BHM,AL=Triple A Heli Contest!

[JhonR]

ROLL CALL for the Triple A Heli Contest in BHM, AL, this coming weekend=May 20,21, 2006! May19th is Practice day. Contest field is at the Alabaster RC Association's Club field, located in the City Of Alabaster, AL Limestone Park. Class 1 thru 3, and FAI-F3C schedules (2006-2007).
CD is Don Wade: 205-305-7839, or me, Jhon Russell-205-213-5240.

Hope to see you there!
JhonR

[ErichF]

Me and Rolando Perez. Nob can't make it.

We're leaving Dade City around 4 AM, so we'll roll in around 2-3 pm Friday afternoon for practice and tuning.

Um, BHam in Central time zone, right?


See ya there,

Erich


PS we got a room at the Holiday Inn Fri and Sat night.

[JhonR]

Central Time Zone..
Sorry that Nob can't make it this year. Sure gonna miss him in the rounds! Good that you and Rolando is gonna be here, though! Be sure to ask me for a copy of 'CDPro' that I updated with the latest FAI-F3C manuevers. This is the program that Dan Monroe uses at the NATS, only I've updated for ya! Maybe you can use it at your next contest.
JhonR

[ErichF]

Kool, Jhon! I have already updated my CDPro with the new F3C Schedules, though. We're all gonna have to update our CD Pros again anyways, since the AMA schedules are all changing in 07.

See ya soon,

Erich

[GM1]

Should be in early Friday afternoon. How does the weather look?
Gordie

[JhonR]

Current forecast:

Friday: Partly cloudy, Winds 5-10 out of the NW, Hi Temp - 85, 20% of T-Storms.
Sat: Partly cloudy, Winds LV (read that as less the 8mph, mostly out of the NorthWest, Morning lows in the 50's, Hi's in the lower 80's. 10% T-Storms.
Sunday: Winds 3-8mph out of the NE, Morning lows in the 50's, Hi's in the lower 80's, Partly cloudy.

Good to see that you'll make it GM! Hope we get more checking in here at the 'freak'! Need to get an idea how many are coming. BTW, looks like we're gonna have a good local turnout in Class 1 and 2!

JhonR

[JhonR]

This is my report, which will appear at your AMA District V website: http://www.amadistrict-v.org/staff/russell.html

Triple A Heli Challenge
May 2006

This past weekend, May 20th and 21st 2006, the 5th Annual ‘Triple A Heli Challenge – May 2006’ was held. Alabaster R/C Association sponsored this year’s event at their Club field, located in the City of Alabaster ‘Limestone Park’. Thanks to those ARCA Club members who came out to help run this year’s event! AMA Club sponsorship of events such as this one really helps in the promotion of the hobby! Well done, ARCA members!
Over 12 pilots participated, with some of our country’s top Competition R/C Helicopter Pilots competing in what has become a Regional AAA Helicopter event! It was a shame that there weren’t any Class 1 participants, seeing that there was plenty of on site help from the likes of Gordie Meade, Wayne Mann, Cliff Hiatt, Don Wade, ‘Dr’ Ben Minor, and a host of others!
At this year’s event, the new FAI-F3C Flight Maneuver Schedule was introduced to the 7 competitors. These new maneuvers offered a different challenge to the participants, and throughout the event, those FAI pilots were really having FUN learning and helping one another as they flew the schedule! It’s evident that this close net group of Helicopter pilots has a lot of respect for each other’s skill level, and they’re always striving to help each other improve on their piloting skills. Of course, nature lends a hand by providing the ‘Great Equalizer’! During Saturday’s rounds, the winds were averaging 10 mph, with gust up to 22mph all day long! Sunday winds weren’t as bad, but the temps were in the 90’s both days.
In the AMA Classes, there were 3 pilots competing in Class 3 and 2 in Class 2. In Class 2, new competition pilot Zachary Greene had an engine failure just prior to the start of the event. Local Heli Pilot Dan Siebe loaned his OS motor so that Zachary could compete this year! CD Don Wade (and FAI Competition Pilot) spent Saturday night changing out Zach’s motor in his machine and retuned it for him so that he could compete! That just shows how much respect these Heli pilots have for one another, and just how far they will go to encourage this venue of our hobby to the inexperienced! Zachary in only 14 years old, and is already an accomplished 3D heli pilot! I’m sure we’ll be more of Zachary in the competition groups in the years ahead!
Here are the standings for this year’s event:
Class 2 – 1st Place – Eric Freyman (Tampa, FL)
2nd Place – Zachary Greene (Sylacauga, AL) (and also Best Junior/Senior)
Class 3 – 1st Place – Daniel Hiatt (Winter Garden, FL)
2nd Place – Dennis Purduski (Brandon, MS)
3rd Place – Dave Sellers (Tallahassee, FL)
FAI-F3C – 1st Place – Gordie Meade (Tallahassee, FL)
2nd Place – Rolando Perez (Dade City, FL)
3rd Place – Ben Minor (Richmond, VA)

SPECIAL NOTE: Both Wayne Mann and Cliff Hiatt wanted to ‘step out’ of the standings, so that their fellow FAI contestants can receive deserving recognition for their hard work. Instead, Wayne and Cliff proposed to Don Wade (CD) and me (Co-CD) a ‘Professional Pilot’ level just for this contest. So, between those two, here are their standings:
Professional Competition Pilot – 1st Place – WAYNE MANN
Professional Competition Pilot – 2nd Place – CLIFF HIATT

Those who are familiar with these two outstanding individuals know that they have done so much within the hobby and with the R/C Helicopter community to promote and encourage others along the way! These two deserve much more then certificates for their life long activities for their tireless efforts and dedication to the hobby of Helicopter modeling. Well Done, Wayne and Cliff! Well Done!!
Jhon Russell
AMA District V- AVP Central AL Region

[GM1]

I had a great time and would like to thank Don, Jhon, and Alabaster RC for the hospitality and hard work. Y'all did a great job.
Gordie

[WillJames]

DId anyone shoot any video we could get ahold of Jhon? If we can find someone who did, we would be happy to host and share it with eveybody who could not be there. If you know of anyone who did, please have them email baja170@helifreak.com

Thanks in advance!!! Great job flying guys!!

[ErichF]

Will,

As promised, I took about an hour and a half of video. I need to cut it and clean it up a bit, add titles and such. I may be a week or so before I can get it done. I have videos of all the schedules except class I (no entries).

And on that note, I want to say THANK YOU for Jhon and Don and the folks at ARCA for putting on a great contest. Again, I learned a ton as I work towards the Nats. It was as much an ideal event as I could ask for. Winds were nothing new to me, as we've had the same here in Tampa for a couple months now. I had no equipment issues at all; my X-Spec performed great the whole weekend. In return, she gets treated to a brand spanking new SSZ-III head this week :mrgreen:

I'm still on the fence for Nashville, pending time off availability (saving for the Nats).

Thanks,

Erich

[WillJames]

EXCELLENT Erich!! Thank you!! :noteworthy

[GM1]

Erich,
You exhibited quite some improvement over the last time I saw you fly. Keep progressing at that rate and you'll be a genuine threat at ANY contest, no matter what class or where you go.
Gordie

[ErichF]

WHOA! Thanks, Gordie...I really appreciate the comments, and that you recognize improvement. I have been practicing nearly every afternoon since daylight savings time started. I just hope I don't wear out my equipment before the Nats :shock:

Maybe I'll see you and the gang at Nashville!


Erich

[ErichF]

Here's some pics from the AAA....



Erich

[JhonR]

Sorry for the late response..(been busy with work and such)

Thanks to all that came to this year's 'Triple A Heli Challenge'! The 12 that did compete in the various classes all did an outstanding job with their respective skills! What was really interesting is the fact that there were so many in the FAI-F3C class that did a great job in performing the new manuevers! Keep up the practice guys...someday you too will be just a good as Cliff and Wayne. :)

Special thanks goes out to the fine club members of Alabaster R/C Association for letting us use their brand new field! The club members planned and executed a rotating support roster that helped fill in the various duties of runner, PC operator, Line judge, etc. Without the support of these fellow AMA members, this contest wouldn't have ran so smoothly as it did. And once again, a special thanks to Wayne, Cliff and Gordie (GM1) for their tireless support of Competition Heli activities, and for helping others become better pilots.

Till next year! Fly safe, and may all your landings be 'upright'. :thumbup:
Jhon R