appreciated the slow roll and outside loop!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I should have done more aerobatics for the crowd after each flight because that had to be the most boring day for the spectators who came to watch, bless their hearts! Actually each pilot should have been required to do at least one or more stunts of his choice after each task, on his way to landing! That would have kept the audience involved more. Great idea, and it goes in the suggestion box for next year. BTW I hate the idea of more clubs being invited for next year...it will make it a too long day for everyone. We took 4 hours for just 9 pilots yesterday. Thanks for the comment because that made me brainstorm this idea!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I like your idears. One required trick of the pilots choice after completion of each task.
ReplyDeleteAlso, lunch break demos would be highly entertaining for the crowd. Maybe two demo flights could fit in the half hour intermission. FWIW IMOHO LOL.