Originally Posted by mmcconville

OK All. I dont usually make bold predictions, but I'm going to go ahead and award 1st place in Sportsman at the NATS to Brendan Jones.
Good luck to all NC guys there.
I hope to make it over to Muncie for day 1 to help Brendan and then Janet and I are off to Ireland for a week.

GO BRENDAN, you da MAN!!!!

Mike, here is a salute to your prediction....

Mike did make it to the NATS for day 1 to see Brendan fly his new baby ( H9 35% Extra 260 ) that will be coming to market soon, Brendan really enjoyed you being there with him Mike, he hasnt gotten to see or spend any time with you this year.

Here are a few pics from day 1...













Flight debriefing...







Mike really happy with the flight Brendan made...



Mike had to leave Thursday evening to go back home and was unable to stay. We continued on and Brendan done really well. Thursday's unknown didnt go so well though, they were on the two minute clock and was unable to get the engine started as it had flooded and time ran out, leaving Brendan to carry a zero beside his two 1,000's for Thursdays score untill Saturday evening before he could drop it leaving him in 11th place for 3 days. Once the zero was dropped Saturday evening Brendan moved to 1st place and was assured to advance to the finals along with 9 other pilots.



Sunday morning at a little after 6am was a sight to behold, the sunrise and the fog floating just above the ground, the pilots walking around with eyes barely open and preparing for what was ahead, one unknown flight and one known round.

It was a different feeling Sunday morning, Curtis had mentioned in one of his posts that it kind of felt like a local IMAC contest but just a little bigger, that was the feeling I also had, untill, we were all at the field and looking around and not seeing some of the pilots that were there the day before, the empty spots between EZ-UPS where there had been one setting the day before and now was no longer there. I think then it finally dawned on us all...THIS IS THE NATS !

The feeling of it being a bigger local contest soon went away and the realization set in as to what we had all done and acheived.







The tension was in the air, you could feel it, this wasnt a local contest anymore. Everyone made their flights and now for the wait not knowing and wondering how well you made that last flight.

Time for the awards presentation, when they got to the second place contestant i then knew it was either Curtis or Brendan, I sat overwhelmed knowing he was right there at the top.

They then announced Curtis for second place.



I was fighting back so many emotions and was doing good untill i heard the words....and now for our 2007 Scale Aerobatic National Champion......Brendan Jones.

My little buddy had flown against the best of the best in the Nation in his class and had won the Scale Aerobatic National Championship.









Mike, NONE of this would even have began to be possible if it werent for you. That one trip that you took the time out of your very hectic schedule back in Sept. 10th 2005 and brought Wayne along with you, it grabbed Brendan's interest seeing the planes and you both flying them, then for Wayne to have been here and to go on to win the Tucson Shootout in 2006, it really inspired Brendan.

You know all that you have done and what it has meant to both Brendan and myself, there arent even words to begin to describe.

The new H9 260 has made its debut twice now with Brendan, first winning the Hamilton IMAC Challenge with only 3 practice flights, and now to go on to win the IMAC NATS.

Brendan has been really honored and is really proud of that plane and knows that you are just as proud of what you have allowed him to do with it.

There is no way to even begin to express the thanks to you for designing such a beautiful plane. Its a pride and joy thats for sure !

Mike, the only thing that could have been better would have been for you to have been there Sunday afternoon.

Great Post... and Congrats to the proud poppa!

Curtis, your turn is coming buddy, I seen your lil boy at Hamilton and one of these days if your blessed enough that he takes an interest in flying, you will be living the dads dream that im living now.

Im checking on motels and air fare stuff for Tucson, Im wondering if a group of us were going, could we possibly get a group rate ya think ?

Tucson? Whats in Tucson?

Originally Posted by exeter_acres

Tucson? Whats in Tucson?

lol, curtis, as much as you probobly hope that would work, ive had my eye set on tucson for way to long, not to know about the shootout! I hope to go and win it, if not this year, one or more of the shootouts in the future!

i love the competition, but theres nothing like the fellowship that all of us share at these competitions, and im sure i wouldnt be the first to say, thats what makes this hobby so fun and worth while!

The NATs was everything i expected it to be and more. i enjoyed hanging out with everyone and flying against them at the same time! Curtis, i hope you had as much fun as i did and cant wait to fly with you again, your an awsome pilot and an all around cool guy to be around!

Originally Posted by exeter_acres

Tucson? Whats in Tucson?

Lots of sand and a BIG flying field.....we gonna lay in the sand and make some sand angels bubba lol.

I am looking for a showtime 90 4D, plane only, I crashed mine , I have servos, engine and rec. I just need the plane
e-mail me at [email protected]