2007 IMAC NATS Wrap Up!

[Mike Bargman]

The 2007 Scale Aerobatic NATS are in the books. I don't think we possibly could've had a better time. Everyone flew the hell out of their airplanes and we had a ball!

Saturday night we had a banquet to announce all the finalists for Sunday's flying and the unknowns were handed out after the finalists were called out. The event staff wanted us to have wheels up at 7AM! Holy cow...I don't think I was awake when it came time to fly, but it was great nonetheless. Really shows what ambition and drive all the pilots have to do well. We were all on time and were in the air on time.

Unfortunately we had a couple of mishaps during the unknown on Sunday morning. Dan Powell (Dangerous Dan) had some kind of radio failure and his Dalton 260 went in. Within minutes, Stacey Lloyd lost his Carden 260 from loss of orientation. Sorry for your losses, guys. Hate to see it.

I do want to mention what an absolutely fantastic group of guys flies with us in the IMAC circuit. I was 6th out of 7 to fly our unknown sequence and got to the line, started the 2:00 min clock, and started flipping my prop.....and flipping.....and flipping.....and flipping...

Mike Barbee came running up from the pits to help me flip and had suggestions being thrown at me left and right to get it started. In the meantime, Jim Fowler had his transmitter in hand basically telling me to fly HIS airplane in the round so I didn't have to take a zero, but by the time we had anything together, time was up and I had to zero the round and seal a last place slot in the finals. I think every single pilot in the finals in my class individually came up to me after I finished sulking and apologized for my misfortune and offered their sympathy. That meant a lot. Not much more can be said about the IMAC group except they're the best. Guys who you've never met before are trying to help you take a step further in the contests without even batting an eye. Really cool.

Freestyles were bad ass. Everyone flew incredibly well. Unbelievably nice considering everyone must have been burned out from hearing the sequences called over their shoulder all weekend long.

Congratulations to all those who won and all those who participated. Thank you to Phil Vance, Bob Hamilton and the rest of the staff. Everyone put on a hell of an event and from myself, the North Central Region and the rest of the IMAC community, THANK YOU!

[falconpilot]

Hey Mike,

Sorry again about you not getting your engine running for the finals man!!!That sucked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wished it had been different. It was great to meet you and all the other guys. Look forward to flying with you'll again! All you guys in Intermediate fly tight as H#LL!!!! It was a very tough class! Congrat's to everyone....Jim

[Boulder]

Great write up Mikey,

It sounds like you guys had a great time, I passed up the chance to come up and spend the week, I wish I would have made the trip.

[exeter_acres]

Mikey Rocks.... great write ups....
What a week... it was my first Nats... and man...it is the Big Time! People step it up something fierce! But like Mikey said,,, I have NEVER been around a nicer (well except for all the practical joke hell I lived through this weeK) group of people in my life!

On to Tucson,..and Nats 2008!

[3D-Seth]

Nice write up Mike! I had a blast, and even though we did lose 3 planes, everyone still had a great time.

Seth

[Ryans Rebel]

Nice wrap up Mike. Without out a doubt one of the best SA NATS ever. Everyone did a great job in running the event. Competition in all classes was as tight as I've seen. Congrats to all of those in attendance.

Ryan

[DKnippen]

Mikey ,
What everyone said. Hope you guys get some rest....Mike see you at the Thursday field meeting . Hats off too all those involved in running the Imac Nats as well.

[Windecker]

Thanks for the write up Mike! Yes thanks to the event directors, judges, scribes, AMA and anyone else I forgot to mention.
Great job, thanks very much.
Great effort Mike, sorry about your lifeless engine Sunday AM. It was a blast Friday night outside of Larry's camper, just be sure to stay away from that bio hazard van that was in the parking lot (Happy 40th Curtis).
Will B.

[FlyguyXII]

sorry to hear about the loses. great write ups mike. hopefully next year i will be able to compete with you all in the nats see ya at the next meet

[IFLY]

Congrat's Ryan,

Making us Southern Boys Proud.

I FLY
WARPS R/C

[sTACYLLOYD]

I had a great time hanging out with you guys. Im still greving over my loss hopefully Ill be back in the air soon.

[Wayne]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sTACYLLOYD
	IIll be back in the air soon.

Pretty cool thing that happened Sunday morning.