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RVs to dominate aerobatic contest!

ronschreck

Well Known Member
Five RV pilots will compete at the 2016 Snowbird Classic Aerobatic Contest at Dunnellon, Florida (X35) Friday, March 18 to Sunday, March 20 2016. Two will compete in the Primary category and three of us in Sportsman. This is the largest turnout of RVs ever at a regular IAC aerobatic contest. Several years ago there was a contest in Texas that devised an aerobatic program just for RVs but we have since proven that RVs can compete and win at regular sanctioned IAC events.

Competition flights at Donnellon will be held on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is a rain day. Come out and root for your fellow RV pilots and learn how you can become a part of this challenging and fun sport.
 
Might just try and hop up for a day or two to cheer you guys on. Camping is available for those who may want to watch the show more than one day.
Jesse, warm up the "head". :D
 
We look forward to having a bunch more RV's on the field. We can fit quite a few campers on our property and have a couple of cars available for hotel and/or restaurant runs. Probably won't have hangar space as the competing planes will be using up all our extra space.

We may fire up the grill like we did last year, although there will be a grill truck here for the competition, so that's still in the air.

Anybody who want to just watch, please feel free to come hang out at the ITEC hangar with us.
 
Practicing before the contest

Ron and I with six others were at Vidalia, GA this weekend practicing and being critiqued by judges that fly at the Advanced level. Here's a picture of the prettiest airplanes there. You won't believe what Ron can do with his RV-8. Ron's is on the left::D
 
Ron and I with six others were at Vidalia, GA this weekend practicing and being critiqued by judges that fly at the Advanced level. Here's a picture of the prettiest airplanes there. You won't believe what Ron can do with his RV-8. Ron's is on the left::D

A cupie doll for anyone that can name the airplane on the far right!
 
wiiiiild stab at it!

...the One Design?

EAA/IAC attempt at a homebuilt class, by, ummmm......Ritter?
 
Cap 20

The CAP 20's that I have seen do not have a spring gear. Oleo gear that mounts on the wing spar. Also the canopy and tail are different.
Years ago there were single and two seat airplanes built in Georgia or N Florida. Available in kit form but very few built. Acro something. That is what I think is the airplane in the picture. I have only ever seen the prototype single seater and one two place example.
 
DR 109, DR 107 or a Cap 231

If I have to pick one I would guess the DR 109 as the canopy is not quite right for a 107 or the CAP231.

Most Panzels have a longer cowl for a 540.
 
name the Plane

Aircraft Technologies Atlantis??
Single seater was the Acro I
Designed by Fred Meyer.
 
Join the Fun!

Dunnellon will be my first IAC contest. I want to say a very public thank you to Ron and all the IAC people that have helped me prepare. Frankly, getting ready to compete is quite intimidating. When I thought about aerobatic competitions, I thought about Patty Wagstaff, Sean Tucker and the like. What I've learned though is that the IAC is for those folks AND for ordinary folks like me.

I talked to a few people a few months ago and decided to enter my first contest. I spoke with Ron and some other IAC members. The support that I got was incredible. Please do not be put off by the administrative or equipment requirements of competing. You and your airplane can compete! Practically any aerobatic capable airplane and pilot can complete the primary maneuvers with a minimum of preparation. And, the IAC goes out of their way to make newcomers welcome. You get assigned a sponsor to walk you through at your first contest and, at most contest, a first timer's entry fee is waived.

I've enjoyed practicing for my first contest. I find that it has already greatly improved the precision with which I fly my airplane. It's not that I would wow any ground observer (aerobatic competition is not an airshow performance) but I can fly a much rounder loop!

So, if competing seems like something only other people do, I'd urge you to give it a second look. I'll obviously have a more informed opinion after my first contest but, so far, I'm very impressed by the IAC and the people I've met in the aerobatic completion world. Give it a try!
Randy
 
Myers 360

Myers 360

It is a design by Fred Myers. Two place side by side rated to +- 10 G's..


Was available in single and two place.
 
I'm planning to be at the airport Friday and Saturday for the competition. Any RV'sxwho are interested in flying in for either or both days are welcome. I may take the grill over again if enough people say they are coming. Otherwise we could make a lunch run (I have plenty of ground transport available).

We will also be showing off the latest RV-10 which will be ready for inspection by then (waiting for a DAR - Vic, you interested in coming :) ).

Please email me or post here if you are planning on coming.
 
I will plan on coming up mid-morning Saturday.
Any special procedures on flying in under the box?

Nope. Just don't overfly the field. Call 5-10 miles out and if someone is in the box they will let you know. Feel free to come up to the ITEC hangar.
 
Any special procedures on flying in under the box?

The box for Unlimited flights goes down to 328' AGL, so there is no flying in under the box. Never fly through the lateral boundaries of the box, and give it at least a 3/4 mile buffer. Do as Jesse suggests. You may be flying right traffic for one runway depending on the setup. They will advise on the CTAF. Wish Dunnellon wasn't a 4 hour flight in the Pitts for me. Hope everyone has a good time. Fly good, don't suck! :)
 
Oh, and read the NOTAM before flying in! Yep, good luck to the new competitors, but more important than the flying itself, have fun, enjoy the camaraderie, try to learn as much as you can from everyone. The competition is with yourself, not the other pilots.
 
FYI - here's the location of the box at X35. Landing traffic will be on the SE side of RWY 5/23.

x3s9ol.jpg
 
Saint Aviation - RV Home away from Home

My and a few other RVs found overnight accommodations at Jesse's place (Saint Aviation). This is my first Contest and I'm having a blast. The entire Marion County Airport Team is great and the Contest organizers are doing a fantastic job. If you are close, you really should fly-in just to see all the airplanes. And, the new RV-10 that Jesse is helping finish is really cool! Checking out that airplane coming together for inspection on Monday is an added treat.

This is a panorama of Jesse's hangar after everybody got put to bed tonight.

Saint%20Aviation%20Hangar%20Snowbird%20Classic_zpstkudhqks.jpg
 
They got 2 or 3 flights in before. Then it cleared out around 2:15 and they've been flying all afternoon.
 
RVs bring home the medals

Without giving names until have permission, the two RVs in Primary won first and 3rd place, and a RV won first place in Sportsman. We had GREAT fun in between the weather, and our first timer did very well with a carburetor. Jesse deserves a special thanks for putting us up in his hanger.
Any more RVs want to join the fun??????
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower Alabama:D
 
RVs RULE Snowbird!

I'm not going to be as coy as Bill!

Bill McLean WON the Sportsman Category competition at the Snowbird Classic. He did that in a RV-4, competing against a field of purpose-built aerobats, including an EXTRA (really two EXTRAS as it was being flown by two pilots). So, Bill went out and showed what an RV, flown by a well trained and well prepared pilot can do. There's just nothing like an inverted spin in a RV-4 to impress the judges! Congratulations Bill!

Here's a picture of Bill's ride on the line in Dunnellon.
IMG_0774_zpszxgtpfod.jpg


Ron Schreck flew some amazing sequences and Miss Izzy impressed anybody that visited the flight line. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to Ron for being my mentor before and during the contest. I doubt I would have entered a contest without Ron's help.

The two Primary category competitors, Curt Sullivant (RV-7) and Mark Wesson (RV-9) ruled the primary category. And, again, did so in a field of purpose-built aerobatic airplanes. I'm working on memory but I know that Curt won Primary overall and Mark was in the medals.

So, there you have it. RV's brought home FIRST PLACE in two of the three categories of competition at the Snowbird Classic! Congratulations again to Bill and Curt.

Snowbird was my first contest. It was an amazing experience. I was in pure learning mode practically every minute. I flew the Sportsman Known sequence three times (no Free), choosing to keep it simple. The weather, winds, and other factors made each flight unique. I was happy just to complete all three without getting kicked out of the contest! I also got great experience while assisting the judges and learned a lot about how a contest is conducted. It was, start to finish, a blast!

I'd want to encourage any of you reading this to give aerobatic competition a try. If you can fly the very basic aerobatic maneuvers in your RV, you can compete, AND be competitive. More importantly, though, you'll you meet some amazing people, learn a lot about how to fly aerobatics, and just generally have a great time. Don't let the appearance of complexity discourage you from giving it a go. Just take the first step. Once you sign up as a first timer, you'll get more help and assistance than you can imagine. Join the IAC, register for a contest, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. I'll be happy to give you the benefit of my experience and can help you get in touch with others, far more experienced and knowledgeable, that can fill in where I'd fall short.

Take your RV flying to the next level! Help us break the RV contest record set at Snowbird. We need at least SIX at the next contest! Don't let aircraft or equipment factors hold you back. I showed up without a parachute and with a carbureted engine. No problem. I borrowed a parachute (thanks Bill) and was the only contestant competing simultaneously in both the powered and glider categories! Seriously, you DO NOT need to do anything special to your airplane to give an IAC contest a try.

Hope to see you at the next contest!
Randy
 
RVs and old guys rule

Well said Randy,

This was my second contest and again I had a great time. I didn?t get back into aerobatic flying until about a year ago and prior to that hadn?t flown aerobatics in over 25 years. The RV is a great aerobatic platform and very forgiving of my mistakes.

Congratulation to Bill McLean (WillyEyeBall) winning the Sportsman Division in his RV-4. Bill showed that age of the airplane and age of the pilot has nothing to do with how your maneuvers look like from the ground. He flew 3 almost perfect flights against Decathlons, Pitts or Extras and against other competitors at very high skill levels.

Congratulations too to Randy who fortunately for Mark and I skipped Primary and flew his first IAC contest in Sportsman. Thank you?. Randy hasn?t been flying his RV-4 that long but flew his sequence like he had been doing it for years sometimes above or around the clouds which made it even more of a challenge. I?m pretty sure he also got a few well deserved ?pity points? because of the carburetor engine.

Ron Schreck was also my mentor at my first contest and his encouragement on the ground and coaching while I was flying was huge. Ron is flying maneuvers in his RV-8 that few others in dedicated aerobatic airplanes will try just to show anyone that is watching what an RV in the hands of a skilled pilot can do.

Like Randy, Ron and others on this forum, I encourage anyone that wants to break out of the $100 hamburger routine and raise your level of flying to a new height to come out and give it a try.


1. Join IAC,
2. Find someone in your area to take you for a ride and do a few rolls, loops and competition turns, or better yet if you haven?t done those maneuvers get an hour of aerobatic instruction and learn how to do these basic maneuvers and how to recover an airplane when things don?t go exactly as planned.
3. Buy a good new or used parachute.
4. Practice. This will build your confidence and experience plus is a great excuse to go flying today.
5. Find a local Chapter that has an open box day with observers on the ground or a contest and sign up. The practice days prior to the event are probably more important than the actual competition. Experienced aerobatic pilots and judges monitoring the box will give you some of the most valuable instruction possible on the radio as they watch you do the maneuvers. Repeat the maneuver and learn what that maneuver is supposed to look and feel like from the cockpit.

IAC members and the other RV pilots at the events have been great. While it might be a competition everyone is very supportive and encouraging. When you?re done building and want to improve ALL of your flying skills come join the fun.
 
Parachute

I want to emphasize a point about parachutes. Please do not let the cost of a parachute be a bar to entry for you. I don't own a parachute and just completed my first contest. I borrowed one and you can too. It's a good idea to try a couple of different types first anyway. I initially wanted a backpack chute but found that wasn't the best choice in my RV-4. Thanks again to Bill McLean for loaning me his chute for my contest flights!

You may want to wear one but you don't need a parachute for practice.

If you try competiton and like it, then you can buy a parachute. A good used parachute can be had for around $1000. I have a new chute on order.

Randy
 
Maybe I am missing something here. Are you recommending not wearing a parachute while flying acro unless it is during a contest?

Paul
 
Maybe I am missing something here. Are you recommending not wearing a parachute while flying acro unless it is during a contest?

Paul

Paul,

It appears that you are intentionally reading something into the previous post just to be argumentative. What Randy said seems clear to me.

"You may want to wear one but you don't need a parachute for practice."

But I'll restate it in other words to make it crystal clear: Parachutes must be worn during IAC competition. A solo pilot is not required to wear a parachute at other times. If a passenger is aboard both pilot and passenger(s) are required by FAA regulations to wear a parachute during aerobatic flight.

Myself, I do wear a chute during practice aerobatic sessions although it is not a FAA requirement.

If this is not now clear to you please feel free to send me a PM.
 
I'll try to clarify the chute/practice issue -

When you show up to a contest on practice day, you must get a tech inspection before you are allowed to fly in the box for practice. Tech inspection includes checking for a current chute pack. Since the waivered contest box is explicitly for the purposes of the IAC contest, IAC rules apply. This means wearing a chute, even if flying in the box solo on practice day. If you'd like to find a legal area outside the contest box to go off and practice solo, then IAC rules do not apply, only the FARs, which do not require a chute for solo acro.

I'd also add that if you have contest interests, it is worth getting used to flying with a chute, since (depending on your setup) there can be a significant difference in seating position/feel when flying with a chute vs. without. If you're accustomed to the ergonomics of not wearing a chute, and have developed finely tuned precision acro muscle memory, putting a chute on just for flights in the contest box may possibly disrupt that a bit. Or others may not find it a big deal. Something to consider.
 
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Nicely done...

I'm not going to be as coy as Bill!

Bill McLean WON the Sportsman Category competition at the Snowbird Classic. He did that in a RV-4, competing against a field of purpose-built aerobats, including an EXTRA (really two EXTRAS as it was being flown by two pilots). So, Bill went out and showed what an RV, flown by a well trained and well prepared pilot can do. There's just nothing like an inverted spin in a RV-4 to impress the judges! Congratulations Bill!

Here's a picture of Bill's ride on the line in Dunnellon.
IMG_0774_zpszxgtpfod.jpg

Sierra Hotel my brudda!

V/R
Smokey
 
Congrats to all the RV boys.
Sorry I missed it but camping was out of the question with the weather front coming through.

Maybe next time.
 
A team effort

Thanks for the congratulations, but many have helped to develop the competitive edge. Two weeks before the Snowbird contest, Ron and others gathered in Vidalia, GA on a weekend for an aerobatic workshop with coaching from Eric Sandifer (Advanced 1st place in the Northeast 2015) and Tony Zorn (Advanced). This is where you refine the maneuvers and improve your scores. Eric also helped me design my free style and signed off on it as a judge. At a contest, it really doesn't matter what you fly. It just a big happy family whether it's a MX, Extra, Edge, Pitts, Decathlon, YAK, or our nimble little RVs. It is also very addictive too. Hope to see more RVs at other contests.
Bill McLean
RV-4 Slider
lower AL:D
 
Take your RV flying to the next level! Help us break the RV contest record set at Snowbird. We need at least SIX at the next contest! Don't let aircraft or equipment factors hold you back. I showed up without a parachute and with a carbureted engine. No problem. I borrowed a parachute (thanks Bill) and was the only contestant competing simultaneously in both the powered and glider categories! Seriously, you DO NOT need to do anything special to your airplane to give an IAC contest a try.

Hope to see you at the next contest!
Randy

You don't have to wait that long.... Sebring is coming up May 5-7

I have a spare back parachute people can use if they give me some notice to bring it. And someone can borrow my seat pack when I am not using it (If I can compete by then... *I* have been 'down for MX).

I still showed up to assistant judge. Like someone said it is more fun that a 100 dollar hamburger.
 
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