Competing in IMAC next season. Please help me, what do I need to know, have do?

[niccolo98]

Hey guys,
finally decided to start competing. So, what do I need to bring to contests, what do I need to know? Please just tell me everything I need to know. I have read a few threads about the sequences etc. , but thought if somebody could concretly tell me what I need to bring to competitions/how my plane should be set up etc., I would get it alot quicker.
Thanks in advance.
Nick

[prizzy]

Hey man, I just flew my first year of IMAC. I will PM you with my number, call me and I will try to help you as much as I can... You will love it!

[niccolo98]

Ok, thank you. PM recieved, and replied.
nick

[Judge]

The very first thing a new competitor, and any and all competitors for that matter, needs to know are the judging criteria that will be used to evaluate your flying. Go to the IMAC website, download the rules and learn them well. If you don't know what the judges are looking for there is no way to present it to them.

[notorious_benny]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Judge
	The very first thing a new competitor, and any and all competitors for that matter, needs to know are the judging criteria that will be used to evaluate your flying. Go to the IMAC website, download the rules and learn them well. If you don't know what the judges are looking for there is no way to present it to them.

I agree, if you dont know what the judges want to see you wont be able to show it to them.

Another thing, make sure you learn how to read aresti. So many people seem to be scared of aresti and want a written description to fly to.

Being able to read aresti from the beginning will be a huge help to you as you progress, so start learning from the beginning and dont fall into the habit of relying on a writen description.

[niccolo98]

thanks guys

[The Dirt Doctor]

North East
Regional Director
Joe Bobeck
140 Knorr Rd
Drums, PA 18222
973-418-4861
imacne@mini-iac.com

Contact your NE Regional Director (Joe Bobeck) and ask him any questions that your may have. If you join IMAC now, you may be elgible to win a fully loaded H9 Ultimate. Also, ask him to send you a copy of the flying and Judging Guide (for an additional $10.00) that you will find is a very useful addition to the rules and regulattions.

Email me at bobbyleejr@bellsouth.net if you can't get in touch with Joe.

Welcome aboard,

Bobby
IMAC Sec

[NCFR "Lucky"]

Everyone has mentioned the Judging Guide - Another GREAT resource is to get to one of the Judging seminars that all of the regions hold in the winter/spring. You will learn A LOT more at the Seminar than just reading the guide. Also - if you can find some people near you who fly IMAC, go practice with them - even if they are a little ways away. Lastly - learn how to fly striaght lines. That sounds easy and almost a no brainer, but go out and try to fly from one end of the field to the other - maintain the same altitute, same distance out, wings level, etc. It is harder than it sounds.

[excelpoint]

All 100% correct info on the above posts. One other very important thing to remember to bring to IMAC events is your sense of humour. If your not having fun then you should stop.

[gene6029]

One thing that I would suggest is an Easy Up or First up sun shade. Its nice to sit down in the shade before and after a sequence to collect your thoughts etc. Also if it happens to rain you can pull your plane under it quickly. I carry a spare prop also, just in case. Just about everything else can be bought or borrowed if you need it. Like it has been suggested a judgeing seminar is a great jump start if you can see fit to attend one. Allmost everyone will bend over backward to help you if they can. Basically whatever you take to the field to practice with should get you by for your first contest.....Gene

[sweetpea]

You know what you really need to bring?

A friend! This sport is so much more fun with your friends!

Get out and fly also. Nothing beats practice

[1bwana1]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpea
	You know what you really need to bring? A friend! This sport is so much more fun with your friends! Get out and fly also. Nothing beats practice

Actually, friends are one of the things that IMAC provides. I have never been made to feel so welcome by a group of guys as I have been by the IMAC people. I have made a lot of new friends as well. A great experience all around, you're going to really enjoy it.

[sherman89]

I just did my first IMAC, observation#1- have a backup plane to the one you fly, I had a motor stop in the middle of round 2, the motor box was coming apart, the damage was too severe for an overnight fix, end of the event. Observation#2- fly very long horizontal lines, in my first round I flew my sequence inside most people's loops, I went second so I did not get a chance to see other flights to see what the judges are looking for. Practise straight long lines both horizontal and vertical correcting for wind drift (you must have excellent rudder control, practise any thing that will give you excellent rudder skills, KE is one) remember, wind correction is done with rudder control (are you getting the picture on rudder control). Observation#3- do not crowd the judges, keep your sequence well away from them, they call it ASC (air space control) Observation#4- be very smooth in the manuver change overs, jerky manuvers costs points bigtime. Obervation#5 find a good Spotter that knows how to present to the judges and will keep you calm, not rushed. Observation#6 listen to your Spotter, do not fly from memory, it will cost you points. Observation#6- try to have fun, get the first one behind you!

[dmichael]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sherman89
	I just did my first IMAC, observation#1- have a backup plane to the one you fly, I had a motor stop in the middle of round 2, the motor box was coming apart, the damage was too severe for an overnight fix, end of the event. Observation#2- fly very long horizontal lines, in my first round I flew my sequence inside most people's loops, I went second so I did not get a chance to see other flights to see what the judges are looking for. Practise straight long lines both horizontal and vertical correcting for wind drift (you must have excellent rudder control, practise any thing that will give you excellent rudder skills, KE is one) remember, wind correction is done with rudder control (are you getting the picture on rudder control). Observation#3- do not crowd the judges, keep your sequence well away from them, they call it ASC (air space control) Observation#4- be very smooth in the manuver change overs, jerky manuvers costs points bigtime. Obervation#5 find a good Spotter that knows how to present to the judges and will keep you calm, not rushed. Observation#6 listen to your Spotter, do not fly from memory, it will cost you points. Observation#6- try to have fun, get the first one behind you!

Sherm- good points except I'll differ with you on #2. No need to make long horizontal lines, in fact, it's just giving the judges more opportunity to give you downgrades and can hurt your ASC score.

[3D-Seth]

1 point deduction for every 10 degrees you are off. Ex: You have a half reverse cuban. You pull to a 45 deg upline, and are a hair shallow (5 deg or so) then you do your half roll, and overrotate an 1/8 of a roll, you already have a 4 on that figure (out of 10)(1/8 of a roll is 45 deg wing bank [4.5 point deduction], and the 5 deg off of line 45 [0.5 point deduction]), and you havent done the looping segment of your cuban yet. Precision is everything!

Like Sherman 89 said - RUDDER, RUDDER, and more RUDDER!!! I can't emphasize this enough!!! Leanr to wind correct for crosswinds, down the runway winds, 45 deg to runway winds ect.

First Day, you fly your known sequence. Twice per flight, and depending on how many people there are, 2 - 5 flights a day.

Second Day, Unknown first (it is a sequence handed out after all of the flying is done for that day to sportsman and up - basic doesnt have an unknown-they fly their known [twice in the unknown flight] when everyone else is flying unknowns). First flight of Sunday will be the first time you fly the unknown - ever! Fly a one sequence flight for the unknown flight (after you fly an unknown it is known then) then you will have 1-3 known rounds after that (two sequence flights), then the freestyle which is voluntary.

This is just a little bit of everything needed to know - so much more that will be learned, and needed. Next year will be my 3rd year of IMAC (I am moving up to Advanced this year), and I am still learning stuff!

Main thing - have fun! Its a HOBBY. Yes its a contest, but laugh, and have fun with all of the new friends you will meet.

Feel free to shoot me a pm with any questions you may have!

Seth