IT'S SHOWTIME!: TALKING RC WITH 5 EXPERT PILOTS

Model Airplane News, Nov 2004 by Yarrish, Gerry

Q: How do you form a flight routine?

A: I try to make it specific to the model type. I like to use unusual maneuvers. With our Super Cub, we did a side slip as a maneuver because no one else was doing it, and it looks really cool! Showy moves-ones you can do well and consistently with that airplane-are good for your score. One year, when we were flying the Tiger Moth, we included a snap roll. It impressed everyone, and it was easy to do. It was well within the model's capability.

Q: What's your mindset?

A: At any event, I try to ignore that the judges are watching. When you go to the pilots' station, it can feel as if you're studying with someone looking over your shoulder. You can get nervous. The solution is to be totally focused on making the model do exactly what you want it to do. Concentrate on the perfection of the maneuvers, regardless of the weather conditions. Ignore the pressure, start the engine, and the rest of the world becomes distant.

AEROBATIC HELICOPTER

Name: Len Sabato

From: Pesotum, IL

Occupation: owner, Helis Plus Inc.; manager, Horizon Hobby's JR HeIi division

Years in RC: 35

Q: What are you most proud of? '

A: Representing the USA by making it onto the USA F3C World Championships Team for Japan 2003.

Q: What, in your opinion, would be the perfect helicopter?

A: My idea of the perfect heli would be one that is easy to assemble and requires extremely low maintenance. It would likely be an electric-powered CCPM model in the 90-size class.

Q: How much practice time do you devote to the hobby?

A: For F3C practice, I generally fly 50 to 60 gallons of fuel per year (more than 350 flights) during the months of May through October.

Q: What do you think is the most important aspect of setting up a model?

A: With helis, the most important thing about setup is to get your engine/muffler/fuel package working as smoothly and consistently as you can and then building your model setup around that. Many engine/muffler combinations work best at a specific rpm. You need to determine at which rpm your engine runs best, and then adjust the cyclic rate, expo setting, etc., until you fine-tune the model to achieve the control feel you want. At the contest level, it's important to get your engine package and radio programming as perfect as you can.

Q: How about radio setup?

A: Because all of the models I fly are of the CCPM variety, I generally begin the setup for a new model by using an established program from a previous model. This helps to give me a good starting base for expo, special program mixes, etc. I then fine-tune the model until it is properly trimmed. If I learn something new in the programming and trimming of the new model, I note the changes that I made to the new program and then apply these changes to my other models to see how they perform.

Q: How do you form a flight routine?

A: For FAI, we fly to a set routine that's comprised of two flight schedules (A and B). When I am practicing these routines, I first learn the order of maneuvers using a flight simulator. I then practice each of the schedules from start to finish. I determine which maneuvers I am having difficulty with, and I practice only those maneuvers, working on my execution and sometimes the model setup until I improve. I then fly the schedules from start to finish until I am satisfied with all maneuvers.