IMAC Freestyle or not " POLL"

[mike chandley]

Opinions,
Here is mine.
I got interested in flying Imac because of the freestyle. Many years ago I watched the Imac and was not that enthused, then I watched the freestyle and saw the light. To be good at freestyle for most, will require good Imac training.
I agree with the Sat night freestyle, I think that would help greatly.
If it wasn't for freestyle I probably would not have pursued Imac.
I hear complaints about not safe and not well put together, its hard to put together and practice a freestyle routine just to find out when you get there, there is no time for freestyle.
3-D is here to stay.
If you don't think so you haven't been to a 3-D event.
We need to get new people interested in Imac, I do not think doing away with freestyle will help in any way.
Sorry just my .02 cent.

[Downhumpty]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpea
	My next problems..... Freestyle requires a plane. Most people only have one plane. Now you have an event that may push someone and they crash. No big deal except they don't get to finish the IMAC and the IMAC contest can suffer with less competition and maybe that person decides to just go home now that they can't fly......that means more work for judges/scribes finding.

I personally like the Sunday free program. It allows the pilots to unwind from a weekend of stressful competition. I do not agree with the Saturday evening event only because of the one plane that most pilots can only afford and we know anything can happen during a free program. I have been holding my son back on the freestyle because of the danger of loosing the primary plane. We are working on getting him set up with a IMAC Plane and a IMAC Freestyle Plane. Sounds selfish but when this day comes I will be all for the Saturday Free Program.

[BR289]

I get what you guys are saying about having only one plane and therefore Saturday night is risky if you want to freestyle but thats the chance you take if you do it. Its simply a matter of whether or not you want to participate in the freestyle or not. If you dont want to risk your plane, then obviously, you wont do it.
I am thinking the main point here is whether or not to do the optional freestyle portion on Saturday as oppossed to Sunday when people want to get home....

[LUCKY]

I would have to say to keep the free style, the free style is what got me really hooked!! I would not attend an Imac with out a free style, even if I was flying or not!! But, I know its a lot of work and all the CDs do a good job, its a rat race, It helps hold the public eye's, after one round they get bored! Just my 2 cents.

[RED]

I was just complaining that they should allow flying sat evening.
People complain that so so 3D is not much fun to watch, but lets face it, poor flying of any kind is not much fun to watch, but if you want to see people improve over time, having 3D Sat evening with separate, even just for fun judging would lighten things up and I would bet, get more young flyers into IMAC.
Just my 2 cents...

[sweetpea]

So do you hold the unknowns until after the freestyle..........

It would be possible to practice bits and pieces of the unknown in the freestyle.

[GoldenEagle]

I first listened to what the various opinions were before jumping in to see if there was a real slant one way or the other. Wouldn't affect my own view but as an IMAC CD I feel obligated to listen to what folks want in their contest. Notice I said "their" not "my" contest. I guess as usual - different strokes. Big attendance makes time critical but a smooth contest with cooperative pilots usually seem to end at a reason hour on Sundays.

In our area, IMAC was non-existant a few years ago. You saw nothing but 3D anywhere you had giant scale aerobats. A lot of the guys who are into IMAC here now came from 3D first and if they don't try the Freestyle themselves, they really seem to enjoy it as part of the contest. Yeah, we get the typical 4 to 5 guys putting on the show but the rest of the pilots haven't complained - at least to my face. I agree with Mike on several points - Freestyle is a draw to previously non-competitors, most pilots like to watch and cheer on their buds, and its a chance to unwind after the more serious precision flying.

We jump right into the Freestyle after the last round on Sunday while scores are being wrapped up and others are packing. I doubt we've delayed anyone from leaving more than an hour at worst. Saturday is usually the toughest and longest day and most would rather study their unknown, socialize, clean up and eat at the end.

As for the safety aspect, give the pilots a deadline (or "zero" line) and enforce it. Cross it, get too close, and you're done. The CD should stand behind the pilot with a whistle or airhorn - the same you call time with - and blow it if you see the guy getting out of hand. Horn blows - its over - no questions.

We can make Freestyle work and I believe it has already become an important segement of our sport. Like most stuff worthwhile - it just takes a little extra effort.

Chris

[JimC-MD]

Although I have never competed in an freestyle event, I always enjoy watching it. Some are better than others. I do not think there is any great answer on which day as both sides have valid points IMO.

I really like precision flying. I really like seeing a talented pilot push it.

One thing that seems to constantly come up is the comments about IMAC as a spectator sport. I hear words like "boring". Here is my question and if it does not fit in this thread, I will come back and delete this portion of the post. Willingly. I am not trying to hijack or start a flame.

I do not generally hear people say that fullscale aerobatics are boring to watch. However, people that like watching full scale are bored by the little cousin? I honestly ask. Why is that? We hear people say that they like to watch the freestyle or that is what hooked them. Why is that? Is it the tempo of the flight? Intensity?

I know these contests are a job to manage. I went to one last year. I did not judge. I did help cook dinner though I did not feel qualified to judge. Before someone says to go to a judging school, I will as soon as there is one within three hours of me. Still looking.

Fly the freestyle if the pilots want to. It was fun to watch the three that did at the CAPI.

[40%plane]

I personally got into IMAC because of the freestyle...I have attended most of the IMACs in Florida for the past 3 years. Not wanting to speak for the CDs at those contests but I always hear that the contests are being advertised to the public...if you cut out the freestyle then what are you going to advertise to the public, come watch 60 planes do the same routines twice on saturday and a new routine on sunday. Face it not many would show up for that. Since I brought that up I must also mention that you all should really think about who the freestyle is for...is it for the public, the pilots at the contest, or the pilot actually performing it. Much like the rest of contest the freestyle takes time and effort to run weather its 3 guys or 10 guys flying.

I do not think getting rid of the freestyle or changin the day it is held makes any difference. More important is finding somebody who can make it run as smoothly as the IMAC portion is more important.

Just my .02 cents

[Rolling Thunder]

I don't see one plane being a problem. If you are going to crash, does it really matter if it was Sat evening or Sunday?

For us it is a matter of time. Our contests are winter and spring so we deal with shorter days. We moved our contest from Mid Feb to the end of March so we can fly later. We can fly until 6pm now with good light. Our smallest turnout over the last 3 years has been 57 pilots so we are pushing daylight.

That being said, I don't ever remember anyone asking to fly Free. We have let guys to informal "demo" flights to show off a little.

[Radioactive]

Not to Worry Fellas. there's alot of good discussion going on here.. good stuff, and ideas... However freestyle isn't going anywhere , it's still here, and will be here for along time

[bubbagates]

I'm going to be the different one here. I got into IMAC for the precision side of things. I am no where near even a good 3D/Freestyle pilot and in all honesty do not want to be though I do play a bit with 3D occasionally.

I personally like the idea of a Saturday night Freestyle event. I know it's different. but take a look at what goes on after the rounds are finished and the field is open for open flying but the unknowns are held until all flying is done. You see loads of people going out and doing 3D/Freestyle stuff. The main difference is they are relaxing and I understand that but it could be a better choice to have it then, then open the field for open flying afterwards.

My other thought was if someone had only one plane and they crashed, they then give up the IMAC portion of Sunday and that is very true. Well the flip side of that is at every IMAC contest I have been to where there was open flying Saturday night and someone had one plane and crashed, they were offered so many other planes to fly the Sunday IMAC it really did not matter. I know that's not something to count on but you gotta admit we are a pretty good group of people and usually go out of our way to help someone. An example would be I personally witnessed this at the 07 Butcherfest when whaturi planted his plane in a tree. By the time he got back to the pits, he was offered no less than 7 planes to fly the next day. At first he did not take the offers, but after much prodding he finally caved in and ended taking second place on a plane he had never flown before. Come to think of it, that plane was passed around like a two dollar hooker all day sunday

All the CD's have a great point as well. We as IMAC pilots love what we do. I feel it is up to us to make it as good as possible, that being said there is nothing wrong with helping out and judging. Try it once, even if you are a great pilot, you will most likely learn something you did not know.

As far as the white board goes, that's a cool idea.

As much as I like watching a good freestyle event, for me, every contest is roughly 3 or more hours away, some as much as 10 hours so in most cases I do not stick around for the freestyles on Sunday