Club scale competition manoeuvres

[Tony Forrest]

Hi, we are hosting a local clubs scale flying competition at our club site. Can anyone help to suggest which manoeuvres we could do? The models will be mixed types,- aerobatic, warbirds, civil, etc, but we need a schedule which will suit all types. Has anyone run a similar comp at their club?

We would be very grateful if you can point me in the right direction as to a flying schedule for the event.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Tony

[jrman]

How about using some from the BMFA Scale "C". The guidance notes give a good explanation of what is expected of each manoeuvre but of course the standard would/could be relaxed somewhat.

[cymaz]

Our club runs this schedule

Here

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

A good plan would be to use the Traplet Scale contest schedule. If I remember correctly that has 4 compulsory manoeuvres: Take Off, Descending Circle, Figure 8 and Landing.

The competitor then selects 6 more optional manoeuvres from a list of about 20. These are divided into two groups: the non-aerobatic group and the aerobatic group. Pilots can choose one group or the other, but they can not mix them. Also the non-aerobatic group is only selectable by pilots if the original aircraft was not cleared for aerobatics - so you can't enter with an Sbach and choose the non-aerobatic set of manoeuvres!

You get a max 10 points for each manoeuvre there are no "k factors" used. So scoring is very simple.

If you search on Traplet Scale Rules or Schedule I'm sure you will find full details. If not PM me and I'll dig out a set. Our club has run its annual scale comp to these rules for the last 5 years very successfully. This year 5 of the local clubs are even setting up an inter-club league based on this system. So it does work to give club flyers a sound basis for friendly competition without all the complexity.

[Danny Fenton]

Nice one BEB, can you give me a shout when your club are doing them, I wouldn't mind throwing my Chipmunk at one of those comps

Cheers

Danny

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Ours (Wirral Club) is on 6th July Danny, and is an Open event to which you would be very welcome.

Other dates in the calendar of the inter-club competition are;

Runcorn Club - 27th April (this Sunday!)

Liverpool Club (at Halsall) - 22nd of June

Skelmersdale Club (Steve Hargreaves' stamping ground!) - 27th July

Delyn Club - 7th September.

I am assuming that the others are open events as well - but I'm sure a visit to the club's website would reveal all!

Just one point - not specifically at you but in case any one else feels the urge - our club (and maybe some of the others I'm not sure) would require participating pilots to hold at least an A-cert. All clubs will require proof of insurance from visiting pilots I'm sure.

BEB

[Tony Forrest]

That was all very useful so my sincere thanks.

[cymaz]

Get in touch Tony I'll dig out some stuff for you as I'm only a couple of miles away

[Lee Smalley]

in club scale comps i never quite understand the reasoning behind set manoeuvres, its a club scale comp, take off fly (in a manner representing the model you are flying), land and get scored accordingly, if your flying a spit its barrel rolls, loops wingovers immelmans etc, if its an aerobatic model, then these will not do, if a person just flies straight and level with a model clearly capable of more then he should be marked down accordingly.

my own experience is that set manoeuvers tend to put people off, i would rather just let people fly and score them accordingly, if someone flies straight and level in a YAK 54 then they should score far lower than someone flying a pup who does a loop, its common sense to me and it is about trying to encourage people to have a go, set manoeuvers can wait till semi serious comps. JMO

[Andy Fox]

this has been a topic for discussion in our club too .... I always felt at a disadvantage when flying my lancaster against a scale aerobat ....

I needed to pick 4 manoeuvres to fly in addition to the required take-off, procedural turn, straight & level and landing.

Doesn't leave much to pick from does it!
I always argued aircraft should be flown in a scale manner - like you might see in a full size display. that might include lots of aerobatics from an Extra 300 or just stooging around from an Antonov an-2

[Lee Smalley]

thats exactly my point, people feel the need to put set manoeuvers in and there is no need, a beautifully flown display by a lanc is just as nice to watch as is a fully aerobatic display by an extra, club comps should be about getting people to have a go...get involved, just my opinion but when i was CD the scale comp was simple bring a scale model fly it and everyone scores, the average of all the scores wins, yes its not perfect but it was a good laugh!!

[Danny Fenton]

I think having a few set manouvres is a good leveller, the figure of eight, the straight and level pass, descending circle, take off and landing etc. The other thing many don't know is that you are only judged from the start of each the manouvre to the end, and what you do between setting yourself up for the next is not judged.

I would like to see the entire flight judged, but maybe that's asking too much

Cheers

Danny

[Tony Forrest]

Hi guys, seems I've started a debate! We had our club committee meeting last night and have decided to have two classes; one being aerobatic and the other non aerobatic. There are about four compulsory manoeuvres (including take-off and landing!), level figure eight, circuit and the like, but the competitors will decide which schedule to fly based on their model type. We are also going to judge the entire flight for scale accuracy, not just the manoeuvres.

Cymaz, we are the Truro club and the comp is the Area BMFA Scale. There are about four other local clubs taking part. So I think we are sorted. Thanks again all of you for your input. The irony is that I myself wont be taking part as I don't have any scale models! Guess I'll be on mower and tent duties!