Chopper Key Veteran Location: Stow,Oh- oops, I mean St Louis, nope Stow again
| Wayne.
There are very few pilots that are flying that even know what the 'trim effect" is, yet to come up with a method of minimizing it. Even some very good 3D pilots are not aware of it. Your knowledge of head design is unquestioned by all that know anything about this sport.
I flew competetive contest for 10 years or more. This year will be my 5th year flying in the XFC. I know a lot of guys that will not enter contests because they are afraid they will look stupid by not being as good as Curtis, or whomever. They see me fly and realize that they CAN be competetive, and that 4th or 6th place at the XFC aint such a bad thing. We now have at least twice as much interest from pilots wanting to fly in the XFC as in the beginning. They can work on the maneuvers and do a nice presentation of skill and WOW.
In FAI, you can possibly hope to trade places with Nob or Gordie....if you dedicate your existence to it, you may move up like Len and break into the team circle. There just is not a lot of pay-back in the FAI circle. It is not easy in the least, and no person believes it does not take a life's ambition to be a team member. There are very few who would rather dedicate their life to be a concert pianist to perform several times a year for royalty, but a lot of people would rather be a rock guitar player who "gets money for nothing, and chicks for free." ;-)
I saw the XFC as the evolution of heli contests, and that is why I dropped out of FAI and went to 3D. There are a few more egos in 3D that sometimes get in the way, but in general, it is still a bunch of quality people.
All of the questions about the Avant, and the head, and all of your other questions will be answered this year, with results. This Avant thing is just beginning. It will be an exciting year.
Paul Soha is a Futaba Team Pilot , Aurora Team Pilot, Wildcat Team Pilot, SAB blades |