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<DIV> Equipment you fly is one thing. I agree with Larry on a lot of his points. My first intro into pattern was at Andersonville last year in D3. Very new to the game and really didn't know what I was getting into. </DIV>
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<DIV> I ended up having a midair in the third round of my first contest. So much in shock I was that it happened(my first midair) and then the guy I was flying against, who I had never met before, leant me his plan for the rest of the contest. We both flew the same aircraft for the whole weekend. So many things went on that weekend. </DIV>
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<DIV> I bought a Silhouette II at that contest and had it ready for the next one in Huntsville. That is a pretty impressive bird but it only got me forth place that weekend. </DIV>
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<DIV> And the last contest of the year was the D3 Championships where I won and came in second in the District. </DIV>
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<DIV> I didn't get caught in the points thing. I didn't get caught up in the equipment thing. </DIV>
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<DIV> I got caught up in the learning environment and what the competitions can do for your flying skills. There is so much information at each one of these contest it just blows the mind. </DIV>
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<DIV> I am a full scale pilot as well and when I got my private the examiner congratulated me and said that I now had a lesson to "learn"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</DIV>
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<DIV> There is so much in aviation to learn both in full scale and in RC. </DIV>
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<DIV> The analogy about the golf club strikes very true and I experienced first hand. I thought that I had an airplane that would just win but it's the pilot that makes all the difference and there dedication to the art of flying. Whether if your a novice or FAI there is no substitute for practice and if you are away from it you will get rusty. </DIV>
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<DIV> Having the Sportsman points race adds just a little competitive nature to it. And in each one of us there is a competitive desire to win. And if that desire is strong enough it will push you to practice, practice, practice. </DIV>
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<DIV> I experienced being defeated by someone flying something much smaller than what I was flying. So equipment is one thing but flying skill is what makes the difference.</DIV>
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<DIV> I heard a story about Chip Hyde flying some ones airplane and after flying for a minute he said to the owner "you know the controls on this airplane are backwards" he flew the plane for a bit before landing. </DIV>
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<DIV> Give me experience any day.</DIV>
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<DIV>Erik Newsholme</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:bladesmith@mindspring.com">bladesmith@mindspring.com</A></DIV>
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