Getting Started in Pattern
Thinking about giving Pattern a try? This page has information to help answer some of your questions about pattern. I have an article written by Don Ramsey aimed at both the judges and pilots that will help you understand how the Sportsman maneuvers are flown and judged. I have also included an article I wrote for the K-Factor last year that discuss how contests are managed in D8 and what to expect at one of our events. If I can help you in any way please contact me at gaa@owt.com.
Flying and Judging Sportsman
By Don Ramsey
February 2006, K-Factor
This article is going to be written in the context of both flying and judging a sequence. If you are an experienced judge and have been judging the higher classes be prepared for this to happen a little more quickly. This is not the time to be looking down at a score sheet to make entries. Use a pad or the back of the sheet where you will transcribe the scores. If you look away from the model, something is going to happen that you will not observe. Mark your scores in vertical line on the pad without looking away from the plane and they don’t have to be pretty.
First and probably most important are lines. Two of the first three maneuvers, Straight Flight Out and Straight Flight Back, are just lines. Remember, each maneuver starts and finishes with a straight line. This is important in the other classes as well and you must practice it now.
On to the maneuvers.
Here’s what you’ll do after the takeoff and trim pass:
(U) mean upwind and (D) is downwind.
2. Straight Flight Out (U)
3. Half Reverse Cuban Eight
4. Straight Flight Back (D)
5. Half Cuban Eight
6. Two Inside Loops (U)
(Exit the Box)
(Enter the Box)
7. 2 Point Roll (D)
8. Stall Turn
9. Cobra without Rolls (U)
10. Immelmann Turn
11. Horziontal Roll (D)
12. Split “S”
13. Double Immelmann No Rolls (U)
(Exit the Box)
14. Landing
Your first set of maneuvers consist of two centered maneuvers and a turnaround; Straight Flight Out (centered), Half Reverse Cuban Eight (turnaround), and Straight Flight Back (centered).
2. (U) The rule book says in Straight Flight Out the model should be brought exactly parallel to the flight line and flown in an absolutely straight and level path for a distance of approximately 100 meters centered on the judges. That means at least 50 meters of the straight flight out comes after center (distance does not have to be accurate). Judge: you only have to judge 50 meters either side of center.
3. The Half Reverse Cuban Eight is not a centered maneuver, the Straight Flight Out was the centered maneuver (said again for emphasis because there seems to be a lot of confusion here). Since this is a turnaround maneuver it needs to be near the end of the box (that’s the 60 degree line). Start the pull up soon enough that the entire maneuver can be completed in the box. Begin with a gentle pull up into a 1/8th loop to establish a 45 degree line. This is not an abrupt pull up. The radius of this 1/8th loop should be the same as the radius of the 5/8ths loop to follow. After the pull up, hesitate, draw a line, half roll to inverted, hesitate and draw another line the same length as the first one. Now start your 5/8ths loop. Try to make this round and don’t pull the power off too soon. Reduce the power after the nose comes down. Use less up elevator on the top of the loop to round it out. At the end of the loop be gentle and try not to bounce the exit. Judge: This maneuver can exit at any altitude without a downgrade. Insure the radii are the same and the loop is round.
4. (D) Straight Flight Back should be along the same line as Straight Flight Out. That means the same altitude and same flight path. Judge: The rule book says, “Immediately after the Half Reverse Cuban Eight the model shall fly back along the same line as the outgoing path.” You judge the maneuver starting immediately after the turnaround.
5. The Half Cuban Eight is another turnaround maneuver so, again, start early enough to get the 5/8ths loop in the box. Pull into a 5/8ths loop, that’s a loop that ends when the model is in a 45 degree downline. Once the 45 degree downline is established, hesitate to draw a line, half roll to upright, hesitate and draw another line that is equal to the one before the roll then finish with a gentle pull to level. Make the radius of the arc to level flight the same as the radius of the partial loop. This maneuver should be done near the end of the box so the loops that follow are not rushed. . Judge: the most common mistake is the entry and exit radius being different to the 5/8 loop.
6. (U) The loops are centered. Try to make the last as round as the first. There seems to be a tendency to pull the last loop too hard on entry. Exit the loops and box with a straight line. Judge: watch for wind correction and centering. The model should come through the top of the loop in straight inverted.
This is the point you get to exit the box. That means you have a little time to regroup and reestablish your line. Make the most of this free time. The best maneuver for any turn around is the half reverse cuban eight. It gives you maximum time to make adjustments to both altitude and distance out.
7. (D) A 2 Point Roll is just a roll with a hesitation while inverted. Roll to inverted, hesitate, roll to upright. The inverted hesitation should be centered on the judges. Center on the judges means the portion of inverted flight before the center line is equal to the amount of inverted flight after the center line. Make the roll rate of the entry to inverted and the exit to upright the same rate. Judge: roll rate and centering are the point to watch.
8. Stall Turn: Pull to vertical, it doesn’t have to be a steep pull up but the model must at some point come absolutely vertical. I suggest you make a very gentle _ loop to vertical and hold that vertical about 50 feet. The gentle pull allows you a better chance of stopping at the intended point. Now, reduce the power but not to idle. This little bit of power will allow the rudder to be more effective for the turn and also help to damp the tail oscillation on exit. A pendulum movement of the tail on exit will get about a 1 point downgrade. The best way to minimize the oscillation is to hold a little power through the stall without doing a wingover. Fly the plane out with the same radius as the entry. Remember to hold a straight line on exit (maneuver starts and ends with a straight line). . Judge: for maximum score the pivot radius _ wingspan or less. Watch for a wind corrected up and downline.
9. (U) Cobra without Rolls is a pull to 45 degrees up, hesitate, then push to a 45 dive. The middle of the push over to the dive should be centered on the judges. . Judge: learn what a 45 degree line looks like and watch the radii.
10. An Immlemann Turn is a half loop followed immediately by a half roll. The half roll should begin immediately after completing the half loop. Any visible line before the roll is cause for downgrade, usually 2 points. . Judge: a visible line after the half loop is a 2 point downgrade.
11. (D) The Horizontal Roll is centered on the judges and try to make it a little slower than a blur. Centered means the inverted portion of the maneuver is directly in front of the judges. . Judge: this usually happens fast and a lot can go wrong. Be prepared.
12. The Split-S is a turnaround maneuver and should be done near the end of the box. If you do it too soon, the next maneuver will be rushed. Begin by half rolling to inverted then immediately upon reaching inverted begin the pull for the half loop. No inverted straight line allowed here. . Judge: downgrade 2 points for a visible straight line after the roll.
13. (U) A Double Immelmann is simply a half loop with a little inverted flight follow with another half loop. The horizontal line with inverted flight is the length of the diameter of the half loop. Since this is a centered maneuver, if you divided the line of inverted flight with the center pole, each half of that line would be equal. Or another way to think of this is the half loops are equal distance from the center pole (center line). . Judge: The best way to judge the length of the horizontal lines is to project the half loops into a full loop and that projected half should be tangent to the vertical projection of the center line.
14. Try to have the model centered on the runway with wings level at that point just after turning final. Its always best to slow down as soon as possible on landing; downwind is good but no later than base. . Judge: the landing zone is 100 meters centered on the judges. That’s about 165 feet either side of center. Any landing on the runway in that area is OK for a ten as long as the model stays upright. Landing is completer after it is below flying speed and has rolled 10 meters.
In addition to the above pointers you should remember all maneuvers should be wind corrected to preserve the geometry of the maneuver. You should also call your takeoff and all box entry and exits or have your caller make the calls. I hope this helps with some of the questions you may have.
What to expect at your first contest
By Gordon Anderson
February 2005, K-Factor
I’m not exactly a pattern veteran; this will be my 5th season. I have been flying RC for 40 years but only 4 years of competition in pattern. I thought it might be helpful for all the pilots thinking about giving pattern a try to describe what a contest is like in District 8. Our events are two days of competition, Saturday and Sunday. Friday is almost always a practice day at the competition field. I would encourage you to arrive as soon as you can on Friday to get in a little practice and get the “feel” of the field. This will be a great opportunity to meet the pilots and get some great flying advice. About 80 percent of the pilots are practicing on Fridays and it’s a lot of fun to talk to the guys and discuss the intricacies of pattern.
A lot of the pilots stay at the field in their campers, about half of the places we go have power, but that’s about it as far as hookups go. I stay in a motel and my wife attends the events with me. There are a lot of fun things to do in the evening at the field so if you have camping equipment consider this option, it might even save you a little bit of cash! It’s a good idea to contact the event CD if you have any questions about where to stay or space for camping etc, our web site will advertise the events and tell you who the CDs are, you can always contact me and I will let you know the details. If you stay at a motel its good to find out where the rest of the guys are staying and go to the same place, lots of times we go out to diner as a group and just BS about flying, it’s a lot of fun, maybe more fun than the actual contest!
Here are a few things to remember before you leave home and as you are packing up your rig:
1.) Don’t forget your AMA card!
2.) Bring your camera!
3.) Make a checklist to insure you pack everything you will need. It is easy to forget your transmitter, fuel, wing tube, etc. How many times have you gone to your local flying field only to find out you forgot a critical component and then had to go home?
4.) Take some spare parts! Props, glow plugs, spinner, etc. I like to pack some extra stuff just in case. Usually you can borrow what you need at the contest but it is good to be prepared!
5.) Don’t forget your battery chargers! You will need them.
6.) Check out the weather where you are going and make sure you pack the right clothing! I have made the mistake of bringing the wrong clothing and had to run to the local store to get prepared.
7.) You never know when it will rain; it’s a good idea to have some cover. Almost everyone on the circuit has an EZ-UP popup canopy of some kind to provide shade. I also bring a tarp to cover up my “stuff” in the event of a sudden down pour.
8.) You will need a call card but you most likely already have one. We provide call cards at most event so don’t worry if you forget yours. It’s also nice to have a small profile plane on a stick. These are great for discussing routines with other pilots or just studying the details of a maneuver.
After you get to the field introduce yourself to the pilots, they will be happy to help you setup. It’s a good idea to find the CD and say hello and get any updates on the event. Find out how frequency control is done at the field, every field is a little different; I like to see who is on my frequency and let them know we will be sharing the frequency. Set your stuff up and get a test flight or two! Get one of the experienced guys to give you a hand and “call” for you. You will learn a lot from these guys and they are happy to have you at our events and happy to help you out.
Practice is a whole new topic that I will write about in detail next month; I would recommend you get a couple of practice rounds where you fly your full routine and have someone call for you. Fly your routine both right to left and left to right; you never know which way the wind will be blowing the next day.
At many contests you can signup on Friday and pay the entry fee. Most contests run between $20 to $35 to enter and most reduce the fee or it’s free for Sportsman or first time entrants. Lots of contests have a BBQ on Saturday and this fee will be collected at signup, if you are interested. I recommend you attend the BBQ, most everyone does and it’s a good time to meet everyone.
Saturday is the start of the contest and they all start at different times, this often depends on the sun and where it rises. At some fields we need to wait till 10:00AM to start at others we are flying at 8:00AM. Make sure and find out on Friday when we are going to start Saturday. If you get to the field and get setup early you can get a test flight in the day of the contest. Be forewarned, it will likely be busy with lots of pilots trying to get the last minute test flight. I don’t like to test fly on the contest day, but that’s a personal decision. Make sure and get signed in as soon as you can so the score keepers can enter you into the computer. There will be a pilots meeting a few minutes before the event starts to go over the details, don’t miss this meeting!
We generally run only one flight-line unless we have over 15 pilots or so. Each event is a little different but the general procedure is the same. You will get two score sheets that you will put your name on and take with you to the flight line when it is your turn. You will give one to each judge; we have two judges at each flight line. You need a caller to help you out, find one of the experienced guys to help. The only reason a pilot will not help is if he is up right after you or there is some other conflict. Don’t be afraid to ask we are happy to help you out. So here is how it usually goes:
1.) We start with Sportsman and work up the classes in terms of order, so it’s a good chance you will be first up. Have your caller hold your aircraft and start your engine. It’s a good idea to be ready and startup as the pilot before you is on his landing approach. We try to keep things moving as fast as we can.
2.) After the pilot before you is finished, walk up to the flight position and give your score sheets to the judges. Your caller will carry your aircraft onto the field and hold it at takeoff position for you; this allows you to “run-up” the engine and clears it out.
3.) Make sure the judges are ready and after your caller has placed your aircraft on the field announce “takeoff beginning now” and start your takeoff. Your experienced caller will help you out so relax!
4.) I won’t go over all the flight details and maneuvers, but it’s a good idea to talk with your caller before your flight about the details and when you will need to do. Your caller is there to tell you the next maneuver and help you through the flight, try using several different pilots as callers, everyone does it a little different and you may fine someone who really fits!
5.) Then you land! Kill your engine and your caller will bring your plane back to the pits for you. That’s all there is to it! Check everything out, fuel up and make sure you are ready for the next flight.
A few minutes after the round is over you can get your scores from the score keeper. There is generally a file folder with the score sheets, so you can see how you did. Your caller will also provide very valuable feedback that will help you improve your flying. You will learn a lot at a contest.
We try to get 6 rounds in at a two day contest. We try to run 4 rounds on Saturday and 2 on Sunday so we can get on the road home as early as possible but some times we end up running 3 rounds each day. Weather is always an issue and it can shorten a contest so be prepared.
Your final score is based on your 4 best rounds out of the 6 flown. The details of the scoring are covered in the AMA rule book and I will go over this is some detail in later K-Factor articles. The score sheets you receive are very useful and give you information about maneuvers you need to practice.
At the end of each round the standings are usually posted somewhere around the scorekeeper. All except the last round, this is held for the awards at the very end of the contest. After it’s all over we hold a short ceremony and award certificates to the first 3 or 4 places in each class and thank all the people involved. The awards are pretty simple and I have included an example below. We make these ourselves on a color printer using group photos and information about the event. These are generally in 8” by 10” frames and are a nice thing to hang on your wall.
Typical Award Certificate
Why do we do this? It’s FUN! The people are great and you will learn a lot. Try it one time and you will be addicted, trust me!
I hope this gives those thinking about giving it a try a little insight on how a contest runs. We are always trying to make these events run better and are interested in ways to improve our contest so let me know if you have ideas.
Here are some links with more getting started information:
Don Ramsey's article on getting the maximum points in Sportsman.
NSRCA web site getting started page.
Send mail to gaa@owt.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Revised: 03/09/2006