Drag racing?

[DebianDog]

I was looking at one of the events and saw there was "drag racing" Now in cars, I understand, but I am a little confused on how exactly you can race a helicopter in the air without very special sensing equipment (to detect early starts and the winner). Anyone care to explain?

[Ivan]

YOu start out at the line with at least 2500 rotor rpm, 3000 is better, and some yahoo between you and your oponent (usually someone looking for a way to commit suicide, but not blame them selves) blows a whistle, or waves his arms or shouts through a bull horn, signaling the start of a very excruciating run down the line.

The two pilots try a maximum performance takeoff, trying to keep the machine as low to the ground as possible and as fast as possible. Mind you, trying to keep a smooth flight profile close to the ground, with the caller laying on the ground in the fetal position, having a death grip on your ankle crying to mommy, God, and yesterdays horoscope, can be rather difficult. Most of the time it turns into more of a half witted attempt to not hit the poor soul at the other end of the flight line who is supposed to see who crosses the finish line first.

If in fact you don't shed a blade, hit the ground or have a radio failure, it is a scientifically proven fact that any pilot who makes the line judge duck and cover, is the slowest heli, and the other heli made it first.

The amazing part is that it is usually done on a best two out of three system. By the third run (no one ever wins the first two) the caller and line judge have either made their peace with the almighty, or are on the cell phone negotiating the terms of their final directives with a cheap lawyer. The pilots having emitter at least 70 times the RDA of adrenaline into their blood stream are obviously cool and collected, and the suggestion that the last run be made in backward inverted flight, only serves to sooth them all the more.

It must also be noted that the retun flight to the starting line is designated in the rulebook as teh time to work on mastering the maneuver that you have yet completed successfully, or to talk to the people on the spectator line that is steadily encroaching. Either way, if you demonstrate any form of control or prescision of flying in the return trip, it is an automatic disqualification.

If, in fact, your heli survives, and you win the bout, you are rewarded with a clammy handshake, and a placque that is well deserving of your meritous flight skills, and usually the guaranteed loss of your raffle money when they give out the "big prize" on Sunday morning to the farmer in the straw hat that can't properly pronounce helicopter, let alone understand why the Fury kit doesn't come with blades.

All in all, it is good, clean wholesome fun, that the whole family can enjoy.

Ivan

[DebianDog]

LOL - I gotta see one of those! :smokin:

[sdixon747]

That has to be the best explanation on Heli DragRacing I have ever seen!! LMAO :rolling

Steve

[marked23]

Yeeaaah Perfect!

I love the part about the farmer wining the Fury. That was me. I was a noob just spectating at a funfly and won the Fury. Still can't understand why it doesn't come with blades.

-Mark

[OzarkCopterBum]

Yes, heli drag racing is exciting. I saw my first one at the Bootheel Funfly in Missouri.

The only thing that topped that was an auto contest, with 4 helis in the air and ONLY ONE LANDING CIRCLE! :shock:

[Wynn B]

Hmmmmm I have a flack vest and a crash-a-ma hemet ...... this might be fun.

Wynn B :? :?

[learjetcb]

I love Drag Racing. And as long as Ivan takes his dog tranqulizers he makes a great finish line caller. last year he had a broken foot. I know I have never seen anyone with a broken foot out run a 90 size machine on a down wind drag race. :shock:

[WillJames]

HAHAHAHA Man I cannot believe I missed this topic! That is the funniest description of drag racing I have ever heard, and I am thinking about trying it now!!


Ivan you are FUNNY AS HELL!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :shock:

Great thread!

[flyboy55555]

i am about to piss my pants...first response as a brand new member, and I read that and now my whole life has cahnged on what i thought was funny..

[DebianDog]

Looking foward to finally seeing this at IRCHA!

[flyinfool]

I will be seing this for only the second time at IRCHA. Only this time will be from a pilots perspective. :shock: :badair:

WHat did I let them talk me into now ????????

[OzarkCopterBum]

Whatever you do, don't practice, especially the return to the starting line manuever. I'd hate to see you DQ'd for being too good.

[flyinfool]

I'd hate to see you DQ'd for being too good.

Fat chance.:lolol :lolol :lolol
I'll be happy if I make it back in one peice.

[OzarkCopterBum]

What class are you flying in?

I'm kicking around trying to go but havent made any reservations yet. If I do I'm leaving my gear at home and will be totally a spectator, though I may register just for the chance I might win a cool prize. At the 2 funflys I've been to, I won some glue, a tshirt or two (JR and C.P.) and a horrid looking JR hat. I fly Futaba so I passed the JR gear to a buddy. Believe in karma? Maybe I'm due for a good one.

On a side note, how come it seems that the guys with 6 or more heli's ALWAYS win the really good prizes and guys like me that have next to nothing get stuff like glue? hehe.