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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm motivated to write. There is
something deeper here. Bent aluminum tube? You can't be
serious! I guess it could happen. A friend of mine snapped a
pattern plane wing in half when he accidently hit his snap roll switch at full
throttle (actually twice, once to snap the plane inverted, and the second
to finish the job by ripping the wings off). Its impossible for me to put
myself in your shoes ... but I'll try to remember back in the days I flew
Masters. Now, I flew Masters when it was AMA (non-turnaround). My
first NATS flying Masters, I almost hit the judges on takeoff since I did not
have steering on that Curare. (Well, maybe an exaggeration, but I do
remember seeing, out of the corner of my eye, Dave Brown grabbing the chair
handles and leaning forward). I worked hard, built a plane current to that
decade, and got 2nd the next year. Moving from standard pattern to
turnaround was quite a big adjustment. I can clearly remember that.
Which is my point. I figured the bar was raised and everyone is
flying the same challenge. .</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Reverse Avalance...Loose wing tube socket on the
Focus II? It brings back a memory of squeaking styrofoam.. I think
mine came loose after the first couple of flights, but I was flying the plane
crisply. I just carefully took the retainer screw dowels out, globbed some
epoxy in (there was a gap around the end plate) and popped the dowel back in
with some additional epoxy. I can't remember for sure but I think
I have a diagram with the fix at:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Focus II at the
following address: </FONT><A href=""><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/FOCUS_II_ARF_construction_by%2Dthe%2Dnumbers/m_1431697/tm.htm</FONT></A>
<DIV> </DIV></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Where was I... The Avalanche. That FAI
reverse avalance with 1 1/2 snaps. Done it probably 200 times, I'd
venture. It does require more power than every other maneuver (spare the
P05 humpty with pos snap up), but my style is in closer- just inside 150m so the
loop is not large (I snap at idle and add throttle after the snap). Its
not too bad on the power at this distance.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Unknowns? I cannot comment on them for
pattern other than reporting two items. Several FAI flyers made comments
to me that "TOC" flyers have an advantage in the finals because they have flown
unknowns so much with the big planes. (try an outside avalanche from the
top with opposite POSITIVE snaps at the bottom). My response (raise eyebrows) is
to fly IMAC. IMAC Advanced or Unlimited. With unknowns. It will
build the skills necessary to learn how to approach them. The FAI Unknowns
really are not that. All 250 some odd maneuvers are given to the
pilots. Yes, I've practiced all 250 of them (or at least every major
varient in each maneuver family).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Second item is related to an IMAC contest I
used to run. We had unknowns in every class. At the time (mid to late
'90s) this was really quite new. The overwhelming response was very
positive. Again, just a data point.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well this is all food for thought. Pattern is
different from IMAC, and FAI different than Masters. To the pattern
flyers in Masters- I fully believe that your desires should be instituted.
Why? The turnover I experience at the IMAC contests I ran was something
like 60 to 75 percent. I don't know what happened to them but they did not
stick with it (at least for that annual contest). Many pattern
flyers continue for years. You guys should be the main focus of the
rules.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>