Heli Nats at IRCHA '09?

[ErichF]

There is some talk among the FAI/AMA contest crowd about the possibility of having the US Helicopter National Championships at the 2009 IRCHA Jambo. The idea was born from the brain of Brett Horton, AKA CopterViews, and is proposing that the contest would be held on a different site from the main IRCHA line on site 4, likely Site 3 RC Mutlipurpose (http://www.modelaircraft.org/PDF-files/Map2007.pdf), therefore not taking airspace or flight stations from the Jambo. With the advent of spread spectrum, the problem with shared frequency use is negligable, or 2.4 could be mandated for Nats pilots.

We are all just brain storming right now, so nothing is formally proposed. I just wanted to toss up this ball and see if anyone would run with it.

One thought of mine is to keep the Nats contest open throughout the event, to allow folks to enter the AMA classes at any time. Maybe you see the class manuevers and decide later to try it. In this case, you could enter as a "non-compete" entrant to test yourself and see what it's like to participate in a contest without having to wait till the next year. As always, the Heli Nats is an open event that does not require any pre-qaulifications to enter. You can actually never have flown in a contest before, and enter the Nats and fly F3C.

Other ideas and comments are highly encouraged. I know there are lots of you out there that are interested in precision flying, but have never seen a contest or the style for yourself in person. At the same time, most of you don't have the means to attend both the Nats and IRCHA, and therefore chose IRCHA because it's a known quantity. Then there's the international crowd that could also participate in the US Heli Nats.

So, what do you all think of the concept?

[LITHIUMSTATIC]

This is a great idea!

[sonofcar]

that would be cool to watch. But keep it on site 3,( dont have it take away from the ircha flight line)

[ErichF]

that would be cool to watch. But keep it on site 3,( dont have it take away from the ircha flight line)

That's the best part...the AMA IAC has plenty of sites to hold the Nats concurrently with the Jambo...site 3 is just one of them.

Normally, the Nats takes up half of Site 4 just by itself, accounting for turn around area for helis going 90mph.

[Al Austria]

Sounds like a great idea, though, I wouldn't hold the NATS completely throughout the event. Perhaps the NATS can be held early in the week and end just before the Friday/weekend portion of IRCHA. This year at SEFF, they held an F5B competition on Thurs and the rest of the event was the normal open flying with demos on the weekend. This would still allow those who are interested a chance to participate but they won't have to worry about missing the best days of IRCHA(though they will have to show up early), and sponsored pilots who have commitments to both events won't have to worry about a scheduling conflict.

[Gmoney]

By doing that you would reduce the overall travel cost for everybody including sponsors and contestants. Monday through wednesday FAI Thursday "rest" Friday though Sunday wide open IRCHA.

G

[Al Austria]

Exactly, though I would hope the IRCHA event itself would stay the same way it has been the last couple years with open flying all week. The NATS would essentually be an off site "add-on" during the early part of the event.