Control Line: AEROBATICS
Wynn Paul
As we move into the new year and most everybody is busily working on their new plane for the ’82 summer season, some of us are still concerned about the administration of the Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA) and its various activities. One of the initial objectives of PAMPA was to promote communications among stunt fliers, and through the medium of the newsletter this has been accomplished. Add to this the monthly column in Model Aviation since 1975 and the newly created stunt column in Flying Models, and you have more chance to find out what’s going on than ever before.
Newly elected PAMPA President Arlie Preszler and the writer agreed that communication probably is the number one objective and responsibility of PAMPA when we reviewed objectives, goals, and new projects at the 1981 Nationals.
Following closely behind communication is the administration and organization of the Nationals events and the FAI tryouts as a main project of PAMPA. The PAMPA organization has been directly connected with the Nationals since 1974, including changing the Nationals’ format extensively to better serve the many competitors who travel miles to fly at this annual stunt gathering. New President Preszler has stated that the administration of the Nationals is of key importance to Precision Aerobatics for many reasons, and that he intends to take a very active part in both organizing and selecting the format for this event.
We have seen many changes in the format since 1974, and as constructive, well-thought-out, and fair changes are suggested, there is no doubt that President Preszler will improve the existing format. The current hubbub created by Richard Byron in his several protests and various ideas for Nationals format changes may actually bring some creative and positive changes in the program, although his methods have caused some antagonism among those fliers closely connected with PAMPA and the Nats organization. Nevertheless, we can expect to see changes for the better from time to time at the Nationals.
As many have pointed out, the AMA rule book does not have a specific section for administration of the Nationals; the rules are more suitable for the local contest scene. Perhaps in the next rules cycle we can include some basic conditions for the administration of a Nationals event.
Keith Trostle has so ably directed the FAI that finding a suitable event director for the Nationals and/or FAI tryouts is unbelievably difficult, so we should not lose a proven winner. The writer feels that Keith would accept this position and continue to show his strong and outstanding leadership in the international precision aerobatics event.
Flick loops, hovering, and flying the Tiger Rag
To perform a flick loop, start with an inside loop beginning and ending at about 15 feet up. Continue into a second loop, but as soon as the model reaches the vertical climb position, apply full up elevator. The model will loop in its own length. The first few times you do this, neutralize the elevators as the model reaches normal upright flight and just fly around. The next step is to continue the flick loop until the model is again pointing straight up, then neutralize the elevators.
At this stage one of three things will happen (depending on the available power):
- If there is not enough power, the model will start to sink slowly in a tail slide; in this case, apply full down elevator at once. When the nose has dropped, fly away normally.
- If the power is just right, the model will slowly climb vertically, and as soon as any lost height is regained, the flick loop can be repeated.
- The third possibility (rare) is that the model will hang without gain or loss of height. This is very spectacular and quite safe. Slight application of either up or down elevator will tilt the model, and it will start to move around the circle. By slowly increasing elevator control you will get a steady transition into level flight, upright or inverted. Alternatively, the model can be made to sway forwards and backwards by using slight up followed by slight down elevator. This technique can also be used in the slow-climb situation.
I once demonstrated the perfect hover at a big scale rally with a semi-scale SE-5. Afterwards, someone told me that he had looked up while the model was hovering and was convinced it was just about to crash. From his attitude, it was obvious he did not really believe what he had just seen.
Once you are doing flick loops, be careful of two things. First, do not get so fascinated by the maneuver that you keep doing it until the lines lock up. A few outside loops every so often will unwind the lines. Second, it is sometimes possible to do consecutive flick loops with some height loss between each one. Very often the last one will just brush the ground with the tail or will drop the model onto its wheels (which is then followed by a normal takeoff). This is the stage when most crashes happen, but they are at such slow speed and from so low that normally there is no damage.
It is quite possible to fly every stunt in the book with Tiger Rag, but do each one a bit at a time until you are completely familiar with the handling of the model. For example, outside loops tend to be bigger than insides and have less line tension.
Landings are easy, but keep the nose down. No attempt to float the model around the circle should be made, because the high drag of the big oleo bleeds off speed quickly.
Wind is no problem for this model. It helps in those flick loops and hovers. In breezy conditions I always take off at about 45 degrees into the wind and go straight into inverted. This prevents the wind from getting under the tail and tipping the model on its nose, and it also allows the speed to build up before coming into the wind. In very windy conditions the entire flight can be made on the downwind half of the circle. I have also made complete flights just lying on my back on the ground.
I hope that you will be tempted to build Tiger Rag. I can promise that you will never regret it. If you are the first in your club to build it you certainly will not be the last, because the bug is infectious (and incurable).
Representation and facilities at the Nationals
It is about time that the precision aerobatics event had a representative on the Nats Executive Committee. Why?
- Space requirements: In terms of pure space requirements, the stunt event needs a larger contest area than any other control-line events. Add to this the tremendous area needed for practice sites at the Nationals, and in sheer space requirements alone the precision aerobatics event needs more site area than the other CL events combined.
- Practice-area access: When the 50–60 stunt entrants get to the Nationals, the first thing they do is fan out over a 360° radius to find practice areas, along with utilizing the four official flying circles. A representative on the Nats Executive Committee would assure the stunt people that adequate places were set aside for practice areas before the Nats start, reducing the chances of someone carelessly running over the lines of seven or eight competitors.
- Fair consideration for CL events: After the absolutely terrible flying circles at Wilmington, precision aerobatics needs someone on the Nats Executive Committee to see that control-line actually gets some place to fly that is not a leftover consideration after finding a place for the RC events. Too frequently in the past the CL area has been the last thing considered and is swept under the rug if the site is not ideal.
(Editor’s note: The situation at the Wilmington Nats in 1980 was very bad with respect to the CL events; however, this was caused by unforeseen circumstances. The site actually used was not the one that the Nats Executive Committee had inspected and approved. When the Nats officials arrived at the Wilmington field just before the Nats, the approved CL site was not available for use, and it was a case of either using what was available or canceling the Nats’ CL events. Which would you rather have? — RMC.)
Also, the U.S. precision aerobatics community has had the world champion individual since 1970 and the world champion team since 1966, so this is the premier event of all model airplaning as far as world competition is concerned. If we are going to experiment with having the FAI team tryouts at the Nationals, then we surely can’t expect to use a circle pockmarked with craters or with uneven slabs of old concrete. We should push for representation to ensure proper facilities.
Suggested PAMPA improvements
Two other areas that PAMPA could improve on are the establishment and functioning of a technical committee and a rules committee.
- Technical committee: Could establish a hotline for answers to questions from novices and run tests on new equipment.
- Rules committee: Could review rules proposals from AMA members, poll the PAMPA membership on rules changes, and start a proposal for a section in the AMA rule book on the administration of the Nationals event.
Perhaps President Preszler can act on these suggestions. You can write him at: 1111 South Crescent Avenue, Lodi, CA 95240.
For information on stunt or PAMPA, write Wynn Paul at: 1640 Maywick Dr., Lexington, KY 40504.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
