MARK L pulls a double win....

[momo]

This was a great event again, as usual! The flying was amazing!! These are the best pilots out there!

Awesome job Mark!!!

It was impossible to tell who had won until we saw the results on our Iphone on the drive home! All pilots did a great job!! So many new young guys that did an amazing job! And the heartbreak of Gernot's first flight ... what a bummer! His second flight was awesome! All of the world class pilots put their best out there! I even enjoyed SEG's freestyle!!

And Matt Chapman's show was totally worth the $5 parking fee!! Freestyles or not!

See you all there next year!!

Monica

[boex]

Is it my computer or the aspect ratio of the videos is wrong?

[almmendes]

	Quote: Originally Posted by boex
	Is it my computer or the aspect ratio of the videos is wrong?

boex, where are those videos? I can't find them...

[boex]

almmendes, on page 4 and 5 on this thread Kiwi posted a couple videos

[almmendes]

	Quote: Originally Posted by boex
	almmendes, on page 4 and 5 on this thread Kiwi posted a couple videos

Got them. Thanks

[Flatlandman]

Yea its like they took video in letter box format and squeezed them in to a square type format.

[1bwana1]

	Quote: Originally Posted by nordqk
	Spencer, myself and the rest of the fam are finally coming down from the TAS "high". The contest was completely awesome (thanks Dave Johnson, Micheal Marcellin, et.al.) and we all had a great time meeting people and catching some fantastic flying. I can't believe how well this contest was run and what a great job Kiwi and SleepyC did at getting pictures and videos on-line. Spencer was in total shock (as was I!) all the way home at what Quique did, especially since Spencer had never met him before this contest. He is already talking about hitting the field and starting to practice for Intermediate next year....oh, and he wants to start practicing for freestyle (oh, my! I don't know if I can handle that!). Even though Spence was so glad to have made the TAS, one thing he definitely learned was, to win, you have to bring your "A" game! And maybe a better caller!

I have to say it was tough flying in that cross wind all week. Saturday was almost unreasonable. Still I had a great time. It was great to see everyone.

I never took so much abuse as I did for finishing just ahead of Spencer, and keeping him out of the final rounds on Saturday. The pits were full of people wearing "Team Spenser" hats and "T" shirts. I was treated like an evil villain the rest of the event, with my good friend Kiwi leading the attacks. I will get get you back somehow Kiwi! Seriously, I love Spencer and the whole Nordquist family, and enjoyed flying with them all year. I spent this morning at the Tucson Airport with QQ while waiting for our flights. I told him what a nice thing he had done giving his prize to Spenser. QQ is a real gentleman, and takes great joy in watching, and helping the young fliers. QQ did say my fly was looking pretty good, but that I lost the "Cute" contest by a long way. Since I'm 56, 6'5", and 250 lbs, I don't think I'll be able to bring up my "cute" score, so I will focus on my flying for next year. Spencer did take QQ's lesson in generosity to heart, and used his prize position to get his dad a 30% H9 Sukhoi to fly.

See you in Intermediate next year Spencer!

Your big, not so cute friend, Steve.

[SleepyC]

Hey guys the videos were shot in High Definition, and then compressed to make them smaller files.
Kiwi, once situated should be able to plop some of the bigger videos up. We made the decision to compress them to get them up as quickly as possible. We know how it is to be sitting at home waiting, so we did the best we could to bring you guys as much info as possible as soon as possible.

NOW.. I like the TAS being in Tucson.. The weather was GREAT Wed - Thurs - Fri, a storm blew in on Sat and we had PERFECT weather on Sunday. I mean picture perfect, couldn't pay for any better weather on Sunday.

Also, the drive to the field is a joy, the Giant Cactus forest rules.

Looking forward to next year!

(I'm also looking forward to leaving my FINAL airport stop before finally getting home... I miss my kids and my planes! After a whole week of watching other people fly, I may explode if I don't twirl the sticks on something!)

[50%plane]

	Quote: Originally Posted by SleepyC
	... I may explode if I don't twirl the sticks on something!

:homo:

[Mithrandir]

	Quote: Originally Posted by budgetdude
	My perception is this is a contest where your A-Game needs to inlude being able to deal with a number of austere flight conditions including: High PA, High Winds, Extreme Xwind, Sand/dirt, and killer competition. I dont think its for everyone.

I was thinking a venue that is more "Spectator Friendly"....

[Mike Bargman]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Mithrandir
	I was thinking a venue that is more "Spectator Friendly"....

You gotta remember something on that note...the competition is 95% Sequences and 5% freestyles...99% of the population doesn't wanna come out and watch airplanes fly straight lines...

[Mithrandir]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Mike Bargman
	You gotta remember something on that note...the competition is 95% Sequences and 5% freestyles...99% of the population doesn't wanna come out and watch airplanes fly straight lines...

True...
But 95% of the spectators watch that 5%.

The TOC was the same....
So it boils down to the goals of the organizers...
HAve an awesome IMAC'esque event to really challenge the best pilots in the country/world
(OK.. thats what it is now)

or... (I would suggest is more important in the long run to the hobby industry)...
Have an event that is more interesting and accessable and likely to inspire people to become new participants... (Maybe that is what the XFC is?)

I realize this is Dave Johnsons gig and of course he is free to do as he sees fit... no one can argue the success of his company.....

I just know that myself (and many of my friends) would rather go someplace with better weather and less dirt, less dust and less wind to spectate "Free Style" type flying....
I might even pay to see it!!!

Oh Yeah... congratlations to Mark!!!! He is definitely establishing himself as the "Hanno Prettner of Large Scale Aerobatics in the 21st century".

[Flatlandman]

Hey sleepy no complaints on the videos just speculating on the cause of the compression. Ill watch every one of them just send em in.

[Flatlandman]

Those wont play on my computer system sorry.

[50%plane]

Dude! I've never enjoyed watching Bill Hempel's freestyle routines, but this year, with the cub, it is totally awesome!