Beginner IMAC training drills

[JimC-MD]

I was wondering if any IMAC pilots had any drills they would recommend for someone interested in competition. Let's assume the person is interested in flying in basic class or is an early sportsman pilot. Aside from trying to practice the sequence from both entry directions, what would you have someone work on? Any drills or flight profiles to hone skills that cost a newbie points during the flight? How about drills targeted at helping refine specific manuevers that someone is having trouble with? How do you morph a pilot from sport flying to precision?

[TheTank]

Work on drawing your lines and making symetrical radiai on your figures. Alot of guys will ofter take a piece of clear lexan, and draw a 90 degree T on it with semi-grid lines. They will have their caller just the symetry of the radiai of the figures they perform. For example, on a split S or looping figure, making sure the top 90 has the same radius as the bottom 90. Another learning curve is utilization of the box. Positioning your manuevers and NOT Rushing. This is one of the mistakes I see most often (and I was guilty of as well). Take your time, position your rolling elements correctly, and dont burn through the sequence.

[Shawn Berkheimer]

I would suggest that you go out and fly reverse 1/2 cuban 8s. What you want to practice is flying out about 200-300 feet in front of you, wengs level and paralell to the runway pull up to a 45 degree upline a couple hundred feet past center. lock the 45 count to 3 and then half roll. lock the 45 once again for a 3 count and then do the 5/8 loop. Do this both directions over and over again for 2 flights. Have someone standing behind you to tell you what and when you are doing wrong.

Shawn

[SofaKing]

Read This Page...

http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/AwesomePilot.htm

[Wayne]

To quote Pete Goldsmith.
"Learn to fly with your wings Level"

If you know what level wings looks like, geometry of figures becomes much easier.
Take your stick plane, hold it level but have the wings banked 2 or 3 degrees. Pull exactly 90 degrees up and see what the start of that next line looks like. Its messed up. Now not only are you trying to draw a straight line but now you are having to correct for the wings not being square.. Makes for a lot of extra work.

Most of us fly with the wing thats pointing at them slightly low. L wing down flying right to left. R wing down flying left to right.

Pete judged at last years JR Challenge and gave us a clinic one afternoon on Level flying. You could see the light bulbs going off in everyone's head.
He also said that after watching all of us throughout the week, only one or two people were consistently flying level. (Not me)

[Shawn Berkheimer]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Edge540T_Flyer
	Read This Page... http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/AwesomePilot.htm

There is some good info there I just didn't see where most of it applies to someone just getting started in IMAC. I tend to take a new guy to " Boot Camp " and start flying very basic turn around manuvers. remember that everything begins and ends in a strait line so if you bypass burning that into reflex memory you will struggle the whole time. i see countless newbies 2 mistakes deep at the start of a manuver. The excesise i described above will teach the pilot to fly strait lines both right side up and inverted, center rolling aspects on a line and throttle management. Very good things to learn before one gets into the sequence.

Shawn

[ncsanik]

get some one who has been doing imac for years and have them watch and tell you everything you did wrong. it may make you feel bad, but listen and improve. it worked for me. also use the rudder, its the diffrence between the good pilots and the averge pilots. fly in wind, particurly crosswinds, you have to fly in it at the contest.

brian

[excelpoint]

i like to get guys just pactising straight lines first from one end of the box to the other with an easy turnaround manouver on each end like an Immelman and split "S". Then once they are confident with lines I like to break down the sequence into 2 groups of 3 manouvers and one of 4. I find just blasting through the whole sequence while good for the memory teaches more bad habits then good.

[wmat7039]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Wayne
	To quote Pete Goldsmith. "Learn to fly with your wings Level" If you know what level wings looks like, geometry of figures becomes much easier. Take your stick plane, hold it level but have the wings banked 2 or 3 degrees. Pull exactly 90 degrees up and see what the start of that next line looks like. Its messed up. Now not only are you trying to draw a straight line but now you are having to correct for the wings not being square.. Makes for a lot of extra work. Most of us fly with the wing thats pointing at them slightly low. L wing down flying right to left. R wing down flying left to right. Pete judged at last years JR Challenge and gave us a clinic one afternoon on Level flying. You could see the light bulbs going off in everyone's head. He also said that after watching all of us throughout the week, only one or two people were consistently flying level. (Not me)

Wayne makes a VERY good starting point here. At that clinic, I also learned a lot from listening to the "Sensei". As mentioned in a previous post, it is important to link up with an experienced pilot who can be of tremendous help & motivation. It is useless to try to perfect a mistake since it will come back to "bite" you.

Developing your peripheral vision where you can zoom into your plane & also zoom back out to get a wide view of where you are will definitely help in your positioning of maneuvers.

Keep in mind what a previous person mentioned regarding a "count" on 45° up & 90° vertical lines. One VERY important thing to remember is that gravity is going to affect the speed of your aircraft so it WILL slow down going up. Any counting method you may develop should have a longer period after the center maneuver to get both lines to be of equal length.

Recognizing lines/angles/radii is going to be a part of your learning regimen, but flying straight & level with the proper wind correction should be your first order of business.

Wayne
(the "other" Wayne)

[JimC-MD]

Thanks for the feedback so far. It all sounds like good advice.

	Quote: Originally Posted by excelpoint
	i like to get guys just pactising straight lines first from one end of the box to the other with an easy turnaround manouver on each end like an Immelman and split "S". Then once they are confident with lines I like to break down the sequence into 2 groups of 3 manouvers and one of 4. I find just blasting through the whole sequence while good for the memory teaches more bad habits then good.

Excel, one thing I have picked up on is the need for an awsome 0/8 Do you have a suggestion for the simple turn around figure or do you think it is a good idea to mix it up? Another question would be about the break up of the sequence. Do you think doing groups of figures is better than flying the first three until they are solid and adding one? Then proceed through the sequence adding one at a time until the pattern is filled out.

	Quote: Originally Posted by TheTank
	Work on drawing your lines and making symetrical radiai on your figures. Alot of guys will ofter take a piece of clear lexan, and draw a 90 degree T on it with semi-grid lines. They will have their caller just the symetry of the radiai of the figures they perform. For example, on a split S or looping figure, making sure the top 90 has the same radius as the bottom 90. Another learning curve is utilization of the box. Positioning your manuevers and NOT Rushing. This is one of the mistakes I see most often (and I was guilty of as well). Take your time, position your rolling elements correctly, and dont burn through the sequence.

Tank, thanks for the idea of the lexan. I have used a 3x5 card in the past with a 45 angle cut on it and a hole but I like the see through idea. Not rushing. Man, I flew a little bit in competitions years ago. The heart pump could make you fly 15' loops if you let it. I had to say in my head "slow down".

	Quote: Originally Posted by Shawn Berkheimer
	I would suggest that you go out and fly reverse 1/2 cuban 8s. What you want to practice is flying out about 200-300 feet in front of you, wengs level and paralell to the runway pull up to a 45 degree upline a couple hundred feet past center. lock the 45 count to 3 and then half roll. lock the 45 once again for a 3 count and then do the 5/8 loop. Do this both directions over and over again for 2 flights. Have someone standing behind you to tell you what and when you are doing wrong. Shawn

Shawn, I have been doing this sort of thing a lot lately. I fly a line, pull for a stall turn. The track of the plane tells me if a wing was dipped. Complete the figure and try to exit on the entry line then repeat. It may look boring to some after ten passes, but there is always something that could have been better. I can add a roll or other figure in the center to mix it up. What I really need is a caller/spotter. We have a small club. I guess I just need to stir the interest level up.

	Quote: Originally Posted by wmat7039
	Wayne makes a VERY good starting point here. At that clinic, I also learned a lot from listening to the "Sensei". As mentioned in a previous post, it is important to link up with an experienced pilot who can be of tremendous help & motivation. It is useless to try to perfect a mistake since it will come back to "bite" you. Developing your peripheral vision where you can zoom into your plane & also zoom back out to get a wide view of where you are will definitely help in your positioning of maneuvers. Keep in mind what a previous person mentioned regarding a "count" on 45° up & 90° vertical lines. One VERY important thing to remember is that gravity is going to affect the speed of your aircraft so it WILL slow down going up. Any counting method you may develop should have a longer period after the center maneuver to get both lines to be of equal length. Recognizing lines/angles/radii is going to be a part of your learning regimen, but flying straight & level with the proper wind correction should be your first order of business. Wayne (the "other" Wayne)

Thanks to BOTH Waynes. I have never really tried the counting trick I have always tried to have a "big picture" of the flight area. I will have to play with that idea of actively changing my "view" of the plane and airspace.

Well, this is going to be fun. In another passion of mine, we had a saying. Do a technique ten times a day, every day. In ten years you will be a master. Thanks for all the advice so far.

Any other ideas out there?

[excelpoint]

JimC-MD. Half Cubans, Reverse half cubans, Immelmans, Hammerheads and split "s" are all good turnaround manouvers that have great fundementals in them(45 up & down Lines, half loops, half rolls etc) that will help get things on track. As for the break up of the sequence, I would start on the first three, then the next three then the last 4 with a full sequence thrown in every now and then for good measure. You can also mix up the grouping a bit just so it dosnt become stale. I reckon a 0/8 would be awsome, we would have to petition the IMAC board for one for next years sequence.

	Quote: Originally Posted by JimC-MD
	Thanks for the feedback so far. It all sounds like good advice. Excel, one thing I have picked up on is the need for an awsome 0/8 Do you have a suggestion for the simple turn around figure or do you think it is a good idea to mix it up? Another question would be about the break up of the sequence. Do you think doing groups of figures is better than flying the first three until they are solid and adding one? Then proceed through the sequence adding one at a time until the pattern is filled out. Tank, thanks for the idea of the lexan. I have used a 3x5 card in the past with a 45 angle cut on it and a hole but I like the see through idea. Not rushing. Man, I flew a little bit in competitions years ago. The heart pump could make you fly 15' loops if you let it. I had to say in my head "slow down". Shawn, I have been doing this sort of thing a lot lately. I fly a line, pull for a stall turn. The track of the plane tells me if a wing was dipped. Complete the figure and try to exit on the entry line then repeat. It may look boring to some after ten passes, but there is always something that could have been better. I can add a roll or other figure in the center to mix it up. What I really need is a caller/spotter. We have a small club. I guess I just need to stir the interest level up. Thanks to BOTH Waynes. I have never really tried the counting trick I have always tried to have a "big picture" of the flight area. I will have to play with that idea of actively changing my "view" of the plane and airspace. Well, this is going to be fun. In another passion of mine, we had a saying. Do a technique ten times a day, every day. In ten years you will be a master. Thanks for all the advice so far. Any other ideas out there?

[DKnippen]

My only advice would be you need a good spotter to work with you. One who also does Imac. When your flying its really hard to know exactly how or if your wings are level ect ect.. The second pair of eyes really helps here. Constructive criticism is a good teacher. Listen and learn ! Most of us don't have the gift, or even know how were flying. My last suggestion is don't beat it to death when your practicing. Every practice day is different. Some good, some bad

[Judge]

In point of fact you have several judged 0 of 8 in each sequence. They would be the lines between figures. Remember, you are being judged right up until the end of the last figure.

The next figure starts immediately upon reaching horizontal flight at the end of the previous figure. SO whatever line you draw is part of the next figure, and it is usually supposed to be some kind of straight and level one!!

[Rondog]

Would it be a really dumb idea to try and compete in basic even though you aren't any good and know you haven't gat a chance in hades at winning anything besides that infamous "Had most fun" golf trophy?



Thanks!

[Wayne]

Basic should not be about trying to win..
Its a come see if you like it class. No pressure.
You will learn a lot at each contest you go to.

Its well worth it to just come out and give it a shot.