Do People hate to fly at contests or why is there so few?

[RogerRabit]

I had some discussion yesterday in our "club" again.
We have some flyers there who might go to a contest with a little more training or buddyboxing before.
Not to be on the top end, but to have fun and learn.

The interest is lower than low.

When i was a kid, there have been a lot of contests going on.
There was a glider contest with NON - RC gliders where we kids had to start it with a rubber and nylon "high start mechanism" and the glider had to stay up as long a possible doing flat circles.
Later we did rc boatracing and so on.

Later 3d CUP and F3C

But it is now so, that you nearly do not find anyone more who is willing to participate and do the training or at least wants to do some precision flying.
The people concentrate on tinkering, jets, new models (number 271 of 344 in th build row?!?!) and so on.

Even this forum and runr++er the interest and threads are not very much.
How is it in your areas?

[RogerRabit]

It seems the interest here is lower than low too.

[Ah Clem]

I used to do this a bit, back in the early 1980's.

It takes a lot of time, in terms of preparation and practice.

If you are serious, you need two identical machines (three is better).

There is a great deal of pressure competing, as opposed to just flying for fun with your friends or at a fun fly.

It takes nerves of steel (something I never had).

[Grok]

Where does one go to find info on contests around the country?

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[RogerRabit]

The FAI sites or the F3C/F3N sites here in europe.

And - to the first answer

Yes - it takes a lot of time
Yes - it takes nerves of steal and the heart is pounding when you stand in front of the judges
Yes - you need two machines (probably identical . but i had three different )

But

It is a great deal of fun also.

[Grok]

I've been to both sites. I didn't find much about US contests on them.

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[blade450]

I always feel like I'm not flying good enough for contests. Also, there are no local flyers participating in any competitions here, so it's not a naturel next step somewhere either.

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[LN400]

If there are any other pilots around at all, perhaps gather for a very informal competition just to get started. It doesn't have to be top level. In fact, there are several classes from grass root all the way to top level. I never was much of a competitive guy but my bro played football (that's soccer for you Americans) on this "park team", nothing too serious, just a bunch of pub going guys getting together in the park for matches, and the occasional travel to play other "park teams". All for the fun of it but they didn't get worse at the game. Same can be done here. Just get a bunch together for a good time and take it from there.

[RogerRabit]

That is the same i found when i was flying competition arround 2000-2003
We where meeting at "training camps" which where mainly arround barbecueing tech talk, the wifes went shopping together e.g.
It was a friendly, calm community that time.
Everyone helped the others if someone did not have a part or a soldering iron or some shrink tube, or if he did not understand the drawing of a figure.

Good enough?

I was into helis less a year before flying the first contest and i didn´t finish last.
I listened to my heli teacher (one of the that time organizers of such events) and flew lower point figures more precise instead of higher ones i could not fly so precise.
That was the error of the ones behind me. They flew more advanced stuff but less precise.
And it is allways Factor * Judges points. And judges distract a lot of points for imprecision.

I had some of the that time PRO´s buddy box me on the training camps.
They where very helpful teaching correct path and height and speed on cuban 8s or inverted figure 8s.
You learn a lot faster and more than beeing alone at the field.

What you say one of my buddies tells me also.
He says he is not good enough for flying in front of others.
But he flys good.
Lack of confidence?

[DaveHolland]

Problem around us is that everyone wants to do 3d contest flying. Everyone I fly with could care less about F3C contest. We just attend fun flys and let loose.

[Epoweredrc]

Ive been flying 24 yrs and only.flown in.one contest that was the SPA bk in 08 i think before they outlawed electric planes. flew a mini showtime 44 inch compared to everyone elese 60 and 90 sized glow planes i took 8th out of 10.
had fun only praticed a week before but there not many contests around here.
ive flown in lots of fly in where you just fly for fun, ive flown in a few fun flys where u do things like climb n glide and limbo things fun things last fun fly i took 1st out of about 6 ppl.

I wish there was morr contests, flyins funflys closer to me. right now im about 40 mins from a club. most events are hour away

[filtr]

I use to fly Pattern but the cost got to much. Need a new airplane every two years because the way planes changed to be compitive.

I would like to try F3C because you can use the heli you have because they seem not to change that often. But try to find help to learn. Can not find a site that explains what to do. Also seems info is hard to find here in North America. It seems that 3D is the only thing people like to do. It all looks the same to me. But have control and do things when called for is what I call a real flier.

[KSHeli]

Originally Posted by filtr

I use to fly Pattern but the cost got to much. Need a new airplane every two years because the way planes changed to be compitive.

I would like to try F3C because you can use the heli you have because they seem not to change that often. But try to find help to learn. Can not find a site that explains what to do. Also seems info is hard to find here in North America. It seems that 3D is the only thing people like to do. It all looks the same to me. But have control and do things when called for is what I call a real flier.

I believe the contests are listed on either the AMA or IRCHA websites. They also have the moves to be flown and a illustration, I think this is correct I looked a while back. For me its just the matter of not having another competitor or skill pilot to buddy box me while I attempt some of the required maneuvers. Plus needing someone get a perspective of the proper dimensions of the moves.

EDIT; I went and looked on AMA and IRCHA both and couldn't find anything except for the F3C National Team info. So the question is why is this contest schedule and info not on the AMA or IRCHA websites? If it is its not easy to find, AMA does have the plank info.

[KSHeli]

From the AMA website competitions and regulations, click on the following http://www.modelaircraft.org/events/compreg.aspx then scroll near the bottom to get the F3C flight box measurements.
http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/2...Helicopter.pdf
Then there are the patterns for the three different levels of pilot skill.
1. http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/R...iagram2011.pdf
2. http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/R...iagram2011.pdf
3. http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/R...iagram2011.pdf
These are evidently still valid for 2013.

Wish there was a quick way to bring up schedules for these contests.

[filtr]

I life in Canada and the same thing with our country. No info around about how to get started. I am just starting to learn heli flying and from my F3A days it made me a better flier that is why I would like to learn F3C Style.

[gwright]

It's tiresome to practice the same routine over and over and we are in a time where we all have ADHD <G>.

We need something like the unknown rounds of imac. You have manuevers that are put together as sequences, and everyone flies them for the first time in front of the judges. You have a list of basics,..i.e. loops/rolls/stall turns that go together for one class, then add some complexity like cubans (loops plus rolls) for the next class, then add more complexity for the higher classes (like the moving tumble type maneuvers in the f3C sequences). Everyone gets to fly all the time, practicing all the basics but not a specific pattern,.. it's fun and like normal flying sessions, not concentrating solely on a pattern, but on the basic building blocks to make you a better flyer.

[RogerRabit]

.

unknowns is a great idea, but it is discussed controverse.

the training effort for each F3C or F3N is quiet some time. unknowns bring a uncertanty which might drive off some guys,

There was a lot of discussions of olders when the routines where changed last time and we still do not have confirmed routines for 2014, only proposals.

I do not care as i am not in the top anyway so i can adapt.

but the ones who try to get nto the finals have to learn 18 or 20 new figures. that is some effort.

[seemore74]

Based on vids I've seen of contest flying, it looks quite boring compared to the flying that's more popular nowadays. It would be quite a task to get this generation of heli flyers into that stuff now.

[ErichF]

Originally Posted by seemore74

Based on vids I've seen of contest flying, it looks quite boring compared to the flying that's more popular nowadays. It would be quite a task to get this generation of heli flyers into that stuff now.

Contest flying is not a spectator sport, so yeah, videos are going to be pretty boring. Videos of golf, tennis, poker, and bowling are also pretty boring. Contest flying is a discipline that you have to be actively involved with in order to get anything out of. It sort of crosses the line from hobby to sport, due to the dedication to do well and realize the rewards.

[Kevinfly]

Glad I found this thread and Thank You for making it Erich. I have been reading since last night about F3C. It has sparked my interest and now I am really eager to get my birds back in the air. I have found a few people in the forums with a great amountof knowledge. I am glad youare sharing what you know with the few others that seem to be interested in this type of flying.